• The United States and Canada are dialling down their diatribe over the alleged New Delhi hand in the killing of Sikh pro-Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar amid a strong pushback from India about the “operating space” given to violent militants due to domestic political compulsions.
• During a think tank event in Washington DC, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar acknowledged that the issue was discussed during talks with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and US NSA Jake Sullivan, who shared their views and assessments on the situation. Jaishankar also presented India’s perspective on the matter, and both sides left the meetings better informed.

• In recent years, Conocarpus, a fast-growing exotic mangrove species, had been widely used to enhance green cover in Gujarat. However, concerns have arisen over the environmental and health impacts of this non-indigenous plant, leading authorities to take action.
• Research reports have indicated adverse effects of Conocarpus on the environment and human health. Conocarpus trees, which flower in winter, spread pollen, leading to health issues like cold, cough, asthma, and allergies. Additionally, their deep-rooted growth damages telecommunication lines, drainage systems, and freshwater networks. Moreover, Conocarpus leaves are unpalatable to plant-eating animals.

• The Department of Tribal Affairs of Madhya Pradesh has partnered with Magic Bus India Foundation to empower master trainers and government school teachers, equipping them to deliver life skills education while nurturing the well-rounded development of adolescents across 20 districts and 89 blocks in the state.
• Magic Bus will provide training to master trainers, who will then train 18,000 government teachers, to impart life skills to around one million adolescents across 9,000 government schools that include CM Rise Schools, Middle Schools, Special Residential Schools including Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), Kanya Shiksha Parisar (KSP), Model Residential Schools (MRS) Hostels and Ashram, specifically targeting adolescents from grades 6 to 10.

• Gaining momentum in the political landscape, the BJP’s ‘Parivartan Yatra’ entered Raipur marking a significant milestone in the state's political landscape.Taking a swipe at the ruling Congress government, the Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi while addressing a gathering.
• Congress should understand that they have emptied the country's treasury in 70 years, and here in Chhattisgarh, they are working to fill the treasury by pressing buttons.” Reacting to Rahul Gandhi's statement, she said, “PM Modi presses the button for development, while Rahul Gandhi pressed the button in Chhattisgarh to fill their treasury”. The Centre has given houses to three crore homeless people, but the Chhattisgarh government is not providing housing, due to which Chhattisgarh's 16 lakh beneficia.

• Vedanta Ltd, controlled by metal and mining mogul Anil Agarwal, is reportedly closing a deal to demerge its businesses into several listed entities. The company has informed its lenders of the restructuring and could announce the plans in the coming days, Bloomberg News reported.
• The company is expected to demerge its metals, power, aluminium, and oil and gas businesses and an official announcement is likely this week. As per the report, the broad restructuring, if successful, may help Agarwal manage his group's debt load.

• Indian Cricket team’s former skipper and star cricketer Virat Kohli is a renowned player in the cricket world. His stardom has been built on many nuanced grounds and he is surely an inspiration for generations to some. Also regarded as ‘The King’ of Indian cricket, he has thrashed some major records on his way to build a career in cricket. The batting prowess he possesses, is spectacular and beyond one’s imagination. It’s his dominant batting style and popularity that has made his fans admire him to the core.
• Keeping these facts in mind, there is no doubt why Kohli is regarded as one of the best cricketers in the world. Everyone, even outside the country, adores him for the explicit zeal he has for cricket and his unwavering dedication to fitness.

• M.S. Swaminathan, the renowned Indian agricultural scientist and the driving force behind India's Green Revolution, passed away  at the age of 98.Known as the "Father of Economic Ecology" by the United Nations Environment Programme, Swaminathan's groundbreaking work in the 1960s and 1970s revolutionised Indian agriculture, helping the country to stave off widespread famine and achieve self-sufficiency in food production.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi, mourning his demise, said that at a very critical period in our nation’s history, his groundbreaking work in agriculture transformed the lives of millions and ensured food security for our nation.

• The deceased artiste is credited with starting the Bharatanatyam academy, Ganesa Natyalaya, in the city, where she also resided and devoted her life to the art form. In her career spanning 50 years, Vaidyanathan choreographed more than 10 full-length ballets and nearly 2,000 individual Bharatanatyam items. To promote a holistic learning approach to the art form of Bharatanatyam, she taught Hindi, Tamil, and Carnatic music alongside the dance form to students.
• She has left behind hundreds of students who’ve been taught and mentored by her. She got all the recognitions and awards that an artiste could possibly get, and has seen four great-grandchildren. It was a life well led.

• The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, also known as the Forest Rights Act 2006, was enacted to grant tribals residing in forest areas formal land rights through documents known as “pattas.” Under this act, tribals can submit claims for land to their respective gram sabha (village council). These claims are then reviewed and approved first by a sub-divisional committee and subsequently by the divisional committee at the district level.
• Concerns have been raised by experts about the lack of proactive involvement by the tribal affairs ministry in ensuring the proper implementation of the Forest Rights Act by the states. This comes as the central government has the authority to issue directives to the states, especially when there are high rejection rates of claims, but this has not been pursued.

• India has made its mark at the Asian Games 2023, excelling in specific sports that brought a total of 33 medals for the country.India defeated defending champions Malaysia to make it to the finals of squash team event. The team is set to face Pakistan to the race for the gold medal.
• In just 53 seconds, Indian boxer (50kg) Nikhat Zareen knocked out her opponent to sail into semi-finals. The boxer has assured India of another medal and secured Paris Olympics quota. Lakshya Sen emerged victorious over Prince Dahal with a commanding score of 21-5 in the first set and 21-8 in the second set.

Download Daily GK PDF of 30 September 2023