Neeraj Chopra Makes History with Gold at World Championships!

Good Afternoon ☕

In a spectacular display of javelin wizardry, Neeraj Chopra catapulted himself into the annals of athletic glory on August 27, 2023. With a throw that defied the laws of physics and left spectators wondering if the javelin had sprouted wings, he seized the gold medal at the World Athletics Championships, securing a mind-boggling 88.17 meters on the measuring tape. In a plot twist that even Hollywood would envy, he launched this Herculean hurl on his final attempt, giving suspense a sweaty handshake and clinching victory by a margin wider than the Amazon.

Important News of the Day

1. Neeraj Chopra becomes first Indian to win gold at World Athletics Championships

Neeraj Chopra made history on August 27, 2023, by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal at the World Athletics Championships. Chopra won the gold medal in the javelin throw event with an incredible throw of 88.17 meters, which is also a personal best for him. He secured the gold medal in his last attempt, and his throw was 4.19 meters ahead of the silver medalist. Chopra had previously won a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. His victory at the World Athletics Championships is a significant achievement for Indian athletics.

2. Ahead of G20 Summit, waste-to-art installations adorn Delhi

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is putting up waste-to-art installations, sculptures, and paintings in public spaces ahead of the G20 Summit in Delhi. The installations will carry messages of "One Earth, One Family, One Future" and "Welcome to Delhi: World's Largest Waste-To-Art City." The beautification drive also includes the installation of designer fountains, sculptures, and flower pots along the roads. The sculptures will showcase Indian culture and will be installed in parks and open spaces. The initiative aims to improve the appearance of the city and promote the use of recycled materials.

3. Chandrayaan-3 delivers debut scientific insights from moon's South Pole, says 'temperature variation could be...'

India's Chandrayaan-3 mission has transmitted its first scientific data from the Moon's south pole. The mission's robotic lander, named Vikram, touched down on the Moon near its south pole on August 23, 2023. The mission aims to demonstrate end-to-end capability in safe landing and roving on the lunar surface. Chandrayaan-3 will perform a raft of experiments, including a spectrometer analysis of the mineral and chemical composition of the Moon's surface. The mission is aimed at the lunar south pole, a region with water ice that could be a source of oxygen, fuel, and water.

4. Basmati put under minimum export price

The Indian government has imposed export restrictions on basmati rice to control domestic prices and ensure an adequate supply. The ban on non-basmati white rice exports was implemented to rein in high food prices and curb domestic inflation. The move is expected to impact millions in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, as India is a major exporter of rice. The government aims to maintain reasonable prices and sufficient availability of rice within the country.

5. India in talks for UPI expansion in Africa

India is exploring collaboration with several African countries, including Namibia, Mozambique, and Kenya, to assist in the development of its Unified Payments Interface (UPI) . The UPI is a public technology platform that has been successful in India and could hold value for Africa. India has committed $2 million as a new partner in the Africa Digital Financial Inclusion Facility to boost digital financial inclusion across Africa. This commitment is expected to have significant financial development impacts and promote digital financial inclusion in Africa.

6. India, UK to continue FTA negotiations till August end

Indian and UK officials will continue their negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) until the end of August. The negotiations began in January 2022 and have seen progress, with discussions on 19 of the 26 chapters under the proposed FTA completed as of September 5. Both countries aim to sign a comprehensive and balanced FTA by the end of October, covering a wide range of areas including gender, labour, trade and development, corruption, and MSMEs. The negotiations have faced challenges, including differences on key tariff lines and investment protection rules. However, both sides maintain confidence in the status of their technical talks.

7. Govt calls meeting of states, bank officials on 'PM Vishwakarma' on Monday: Report

The government has called a meeting of states and bank officials on Monday to discuss the implementation of the 'PM Vishwakarma' scheme. The meeting will focus on the roadmap for implementing the scheme and the process of identifying beneficiaries. The scheme aims to enroll as many as 3 lakh beneficiaries. The meeting will include senior officials from states, public sector banks, and the State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC).

8. India’s G20 playbook offers the world pathways for a recovery

India's G20 playbook offers pathways for global economic recovery through innovative financing options. The playbook, released by India's G20 EMPOWER Presidency, emphasizes the importance of addressing the financing needs of various micro, small, mid-sized enterprises, and women-led development. The playbook also highlights education as a game-changing pathway for women's empowerment. The G20 EMPOWER Alliance released a final communiqué outlining best practices to accelerate concrete change within the business world across G20 and guest countries.

9. Indian companies fared on gender diversity in FY23

According to a report by Egon Zehnder, 77 leading Indian companies have made progress in gender diversity in the boardroom and executive positions, but there is still a long way to go. At the end of FY23, 4,741 women directors were on the board of around 3,232 listed companies in India. Nine Indian companies, including Wipro, Tech Mahindra, Hero Motocorp, and Dr. Reddy's, made it to the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index. However, TCS is witnessing higher attrition among its women employees, which is a setback to its efforts to promote gender diversity.

10. India is the laboratory for global good: Dharmendra Pradhan at the B20 Summit

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that India is a laboratory for global good and carries a reservoir of talent. He made this statement at the B20 Summit India 2023, where he also emphasised India's civilizational values of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. The summit focused on issues such as climate change, digital transformation, and sustainable development. The U.S.-India Comprehensive Global and Strategic Partnership was also mentioned as an example of cooperation that serves the global good.

World News 🌎

• Putin chairs meeting on development of unmanned aircraft in Moscow

• France to ban wearing of abayas by Muslim women in schools: Gabriel Attal

• Indian tourists to Australia past pre-covid level

• Russian authorities confirm Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin's death

• Trump campaign raises $7.1 million since Georgia arrest with mugshot merchandise

• Boston: Mass shooting during Caribbean festival leaves seven injured

• Emerging nations need $100-150 bn for climate transition: UN special envoy

• Vladimir Putin asks Wagner fighters to sign oath of allegiance

• France allocates €200 million to dispose of excess wine amidst declining demand

• India, Greece target doubling bilateral trade by 2030: Modi

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