Today in History (July 12th, 1975)
On this day, in 1975, Sao Tome and Principe, an island nation, achieved independence from Portugal.
Summary of Today’s News
Enforcement Directorate
The Hon’ble Supreme Court has upheld statutory amendments allowing the Directors of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to extend their tenures gradually and asked the current ED Director, Shri Sanjay Kumar Mishra, to resign four months before the end of his third extension, which was scheduled to conclude in November. The CBI and ED chiefs traditionally have fixed tenures of two years. However, amendments introduced in 2021 to the Central Vigilance Commission Act, the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, and the Fundamental Rules have now granted them the possibility of three annual extensions.
SCALP Missile
France has delivered SCALP long-range cruise missiles to Ukraine, as announced by President Emmanuel Macron. The number of missiles sent was not disclosed. The missile delivery aims to enhance Ukraine’s ability to counter Russian occupation forces. The Kremlin expressed concern, stating that it would lead to countermeasures.
Multidimensional Poverty Index
India has seen significant progress in poverty reduction, with 415 million people overcoming poverty within 15 years. According to the United Nations ‘ Multidimensional Poverty Index, the poverty incidence decreased from 55.1% to 16.4%. Deprivation in various indicators declined, particularly among India’s poorest states and groups.
Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority Act
The Hon’ble Delhi High Court dismissed PepsiCo’s appeal over patent rights for its ‘unique potato’ variety. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Rights Authority (PPVFRA) revoked PepsiCo’s registration of the potato variety. The Court found that PepsiCo had provided incorrect information in its application, leading to the rejection of the appeal.
Indian Monsoon
This year’s monsoon in India had unique characteristics, including a delayed onset due to interactions between typhoons and cyclones. The distribution of rainfall remains patchy, with excess rainfall in specific regions and deficits in others due to climate change, El Nino, wildfires, atmospheric circulations, etc. Improved forecasts are necessary to reduce surprises caused by these weather events in a warming world.
