http://pib.nic.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1572167
https://www.indiatvnews.com/news/india-first-indian-army-mountaineering-expedition-to-mt-makalu-8485m-517256

18 member Indian Army Mountaineering Expedition team to Mt Makalu (8485m) successfully scaled the peak on 16 May 2019.
About Mt Makalu: Among the eight mountains in Nepal above 8000m, Mt. Makalu is the fourth tallest in Nepal and fifth highest Peak on the Earth with its height 8,463m. Mt. Makalu resides in the eastern Himalayas range just 19Km southeast of the giant Mt. Everest in the border of Nepal and China. At the base of Mt. Makalu, there lies a natural wonder: The Barun Valley.

https://thediplomat.com/2019/05/india-singapore-begin-simbex-2019-naval-exercises-in-south-china-sea/
The annual Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise SIMBEX-2019 held recently.
Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise is a naval exercise between two navies in the Andaman Sea and Bay of Bengal.
It is an unprecedented level of interoperability, where ships, submarines and aircraft of India and Singapore will participate in multi-dimensional exercises at sea with perhaps very high degree of complexity.
Since its inception in 1993, SIMBEX has grown in tactical and operational complexity.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190019
https://www.thegef.org/events/2019-meetings-cops-basel-rotterdam-and-stockholm-conventions

The 14th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to Basel Convention (COP 14) was held along with the 9th meeting of the COP to Rotterdam Convention and the 9th meeting of the COP to Stockholm Convention in Geneva, Switzerland.

BRS Conventions – Brief Background:
The Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions are multilateral environmental agreements, which share the common objective of protecting human health and the environment from hazardous chemicals and wastes.

Aim: This “synergies process” aims to strengthen the implementation of the three conventions at the national, regional and global levels by providing coherent policy guidance, enhancing efficiency in the provision of support to Parties to the Conventions, reducing their administrative burden and maximising the effective and efficient use of resources at all levels, while maintaining the legal autonomy of these three multilateral environmental agreements.

Basel Convention:
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal was created to protect people and the environment from the negative effects of the inappropriate management of hazardous wastes worldwide. It is the most comprehensive global treaty dealing with hazardous waste materials throughout their life cycles, from production and transport to final use and disposal.

Rotterdam Convention:
The Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent Procedure for certain hazardous Chemicals and Pesticides in international trade provides Parties with a first line of defence against hazardous chemicals. It promotes international efforts to protect human health and the environment as well as enabling countries to decide if they want to import hazardous chemicals and pesticides listed in the Convention.

Stockholm Convention:
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants is a global treaty to protect human health and the environment from highly dangerous, long-lasting chemicals by restricting and ultimately eliminating their production, use, trade, release and storage.

http://pib.nic.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=190045
http://www.uniindia.com/nomination-for-vayoshreshtha-samman-national-awards-for-senior-citizens-2019-to-be-sent-by-may-31/india/news/1603961.html

Nominations for Vayoshreshtha Samman- National Awards for Senior Citizens 2019 for individuals/institutions have been invited.

About Vayoshreshtha Samman:
Vayoshreshtha Samman is a Scheme of National Awards instituted by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment (D/o Social Justice & Empowerment) initially in 2005 and was upgraded to the status of National Awards in 2013, for institutions involved in rendering distinguished service for the cause of elderly persons especially indigent senior citizens and to eminent citizens in recognition of their service/achievements.
The awards are presented on 1st of October every year pursuant to the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly to observe the year 1999 as the International Year of Older Persons.

UPSC 2012 Prelims Question
Original jurisdiction of a court refers to a matter for which the particular court is approached first. In the case of the Supreme Court in India, its original jurisdiction is covered under Article 131. It involves the following cases:
Any dispute between the Indian Government and one or more States.
Any dispute between the Indian Government and one or more States on one side and one or more States on the other side.
Any dispute between two or more States.
Article 32 of the Constitution provides original jurisdiction to the SC for matters regarding the enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
The SC can issue writs, directions, or orders including writs in the nature of mandamus, habeas corpus, quo warranto, prohibition and certiorari.
The SC also has the power to direct the transfer of a criminal or civil case from the High Court in one State to the High Court in another State.
It can also transfer cases from one subordinate court to another State High Court
If the SC deems that cases involving the same questions of law are pending before it and one or more High Courts, and that these are significant questions of law, it can withdraw the cases before the High Court or Courts and dispose off all these cases itself.
The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 gives the SC the authority to initiate international commercial arbitration.