STATE NEWS
Operation SWARNA: Revival of Swarnamukhi River
• The Tirupati Urban Development Authority (TUDA) has initiated "Operation SWARNA" to clear encroachments and rejuvenate the Swarnamukhi River’s ecosystem.
• Spanning 130 km, the river flows from Pakala to the Bay of Bengal, supporting agriculture and water needs in regions like Tirupati and Srikalahasti.
• Over the years, unauthorized constructions have obstructed the river’s natural course and harmed its surrounding environment.
• Many areas along the riverbanks, tanks, and canals were occupied illegally under previous administrations using forged documents.
• These encroachments contributed to severe floods in 2021, displacing numerous families without legal land rights.
• Authorities plan to conduct drone mapping from Thondavada to Srikalahasti and designate a 50-meter buffer zone on either side of the river.
• TUDA, in coordination with irrigation and revenue officials, will take legal action against land grabbers and complicit officials.
APPOINTMENTS
Dr. Deepak Mittal Named India’s New Envoy to the UAE
• Senior diplomat Dr. Deepak Mittal, from the 1998 Indian Foreign Service batch, will be India’s next Ambassador to the UAE.
• He has previously served in the Prime Minister’s Office during PM Modi's tenure, gaining key diplomatic experience.
• Mittal was India’s Ambassador to Qatar between 2020 and 2022 and played a pivotal role in engaging with the Taliban.
• He succeeds Sunjay Sudhir, who is retiring in September 2025.
• The UAE holds strong strategic and economic importance in India’s West Asia relations.
• With over 3.5 million Indians, the UAE hosts one of the world’s largest Indian expatriate populations.
• India and the UAE established diplomatic relations in 1972 and have deepened ties significantly over the decades.
• PM Modi has visited the UAE seven times since 2015, most recently inaugurating the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi in February 2024.
SPORTS
India to Host 2026 Badminton World Championships
• New Delhi will be the venue for the 2026 BWF World Championships, returning to India after a 17-year gap.
• The announcement was made on September 1 during the closing of the 2025 edition held in Paris.
• India last hosted the event in Hyderabad in 2009.
• The 2026 tournament marks the championship’s return to Asia after being held in Europe and elsewhere since Nanjing 2018.
• Indian shuttlers have shown consistent success at this global event over the years.
• PV Sindhu stands out with five World Championship medals — one gold, two silver, and two bronze.
• Other medalists include Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty in doubles, and H.S. Prannoy in singles.
• Legendary players like Prakash Padukone, Jwala Gutta, and Ashwini Ponnappa also have World Championship medals to their names.
NATIONAL NEWS
Highlights of the 2025 Immigration and Foreigners (Exemption) Order
• The Centre has notified a new exemption order under Section 33 of the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025.
• This order provides specific exclusions from passport, visa, and travel document rules for designated groups and carriers.
• Enforced from September 1, 2025, the order overrides previous rules from 2007 and 1957, unless already implemented.
• Indian military personnel and their families traveling on official government duty are no longer bound by these requirements.
• Indian nationals entering from Nepal or Bhutan, by air or land, are exempt from showing valid travel papers.
• Citizens of Nepal and Bhutan are also exempt unless traveling to or from China, Hong Kong, Macau, or Pakistan.
• Certain foreign individuals are now exempt from needing visas under this revised framework.
• Transport carriers will also face reduced obligations under the new law, easing their compliance burden.
