1) International Day for Disaster Reduction: 13 October
•The United Nations International Day for Disaster Reduction is held annually on 13 October since 1989. The day is celebrated to promote a global culture of risk-awareness and disaster reduction and also celebrates how people and communities around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters and raising awareness about the importance of reining in the risks that they face.
•The theme of the 2021 International Day for Disaster Reduction is “International cooperation for developing countries to reduce their disaster risk and disaster losses”.
2) PM Narendra Modi addresses 28th NHRC Foundation Day programme
•The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi addressing at the 28th National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Foundation Day programme, through video conferencing, in New Delhi on October 12, 2021.
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has addressed the 28th NHRC Foundation Day programme, through video conferencing on October 12, 2021, in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and NHRC chairperson. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) of India is a Statutory public body constituted on 12 October 1993 under the Protection of Human Rights Act 1993, for the promotion and protection of human rights and dignity of the marginalised.
•The Prime Minister concluded by mentioning the human rights of future generations. He emphasized that with measures like International Solar Alliance, renewable energy goals and Hydrogen Mission, India is rapidly moving in the direction of sustainable life and eco-friendly growth.
3) Haryana bans govt employees from participation in politics, elections
•Facing farmers’ protests over new farm laws for over a year now, the Haryana government has banned the participation of its employees in politics and elections. A notification has also been issued from the office of the chief secretary in this regard while implementing Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees Conduct) Rules, 2016.
•The administrative secretaries, heads of department, managing directors, chief administrators of boards, corporations, divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners of Haryana, registrar of universities of Haryana and registrar (general), Punjab and Haryana High Court have been directed to ensure compliance of Rules 9 and 10 of Haryana Civil Services (Government Employees’ Conduct) Rules, 2016 in letter and in spirit. Any violation of the same should invite immediate and strict disciplinary action.
4) IEA invites India to become full-time member
•International Energy Agency (IEA) has invited India to become its full-time member. This membership invitation was given in the light that, India is the world’s third-largest energy consumer. If this proposal is accepted, it will require India to increase its strategic oil reserved to 90 days requirement.
•Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri held discussions with IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. During the discussion, IEA executive director invited India to deepen its cooperation with IEA by becoming its full member.
5) Germany launches World’s First Self-Driving Train
•German rail operator, Deutsche Bahn and industrial group, Siemens launched the first automated & driverless train of the world. The self-driving train was launched in the city of Hamburg. This project is being developed by ‘Siemens and Deutsche Bahn’. It is being dubbed as “world-first”. The project is part of a 60-million-euro modernisation of the rapid urban rail system of Hamburg. These automated trains will offer a reliable service without laying a single kilometre of new track.
6) India announces $200 million line of credit for Kyrgyzstan
•India announced a $200-million line of credit for Kyrgyzstan and signed an agreement to carry out small but high impact projects for community development in the Central Asian state. The two initiatives were among several measures announced by external affairs minister S Jaishankar at the end of a two-day visit to Kyrgyzstan.
•External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held “constructive” talks with the top Kyrgyz leadership to boost bilateral ties, including defence cooperation and discussed global issues like Afghanistan. Jaishankar, who arrived as part of his four-day visit to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan and Armenia with an aim to further expand bilateral ties with the three Central Asian countries, called on Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and discussed with him expanding economic between the two countries.
7) Alexander Schellenberg appointed Austria’s new Chancellor
•Alexander Schellenberg was elected as Austrian Chancellor after the resignation of Sebastian Kurz. Sebastian Kurz resigned because of his involvement in a corruption scandal. Apart from Alexander, Michael Linhardt joined in for the role of foreign minister. He was the former ambassador to France. The appointment of both persons helped in ending the crisis within the Austrian government, the Austrian People’s Party and Green Party Coalition.
•Alexander Schellenberg is a graduate from the College of Europe. He was a career diplomat & became a mentor to Sebastian Kurz when he became a foreign minister. Kurz selected him as the director of strategic foreign policy planning as well as the head of the European department.
8) India’s retail inflation eases to 4.35% in September
•Retail inflation declined to 4.35 per cent in September, mainly due to lower food prices, according to government data released. The Consumer Price Index-based (CPI) inflation was at 5.30 per cent in August and at 7.27 per cent in September 2020. As per the data released by the National Statistical Office (NSO), the inflation in the food basket eased to 0.68 per cent in September 2021, significantly down from 3.11 per cent in the preceding month.
9) Amit Khare appointed advisor to PM Modi
•Former bureaucrat Amit Khare, who last month retired as higher education secretary, has been appointed as advisor to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for two years on contract basis. Mr Khare, a 1985 batch (retired) IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, had superannuated on September 30.
•The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Khare as advisor to the prime minister in Prime Minister’s Office, in the rank and scale of secretary to government of India.
10) EESL appoints Arun Kumar Mishra as CEO
•Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), a joint venture of Public Sector Undertakings under the Ministry of Power has announced the appointment of Arun Kumar Mishra as chief executive officer (CEO) on deputation. He will be responsible for EESL’s operations across the nation.
11) Former SBI Chief Rajnish Kumar appointed as Chairman of BharatPe
•The fintech startup, BharatPe has appointed former State Bank of India (SBI) Chairman Rajnish Kumar as the Chairman of its board. The former SBI chairman will work closely with the top officials of the company on key business and regulatory initiatives. He will also take part in defining BharatPe’s long-term and short-term strategy.
12) Indian Shooters win 43 medals at ISSF Junior World Championship
•The 2021 International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Junior World Championship Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun was held at Lima in Peru. The Indian shooters claimed a historic win with 43 medals to stand atop in the medal table. These included 17 Gold, 16 Silver and 10 Bronze medals. The USA finished second on the medal table with 21 medals including six gold, eight silver and six bronze.
•Meanwhile, Manu Bhaker created a milestone record of becoming the first Indian shooter to win the highest number of medals in a single edition of the ISSF Junior World Championships, with as many as five medals. These included 4 gold medals and a bronze.
