1) Swachh Vayu Sarvekshan 2023 Rankings: Swachh Vayu Survekshan is an initiative by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
- It ranks cities on the basis of the implementation of activities approved under city action plan and air quality in 131 National Clean Air Programme cities.
- Cities are required to do the self-assessment as per the framework provided on the PRANA online portal.
- Major Components of Assessment: solid waste management, road dust management, etc.
- First ranked cities: Indore (million plus population), Amravati (3-10 lakhs population) and Parwanoo (less than lakhs population)
2) Major security breach reported from Idukki Dam:
- It is a double-curvature Arch dam constructed across the Periyar River in Kerala.
- It is the third-highest arch dam in India after the Tehri Dam (Uttarakhand) and Bhakra Nangal Dam (Himachal Pradesh).
- It supports a 780 MW hydroelectric power station
3) Nairobi declaration: The first Africa Climate Summit 2023 ends with the ‘Nairobi Declaration’.
- Nairobi declaration called for an annual climate finance pledge of $100 bn and reforms to multilateral financial systems
4) Sanchi to soon be India’s first ‘solar city’:
- Sanchi town lies in the Raisen District of Madhya Pradesh.
- It is known for its Buddhist Monuments (Stupa) which is also a UNESCO world heritage site.
- It sits near the Tropic of Cancer making it ideal for harnessing solar power.
- Help in reducing emissions of more than 14,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Places in News:
1) Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV):
- GSV is a Central University in Vadodara (Gujarat), established through an Act of Parliament in 2022.
- It is India’s first University in the Transportation and Logistics sectors.
- It subsumes the previously-existing National Rail and Transportation Institute (NRTI).
- Sponsored by the Ministry of Railways
- Mandate: applied education, training, skilling and research in logistics sector
2) Mexico (Capital: Mexico City)
- Mexico’s Supreme Court ruled that state laws prohibiting abortion are unconstitutional and violate women’s rights.
- Political Boundaries:
- Bordered with USA (North), Pacific Ocean (West and South), Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea (East) and Guatemala and Belize (Southeast).
- It shares Yucatan Peninsula, which separates Gulf of Mexico from Caribbean Sea, with Belize and Guatemala.
- Geographical Features:
- Major Rivers: Rio Grande, Colorado
- Major Mountain Ranges: Sierra Madre
- Highest Mountain: Pico de Orizaba (Active Volcano)
- One of the countries along the Ring of Fire
