Santiniketan, an exquisite place established by Debendranath Tagore in 1863 and later amplified by his son, Rabindra Nath Tagore, a Nobel laureate and the founder of Visva-Bharti University, is up for a distinguished honor. The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), a global organization from France committed to conserving architectural and landscape heritage worldwide, has recommended Santiniketan for the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. This announcement emerged as an enormous pride for India during the 162nd birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on 9th May 2023. If approved, Santiniketan will join the coveted list as India’s 41st world heritage site and Bengal’s third, after Darjeeling Himalayan Railways and Sundarbans National Park.
Global Climate Shifts: April 2023
The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the Earth observation program of the European Union, has disclosed that April 2023 was the fourth warmest April recorded globally. It registered a temperature deviation of 0.32 degrees Celsius above the average for 1991-2020. This rise in temperature indicates a potential drift towards El Nino conditions. Notably, despite being a tad cooler than record-breaking April 2016, it closely mirrored the temperatures of April 2017 and 2018. The month also saw regional variations in weather conditions, with certain areas witnessing colder or dryer conditions and others facing increased rainfall.
Success of Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II
India’s sanitation mission, Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin (SBM-G), achieves a significant milestone with 50% of the country’s villages earning the ODF Plus status in its second phase. Maintaining their Open Defecation Free (ODF) status, these ODF Plus villages have introduced effective solid or liquid waste management systems. Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Goa and Sikkim are the leading states contributing to this success. The mission has introduced various initiatives like Plastic Waste Management Units and community compost pits, the GOBARdhan initiative, and grey water management, all contributing to a cleaner and greener India.
Canada-China Diplomatic Tensions: Persona Non Grata
International diplomacy witnesses a significant moment as diplomatic tensions between Canada and China escalate with reciprocal expulsions of diplomats. Canada has expelled a Chinese diplomat, while China declares a Canadian diplomat persona non grata or an unwelcome person. This action is rooted in the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations treaty of 1961, which gives countries the right to declare a foreign individual persona non grata at any time without explanation. This decision carries weighty diplomatic implications, often used as a form of diplomatic sanction or retaliation. Historical instances include repeated use during the Cold War and even outside of diplomatic circles where celebrities such as actor Brad Pitt received this designation due to politically sensitive involvements.
