NATIONAL NEWS

B20 Summit India 2023

• B20 Summit India 2023 began in New Delhi.

• During the three days, the summit will be attended by various prominent personalities, including Union Ministers like Nirmala Sitharaman, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Dr. S Jaishankar.

• The first day of the summit will host seven sessions covering topics like B20 India's priorities, global alignment, Artificial Intelligence's role in business and society, trade opportunities and regulations, resilient global trade's inclusive value chains, and a session with Trade Ministers.

• The theme of the summit is ‘B20 India R.I.S.E.’ which is a symbol of responsible, agile, innovative, sustainable, and equitable businesses.

• Summit discussions expanded to two Action Councils focusing on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters related to business and African economic integration.

Government of India Launches 'My Bill Mera Adhikar' Scheme

• The government of India is launching a scheme called 'Mera Bill Mera Adhikar', which is an ‘Invoice Incentive Scheme’.

• The scheme called 'My Bill My Right' aims to promote the practice of customers requesting bills for all their purchases. This initiative is being launched in collaboration with various state governments.

• The scheme includes two grand prizes of Rs 1 crore each, which will be awarded to the lucky winners every quarter.

• In addition, there will be 800 lucky draws with prize money of Rs 10,000 each, as well as 10 draws on a monthly basis with prizes of Rs 10 lakh each.
• The pilot phase of the scheme is scheduled to begin on 01 September 2023.

Assam Enforces Ban on Plastic Water Bottles

• The Assam government implemented a ban on plastic water bottles of less than 1000 ml capacity with effect from 02 October 2023.

• The Environment and Forest Department of Assam has issued this notification to address environmental concerns.

• The primary goal is to tackle the problem of plastic pollution and promote sustainable behavior.

• This initiative demonstrates Assam's commitment to protecting the state's natural resources and diverse ecosystems.

• The ban covers various aspects including the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, and sale of plastic water bottles falling under the specified capacity.

SPORTS

ISSF World Championships

• Indian shooter Amanpreet Singh won the gold medal in the men's 25m standard pistol shooting event at the ISSF World Championship 2023 held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

• With this achievement, India's total medal tally at the championships reached a total of nine medals, including five gold medals and four bronze medals.

• The International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) is responsible for overseeing the ISSF World Shooting Championships.

FIDE World Cup

• Indian genius Praggnanandhaa finished second with a win over Magnus Carlsen in the FIDE World Chess Cup 2023 final.

• Magnus Carlsen emerged victorious in the FIDE World Cup for the first time in his career.

• The final match between Carlsen and Praggnanandhaa lasted three days and featured four intense games played in two formats.

• After a one-match draw in the tiebreaker round, Carlsen's decisive victory was confirmed after the second tiebreaker game.

• Praggnanandhaa created history by becoming the youngest-ever World Cup finalist.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

Best ESG Rating amongst the Indian Listed Insurance Companies

• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has focused initiatives in place for each dimension of the ESG framework under the Environment (Transitioning towards Green and Sustainable Operations), Social (Empowering Employees, Adopting Customer Centricity, and Helping Communities) and Governance (Enabling Robust Governance Structure and Effectively Managing Risks) pillars.

• As a result of these initiatives, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance received an ESG Risk Rating of 16.9 and was assessed by Sustainalytics to be at Low risk of experiencing material financial impact arising from ESG factors.

• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance has received a rating of A (on a scale of AAA-CCC) in the MSCI ESG Ratings assessment.

• The Company believes sustainability is intrinsic to life insurance as the Company serves long-term savings and protection needs.

• ICICI Prudential Life Insurance is committed to integrating sustainability with its business processes and as a way of doing business.

• They have been making significant progress since we commenced their ESG journey in 2020.

• This year they expanded the terms of reference of their Board CSR Committee to include a review of sustainability activities and key ESG-related disclosures.
• 3 pillars of the Company’s sustainability framework
• Environmental – Leaving the planet a better place for the next generation
• Social – Giving back to society
• Governance – Transparency in functioning

World’s Strongest Dairy Brand

• Amul has been ranked as the world’s strongest dairy brand by the Brand Finance Food and Drink Report 2023.

• The report evaluates and ranks the strongest and most valuable food, dairy, and non-alcoholic beverage brands.

• The report, conducted by UK-based Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy, affirms Amul’s unwavering commitment to quality, innovation, and consumer trust.

• Amul has not only been ranked as the strongest dairy brand globally but also the second-strongest food brand worldwide, trailing only behind the renowned American chocolate brand, Hershey.

• The Amul brand has also been ranked among the top 30 most valuable food brands out of 5000 brands in the world.

• Amul proudly stands as the only farmer-owned brand among the world’s top 100 brands.

• Amul has also secured the seventh spot on the list of the world’s most valuable dairy brands, with an impressive valuation of $3 billion.

• As the sole representative from India on this prestigious list, Amul continues to make the country proud on the international stage.
• The report also reaffirms Amul’s commitment to sustainability and responsible practices by ranking it as seventh in terms of Sustainability Perception Values (SPV).

AWARDS & PRIZES

Grand Cross of the Order of Honor from Greece

• Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was awarded the highest civilian honor Grand Cross of the Order of Honor by Greek President Katerina N. Sakellaropoulou in Athens.

• The award is the highest civilian honor Greece can bestow on a foreign head of government.

• The award recognizes PM Modi's outstanding contribution to strengthening bilateral relations between Greece and India.

• The citation given along with the award highlights PM Modi's commitment to enhancing political, economic, cultural, and people-to-people relations between the two countries.

• He is also the first foreign head of government to be honored with the award since 2017.
• It is awarded by the President of Greece.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

Chandrayaan-3's Pragyan Rover Begins Lunar Mobility Operations

• Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) confirmed that the mobility operation of Pragyan Rover on Chandrayaan-3 has begun.

• The payload has been activated on the lander module.

• Both the lander and the rover instruments will now analyze the mineralogical composition of the Moon and detect seismic activities in its atmosphere.

• Indigenously developed Pragyan Chandra Rover successfully de-lighted from Vikram Lander.
• Pragyan Chandra Rover begins the exploration of the lunar surface, making India the fourth country to successfully land on the Moon.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

Amrit Mathur's Autobiography 'Pitchside: My Life In Indian Cricket'

• The book ‘Pitchside: My Life in Indian Cricket’ is written by Amrit Mathur, a cricket administrator with vast experience.

• In the book, Mathur presents a first-person perspective on notable moments in Indian cricket history.

• Through insightful anecdotes, Mathur presents a unique insider's perspective on some of Indian cricket's most memorable events.

• Citing his close association with the game and its players for over three decades, Mathur shared his experiences.

• Mathur managed the Indian cricket team during the historic 1992 tour of South Africa.

• He also played a role in PILCOM, the organizing committee of the 1996 Cricket World Cup.

• Mathur served as the Chief Operating Officer of Delhi Daredevils and General Manager of BCCI.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Women's Equality Day

• Women's Equality Day is celebrated every year on 26 August.

• The day acknowledges the ongoing global struggle for equal rights and opportunities for women.

• The day reinforces the commitment to achieve gender equality at the global level.

• The theme for Women's Equality Day 2023 is "Embrace Equality".

• This theme is in line with the Strategic Plan from 2021 to 2026.

• Gender equality is seen not only as a driver of economic development but also as a fundamental human right.

India Declares August 23 as National Space Day

• On 26 August, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the designation of 23 August as National Space Day in honor of India's Chandrayaan-3 moon landing.

• The specific spot where Chandrayaan-3 landed on the Moon will be named 'Shivshakti', and the spot where Chandrayaan-2 landed will be called 'Tiranga Point'.

• PM Modi made this announcement during his visit to the ISRO Telemetry Tracking and Command Network Mission Control Complex in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
• Mission goals included a safe lunar landing, rover maneuverability, and the performance of scientific experiments on-site.

OBITUTARY

Marathi Actress Seema Deo Passed Away

• Veteran Marathi actress Seema Dev passed away at the age of 81 in Mumbai.

• Seema Deo had an illustrious career spanning over six decades, during which she acted in around 90 Hindi and Marathi movies.

• Her acting journey ranged from the era of black-and-white films to the vibrant color era of the Indian film industry.

• One of her most notable roles was in the musical hit "Anand," where she shared the screen with her husband Ramesh Deo, and legendary actors like Amitabh Bachchan.