1) Integrated Government Online Training (iGOT) Karmayogi platform: iGOT Karmayogi, in partnership with NITI Aayog, has launched a new curated collection dedicated to the Aspirational Blocks Programme (ABP).
- It is a comprehensive online platform to guide individual civil service officials in their capacity-building journey.
- The platform is envisioned to evolve into a vibrant and world class marketplace for content modelled on Framework of Role, Activities, and Competencies (FRACs).
- It was launched as part of Mission Karmayogi with the objective of enhancing governance through Civil Service Capacity Building
2) Eastern Maritime Corridor (EMC): A Memorandum of Intent (MoI) on EMC, also known as Vladivostok-Chennai Maritime Corridor (VCMC), was signed between India and Russia in September 2019 formalizing plans to construct EMC.
- Increased India’s involvement with the Russian Far East, oil and gas shipments into India, diversified trade route with Northeast Asia through maritime means, etc.
3) Most Favoured Nation (MFN): Government has withdrawn duties imposed over and above the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duty on certain products from the US to resolve outstanding WTO disputes.
- It is a WTO principle of not discriminating between one’s trading partners, i.e. all are granted “most favoured nation treatment”.
- Under WTO rules, an advantage negotiated with one country must be extended to all trading partners who are WTO members.
- However, some exceptions are allowed like countries can set up a free trade agreement, special access to developing countries, etc.
4) Nyoma airfield: Minister of Defence has laid foundation stone for Nyoma airfield in Eastern Ladakh.
- Border Roads Organisation will construct India’s highest fighter airfield in Nyoma.
- Nyoma village is located close to south Bank of Pangong Tso at 13,700 feet. Nyoma is around 46 kilometres from Line of Actual Control.
- Significance of Nyoma airfield
- Boost air infrastructure in Ladakh and augment IAF’s capability along Northern border.
- Counter China’s strategy of Anti Access Area Denial (A2AD).
- A2AD involves restricting the enemy’s freedom of movement on battlefield through deployment of a wide range of surface-to-air missile sites and long-range radars etc
Places in News:
1) Bhoj Wetland: National Green Tribunal has banned the operation of cruise boats in Upper Lake in Bhopal and other wetland site.
- It further banned construction within “no development zone” i.e. “buffer zone” as provided in Wetland Rules, 2017.
- Bhoj Wetland (Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh) was designated as a Ramsar site in 2002.
- It has two man-made reservoirs i.e. Upper lake (Bhojtal) and Lower Lake.
- Upper Lake is an important source of drinking water for city.
- Upper lake is rich in biodiversity, particularly resident and migratory birds, macrophytes, phytoplankton, zooplankton, etc.
2) Kilauea volcano: Kilauea volcano has erupted again in Hawaii.
- Kilauea aka Mount Kilauea, the world’s most active volcanic mass, is located on southeastern part of island of Hawaii, Hawaii state, U.S.
- Volcano is a vent in the crust of Earth, from which eruptions of molten rock, hot rock fragments, and hot gasses take place.
