1.
The apex anti-terror body National
Investigation Agency (NIA) will be the nodal authority for probing cases of
human trafficking after the government approved a proposal in this regard. The
Cabinet approved the draft Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection &
Rehabilitation) Bill, which also proposes a punishment of life imprisonment for
repeat offenders. The draft Bill divides various offences into
"trafficking" & "aggravated trafficking".
2.
The first-ever multi-nation naval exercise
at sea, MILES-18, began at the Andaman sea. 11 naval ships of 8 countries &
nine Indian ships are participating in the three-day exercise.
3.
Navy Chief Admiral Sunil Lanba visited USA.
It aims to consolidate relations between the Armed Forces of both the nations
& to explore new avenues of defence co-operation.
4.
Indian Navy & the French Navy have
conducted bilateral maritime exercises since May 1993. Since 2001, the
exercises have been named VARUNA & there have been fifteen editions of the
same till date. This year too VARUNA-18 would be conducted in three sea areas,
namely, the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal & South Western Indian Ocean.
5.
General Bipin Rawat, Chief of the Army Staff
released a book on Paramveer Chakra Awardees - ‘Paramveer Parwane’. It is written by Dr Prabhakiran Jain & is
published by Medha Books.
6.
INS Ganga, an indigenously built frigate of
the Indian Navy, was decommissioned in Mumbai after over three decades of
service. Commissioned in December 1985, the ship represented a big step forward
in the nation's warship building capability.
7.
The world’s biggest cruise-liner, Symphony
of the Seas, has left the shipyard of Saint-Nazaire in France to embark on its
maiden voyage in the Mediterranean. French shipbuilder STX handed over to U.S.
giant Royal Caribbean International. The ship, which weighs 228,000 tonnes, is
362 metres long just 20 metres shy of the length of the Empire State Building.
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