NATIONAL:
1. Women Parliamentarians
Why in news – Arjun Ram Meghwal introduced the Constitution (128th Amendment) Bill, 2023 in the Lok Sabha.
Key Points –
• It aims to provide 33% reservation of seats for women in Parliament and state legislative Assemblies.
• The current 17th Lok Sabha (2019-2024) has the highest-ever representation of women MPs, with 78 MPs in the 545-member House (around 14%).
• Globally, the average for women in parliament is around 24%.
• Highest percentage of women legislators in Parliament – Rwanda (49 of 80 MPs, i.e., 61%). It is more than Sweden, Iceland and New Zealand.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. India Canada Rift
Why in news – India expelled Olivier Sylvestere, a senior Canadian diplomat based in India.
Key Points –
• Olivier Sylvestere is the Canadian intelligence agency station chief in India.
• Earlier, Canada expelled Pavan Kumar Rai, head of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Canada.
• Canada alleged India of killing of a pro-Khalistan leader and Canadian citizen, Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
• Canadian PM Trudeau has informed US President Joe Biden and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
• Canada, US, UK, Australia and New Zealand are part of the Five Eyes Alliance.
Value Addition –
• Canadian Ambassador - Cameron Mackay.
• Indian ambassador to Canada - Sanjay Kumar Verma.
2. EU-China Tariff War
Why in news – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen sounded the alarm bells on the cheap, new electric vehicles from China.
Key Points –
• She warned EU parliamentary lawmakers that China “is flooding global markets with cheap electric cars.”
• She said Beijing is offering “massive government subsidies” to undercut the prices of electric vehicles (EV) made in Europe.
• There have been calls to impose punitive tariffs.
3. Online Safety Bill
Why in news – Britain passed sweeping new online safety law.
Key Points –
• It regulates online content, rules to reduce hate speech, harassment, and other illicit material.
• It also applies to terrorist propaganda, online fraud, and child safety.
• Companies that do not comply will face fines of up to 18 million pounds (about $22.3 million).
4. African Credit Rating Agency
Why in news – The African Union plans to launch a new African credit rating agency in 2024.
Key Points –
• It is in response to its concerns about what it views as unfair ratings given to African countries.
• It will generate its own evaluation of lending risks associated with African countries.
• It alleged that the “big three” rating agencies – Moody’s, Fitch, and S&P Global Ratings – do not fairly assess the lending risks associated with African countries.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. UNESCO tag to Santiniketan
Why in news – Santiniketan has been added to the UNESCO World Heritage sites list.
Key Points –
• It was home to late Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore.
• Location - Birbhum district (West Bengal).
• It was established by Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore, in 1863.
• Rabindranath Tagore envisioned it as a university town and established a school. It was called Brahmacharya Ashram (1901).
• In 1921, Tagore set up Visva Bharati, which was declared a central university and institute of national importance in 1951.
• Visva-Bharati University became the first living university to get the heritage tag from UNESCO.
• Santiniketan becomes the 41st UNESCO World Heritage Site in India and 3rd in West Bengal.
Value Addition –
• Inscription to the World Heritage List is recommended by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
• ICOMOS is the advisory body of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
• World Heritage Site in West Bengal - Sundarbans National Park and the Darjeeling Mountain Railways.
• The Durga Puja in Kolkata is included in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Parker Solar Probe (2018)
Why in news – NASA’s Parker Solar Probe (PSP) become the 1st ever man-made spacecraft to fly through a powerful solar explosion.
Key Points –
• It took the closest-ever plasma observations.
• It will help in the detailed study of solar plasma along with the early stage, structures, and evolution of Coronal Mass Ejections (CME).
• CMEs are violent bouts of gaseous matter and magnetic fields thrown outwards from the Sun’s outer atmosphere, the corona.
2. Musk’s Neuralink
Why in news – Musk’s Neuralink to start the human trial of brain implant for paralysis patients.
Key Points –
• It will use a robot to surgically place a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant in a region of the brain that controls the intention to move.
• It would facilitate speedy surgical insertions of chip devices to treat conditions like obesity, autism, depression and schizophrenia.
• Neuralink is Elon Musk’s brain-chip startup.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. G77+China Summit
Why in news – Group of 77 (G77) and China summit concluded with an emphasis on empowering Global South.
Key Points –
• Venue - Havana, Cuba.
• China is not a member but has been cooperating with the group under the framework of "G77 and China."
• First established in 1964, G77 now has 134 members.
• Group of 77 is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations.
SECURITY:
1. ASEAN Solidarity Exercise-01 Natuna (ASEX-01N)
Why in news – The 5-day ASEX-01N exercise was held at Indonesia's Natuna Islands near the South China Sea.
Key Points –
• It is the first joint military drill that the Southeast Asian bloc has conducted on its own.
• The exercises took place around Batam island, which is located adjacent to the Strait of Malacca.
• All ASEAN member countries including East Timor participated.
BIHAR:
1. 32nd All India GV Mavalankar Shooting Championship
Why in news – The 32nd All India GV Mavalankar Shooting Championship was held in Asansol.
Key Points –
• Gaurav Bharti won the gold medal for Bihar in the 25 meter sports event.
• His score - 286 out of 300.
• Gaurav is a resident of Bhanwar Pokhar Mohalla of Patna.
2. Air Quality Laboratory Building
Why in news – Work on construction of an ‘air quality laboratory building’ has started at the Patliputra Industrial Estate.
Key Points –
• It will be used by the Bihar State Pollution Control Board (BSPCB).
• The foundation stone for the laboratory was laid down by Tej Pratap Yadav on September 7 to mark the “International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies”.
• The project, being carried out by the Industrial Development Authority (IDA).
• The entire premises will be certified as a green building by the Indian Green Building Council.
POINTERS:
• In which state will the fourth edition of the World Trade Expo be organized – Maharashtra.
• Who has taken charge as the acting director of Enforcement Directorate (ED) replacing Sanjay Kumar Mishra - Rahul Naveen.
• In which national park has an event been organized to commemorate the completion of one year of Project-Cheetah - Kuno National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
• According to Chainalysis' 2023 Global Crypto Adoption Index, has been ranked first in grassroots crypto adoption – India.
• Which company will invest Rs 1,000 crore in Uttar Pradesh over the next few years to establish a bus manufacturing factory focused on clean mobility - Ashok Leyland.
• The Chief Minister of which state will inaugurated the 108 feet high statue of Adi Shankaracharya - Madhya Pradesh.
• Which is the only Indian company featured in the TIME Magazine's top 100 'World's Best Companies 2023' list – Infosys.
• Who has launched a Unified Portal for Agricultural Statistics (UPAG) - Ramesh Chand (Member of NITI Aayog).
• Who has been conferred with the highest award "Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar" by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India for best implementation of Rajbhasha Policy - The Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India.
• Which state has launched “Chief Minister Sampoorna Pushti Yojana” – Odisha.
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