Current Affairs - Places

The 10th anniversary edition of Expand North Star 2025 was launched at Dubai Harbour, organised under the umbrella of GITEX GLOBAL — the world’s largest technology and AI gathering. Hosted by the Dubai Chamber of Digital Economy and organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre, the event serves as a global hub for collaboration among emerging AI-driven economies. Since its founding in 2016, Expand North Star has evolved into a premier platform connecting startups, investors, and tech innovators. The 2025 edition in Dubai underscores the city’s growing influence as a leading international center for technological innovation and entrepreneurship.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched ‘Mumbai One’, India’s first unified mobility app, to integrate ticketing across 11 public transport services in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). The app allows commuters to book a single digital ticket for metro, buses, suburban trains, monorail, and taxis, supporting a trilingual interface in Marathi, Hindi, and English. It provides real-time journey planning, QR-based cashless payments, and safety features like emergency support. Hosted on Google Cloud Platform using Kubernetes Engine, the app is designed to handle up to 50 lakh transactions daily, significantly enhancing convenience, accessibility, and efficiency for Mumbai’s public transport users.

India will host the 8th International Solar Alliance (ISA) Assembly from October 27–30, 2025, at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The summit will bring together leaders, policymakers, and stakeholders from 124 countries to discuss strategies for global solar energy collaboration, affordable access, and scaling adoption across sectors like agriculture, transport, and healthcare. Hosting the ISA Assembly underscores India’s leadership in renewable energy, as it continues to expand its non-fossil fuel electricity capacity and position itself as a global hub for clean energy innovation. The event also aligns with India’s vision of a carbon-neutral future.

Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav launched the ‘Namo Van’ project in Manesar to mark the beginning of Wildlife Week 2025 celebrations. The initiative aligns with the year’s theme, ‘Sewa Parv,’ emphasizing service toward nature and environmental preservation. As part of the event, a large-scale plantation drive was organised under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, encouraging citizens to plant trees in honour of their mothers. The ‘Namo Van’ project aims to promote biodiversity conservation, enhance green cover, and raise awareness about the importance of protecting wildlife and preserving India’s rich ecological heritage.

India inaugurated its first Integrative Oncology Research and Care Centre (IORCC) at the All India Institute of Ayurveda in Dhargal, Goa. This centre uniquely blends traditional therapies like Ayurveda, Yoga, and Panchakarma with modern oncology treatments, aiming to provide holistic rehabilitation for cancer patients. It also serves as a research and training hub, developing evidence-informed protocols and building capacity in integrative oncology. The initiative marks a transformative step in India’s healthcare approach, promoting collaboration between traditional and modern medical systems to enhance patient recovery, reduce side effects, and improve overall quality of life.