Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC - 7th September 2023

National News

1. Country's first solar city 'Sanchi' inaugurated in Madhya Pradesh

• Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the state chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, officially opened the nation's first solar city, on September 6, 2023. In Madhya Pradesh's Raisen district, Solar City Sanchi, a World Heritage Site, will cut carbon dioxide emissions by about 13747 tonnes yearly, or more than two lakh trees. 
• Additionally, the government and its inhabitants will save more than Rs 7 crore annually on energy-related expenses. Sanchi, which lies on the Tropic of Cancer, is ideally situated to benefit from solar energy and develop into one of the nation's first solar cities. 
• Over 300 solar streetlights have been installed across the city. The pumping station of the Municipal Corporation is being operated with solar energy. Battery-operated e-rickshaws and Garbage vans will also run in the city. E-vehicle charging stations have also been set up. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a target of developing a solar city in every state of the country by 2070. 

Solar city 'Sanchi'

• Dr. Prabhuram Chaudhary, Madhya Pradesh's Minister of Public Health and Family Welfare, performed by Bhoomi Pujan on March 4, 2023, in the hamlet of Nagauri in Sanchi development blocks in the state's Raisen district to transform Sanchi into a solar metropolis.
• In Nagauri and Gulgaon, respectively, 3 MW and 5 MW of solar power are being installed. Solar energy will be used to produce electricity for the city of Sanchi and the nearby rural areas. 
• Sanchi's electricity requirements will be satisfied by solar energy with the development of Solar City. In addition, solar-powered streetlights, garden lights, studs, high-tight lights, solar drinking water kiosks, battery-powered e-rickshaws, charging stations, renewable energy-based plants, Wind turbines and piezoelectric generators will be put in place. 

2. World’s tallest Nataraja statue installed at G20 summit venue

• Bharat Mandapam is the location of the G20 summit in Delhi, the tallest Nataraja statue in the world has been erected. 
• The 20-ton, 28-foot-tall statue was created in Swamimalai in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur District after a record-breaking seven months with sculptor Radhakrishnan Sthapathy and his team. 
• The statue was built in Ashtadhatu (8 metals) using the traditional casting method 

About Madhya Pradesh 

• Capital – Bhopal 
• Chief Minister – Shivraj Singh Chauhan 
• Governor – Mangubhai C. Patel

3. The center accepts 10% reservations for students at public medical schools

• The Union Home Ministry has approved Puducherry’s proposal to implement a 10% horizontal reservation for graduates of government secondary schools pursuing undergraduate medical programs. 
• This reservation policy, with immediate effect, will benefit students who have cleared the NEET exam and complete their education from government schools starting from a standard level 
• This collaboration aims to stimulate new research in areas such as genomics, relevant to lifestyle diseases and emerging diseases such as malignant cancer. The signing ceremony took place at the Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in the presence of the Minister of State for Science and Technology (Independent Charge) - Jitendra Singh

4. L-G is responsible for resolving the conflict

• According to Atishi, who oversees the Public Works Department (PWD) and Revenue, among other portfolios, the burden of settling the disagreement between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and Centre-appointed Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena rests with the the latter. The Minister's remarks come at a time when the elected government and the L-G are embroiled in a fierce dispute about who should receive credit for the beautifying work completed before to the G-20 Summit.

International News

5. Japan has launched the SLIM “lunar sniper” lunar lander into space 

• Japan launched “Moon Sniper”, its lunar exploration spacecraft, on a local H-IIA rocket, paving the way to become the fifth country in the world to land on the Moon earlier this year. The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) said the rocket took off from Tanegashima space center in southern Japan as planned and successfully launched the Intelligent Lander to Investigate the Moon (SLIM).
• Japan aims to land SLIM within 100 meters of the target location on the lunar surface. The $100 The million mission is expected to reach the Moon in February. The launch comes two weeks after India became the fourth country to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon with the Chandrayaan mission. 
• 3 to the undiscovered lunar south pole. Japan’s two previous attempts to land on the moon failed last year. 

6. Opening of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly

• The 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly began with Dennis Francis assuming the role of President of the General Assembly. In his opening speech, he emphasized the importance of addressing the many global challenges the world is currently facing. 
• On the topic “Rebuilding trust and restarting global solidarity: Accelerate action on the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals for peace, prosperity, progress, and sustainability for all’ focusing on several important areas. 
• Sessions noted the challenges posed by climate change, conflict, and poverty in achieving global peace. The session welcomed initiatives to strengthen transparency and accountability, including the UNGA Security Council veto initiative. 

7. Global Fintech Fest 2023

• In 2023, the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) plans to restore its position as the biggest fintech conferences around the world. This year's event looks to be a remarkable display of innovation and teamwork in the fintech sector. 
• The conference began with a spectacular inauguration event that Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, the Government of India’s Minister of Finance, attended. Her comments emphasized the fintech sector’s revolutionary importance in India’s financial ecosystem. 
• Reputable worldwide organizations and nations have backed and joined GFF 2023. The core idea of GFF 2023 encapsulates the goals and responsibilities of the fintech sector. Global Collaboration for a Responsible Financial Ecosystem: Inclusive | Resilient | Sustainable’ was the festival’s theme. 

8. Asia’s largest district cooling project will be established with $200 million in investment from Tabreed

• The cooling-as-a-service company Tabreed, located in Abu Dhabi, has disclosed plans for a massive $200 million investment. This investment will be used to build Hyderabad Pharma City, an expanding center for the Indian pharmaceutical sector, a state-of-the-art cooling infrastructure with a 125,000 refrigeration tonnes (RT) capacity. 
• According to Tabreed, the use of water and electricity will both be significantly decreased as a result of this economical cooling approach. More specifically, it is projected to save an astounding 41,600 mega liters of water and 6,800 GWh of electricity throughout its lifetime. Additionally, by saving 6.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, it will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These figures highlight the project’s potential to significantly improve the environment and foster a greener, healthier community. 

9. China urges countries to avoid a “new Cold War” at the ASEAN summit

• Li Qiang opened an ASEAN-plus-three conference with Japan and South Korea in Jakarta by saying, “Differing perceptions, diverging interests, or external interferences may lead to disagreements and disputes between countries. 
• What is crucial right now is to resist picking sides, to oppose bloc confrontation, and to oppose a new Cold War to keep disputes under control. 
• The Chinese premier’s remarks followed warnings from Beijing’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu, who called for “inclusive cooperation” rather than “small cliques” at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June. Li Shangfu warned against the formation of NATO-like alliances in the Asia-Pacific region. 

State news

10. Nagaland govt announces Saturday as a holiday for all schools

• The Nagaland government announced Saturday that it will be a holiday for all schools in the State. 
• This was announced by the Advisor for School Education & SCERT, Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome during the State-level Teacher’s Day celebration in Kohima.
• Saturdays will be carefully maintained as holidays since students require time outside of the classroom for holistic development and instructors need time for their families. 
• A School Children's Health Card will be required for everyone starting the following school year, according to another announcement made by Yhome. This will enable every child to receive medical care right outside of their school. 
• Other announcements also included students coming from Government High Schools to be given first preference for admission to Government Higher Secondary Schools. 

About Nagaland 

• Formation – 1 December 1963 
• Capital - Kohima
• Chief Minister - Neiphiu Rio
• Governor - La. Ganesan

11. Prayagraj police launched ‘Savera’ program to help the elderly 

• Prayagraj Police have taken proactive steps to ensure the safety and well-being of senior citizens in their community. They recently launched a "Savera" program, aimed at providing essential and other emergency health services to senior citizens residing in 7 districts of Prayagraj division. 
• Under the "Savera" scheme, Prayagraj police meticulously maintain a complete registration of people aged 60 years and above. These files are accessible via a dedicated support phone number, 112, ensuring a quick and efficient response when needed. One of the main responsibilities of the police force participating in this project is to conduct regular security checks at the homes of registered elderly people. These checks are essential to ensure the safety and well-being of older people who may be vulnerable.

12. Manipur protest over Army barrier results in 40 injuries 

• On Wednesday, over 10,000 people gathered in the Bishnupur district of Manipur to demand the removal of an obstruction, causing a stampede that injured over 40 people. Security personnel used tear gas to separate the crowd. a barracks for the Army. The standoff, according to a defense source, continued throughout the day.
• Armed criminals opened fire on Central security forces, and a crowd hurled stones at their way. Rapid Action Group (RAF), a specialized anti-riot group, suffered injuries to three of its members. 
• Meitei organizations object to the barricade being erected in a buffer zone on the border between Bishnupur and Churachandpur. A powerful Meitei organization called the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (CO-COMI) has urged youth and others to turn out in huge numbers on Wednesday to help move the barrier closer to the Churachand Purhill district. The protest march, according to the group, was in response to "union and state governments." threatening to remove the blockade by August 30. 

13. After September 12, it might not be possible to release Cauvery water

• Karnataka has warned the Supreme Court that after September 12 it may not be possible to release any water from its reservoirs due to the “severe drought situation” it is experiencing in both the Cauvery and Krishna basins. 
• Karnataka, which blamed Tamil Nadu for its water issues, stated on August 29 that it would nevertheless abide by the Central Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) directive to release 5,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water for the next 15 days, or until September 12. 
• Karnataka said that the state administration was under a “heavy burden” as a result of the drought. 
• “On September 4, there was 56.043 tmcft of live storage in the Cauvery basin. About 40 tmcft of inflows are anticipated. In contrast, Karnataka’s demand for the remaining portion of the season, using August 11 as a baseline, is 140 tmcft as submitted to CWMA, the state responded. 
• Karnataka said it submitted a review appeal to CWMA on September 2 to cut the daily water release from 5,000 cusecs to 3,000 cusecs. It stated that a review had been requested due to reduced outflows from Mettur reservoir in Tamil Nadu of 8,000 cusecs instead of 10,000 cusecs.

Sports

14. Amul became the official sponsor of the Indian contingent in Hangzhou Asia Games 

• The 19th Asian Games 2022, which will take place in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, will have Amul as their official sponsor. Amul will honor the players' contributions by using its unified logo. 
• Since the London 2012 Olympics, Amul has collaborated with Indian athletes through the Indian Olympic Association to sponsor all Indian delegations in the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and Asian Games. 
• Gujarat's Anand is home to the Indian dairy cooperative Amul. It is the biggest dairy cooperative in the world and India's top producer of milk and milk-related goods. Tribhuvanda Patel and Verghese Kurien created Amul in 1946.
• The "Hangzhou Asian Games 2022" will take place in Hangzhou and five co-host cities from September 23 to October 8, including 61 contests in 40 sports. On September 19, 2023, several Competitions like football and cricket are expected to begin. 
• India twice served as the venue for the Asian Games, first in 1951 and subsequently in 1982. The Asian Games, usually referred to as the Asian Games, are a multisport continental competition that takes place every four years. 
• At the Asian Games, the Indian team will field 634 athletes across 38 sports, with 65 of them competing in athletics. India sent a delegation of 570 to Jakarta 2018 to compete in 36 sports and brought home 70 medals (16 gold, 23 silver, and 31 bronze). 
• Aichi Prefecture and Nagoya, Japan will host the 2026 Asian Games (20th Asian Games) from September 19 to October 4. 

Business News

15. India Post and Shiprocket partner to strengthen e-commerce export 

• The Department of Posts and Bigfoot Retail Solutions Pvt Ltd (Shiprocket), a preeminent e-commerce enabling platform, have reached an agreement. 
• The partnership aims to increase exports from e-commerce by utilizing India Post's broad footprint and shipping options. 
• By virtue of this partnership, Dak Ghar, Niryat, Kendra, and Shiprocket will be able to integrate their technical systems, allowing Indian vendors who use Shiprocket to produce e-PBE and shipping labels straight from the platform. 
• In the recent past, India Post has taken a number of actions, including the establishment of Dak Ghar Niryat Kendras (DNKs) all over the nation and the expansion of Foreign Post Offices. Additionally, India Post introduced the Postal Bill of Export to enable commercial exports through the post offices. 
• Online order processing, export documentation, compliance and Customs clearance have been made easy through the Electronic Postal Bill of Export (PBE), which can be filed on the DNK portal. 

Recent MoU 

• Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL) and IIT Guwahati have signed a contract. 
• NITI Aayog and UNDP sign MoU on fast-tracking SDGs
• AICTE partnered with Jio Institute for Faculty Development Programme 
• BHEL signs MoU with Greenstat to explore opportunities in the Hydrogen value chain 
• Voyager Space has signed an MoU with New Space India Limited (NSIL) to foster collaboration in spacecraft launch 

Schemes

16. The Government has approved Rs 3,760 crores for the Viability Gap funding Scheme 

• Scheme for Viability Gap Funding (VGF) for the advancement of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) has received government approval. 
• The plan calls for the creation of BESS plants with a capacity of 4,000 Megawatt Hours by 2030– 2031, with budgetary support covering up to 40% of the capital cost. 
• The original outlay is around 9,400 crore rupees, including 3,760 crore rupees in fiscal support. The VGF will be distributed in five installments, each of which corresponds to a different stage in the BESS projects' implementation. 
• In a separate decision, the government authorized an additional fund demand of 1164 crore rupees for Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand under the Industrial Development Scheme, 2017. The money will go toward paying down the scheme's committed liabilities.

About World Health Organization (WHO) 

• Formation – 7 April 1948 
• Headquarters – Geneva, Switzerland 
• First President – Andrija Štampar 
• Director-General – Tedros Adhanom (Ethiopia) 
• Deputy Director General – Soumya Swaminathan (Indian) 
• Member Countries – 194 

Appointment and Resignation

17. Neeraj Mittal appointed Do as secretary 

• Neeraj Mittal has been appointed Secretary, Department of Telecommunications (DoT) by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) 
• He replaces K Rajaraman, who is currently the Chairman of International Financial Services Central Authority (IFSCA), Gujarat. 
• Neeraj Mittal is a 1992 batch Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officer. 
• He is currently Principal Secretary, Department of Information Technology, Tamil Nadu. 
• He previously held the position of senior advisor to the World Bank Group and joint secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. 
• Meanwhile, S Krishnan, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was appointed as the new secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. 

Recent appointments 

• Additional Director of Military Nursing (MNS) – Delos Flora 
• IESF Member Committee for a 3-year term in India – Lokesh Suji 
• Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) – Vumlunmang Vualnam (replacing Rajiv Bansal) 
• Chairman of NASSCOM – Rajesh Nambiar 
• The Chairman of NASSCOM – Debjani Ghosh 

Books and Authors

18. Harper Collins publishes the book 'Fire on the Ganges' by Radhika Iyengar 

• The book “Fire of the Ganges River: Life Among the Dead in Banaras” was written by Radhika Iyengar. Also published by Harper Collins. The book explores the town of Banaras in India, especially its relationship with death and the afterlife. Radhika Iyengar is an award-winning journalist. She won the Red Ink Award for Excellence in Indian Journalism (2018). 

Recent book 

• Irfan: lifetime of cinema – Shubhra Gupta 
• Kuch Adhure Shabd – IAS Officer Ashutosh Agnihotri 
• Monsoon – Abhay K 
• Raag Prakash – Om Prakash Kaul (published by Himachal CM) 
• When the Wheel Turns – Ranjit Pratap (published by M Venkaiah Naidu) 6.A Crazy Man's Journey - Sarika Bhardwaj 
• Prism: Homeland of the rainbow – Vinod Mankara 
• Yoga Sutras for Children – Roopa Pai 
• Master of Residential Real Estate - Ashwinder Singh 
• India's Secret War BSF – Ushinor Majumdar 

Defense News

19. Indian Air Force and Indian Drone Federation jointly organize Bharat Drone Shakti 2023

• The Indian Air Force (IAF) is collaborating with the Indian Drone Federation to co-organize 'Bharat Drone Shakti 2023'. This next event, scheduled from September 25 to 26, 2023, will take place at IAF Air Base Hindan (Ghaziabad). This will be a pioneering exhibition showcasing the strength of India's drone industry, with over 50 live aerial demonstrations. 
• “Bharat Drone Shakti 2023” is expected to impress the participants with a series of live aerial performances. The event will cover a wide range of drone applications including survey drones, agricultural drones, firefighting drones, surveillance drones tactical, heavy logistics drones, roaming munitions systems, drone swarms and counter-drone solutions. This comprehensive exhibition will highlight the versatility and innovation in India's drone sector.

Banking news

20. SBI Cards Reveal Additional Features on 'AURUM' Super Premium Card 

• SBI Card, India's largest credit card issuer, has launched new features of its super-premium card "AURUM," targeting the upper echelons of society, such as high net worth individuals High. With the enhancements, AURUM cardholders will be able to enjoy benefits worth up to Rs 2 lakh per year, depending on their spending. 
• The card provides unlimited access to international lounges for the cardholder, as well as 4 international lounge access for accompanying guests. Additionally, the card comes with a one-year Club Marriott membership as a welcome gift. 
• AURUM is designed to satisfy the discerning tastes and lifestyles of global enthusiasts and senior executives who seek excellence in every aspect of life. It has become one of the most coveted cards in the ultra-premium segment. Based on the admiration it has received so far, we decided to enhance the cardholder experience even further. 

21. SBI Card Launches 'Simply SAVE Merchant' SBI Card' to provide short-term credit to MSMEs 

• SBI Card, India's largest pure-play credit card issuer, has launched SBI Merchant SimplySAVE Card', a dedicated credit card designed for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) . The new card is designed to meet the short-term credit needs of MSME merchants while providing them with many exclusive benefits. 
• The official launch of the SimplySAVE Merchant SBI Card took place at the Global Fintech Festival in Mumbai with the presence of Mr. Dinesh Khara, Chairman, State Bank of India. The launch of the SBI SimplySAVE Merchant Card aims to empower the wider MSME sector by providing them short-term, interest-free credit. 

India's first UPI ATM: How will it be different from withdrawing cash without a card 

• India's first UPI-ATM White Label ATM (WLA) developed by Hitachi Payment Services in collaboration with the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), has been introduced to enable seamless cash withdrawals without the need for a physical ATM card. 
• This innovation allows customers of certain banks to benefit from QR-based cashless withdrawals. UPI-ATM, also known as Interoperable Cardless Cash Withdrawal (ICCW), provides a simple process for users of participating banks using UPI to withdraw cash from compatible ATMs. 

Some key features of UPI-ATM are: 

• Compatible with many different systems. 
• No physical card is required for transactions. 
• Transaction limits up to ₹10,000 per transaction, in line with the existing UPI daily limit and UPIATM transaction limit of the issuing bank. 
• Convenient cash withdrawal without an ATM card. 
• Allows cash withdrawal to multiple accounts through UPI application. 

22. FSIB recommends Vinay M. Tonse for the post of SBI managing director

• The Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) has recommended Vinay Tonse’s name for the position of Managing Director (MD) at the State Bank of India (SBI). 
• Tonse is currently employed by the nation's largest lender in the nation as a deputy managing director in the Corporate Accounts Group • After Swaminathan Janakiraman, the bank’s MD at the time, was named deputy governor of the Reserve Bank of India in June 2023, one MD position became available. 
• SBI now has three managing directors: Alok Kumar Choudhary (Retail Business & Operations), Ashwini Kumar Tewari (Risk, Compliance & Stressed Assets), and Challa Sreenivasulu Setty (International Banking, Global Markets & Technology). 

 About State Bank of India (SBI) 

• Founded – 1 July 1955 
• Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra 
• Chairman – Dinesh Kumar Khara
• Managing Director – Alok Kumar Choudhary, Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, and Ashwini Kumar Tewari Imperial Bank of India was the previous name of SBI
• The Presidency of Banks of Bengal, Bombay, and Madras with merged in 1921 to Imperial Bank of India.

Tagline – (1) Pure Banking Nothing Else 

 (2) With you all the way 

 (3) A bank of the common man 

 (4) The banker to every Indian 

 (5) The Nation banks on us 

23. REC signs USD 100 million Loan Agreement with EXIM Bank 

• The Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank) and REC Ltd. Have agreed to a $100 million foreign currency term loan. 
• The loan is benchmarked to the SOFR (Secured Overnight Financing Rate) and has a 5-year duration. 
• On August 3, funds totaling $505 million were obtained from the following institutions: Bank of Baroda, Axis Bank, Gujarat International Fin Tech City (GIFT City), IFSC Banking Unit, and State Bank of India, London Branch. 
• On August 31, 645 million dollars in Tranche II were raised from sources like State Bank of India, Bank of India, GIFT City IBU, and others. 
• REC, a division of Power Finance Corporation Ltd., intends to increase the proportion of renewable energy in its loan portfolio from 6.8% to 25–30% by FY30. 

Recent MoU in the Banking Sector 

• IREDA signs MoU with IIFCL to finance renewable energy projects 
• Razorpay partners with Truecaller for instant checkout 
• LIC Partners with Saraswat Cooperative Bank to Increase the life Insurance 
• Airtel Payments Bank partnered with Frontier Markets to support 1 lakh women 
• DBS partners with Maptrasco to complete first XBL transaction 

Important Days

24. International Clean Air Day For Blue Skies 2023 

• The International Clean Air Day for Blue Skies is celebrated annually on September 7 to recognize the fact that clean air is vital to human health and daily life, while pollution Air pollution is the greatest environmental risk to human health and one of the leading preventable risks. cause of death and disease globally. 
• The 4th annual International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies will focus on the theme "Together for clean air". This theme aims to highlight the urgent need for stronger partnerships, increased investment and shared responsibility to tackle air pollution. It also highlights the direct impact of air pollution on human health and ecosystems, as well as the shared responsibility to protect the atmosphere and ensure clean air for all. 

25. International Literacy Day 2023

• International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on September 8 to promote the importance of literacy for human dignity and rights and for a literate and sustainable society. The day is celebrated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) at global, regional, national and local levels worldwide.
• This day will be celebrated with the theme “Promoting Literacy for a Transforming World". Building the foundation of a sustainable and peaceful society. This global celebration will include the UNESCO International Literary Awards ceremony to be announced at this year's outstanding award-winning programmes. 
• In 1966, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), during the 14th session of the General Assembly, announced this event, and the first International Literacy Day was held in 1967. 

26. First International Police Cooperation Day 2023 will be celebrated today 

• The United Nations has declared that every year on September 7, they will host International Police Cooperation Day. Women, peace, and security are the main topics. It was made to celebrate the foundation of INTERPOL and to draw attention to the important role that law enforcement plays in preserving order, safety, and justice throughout the world. 
• During its 77th session in December 2022, the United Nations General Assembly declared September 7 as International Police Cooperation Day. The first anniversary of the day will be commemorated on September 7, 2023, which also happens to be INTERPOL’s 100th anniversary. 
• The major objective of International Police Cooperation Day is to draw attention to the crucial role that law enforcement institutions around the world play in ensuring global security and the value of international cooperation between police and law enforcement organizations in preventing and combating crime. 

INTERPOL

• The idea for Interpol was first developed at the First International Criminal Police Congress, which was convened in April 1914 at Prince Albert I of Monaco’s invitation. Interpol was formally created on September 7, 1923, in Vienna, Austria. 
• Dr. Johannes Schober, chief of the Vienna Police, revived the notion of an international police body. In Vienna, Austria, he organized the Second International Criminal Police Congress.
• When the new constitution was adopted in 1956, the ICPC changed its name to the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO-Interpol). Its headquarters were moved to the French city of Lyon in 1989. On October 15, 1949, India joined as a member. There are 195 nations that are INTERPOL members. 

Award News

27. Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, an Indian-American physician, is on the longlist for the UK's top nonfiction prize

• A book by Indian-American oncologist and researcher Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee has made the long list for London's prestigious Baillie Gifford Prize for Non-Fiction, which is worth 50,000 pounds. 
• One of the 13 books on the longlist, The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human, describes how cellular research has transformed medicine and made it possible to treat fatal diseases like AIDS and Alzheimer's. 
• Praveena Anjana, a chartered accountant Miss International India 2023 is crowned 
• As Miss International India 2023, Praveena Anjana of Udaipur will represent India at the Miss International contest in Japan this October. Anjana, 23, is a chartered accountant by trade who has always had a fascination with fashion and beauty. She started modelling at a young age and has participated in many beauty pageants. In August, she most recently won the Miss Divine Beauty 2023 pageant. 
• Anjana is a fervent advocate for women's empowerment and is excited to use her platform to spread the word about important issues like gender equality and education. She enjoys playing the piano and is a talented classical dancer. 

Science and Technology News

28. CSIR will run its One Week One Lab project from September 11 through September 16, 2023

• The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is getting ready to hold its annual "One Week One Lab" programme, an exciting occasion where each of its 37 state-of-the-art laboratories spread around the country will present their outstanding research findings and accomplishments. 
• Participants in this exciting week-long event may anticipate a wide range of activities. The most recent developments and scientific advances will be covered in fascinating discussions by renowned scientists and experts. 
• Visitors will gain practical knowledge of the methodology and procedures used in the CSIR laboratories through hands-on activities. A lyrical celebration of science called the Vigyan Kavi Sammelan will take place, where gifted poets will captivatingly meld art and science. 
• There will also be exhibitions that highlight many elements of science, from cutting-edge research projects to novel technology, along with new facts and quizzes on science-related topics. 

Obituaries News

29. News At age 82, Hindustani singer Malini Rajurkar passes away 

• Malini Rajurkar, a renowned singer of Hindustani classical music who embodied simplicity and profundity, went away to a hospital in Hyderabad. She is 82 years old and has been experiencing aging-related illnesses. 
• Gunidas Sammelan in Mumbai, Tansen Samaroh in Gwalior, Sawai Gandharva Festival in Pune, and Shankar Lal Festival in Delhi are just a few of the most important music events in India where she has played. She is praised in particular for her mastery of Tappa and Tarana genre. She has also performed lighter songs. Popular songs she has performed include Marathi Natyageete, Pandu-nrupati Janak Jaya, Naravar Krishnasamaan, and ya bhavanatil geet Purane.

30. SPG chief Arun Kumar Sinha, in charge of PM Modi's security, dies 

• SPG, who had been seeking medical treatment at a hospital in Gurugram for some years, passed suddenly at the age of 61 while having treatment there. 
• As the person in charge of providing close security to the Indian Prime Minister, Sinha played a crucial part in the nation's security system. Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Arun Kumar Sinha, who belonged to the Kerala cadre of 1987, had an illustrious career spanning several decades. 
• When he was appointed as the Special Protection Group's (12th) director in March 2016, his career with the SPG officially began. He was hired on a contract basis with a term ending on May 31, 2024, and he was paid at the level of director general of police.
• He was given a one-year extension in service on May 31, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to his duties

Miscellaneous News

31. GI labels for Rayagada shawls and Kala Jeera rice from Koraput 

• In a significant development for Dongria Kondhs of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) in the Rayagada district of Odisha, their exquisitely handwoven shawls, called Kapdaganda, are standard obtained with the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag while Koraput Kalajeera rice of the Koraput district, popularly known as “Prince of Rice”, has been granted Geographical Indication (GI) certification.
• The Kapdaganda shawl, decorated with intricate embroidery, holds a special place in Dongria Kondh culture, symbolizing gratitude and representing the best of traditional craftsmanship. Recognizing the deep cultural significance of these shawls, an application for a GI label was initiated.
• Another notable achievement for Odisha. Koraput Kalajeera Rice, popularly known as the 'Prince of Rice’, has been granted Geographical Indication (GI) status. This fragrant rice, prized for its nutritional value, has been grown by tribal farmers in the Koraput district for generations. Koraput Kalajeera rice, often compared to coriander seeds, is famous for its black color, distinctive aroma, delicious taste, and pleasant texture.