World’s First Meditation Day

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The United Nations General Assembly UNGA proclaimed 21st December as World Meditation Day, to raise awareness about meditation and its benefits.

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• The theme for the day is “Meditation for Global Peace and Harmony” 
• This day will be celebrated annually for the practice of meditation and raise awareness about it. 
• The resolution was introduced by Liechtenstein and co-sponsored by nations including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Andorra etc.
• The day coincides with the winter solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, the shortest day and longest night of the year, so promoting introspection and inner calm.

Meditation:

• Meditation is an English term with Latin roots (Meditari: to think, reflect or contemplate) and indicates ‘deep exploration of mind’.
• It is considered a ‘technique to control the mind’ by controlling our attention and awareness. 
• It is an ancient practice that involves focusing one’s attention on the present moment. 
• Rooted in religious, yogic, and secular traditions across cultures, meditation has been practised for thousands of years.
• Earlier In 2014, India played a key role at the UN in making June 21 the International Day of Yoga.

United Nations Internal Justice Council

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Recently, the former Supreme Court Judge Madan Lokur was appointed as the Chairperson of the United Nations Internal Justice Council. 

United Nations Internal Justice Council:

The General Assembly established the Internal Justice Council (IJC) as part of the new internal justice system in order to help ensure independence, professionalism and accountability in the administration of the justice system of the United Nations.

The IJC is composed of the following five members

• A staff representative 
• A management representative 
• Two distinguished external jurists, one nominated by the staff and one by management
• Chairperson as a distinguished jurist chosen by consensus by the four above-given members. 

The IJC members are appointed by the UN Secretary-General.

The tenure of the chairperson of the Council is four years. 

Judge Madan Lokur:

• He was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court of Fiji in August 2019, marking the first time an Indian judge was appointed to the highest court of Fiji.
• Justice Lokur retired from the Supreme Court on December 31, 2018, after serving as a judge for over six years.

Anji Khad Bridge on USBRL project

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Recently, The Indian Railways has successfully completed a trial run of an electric engine on India's first cable-stayed rail bridge, the Anji Khad Bridge.

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• This trial will be instrumental for the start of rail services to Kashmir in January 2025 under the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Link (USBRL) project.
• The Prime Minister of India will inaugurate the Vande Bharat train connecting Kashmir to New Delhi on the USBRL in January 2025.

About the Anji Khade Bridge:

• It features a single pylon with a height of 331 metres above the riverbed.
• It is the second-highest railway bridge after the iconic arch bridge over the Chenab at Kauri, which is the world's highest railway bridge at 359 metres above the riverbed — 35 metres higher than the Eiffel Tower in Paris.
• It has a total length of 473.25 metres, with the viaduct measuring 120 metres and the central embankment 94.25 metres.
• According to railway officials, the alignment of this rail link entails the construction of 38 tunnels with a combined length of 119 km. 
• This includes the longest transportation tunnels ever built in India such as the Sumber-Arpinchala (T-49) of 12.75 km and the Pir Panjal (T-80) 11.2 km.