SAIL, ArcelorMittal ink MoU to set up steel plant in India

Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and world’s largest steelmaker, ArcelorMittal signed a MoU to set up an automotive steel manufacturing facility in India. The MoU was signed by ArcelorMittal Chairman & Chief Executive Lakshmi Niwas Mittal and SAIL Chairman CS Verma in London.

India ranks 24th in the first Environmental Democracy Index 

India has ranked 24th out of 70 countries in the first Environmental Democracy Index that is topped by Lithuania and evaluates nations’ progress in enacting laws to promote transparency, accountability and citizen engagement in environmental decision making.

Lithuania, Latvia, Russia, the US, South Africa, the UK, Hungary, Bulgaria, Panama and Colombia are the top 10 nations in the list launched by Washington-based World Resources Institute (WRI) and Access Initiative.

South Korea’s Park names new prime minister

South Korean President Park Geun-hye named incumbent Justice Minister Hwang Kyo-ahn as the new Prime Minister following the resignation of the former premier Lee Wan-koo over an alleged bribery scandal.

Parvinder Singh Batth, becomes first Sikh mayor in United Kingdom’s Wokingham Borough Council

Parvinder Singh Batth, an Indian-origin Conservative party councillor was chosen as the mayor of United Kingdom’s Wokingham Borough Council. With this, he became the first Sikh to hold the Mayor’s position in UK. He succeeds Councillor UllaKarin Clark for this post and will serve till 2016.

ISIS militants take control of Syria’s ancient city of Palmyra

Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants have taken complete control of the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra. The city is a UNESCO designated World Heritage site and home to some of the world’s most magnificent ancient ruins.

UN observed International Day for Biological Diversity

The United Nations (UN) observed the International Day for Biological Diversity (IBD) on 22 May 2015. The theme for the year 2015 is” Biodiversity for Sustainable Development”. In Dec 2000, May 22 was proclaimed as the International Day for Biological Diversity with an aim to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues and to commemorate the adoption of Convention of Biological Diversity.