Today in History (August 22nd, 1864)
On this day, in 1864, the first Geneva Convention for the amelioration of the condition of the wounded in armies in the field was held.
Summary of Today’s News
Cauvery (Kaveri) River
The Cauvery (Kaveri) River is the largest river in Karnataka, originating from Talakaveri in the Western Ghats. Revered as the Dakshina Ganga (the Ganges of the South), it’s a sacred river. Its origin is a pilgrimage site amid Bramahagiri Hills near Madikeri. Notable tributaries include Harangi, Hemavathi, Lakshmanatirtha, Kabini, Shimsha, Arkavati, Suvarnavathi, Bhavani, Lokapavani, Noyyal, and Amaravati.
The Cauvery Water Dispute involves sharing the Cauvery River’s water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry. Originating in 1892, the conflict intensified post-independence when Karnataka diverted water without Tamil Nadu’s consent.
BRICS
BRICS stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—an acronym coined by economist Jim O’Neill to describe fast-growing economies projected to dominate the global economy by 2050. Initially, “BRIC” the group formed in 2001. It evolved when the leaders of these nations met in 2006, formalizing as BRIC. South Africa joined later, leading to the term BRICS. They’ve held 14 summits in 13 years, representing 41% of the world’s population, 24% of the GDP, and 16% of global trade. BRICS countries have fueled global economic growth, addressing various political, economic, and cultural issues.
North Sea
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced plans to grant over 100 licenses for oil and gas exploration in the North Sea beginning in the autumn. This move aims to combat the decline in domestic oil and gas production while the UK is committed to achieving ‘net zero’ carbon emissions by 2050. The North Sea, situated between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, is a shallow epeiric sea on the continental shelf, connecting to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north.
United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)
The United Nations High Seas Treaty, often called the ‘Paris Agreement for the Ocean,’ addresses Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction and has been a subject of discussion for years. Proposed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982, UNCLOS replaced the 1958 Geneva Conventions regarding territorial waters, contiguous zones, continental shelves, and the high seas. UNCLOS divides the sea into territorial waters, contiguous zones, exclusive economic zones (EEZ), and continental shelves.
