Current Affairs

Karnataka withdraws consent to CBI to probe cases in state amid MUDA row

The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday withdrew consent for any probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the state.

“We are withdrawing open consent for CBI investigation in the state. We are expressing our concerns about the misuse of the CBI. In all the cases we have referred to the CBI, they have not filed charge sheets, leaving many cases pending. They have also refused to investigate several cases we have sent. There are numerous such instances. They are biased. That’s why we are taking the decision. It's not because of the MUDA case. We have taken this decision to control them (CBI) from taking the wrong path,” said Law Minister H K Patil.

Revocation of open consent means the CBI, as listed in the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, which governs the agency, requires state governments' written consent for investigations. According to section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act, 1946, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) needs consent from the respective state governments to conduct investigations in their jurisdiction.



ICC launches 'AI Tool' to create safe space for cricket community during Women's T20 WC 2024

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Thursday announced a social media moderation program to promote a more positive and inclusive online experience for teams and players ahead of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2024.

As part of the ICC's suite of digital products for this tournament, the ICC has rolled out new software that will help protect the cricket community from toxic content with the aim to safeguard the mental health of individuals and ensure a safer, kinder, and healthier online community for the sport.

Fans will also have access to the usual array of content, including highlights, behind-the-scenes content, live scores, stats, schedules, as well as the standings.



Lima Junior Worlds: Khushi's bronze takes India's tally to 15

Khushi, won India a brilliant bronze in the women's 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) on competition day five (Wednesday, Oct 2) of the ongoing International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun in Lima, Peru, taking India's medal tally to 15, which now includes 10 gold, one silver and four bronze medals, as they continued to stay on top of the standings. The youngster shot 447.3 in the final to finish behind Caroline Lund of Norway who won silver with 458.3. Caroline's compatriot Synnoeve Berg won gold with 458.4.

Khushi rallied brilliantly in the final Standing position in qualifying, to clinch the seventh spot with a score of 585. It got so tight that there were four others on the same score, however, Khushi and Italian Anna Schiavon clinched the final two qualifying spots, basis 29 shots in the inner 10-ring while two Swiss athletes Alexa Tela and Emely Jaeggi managed 27. Khushi finished ahead of Anna on countback.



Himachal tourism to receive USD 162 mn loan from Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday (October 3, 2024) approved a USD 162 million loan to support tourism development projects in Himachal Pradesh.

ADB, Senior Project Officer, Vivek Vishal said this project will enhance the state's tourism potential by upgrading and preserving heritage and cultural sites, establishing new facilities, and strengthening the tourism sector.

ADB has approved a USD 162 million loan to support sustainable and inclusive tourism development projects in Himachal Pradesh.



PM Modi inaugurates ‘Jamaica Marg’ in Delhi, hopes for closer India-Jamaica relations

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that the road in front of the Jamaica High Commission in New Delhi has been named ‘Jamaica Marg’, highlighting strong India-Jamaica ties.

During a joint press conference with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness, PM Modi expressed confidence that the relationship between the two nations will strengthen rapidly. He said, “We have decided to name the road in front of the Jamaica High Commission in Delhi as ‘Jamaica Marg’. India and Jamaica may be separated by vast oceans, but our people, our culture, and our history are connected.”

Drawing a lighthearted comparison, PM Modi said he was optimistic that the bond between India and Jamaica would grow “faster than Usain Bolt”.



Carlos Alcaraz Defeats Jannik Sinner to Win First China Open Title

In tennis, second-seeded Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz beat defending champion and world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, winning 6-7 6-4 7-6 to claim his first China Open title.

Meanwhile, China’s Zheng Qinwen stormed into the quarterfinals of the women’s singles after defeating Amanda Anisimova of the United States. Aryna Sabalenka secured her place in the quarterfinals by overcoming Madison Keys of the United States. Sabalenka will face the Czech Republic’s Karolina Muchova.



Cabinet Approves India To Join International Energy Efficiency Hub By Signing The Letter Of Intent

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved India’s decision to join the International Energy Efficiency Hub by signing a Letter of Intent. This strategic move aligns with India’s commitment to advancing sustainable development and reducing greenhouse gas emissions through global cooperation.

The International Energy Efficiency Hub (Hub) was established in 2020 as the successor to the International Partnership for Energy Efficiency Cooperation (IPEEC), in which India had previously participated. The Hub brings together governments, international organizations, and private sector entities to collaborate on promoting energy efficiency across the globe.

With India’s inclusion, the Hub now comprises 16 members, including countries like the United States, China, the United Kingdom, and Germany, and the European Commission. As a member, India will gain access to a wide network of global experts, resources, and best practices that can bolster its own energy efficiency initiatives.



India, Nepal, Bangladesh sign trilateral agreement to facilitate power export from Nepal to Bangladesh

India, Nepal, and Bangladesh on Thursday signed a trilateral agreement to export 40 Megawatts of electricity from Nepal to Bangladesh via India's power grid, a development hailed and welcomed by officials of all three nations involved.

The tripartite agreement signed in Kathmandu now enables Nepal to sell electricity to a third country for the first time. Nepal has only been exporting electricity to India, its southern neighbour.

"This achievement is the result of the convenience of our persistent efforts since 2018 when Nepal and Bangladesh signed a MoU on power sector cooperation and following six successful meetings of the joint working group and joint steering committee," Deepak Khadka, Nepal Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation said.



Cabinet accords these five as new classical languages

The Narendra Modi Cabinet approved the conferral of classical language status to five languages: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali, as a part of government's ongoing efforts to promote and preserve India's rich linguistic heritage.

"PM Modi has always focused on Indian languages. Today, five languages—Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali—have been approved as classical languages," Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said highlighting the significance of this initiative.

With this latest approval, the total number of recognised classical languages in India has now increased to 11. Previously, Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia had already received classical language status.



International Film Festival on Environment & Wildlife ‘Vatavaran’ Inaugurated

International Film Festival and Forum on Environment and Wildlife, Vatavaran Was inaugurated today at Paryavaran Bhawan in New Delhi. The theme for the three-day film festival is “Wetlands for Life”, focusing on the awareness and conservation of the wetlands eco-system. Speaking at the event, the Director General of Forest in the Ministry of Environment, Jitendra Kumar highlighted that wetlands are very important to India due to their ecological and economic benefits. He added that around 6 per cent of Indians are directly dependent on Wetlands for livelihood, which makes their conservation even more vital. Mr Kumar has hoped that the film festival can host discussions on meaningful issues and formulate conservation strategies.

Talking to the media, the Climate and Environment Head of the Department at the German Embassy to India, Taina Dyckhoff said the bilateral cooperation between India and Germany has been very successful in Environment and Wetlands conservation. She said that film is an impactful tool to discuss such issues with the public.