19^th edition of YUDH ABHYAS Exercise

• The 19^th edition of YUDH ABHYAS exercise is set to commence from 25^th September 2023 in Alaska.
• This annual exercise is jointly conducted by the Indian Army and the US Army.
• The Indian Army's contingent comprises 350 personnel will participate in the exercise.
• The primary objectives of the exercise is the mutual refinement of tactical drills to bolster interoperability, especially in the context of UN peacekeeping operations.
• The exercise will facilitate the exchange of insights and best practices across a wide spectrum of combat skills, encompassing combat engineering, obstruction clearance, as well as the strategies employed in countering mines and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) during warfare.

Indian Team Become First Team to Hit 3000 Sixes in ODI Cricket

• In the 2^nd ODI between India and Australia, India wins by 99 runs.
• With this, India becomes the first team to hit 3000-sixes in ODI cricket format.
• The West Indies holds the second position on this list with 2953 sixes, while Pakistan secures the third position with a tally of 2566 sixes.

Arunachal Pradesh to Gain Three New Air Routes

• The Union Civil Aviation Minister, Jyotiraditya Scindia, made an announcement regarding the imminent launch of three additional air routes in Arunachal Pradesh, scheduled to become operational by October of 2023.
• These forthcoming routes will establish connectivity between Itanagar, the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, and the cities of Rupsi, Jorhat, and Delhi, all as part of the UDAN-5 scheme.
• UDAN, or Ude Desh ka Aam Nagarik, is a regional connectivity initiative aimed at improving access to aviation services for the general public.
• This development follows the inauguration of upgraded infrastructure at the Tezu airport in Lohit district.

NASA Capsule Carrying First Asteroid Samples Lands on Earth 

• NASA’s first asteroid samples fetched from deep space parachuted into the Utah desert on September 24 to cap a seven-year journey. 
• The Osiris-Rex spacecraft, during an Earth flyby, deployed the sample capsule from a distance of 63,000 miles (100,000 kilometres). 
• Approximately four hours later, the compact capsule touched down on a distant portion of military territory in the Utah desert, while the main spacecraft embarked on its mission to explore another asteroid. 

India Introduces a Policy for Border Roads Workers

• India has introduced a pioneering policy geared toward improving the well-being of the casual labour force employed by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has given his approval to this policy.
• The policy not only deals with the handling and transportation of deceased workers' remains but also provides increased support for funeral expenses from ₹1,000 to ₹10,000 for those whose last rites are performed at the worksite.

India's 75% Villages are Now ODF Plus

• India’s 75% villages are now ODF Plus under Swachh Bharat Mission-Grameen (SBM-G) Phase II.
• Presently, over 4.43 lakh villages have proudly declared themselves as ODF Plus, signifying substantial progress toward achieving the goals of SBM-G Phase II by 2024-25.
• Several States/Union Territories (UTs) have achieved 100% ODF Plus status in their villages.
• These include Andaman & Nicobar Islands, D&N Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Ladakh, Puducherry, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Tripura. Notably, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra Nagar Haveli & Daman Diu, Jammu & Kashmir, and Sikkim have achieved 100% ODF Plus status for all their model villages.

ODF Plus Village

• An ODF Plus village is one that has not only maintained its Open Defecation Free (ODF) status but has also successfully implemented either solid or liquid waste management systems.