Rapid Fire Current Affairs | 08 Sep 2023
BRIGHT STAR-23
- INS Sumedha, a Saryu class Naval Offshore Patrol Vessel (NOPV), arrived in Port Alexandria, Egypt for 'Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23.'
- It is a multinational Tri-Services military exercise taking place in Port Alexandria, Egypt.
- 34 countries are participating, making it the largest joint military exercise ever conducted in the Middle East & North Africa region.
- The exercise is divided into two phases: the Harbour Phase and the Sea Phase.
- The Harbour Phase includes cross-deck visits, professional exchanges, sports fixtures, and planning interactions.
- The Sea Phase includes complex and high-intensity exercises such as cross-deck flying, anti-surface and anti-air exercises, and live weapon firing drills.
- The Indian Navy is participating for the first time in Exercise BRIGHT STAR.
Indonesia Seeks US Trade Talks for Critical Minerals
- Indonesia has requested the United States to begin trade talks for critical minerals.
- Indonesia has ambitions to become a major player in the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) and their batteries, leveraging its vast nickel reserves.
- Indonesia is a producer and holder of the world's biggest nickel reserves amounting to 21 million metric tons.
- Indonesia has ambitions to become a major player in the manufacturing of electric vehicles (EVs) and their batteries, leveraging its vast nickel reserves.
- Critical minerals are minerals and metals that have specific industrial, technological, and strategic applications.
- They are the building blocks for the green and digital economy and many clean energy technologies, such as solar panels, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and electricity networks.
- Cobalt, Copper, Gallium, Germanium, Graphite, Hafnium, Indium, Lithium, and Nickel are some examples of critical minerals.
Read more: Critical Minerals for India, Demand for Critical Minerals Across the Globe
Indian President to Inaugurate Asia Pacific Human Rights Conference
- The President of India is set to inaugurate the biennial conference of National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) of Asia Pacific on 20th September 2023 at Delhi.
- Organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in partnership with the Asia Pacific Forum (APF), the event will also feature the 28th Annual General Meeting of APF.
- The conference will mark the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and will also celebrate 30 years of National Human Rights Institutions and the Paris Principles.
- The NHRC came into existence on 12th October 1993, as established by the Protection of Human Rights Act (PHRA) of 1993, later amended by the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Act in 2006.
Read more: National Human Rights Commission
World EV Day
World EV Day celebrated on 9th September, is an annual event dedicated to raising global awareness about the numerous benefits of electric vehicles (EVs).
- The Sustainability Media Company GreenTV initiated World Electrical Vehicle Day, and the inaugural World EV Day was observed in the year 2020.
- This day serves as a platform to emphasize the importance of sustainable transportation, reduced emissions, and the pivotal role EVs play in combating climate change and improving air quality.