Protests Intensify in Iran Over young Iranian Kurdish Woman Who Died in Custody

• The Kurds are members of a large, predominantly Muslim ethnic group.
• They speak a language related to Farsi and live mostly in a mountainous region straddling the borders of Armenia, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Turkey.
• Treaty of Sèvres: After World War I, Western powers promised Kurds their own homeland in the agreement known as the Treaty of Sèvres.
• Treaty of Lausanne: But later the Treaty of Lausanne, ratified in 1924, divided the Kurds among the new nations of the Middle East.
• Today, there are more than 30 million Kurds living across the region, with about half of them in Turkey.
• Iraq is the only country in the region to have established an autonomous Kurdish region, known as Iraqi Kurdistan. Its parliament was founded in 1992.

India gets fourth set of Swiss bank account details

• This is the fourth tranche of information that India has received from Switzerland since the two countries entered into an Automatic Exchange Of Information (AEOI) agreement in January 2018.
• The first such exchange with India took place in 2019.
• AEOI 2022 exchange exercise aims to bring in transparency and restrict money laundering.
• Some countries which have been added to the Swiss AEOI list for the first time are Turkey, Peru and Nigeria.
• The guidelines and parameters for the AEOI are set by the Paris-based international body, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• The annual exercise of AEOI exchange, such as the current Swiss bonanza of banking details, is strictly meant for “tax only” purposes and in India, kept in the custody of and for action by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
• Under the OECD’s guidelines, no details of the quantum of funds or the names of account holders are to be publicised.
• In 2014, the OECD developed the Common Reporting Standard (CRS) which allows every country to obtain data from Financial Institutions (FIs) and “automatically” exchange it with countries with which AEOI agreements are in order every year.
• Under the OECD umbrella of AEOI, India presently shares bulk financial and banking information with 78 countries and receives the same from 107 countries.

Indian space economy set to grow $13 bn by 2025

• According to the report, the space-launch segment would grow at a CAGR of 13%, spurred by growing private participation, latest technology adoption and low cost of launch services.
• The satellite services and application segment would form the largest share of the space economy accounting for 36% of the ecosystem by 2025.
• On the country’s satellite-manufacturing opportunity, EY and ISpA said that in 2020, it was $2.1 billion. This would reach $3.2 billion by the year 2025.
• Indian Space Association (ISpA), established in December 2020, is the premier industry association of space and satellite companies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ISpA on October 11, 2021.
• The industry association will act as an independent and “single-window” agency for enabling the opening up of the space sector to start-ups and the private sector, according to the government agenda.

Lancet Commission issues call to urgently address stigma in mental health

• The report was the result of the labours of the new Lancet Commission on Ending Stigma and Discrimination in Mental Health.
• According to the report, 90% of people living with mental health conditions feel negatively impacted by stigma and discrimination.
• Further, 80% said stigma and discrimination can be worse than the condition itself.
• Additionally, 90% of those surveyed felt that media could play a major role in reducing stigma.
• As per the commission, stigma can “cause social exclusion and disempowerment of people with mental health conditions leading to discrimination and human rights violations, including problems in accessing healthcare, challenges in securing employment, and increased likelihood of health complications leading to early death”.

Aviation Minister inaugurates 4th Heli-India Summit 2022

• During the summit the Minister announced 3 new projects for enhancing the helicopter sector in the country which includes HEMS and fractional ownership.

Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS)

• It is called Project Sanjeevani by deploying a helicopter in the next few weeks to provide emergency medical services at AIIMS Rishikesh.
• The helicopter will be based at the hospital at 20 minute notice and will have a service cover to an area of 150 km radius.
• It helps to grow the non-scheduled operations.
• It will lower the barrier on the cost of acquisition of helicopters and airplanes through pooled capital by multiple owners.
• This will allow companies and individuals to minimize their capital outflow by sharing the purchase cost, reducing their exposure to risks and making it financially easier to run a NSOP business.

Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) hosts Conference on B20 Indonesia Global Dialogue

• The aim is to align the perspectives of Indian industry with the policy recommendations of B20 Indonesia.
• This conference would set tone for the deliberations to ensure that the Indian perspectives are well represented in the policy recommendation of B20 Indonesia.
• Business 20 (B20), formed in 2010, is the official G20 dialogue forum with the global business community.
• B20 aims to deliver concrete actionable policy recommendations on the priorities by each rotating presidency to spur economic growth and development.

FIFA, AIFF launch Football for Schools as Govt of India pledges active support

• Football for Schools is an ambitious programme run by FIFA, in collaboration with UNESCO, which aims to contribute to the education, development and empowerment of around 700 million children.
• According to Union Government, “Football for Schools” movement espouses the spirit of National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and promotes sports-integrated learning.
• Football for Schools is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a developing India as a sporting superpower as well as ensuring a Fit India.
• The government will take the Football for Schools programme to all 700+ districts in India.
• Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti will be the nodal agency on behalf of the ministry of education to take this initiative forward.

International Day of the Girl Child observed on 11th October

• The International Day of the Girl Child aims to raise awareness about the importance and potential girls hold as the future of our society.
• It focuses attention on the need to address the challenges girls face and to promote girls’ empowerment and the fulfilment of their human rights.
• 2022 marks the 10th anniversary of International Day of the Girl Child.
• This year’s theme is “Our time is now—our rights, our future”.
• First time in history, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995, proposed an action plan to advance the rights of girls.
• In 2011, the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 66/170 and adopted October 11 as the International Day of the Girl Child.
• It was an annual day commemorated to honour girls. Every year, a new theme is to be picked to focus on the most prevalent issue of the year.
• International Day of the Girl Child was first observed in 2012.