1. India climbs to the 40th rank in the Global Innovation Index of WIPO
Tags: Economy/Finance International News
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on 29 September released the Global Innovation Index 2022.
Important facts
India has reached the 40th position in the Global Innovation Index of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
India has moved up from 81st in 2015 to 40th in 2022 in the Global Innovation Index (GII).
India was 46th position in the ranking last time.
In the index Switzerland has emerged as the world's most innovative economy for the 12th consecutive year.
Switzerland continues to be the world leader in innovation for the 12th year in a row.
It is a leader globally in patents by innovation output, origination, software spend, high-tech manufacturing, production and export complexity.
The US ranks second in the index, followed by Sweden, the UK and the Netherlands.
About Global Innovation Index
WIPO began its publication in 2012 along with GII.
Key criteria to measure innovation cover institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, credit, investment, linkage, creation, dissemination of knowledge, and creative output.
It is calculated by three measures-
Innovation Input Sub-Index
Innovation Output Sub-Index
The overall GII score is the average of the Input and Output Sub-Indices, on which the GII economy rankings are then produced.
About WIPO
It is the global forum for intellectual property services, policy, information and cooperation.
It is a self-funding agency of the United Nations and its member states are 193.
Its mission is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international Intellectual Property system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
2. Union Minister Anupriya Patel represented India in the 21st Meeting of SCO Ministers responsible for Foreign Economy and Foreign Trade
Tags: Economy/Finance International News
The Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Smt. Anupriya Patel represented India at the 21st Meeting of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Ministers responsible for Foreign Economy and Foreign Trade. The meeting was held virtually and was attended by the representative of SCO Secretariat and Heads of Delegations of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
She lauded the recent initiative of SCO, wherein City of Varanasi has been nominated as the first-ever SCO Tourism and Cultural Capital for the period of 2022-2023.
India took over the Presidency of the SCO from Uzbekistan after the Council of Heads of State of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting held in the Uzbekistan city of Samarkand on 16 September 2022.
SCO is a regional organization consisting of China, Russia, India ,Pakistan and the four central Asian countries of Uzbekistan , Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan .
3. Narendra Tomar attends the G20 Agriculture minister meeting at Bali
Tags: International News
The Union Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Narendra Tomar led the Indian delegation at the G-20 Agriculture ministers meeting held in Bali, Indonesia, on 28-29 September 2022.
The Meeting was hosted by the Indonesian Agriculture minister Syahrul Yasin Limpo.
The meeting focused on discussing three priority issues;
to Promote Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture and Food System;
to promote Open, Fair, Predictable, Transparent and Non-Discriminatory Agricultural Trade to Ensure Availability and Affordability of Food for Everyone;
Innovative Agriculture entrepreneurship through Digital Agriculture to Improve Farmers’ Livelihoods in Rural Areas.
Indonesia is currently the chairman of G-20 group and all events related to the G20 are being held in Indonesia. The 17th G20 Heads of State and Government Summit will take place in November 2022 in Bali.
4. Armenia becomes the first country to buy Pinaka rocket system from India
Tags: Defence International News
India has signed a $250 million agreement with the former Soviet republic of Armenia to supply indigenously developed multi-barrel rocket launcher Pinaka and other munitions .This is the first time the Pinaka system is being exported from India.
Earlier in 2020 India supplied four Swathi radars worth $43 million to Armenia.These are weapon locating radars that can track incoming artillery projectiles and pinpoint the location of enemy gun positions for counter-action.
Pinak has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and manufactured by Indian private firms. It is an artillery system where multiple rockets are fired simultaneously from a single platform.The Pinaka system has been deployed at the forward position in Ladakh along the border with China.
The government of India wants to increase its defence export and has set an export target of Rs 35,000 crore by 2025.
Armenia
It was part of the former Soviet Union which gained its Independence in 1991 after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It is a European country in Transcaucasia.
Capital : Yerevan
Currency : Dram
Prime Minister: Nikol Pashinyan
5. Union Cabinet approves sharing of Kushiyara River between India and Bangladesh
Tags: National International News
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi on 28 September 2022 , has given its ex-post facto approval for a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of the Republic of India and the Republic of Bangladesh on withdrawal of upto 153 cusecs of water each by India and Bangladesh from common border river Kushiyara.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on 6th September, 2022 between the Ministry of Jal Shakti, and Ministry of Water Resources, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh during the visit of the Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to India.
This MoU will enable Government of Assam to withdraw upto 153 cusecs of water from the common stretch of Kushiyara river during dry season (1st November to 31st May) for their consumptive water requirement.
A Joint Monitoring Team shall be set up by both the countries to monitor the withdrawal of water by each side during the dry season.
India and Bangladesh share 54 rivers including Ganges, Teesta, Manu, Muhuri, Khowai, Gumti, Dharla, Dudhkumar and Kushiyara and others.
Kushiyara River
- It is a branch of the Barak River. The Barak River rises in Manipur Hill in Manipur and after flowing through Mizoram it enters Assam.
- The river next splits into two branches, the Surma (north) and the Kushiyara (south), which enter Bangladesh and turn southwest.
- The Kushiyara River forms the boundary between Assam and Sylhet district of Bangladesh.
6. Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman appointed as the Prime Minister
Tags: Person in news International News
The Saudi King Salman has appointed the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the Prime Minister of the country, according to a royal decree published on 27 September 2022.
Prince Mohammed is already de facto ruler of the world’s largest oil exporter, and the appointment formalises his role as leader of the kingdom’s government.
The crown prince, known by his initials MBS, previously served as deputy prime minister as well as defence minister. He is being replaced as defence minister by his younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, who was deputy defence minister.
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia is a West Asian kingdom founded by Ibn Saud in 1923. The country is known for its oil and Islam.
- According to the BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2020, Saudi Arabia has the world’s 2nd largest oil reserves in the world after Venezuela.
- At present it is the world's largest exporter of crude oil.
- It has two of the holiest shrine of Islam, Mecca and Medina mosque
- The world's largest mosque Al-Haram or forbidden mosques is in Mecca.
- The world's second largest mosque, Mosque of the Prophet, or Masjid al-Nabawi is in Medina.
- The Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC) headquarters is also in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
- The world’s largest sand area, the Rub al-Khali (“Empty Quarter”) which is spread around 647,500 square km, is also in Saudi Arabia.
Capital of Saudi Arabia: Riyadh
Currency: Saudi Riyal
King of Saudi Arabia: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
7. Bangladesh launches interactive gaming portal to mark Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s birthday
Tags: International News
Bangladesh launched its first interactive gaming platform named ‘Hasina and Friends’ to mark the 75th birth anniversary of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 28.
Important facts
Unveiling this platform, Minister of State for ICT Junaid Ahmed Palak said that it is the first learning platform built in Bangladesh.
The Minister announced that from now on every year Hasina and Friends Festival will be organized in which children will also be rewarded.
About interactive gaming platform ‘Hasina and Friends’
It is designed to educate children about the environment, education and digital connectivity.
Children will be able to learn many life skills through this gaming platform.
It has been designed to foster creativity among children, make them smart and inculcate in them progressive and liberal values.
This will give a boost to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Vision 2041 to make Bangladesh a developed country.
Through this platform, children will be taught the lessons of the history, culture and development of Bangladesh.
About Sheikh Hasina
Sheikh Hasina secured a fourth term as prime minister after winning the 2018 general election.
Hasina has become the longest-serving Prime Minister of Bangladesh since independence.
8. Colombia and Venezuela reopen border crossing after 7 years
Tags: International News
Colombia and Venezuela on 26 September 2022 reopened their border after years of impasse and also re-established diplomatic relations.
The reopening was a key campaign promise of the left-wing Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who assumed office last month.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro and the Venezuelan delegation accompanied the first cargo truck to cross the Simon Bolivar bridge that connects both the countries.
Why were the Border crossing closed ?
The Simon Bolivar Bridge had officially been closed to trade for nearly seven years. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ordered border crossings closed in 2015 as a crackdown on smuggling.
In 2019, tensions between the two countries rose after the right wing government in Colombia attempted to deliver aid to the right wing Venezuelan opposition who are opposed to the left wing President Maduro.
Colombia
It is located in North West South America.
Colombia is the world’s largest producer of emeralds and one of South America’s largest producers of gold.
Capital: Bogota
Currency: Colombian peso
President: Gustavo Petro
Venezuela
It is located at the northern end of South America.
World’s highest waterfall, Angel Fall (979 meters) is in Venezuela.
Capital: Caracas
Currency: bolívar soberano
President: Nicolás Maduro
9. ICAO sign agreement with International Solar Alliance to promote solar use in Aviation sector
Tags: International News
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with International Solar Alliance (ISA) to reduce the growth of carbon dioxide emissions in the international aviation sector. The agreement was signed in Montreal, Canada on 27 September 2022.
With the headquarter of ISA being in Gurugram, the agreement was received by the Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia as a host country of ISA.
Under the MoU the ICAO and ISA will scale up the deployment of solar energy solutions for aircraft, airports, and other aviation-related applications.
ICAO has become the latest International organisation to Join ISA. In September 2022, Bhutan became the 86th country to ratify the ISA agreement .
The International Solar Alliance was launched by the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the French President Emmanuel Macron in 2015 to implement the Paris agreement on climate change.
It promotes the use of sun energy so as to reduce the emission of greenhouse gasses.
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
It is a specialised agency of the United Nations which was set up on 4 April 1947.
The ICAO is dedicated to developing safe and efficient international air transport for peaceful purposes and ensuring a reasonable opportunity for every state to operate international airlines.
Headquarters; Montreal, Canada
Members: 193 countries
ICAO Secretary General: Juan Carlos Salazar
10. Sahar Al Rumaih becomes the first women deputy governor of Kuwait’s Central Bank
Tags: Economy/Finance Person in news International News
Kuwait has appointed Sahar Al Rumaih as the deputy governor of its central bank, Central Bank of Kuwait.
It is for the first time that a woman has been appointed to this post in the country.
The first woman deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India was KJ Udeshi . She was appointed for this post in 2003.
Basel A. Al-Haroon is the governor of the Central Bank of Kuwait.
Kingdom of Kuwait
It is an Arab country situated in the Arabian Peninsula along the Persian Gulf in West Asia.
It is a small Kingdom/Emirate, situated between Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
Capital: Kuwait city
Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar
King/Emir: Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Prime Minister: Sheikh Ahmed Nawaf Al-Sabah
