Current Affairs - Places

The 71st National Film Awards ceremony took place at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on September 23, 2025. President Droupadi Murmu felicitated the winners, including Mohanlal, who received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. New Delhi, as the capital city, often hosts major national events, and Vigyan Bhawan is a prominent venue for such high-profile ceremonies. The awards recognised excellence across various categories in Indian cinema, highlighting socially relevant films, veteran actors, and new-age talents, emphasizing the city’s role as a hub for cultural and cinematic celebrations.

Dubai is preparing to launch a 15-km dedicated corridor for driverless transport, known as the Dubai Autonomous Zone (DAZ), by 2026. This initiative is part of the city’s ambitious goal to make 25% of daily trips autonomous by 2030. The corridor will connect major hubs such as Al Jaddaf Metro Station, Dubai Creek Harbour, and Dubai Festival City. It will integrate multiple transport modes including RoboTaxis, RoboBuses, autonomous shuttles, delivery bots, and self-driving marine abras. Partnerships with Uber and WeRide will also bring app-based RoboTaxi services to the public, reinforcing Dubai’s global leadership in smart mobility.

Dr. S. Jaishankar, India’s External Affairs Minister, hosted the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in New York. FIPIC, initiated by India in 2014, brings together 14 Pacific Island Countries to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade, climate change, and sustainable development. Hosting the meeting in New York, a major diplomatic hub, underscores India’s commitment to enhancing its engagement with Pacific Island nations while facilitating discussions on regional and global issues. The gathering provided an opportunity for collaborative dialogue, reinforcing India’s strategic partnerships and promoting mutual interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

Ahmedabad will host the 11th Asian Aquatics Championship from September 28 to October 11, 2025, marking the first time India is organizing this prestigious continental event. The Veer Savarkar Sports Complex in Narangpura serves as the venue, providing international-standard infrastructure for swimming, diving, artistic swimming, and water polo. Over 900 athletes from 29 Asian countries are expected to participate. Hosting this event not only gives Indian athletes the chance to compete at home but also strengthens India’s long-term aspirations to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games and potentially the 2036 Olympic Games, while promoting grassroots aquatic sports and talent development.

The 7th Future Food Forum 2025 took place in Dubai, a global hub for international conferences and innovation-driven discussions. The event brought together leaders from governments, businesses, and academia to explore crucial themes such as sustainable proteins, consumer trends, agri-tech, and food innovation. By hosting the forum, Dubai reinforced its position as a strategic center for fostering collaborations that address global food system challenges and opportunities. This builds on the forum’s legacy since its inception in 2019 in the UAE, further showcasing Dubai’s commitment to sustainable development and its leadership in advancing the global food ecosystem.