27th September, 2023 Current Affairs

Sakshi Education

NATIONAL
India-US 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue held in Washington

India-US 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue was held in Washington last night. Underscoring the transformative momentum in the India-US relationship, the two countries held discussions on opportunities to further strengthen interoperability and logistics cooperation. The sides also discussed combined maritime engagements in the Indian Ocean Region, as well as expanded cooperation in the space and cyber domains, Pentagon said. The Indian delegation was led by Additional Secretary in External Affairs Ministry Vani Rao and Joint Secretary in the Defence Ministry Vishwesh Negi.
The American side was led by Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Dr. Ely Ratner and Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu. The officials also discussed regional security developments and strategic priorities across the Indo-Pacific region, the Pentagon said. The 2 plus 2 Intersessional Dialogue advanced a wide range of ambitious initiatives across the breadth of the US-India partnership, including defence and security, emerging technologies, people-to-people ties, clean energy, and supply chain resilience.

India Gets Its First Green Hydrogen-Run Bus That Emits Just Water

The Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) achieved a significant milestone in India’s transition to clean energy by unveiling the nation’s first green hydrogen-powered bus. This groundbreaking initiative marks a crucial step towards reducing the nation’s dependency on fossil fuels while promoting eco-friendly transportation alternatives.
Green hydrogen is gaining prominence as an eco-friendly energy source with several advantages over traditional fossil fuels. When burned, hydrogen emits only water vapor as a by-product, making it a clean and environmentally friendly choice. Furthermore, it boasts three times the energy density of conventional fuels, offering enhanced efficiency for various applications.
Producing green hydrogen is a resource-intensive process, requiring approximately 50 units of renewable electricity and 9 kg of deionized water to generate one kilogram of this clean fuel. However, the benefits it offers in terms of sustainability and reduced emissions make it a compelling choice for India’s energy transition.

Also Read: Weekly Current Affairs (Important Dates) 26 Aug - 01 Sep 2023 Bitbank: When was the G20 Summit scheduled to take place in Delhi in 2023?

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INTERNATIONAL
Nepal-China Sign 12 Agreements: A Closer Look at the Visit’s Outcome

Nepal’s Prime Minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, recently concluded his week-long visit to China, which was expected to address critical issues such as Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects, cross-border energy trade, and past agreements. However, the agreements signed during this visit did not cover these key areas. Instead, they focused on various other aspects of bilateral cooperation.
The agreements were the result of delegation-level talks between Prime Minister Dahal and Chinese Premier Li Qiang. While some of the expectations and commitments made by the Nepali Prime Minister were not included in the agreements, they may find their way into a joint communiqué.

Taliban Seeks Economic Support and Recognition from India Ahead of Moscow Format Meeting

Ahead of the upcoming Moscow format meeting in Kazan, Russia, the Taliban has called upon India for economic support and recognition. This development is significant in light of China’s increased engagement with the Taliban and the recent appointment of a new Chinese Ambassador to Kabul.
India has previously refused to recognize the Taliban’s “Islamic Emirate” and has emphasized the importance of respecting human rights and protecting minority communities.
This development comes ahead of the Moscow format discussion scheduled to be held in Kazan, Russia, on September 29, which holds regional significance.
It is the first such meeting after China increased engagement with the Taliban and appointed a new Ambassador to Kabul.
India is reported to be sending representatives to the Kazan meeting, but the External Affairs Ministry has not provided official confirmation at the time of this report.
The Moscow format is a dialogue platform involving Russia, Afghanistan, China, Pakistan, Iran, and India. It was initiated to promote reconciliation in Afghanistan.

Gulf Nations Brace for Prolonged Period of Elevated Interest Rates Following Fed's Lead

Economists are predicting that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will endure an extended period of elevated interest rates, closely mirroring the actions of the United States Federal Reserve.
Over the past couple of years, Gulf central banks have been gradually raising interest rates in tandem with the Federal Reserve's efforts to combat inflation, which had soared to multi-decade highs. As the currencies of the UAE and other Gulf nations are pegged to the US dollar, they closely follow the Fed's monetary policy decisions.
The Central Bank of the UAE (CBUAE) recently announced its decision to maintain the Base Rate applicable to the Overnight Deposit Facility (ODF) at 5.40 percent, effective from Thursday, September 21. This move followed the UAE Central Bank's decision to raise rates on July 26 by 25 basis points, increasing it from 5.15 percent to 5.40 percent, in response to the US Federal Reserve Board's announcement of a 25-basis-point increase in the Interest on Reserve Balances (IORB).
Oxford Economics has indicated that the Federal Reserve temporarily paused its rate-hiking cycle, providing some relief to GCC countries, which had witnessed their interest rates reach the highest levels in over two decades.
As Gulf nations continue to track the Fed's moves closely, they prepare for a challenging period of managing their economies in the face of global economic fluctuations.

Russia seeks to rejoin United Nations Human Rights Council

Russia is seeking to rejoin the United Nations Human Rights Council in an election that will be seen as a key test of its international standing. It was expelled from the UN's pre-eminent human rights body last April after its forces invaded Ukraine. But now Russian diplomats are seeking to get their country re-elected to the council for a fresh three-year term. The voting will take place next month. Diplomats said, Russia is hoping to regain some international credibility after being accused of human rights abuses in Ukraine and within its own borders.
The UN human rights council is based in Geneva and has 47 members, each elected for a three-year term. In the next elections, due on 10th October, Russia will compete with Albania and Bulgaria for the two seats on the council reserved for central and eastern European countries. The voting will involve all 193 members of the UN General Assembly in New York.

SPORTS
India’s wins gold in 10m rifle team

India made a remarkable start at the Asian Games 2023 in Hangzhou, China, with former world champion Rudrankksh Patil leading the charge. Alongside Olympians Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Divyansh Singh Panwar, the Indian team clinched the gold medal in the men’s 10m air rifle team event, marking a historic achievement for the country.
Gold Medal Triumph: India’s team, comprising Rudrankksh Patil, Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar, and Divyansh Singh Panwar, secured the gold medal in the highly competitive men’s 10m air rifle team event at the Asian Games 2023.

Published date : 28 Sep 2023 09:04AM