NATIONAL:
1. Highest Fighter Airfield
Why in news – World's highest fighter airfield to come up at Ladakh's Nyoma.
Key Points –
• To be constructed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Rajnath Singh will lay the foundation stone on 12 Sept 2023 from Devak Bridge in Jammu.
2. Indian Embassy in Timor-Leste
Why in news – India announced to open an Indian embassy in Timor-Leste capital Dili.
Key Points –
• It was announced at the annual ASEAN-India summit in Jakarta 2023.
• Timor Leste became a full member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2022.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC)
Why in news – An MoU was signed between India, the US, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the UAE, France, Germany and Italy to establish IMEC.
Key Points –
• It was signed on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi.
• It is being positioned as a modern-day Spice Route and alternative to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
• It is envisioned as a network of transport corridors, including railway lines and sea lanes.
• It connects India, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Israel and the European Union.
• The use of the land route in the Arabian peninsula could mean bypassing the congested Suez Canal.
• It consists of 2 separate corridors
(a) East Corridor - India to West Asia/Middle East.
(b) Northern Corridor - West Asia/Middle East to Europe.
• It is jointly spearheaded by the US and India.
• It is a part of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investment (PGII), a West-led initiative for funding infrastructure projects worldwide.
Value Addition –
• PGII was first announced in June 2021 during the G7 (or Group of Seven) summit in the UK.
• PGII called it the Build Back Better World (B3W) framework.
• In 2022, during the G7 summit in Germany, the PGII was officially launched.
• It aims to mobilise nearly $600 billion from the G7 by 2027 to invest in critical infrastructure.
2. Earthquake in Morocco
Why in news – An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Morocco on September 8.
Key Points –
• Epicentre (Earth's surface directly above a hypocenter or focus) – Ighil town.
• It was a shallow quake (18.5 km depth). Such quakes are more dangerous as they carry more energy compared to deeper quakes.
• It also hit its capital Marrakech, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• It happened because the African plate (northward convergence) is subducting below the Eurasian plate.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. African Union in G20
Why in news – The leaders at India’s G20 Summit arrived at a joint communique called the G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
Key Points –
• African Union (AU) became a permanent member of the G20 during the G20 Summit 2023 in New Delhi on Sept 9, 2023.
• AU represents 55 countries.
• So far there was only one country from the entire African continent in the G20 – South Africa.
• This is in sync with India’s aspiration for permanent membership of the UNSC (Africa has 55 votes).
• India’s structured outreach to Africa began in 2008.
• AU was launched in 2002. Hq - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Value Addition –
• PM Narendra Modi handed over the G20 Presidency gavel to Lula da Silva, the President of Brazil.
• Brazil will assume the presidency of the grouping from December 1, 2023.
• PM Narendra Modi ended his closing remarks with a Sanskrit phrase—Swasti Astu Vishwasya! (There should be hope and peace in the entire world).
SECURITY:
1. 21st VARUNA – 2023
Why in news – 21st edition of the Varuna bilateral exercise between the Indian and French Navy was conducted in the Arabian Sea.
Key Points –
• It witnessed the participation of guided missile frigates, tanker, Maritime Patrol Aircraft and integral helicopters.
• Indian & French Navy bilateral naval exercise was initiated in 1993.
• The exercise was later christened as 'Varuna' in 2001.
SPORTS:
1. 37th National Games
Why in news – Goa Governor P S Sreedharan Pillai launched ‘Mashaal’ for 37th National Games.
Key Points –
• He also released the theme song of the national games for which actor Amitabh Bachchan has given his voice.
• The 37th National Games will be held in Goa from October 25 to November 9.
STATES/UTs:
1. Pension for Transgenders
Why in news – Jharkhand has decided to add the transgender community under its universal pension scheme.
Key Points –
• The eligible beneficiary will get Rs 1,000 per month as financial aid.
• It also decided to include them under the backward class category.
BIHAR:
1. G20 Dinner
Why in news – Nitish Kumar attended the G20 dinner on September 9, 2023.
Key Points –
• The dinner was hosted by the president in Delhi.
• The delicacies served to the guests included dishes made from “Shree Anna" (millets) and Kashmiri Kahwa.
2. PM-Kisan Scheme
Why in news – Over 81,000 farmers deemed ineligible for PM-Kisan scheme in Bihar.
Key Points –
• The government has asked state-owned banks to expedite the process of collecting refunds from them amounting worth around Rs 81.6 crore.
• These farmers were found disentitled for the scheme on account of paying income tax and other reasons.
• The PM-Kisan scheme became operational from December 1, 2018.
POINTERS:
• Which country ordered officials at central government agencies not to use Apple's iPhones and other foreign-branded devices for work or bring them into the office - China.
• With whom has the Central Government signed an MoU to Foster Digital Literacy Among Students and Educators Through AI Education – Adobe.
• Which AIIMS has decided to supply essential drugs, vaccines and anti-snake venom (ASV) to far-flung and inaccessible areas and to reach people during natural disasters - AIIMS Patna.
• Who has become the oldest player to make it to the final of US Open (Grand Slam) - Rohan Bopanna (43-years).
• Which country has launched its first operational tactical nuclear attack submarine - North Korea.
• Which country has launched the moon mission ‘Moon Sniper’ - Japan.
• Recently, who has been honored with the ‘Leading Fintech Personality of the Year Award - Adeeb Ahmed.
• Recently, India and which country has signed another memorandum of understanding on judicial cooperation – Singapore.
• Recently, who has been honored with ‘Lakshmi Kumari Chundawat Children’s Literature Award’ - Advait Jind.
• Which is the first Public Sector Bank to launch UPI ATMs, in co-ordination with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) - Bank of Baroda.
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