• Bhutan will become seventh nation to graduate from United Nations’ list of Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2023 end.
• Bhutan was included in the first group of ‘Least Developed Countries’ in 1971.
  • However, over the last few decades, it has made remarkable progress on a variety of socio-economic metrics.
• LDCs are developing countries listed by UN that exhibit lowest indicators of socioeconomic development.
• Currently, UN lists 46 countries that qualify as LDCs.
• List of LDCs is reviewed every three years by Committee for Development Policy (CDP).
• UN identifies three criteria for a country to be classified as an LDC
  • Gross national income (GNI) per capita below threshold of USD 1,230 over a three-year average.
  • Perform poorly on a composite human assets index based on indicators including nutrition, health and education.
  • Country must demonstrate economic vulnerability such as being prone to natural disasters and possessing structural economic constraints.

• The 35th meeting of Board of GCF will be held in Kigali, capital of Rawanda.
  • Board of GCF generally holds three meetings per year.
• Board is independent and guided by Conference of Parties (COP) to Convention.
• Meetings are attended by more than 300 participants, including National Designated Authorities (NDAs), and Accredited Entities and other partners who assist in delivering climate finance to developing countries.
• From India-
  • NDA: Ministry of Environment Forest And Climate Change.
  • Direct access accredited entities: IDFC Bank, Yes Bank, NABARD, SIDBI, IESIL (IL&FS Environmental Infrastructure and Services Limited).

About GCF

• GCF was established in 2010 under UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to help developing countries reduce their GHG emissions and adapt to impact of climate change.
• It is governed by a 24 Board member Board.
• Secretariat is located in Songdo, Incheon- South Korea.
• Key features of GCF
  • Country-driven approach i.e., developing countries lead GCF programming and implementation.
  • Balanced allocation i.e., GCF is mandated to invest 50% of its resources to mitigation and 50% to adaptation in grant equivalent.
  • Provide financial support through flexible combination of grant, concessional debt, guarantees or equity instrument.

• The Chief Justice of India (CJI) recently addressed the 18th meeting of the Chief Justices/Chairpersons of the Supreme Courts of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) member states.
• The CJI highlighted the need for judicial cooperation and adoption of new mechanisms to simplify and make the court processes more smart and accessible to the common people.
• The CJI also stressed the importance of technology in bridging the gap between citizens and the justice system.
• The CJI shared recent endeavours made by the Supreme Court of India, such as launching an e-version of Supreme Court reports, artificial intelligence-based live transcription of court proceedings, and translation of judgments in multiple regional languages, among others.
• Also, various issues such as the overly populated prisons, access to quality legal representation, modern public judicial services, court work overload, limited judicial resources, high pendency of cases, and the need for adequate infrastructure facilities were highlighted.

About SCO

• The SCO is a regional intergovernmental organisation that promotes cooperation between its member states in the areas of security, economy, and culture.
• Prior to the creation of SCO in 2001, Kazakhstan, China, Kyrgyzstan, Russia and Tajikistan were members of the Shanghai Five.
• Following the accession of Uzbekistan to the organisation in 2001, the Shanghai Five was renamed the SCO.
• India and Pakistan became members in 2017. Iran will become full member in 2023 under India’s chairmanship.
• Structure:
  • Heads of State Council: The Supreme SCO body which decides its internal functioning and its interaction with other States & international organisations, and considers international issues.
  • Heads of Government Council: Approves the budget, considers and decides upon issues related to economic spheres of interaction within SCO.
  • Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs: Considers issues related to day-to-day activities.
  • Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS): Established to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism.
  • The official working language of the SCO Secretariat is Russian and Chinese.

• Acting Chief Justice of HP High Court Justice Sabina laid the foundation stone of Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre in Kullu.
• It will be constructed at a cost of Rs 1.50 crore.
• The five-storeyed building will have a parking facility, Lok Adalat, Mediation Centre, Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre and other offices.

• The University of Calicut (Kerala) emerged the overall winner in the All-India Inter-University Powerlifting (Women) Championship 2022-23 that concluded in Dharamshala.
• Players from 88 registered teams took part in the 47-kg, 52-kg, 57-kg, 63-kg, 69-kg, 76-kg, 84-kg and 84 plus kg weight categories.
• Chandigarh University secured the overall second position while Preeti of Singhania University, Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan), was adjudged the best powerlifter.

• Ram Chandra Paudel has been elected to serve as the new president of Nepal.
• According to the Nepalese Election Commission, he received 33,800 electoral votes, while his opponent, Subash Chandra Nembwang, received 15,500 votes.
• Ram Chandra Paudel received votes from 352 members of provincial assemblies and 214 members of parliament.

• Mount Merapi, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, erupted, spewing out smoke and ash that covered villages near the crater. There were no immediate reports of casualties, the the National Disaster Mitigation Agency said.
• The Mount Merapi is the Fire Mountain in Indonesia and Java.
• It is an active stratovolcano that is located on the border between the Central Java and Yogyakarta provinces, Indonesia.
• It is considered as the most active volcano in Indonesia and is erupted regularly since 1548.

• Prime Minister dedicated World`s longest railway platform of 1.5 kilometres at Sri Siddhaarooda railway station in Hubballi in Karnataka.
• It is to be noted that Indian Railways, South Western Railway Zones Hubbali is now registered in the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest platform.
• Gorakhpur platform in Uttar Pradesh is the second longest at 1,366.33 meters, and Kollam Junction in Kerala has the third longest platform at 1,180.5 meters.

• According to the Geneva-based Diplo Foundation, India, Brazil, and South Africa, which have together formed the tripartite IBSA Forum, may play a prominent role in the process of reforming digital governance.
• As per report, “The first tangible results from IBSA’s digital momentum could be expected during India’s G-20 presidency, which, among others, will promote ‘a new gold standard for data”.

About IBSA

• The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange.
• Genesis- The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia (Brazil) on 6th June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
• Collaboration:
  • Joint Naval Exercise: IBSAMAR (IBSA Maritime Exercise) is an important part of IBSA trilateral defence cooperation.
  • IBSA Fund: Established in 2004, IBSA Fund (India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation) is a unique Fund through which development projects are executed with IBSA funding in fellow developing countries. It is managed by the United Nations (UN) Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC).

• Under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Centers of Excellence (CoEs) are being established in various States through Bilateral Cooperation or Research Institutes.
• These CoEs serve as demonstration and training centres for the latest technologies in the field of horticulture.
• 3 CoEs that have been approved include:
  • CoE for Kamlam (Dragon Fruit) at Bengaluru, Karnataka
  • CoE for Mango and Vegetables at Jajpur, Odisha
  • CoE for Vegetables and Flowers at Ponda, Goa
• MIDH is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme for the holistic growth of the horticulture sector covering fruits, vegetables and other areas.
• Under MIDH, the Government contributes 60% of the total outlay for developmental programmes in all the states (except Northeastern and Himalayan states where GOI contributes 90%) & 40% is contributed by State governments.
• Implementing agency -National Horticulture Board, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare