Daily Top-10 Current Affairs MCQs/News (Sep 14 2023) for CSS

Table of Contents

6. EU to launch first phase of CO2 border tax

The European Union starts the initial phase of its plan for the world`s first carbon border tax next month, requiring importers to report the CO2 emissions of products sold into Europe, such as steel and cement, or risk financial penalties.
The aim of the new regime is to prevent domestic EU industries from being undercut by more-polluting foreign competitors, while they invest in reducing emissions.
Once it is fully in force from 2026, imports into the EU will pay a CO2 fee equal to what European companies already pay in Europe`s carbon market

7. Humanity deep in the danger zone of planetary boundaries: study

Human activity and appetites have weakened Earth`s resilience, pushing it far beyond the `safe operating space` that keeps the world liveable for most species, including our own, a landmark study said on Wednesday.
Six of nine planetary boundaries climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss, synthetic chemicals including plastics, freshwater depletion, and nitrogen use are already deep in the red zone, an international team of 29 scientists reported

8. UN representative to Sudan steps down after friction

Sudan’s envoy for United Nation Volker Perthes on Wednesday announced his resignation following tensions with Khartoum as the country approaches five months of fighting between the army and a paramilitary group.
Khartoum in June declared Perthes persona non grata and accused him of bias after he denounced possible “crimes against humanity” in the conflict.
Perthes had been the UN representative to Sudan for more than two years, heading up the UNITAMS mission that was created in 2020 after the ouster of former leader Omar al-Bashir

9. China`s envoy takes charge in Kabul

China became the first country on Wednesday to formally name a new ambassador to Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, after its envoy presented credentials at a ceremony in Kabul.
The Taliban regime has not been officially recognised by any foreign government, and Beijing did not indicate whether Wednesday`s appointment signalled any wider steps towards formal recognition of the Taliban. `This is the normal rotation of China`s ambassador to Afghanistan, and is intended to continue advancing dialogue and cooperation between China and Afghanistan. China`s policy towards Afghanistan is clear and consistent,` China`s foreign ministry said in a statement

10. Putin sees `possibilities` for military co-operation with N. Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday said there were `possibilities` for military cooperation with North Korea despite international sanctions, speaking in an interview with state television.
`There are certain limitations…. Within the framework of existing rules, there are possibilities that we take note of and we are discussing them,` he said in an interview broadcast after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.