Daily Current Affairs Notes for 09 September 2022

Queen Elizabeth II passes away: Queen Elizabeth II passed away at Balmoral at the age of 96. After worries about her health grew early, her family gathered at her Scottish estate.

Overview

Queen Elizabeth II passes away: Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned the UK for 70 years, passed away at Balmoral at the age of 96. After worries about her health grew early, her family gathered at her Scottish estate. Queen Elizabeth II saw significant social change after ascending to the throne in 1952. The King and the Queen Consort will spend today (08.09.2022) and tomorrow (09.09.22) in Balmoral before departing for London.

Queen Elizabeth II passes away: Key Points

• Queen Elizabeth II was in placement under medical supervision, all of her children made their way to Balmoral, which is close to Aberdeen.
• Prince William, her grandson, is also present, and Prince Harry is en route.
• Queen Elizabeth II, who on Tuesday appointed Prime Minister Liz Truss, said she was the “rock” upon which modern Britain was founded and that she had “given us the stability and strength that we required.”
• Crowds waiting for information on the Queen Elizabeth II’s condition at Buckingham Palace in London started wailing when they got to know of her passing.
• At 18:30 BST, the Union flag atop the palace was lowered to half-staff, and a formal notification of the death was put up on a noticeboard outside.
• A medley of state ceremonies, a vibrant festival of everything British, and energetic street festivities were held to commemorate the milestone.

Queen Elizabeth II passes away: Queen Elizabeth II Early Life

• Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor (Queen Elizabeth II) was born the Queen on April 21, 1926, in Mayfair, London.
• Few could have predicted Queen Elizabeth II would become the monarch, but in December 1936, her uncle Edward VIII abdicated the monarchy in order to wed American Wallis Simpson, who had previously been divorced twice.
• Elizabeth’s father, King George VI, abdicated in favour of her sister Lilibet, who was heir to the throne at the age of 10.
• Britain and Nazi Germany were at war in three years. After their parents rejected recommendations that they be moved to Canada, Elizabeth and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, spent a large portion of the war at Windsor Castle.
• Elizabeth, who was then 18 years old, completed five months training as a driver and basic mechanic with the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She subsequently reflected, “I started to comprehend the esprit de corps that thrives in the face of adversity.
• She corresponded via letters with her third cousin Philip, Prince of Greece, who was enlisting in the Royal Navy, during the course of the conflict.
• The couple’s relationship flourished, and on November 20, 1947, they were married at Westminster Abbey, with the prince assuming the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
• After 74 years of marriage, she would later refer to him as “my strength and stay” before his 99th birthday in 2021.
• The monarchy’s usefulness in contemporary society has been called into doubt.
• Queen Elizabeth II had vowed to devote her life to service when she was a young princess of 21.

Warangal and two cities from Kerala have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in recognition of their outstanding efforts to make lifelong learning a reality.

Overview

Warangal and two cities from Kerala have joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in recognition of their outstanding efforts to make lifelong learning a reality for all at the local level. Warangal in Telangana, Thrissur and Nilambur are among the 77 cities from 44 countries which have joined this network of the world body.

• Other cities that have joined the network are the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, Durban in South Africa and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) among others. The 77 new members bring the total number of cities within the UNESCO GNLC to 294 in 76 countries, UNESCO. The new UNESCO learning cities were added to the network following their nomination by the National Commissions for UNESCO in the concerned countries and the recommendations of a jury of experts.

India's first RRTS corridor: The nation's first Regional Rapid Transit System (India's first RRTS corridor), the Delhi-Meerut RRTS line, would incorporate an AFC system and QR codes' tickets.

Overview

India’s first RRTS corridor: The nation’s first Regional Rapid Transit System (India’s first RRTS corridor), the Delhi-Meerut RRTS line, would incorporate an automatic fare collection (AFC) system and tickets with QR codes for riders. In order to purchase the AFC system, the National Capital Region Transport Corporation (NCRTC) recently announced that it has requested bids in accordance with the Modi administration’s “Make In India” standards.

India’s first RRTS corridor: Key Points

• The contactless method of entry and exit will be seamless, comfortable, simple, and quick with the AFC system. The NCRTC will also offer QR code tickets, which can be generated digitally on a website or mobile application. Commuters will be able to purchase paper QR tickets from ticket vending machines for a single trip between two stations, similar to the token system used by the Delhi Metro.

PM Modi to unveil statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The newly named Kartavya Path, which runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate, will be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. 

Overview

PM Modi to unveil statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose: The newly named Kartavya Path, which runs from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate and features red granite walkways with vegetation all around, renovated canals, state-specific food stalls, new utility blocks, and vending kiosks, will be unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The government claims that it represents a change from the former Rajpath, which served as a symbol of power, to Kartavya Path, which serves as an illustration of public ownership and empowerment.

PM Modi to unveil statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose : Key Points

• At India Gate, Modi will also dedicate a statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. In Amrit Kaal, the prime minister outlined his second “Panch Pran” for New India, which calls for “removal of every remnant of colonial thinking.”
• In downtown Delhi, where there are limitations in place due to the event, the traffic police have made plans to ensure smooth vehicular flow. From 6 pm until 9 pm, several highways will be closed to general traffic, according to officials.
• The CPWD has established five vending zones with a maximum of 40 vendors each, as well as two blocks close to the India Gate with a maximum of eight stores each. A few states have expressed interest in setting up food stands.

PM Modi to unveil statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose :  Central Vista renovation project

• Under the massive Central Vista renovation project of the Modi administration, the entire stretch has been renovated.
• The prime minister’s office stated in a statement that over time, Rajpath and surrounding parts of Central Vista Avenue had seen pressure from an increase in visitor traffic, placing stress on its infrastructure.
• Basic necessities including drinking water, street furniture, public restrooms, and enough parking were absent. Additionally, there was shoddy parking, bad signage, and poorly maintained water features.

PM Modi to unveil statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose :  Kartavya Path

• Additionally, it was considered that less obtrusive planning was required for other major events, such the Republic Day parade, in order to allow for as much public movement as possible.
• “Kartavya Path” will feature landscapes that have been upgraded, lawns with walkways, more greenery, renovated canals, new amenity blocks, better signage, and vending kiosks.
• Other enhancements that will improve the public experience include new pedestrian underpasses, better parking spaces, new exhibition panels, and upgraded night lighting.

A report on the 2021 Human Development Index (HDI) is part of the Human Development Report 2021-2022 released by the United Nations Development Programme.

Overview

A report on the 2021 Human Development Index (HDI) is part of the Human Development Report 2021-2022 released by the United Nations Development Programme. The HDI measures the average achievement of a country in three basic dimensions of human development — a long and healthy life, education and a decent standard of living. It is calculated using four indicators — life expectancy at birth, mean years of schooling, expected years of schooling, and the Gross National Income (GNI) per capita.

UNDP’s human development index: Notably

• For the first time on record, the global Human Development Index (HDI) has dropped for two years in a row, taking the world back to just after the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Paris Agreement.
• Every year a few countries face declines on the HDI, but over 90 per cent of countries saw their HDI value drop in either 2020 or 2021.
• Furthermore, while only a third of very high HDI countries saw a decline in 2021 (compared with over 90 per cent in 2020), about 60 per cent of low and medium HDI and high HDI countries did (in 2021)”, the report notes.

Indian Scenario:

• India ranked 132nd among 191 countries and territories on the 2021 Human Development Index (HDI). In the 2020 report, India had ranked 131st among 189 countries and territories. The decline in the country’s performance from its previous level was on account of a fall in life expectancy.

Asian Countries:

• Among India’s neighbours, Sri Lanka (73rd), China (79th), Bangladesh (129th), and Bhutan (127th) are ranked above India, while Pakistan (161st), Nepal (143rd), and Myanmar (149th) are worse off. The report said around 90 per cent of countries registered a decline in their HDI value in 2020 or in 2021.

2021 Human Development Index: Top and Important countries in the list

HDI rank	Country	HDI Value 2021
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
4	Hong Kong, China (SAR)	0.952
5	Australia	0.951
6	Denmark	0.948
7	Sweden	0.947
8	Ireland	0.945
9	Germany	0.942
10	Netherlands	0.941
18	United Kingdom	0.929
19	Japan	0.925
21	United States	0.921
79	China	0.768
132	India	0.633