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■ India, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to launch free trade Pact negotiations on November 24: • India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) will announce the launch of negotiations for a free trade agreement on November 24, which aims at promoting two-way commerce and investments between the regions, an official said. • The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is a union of six countries in the Gulf region — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain. • India’s exports to the GCC member countries grew by 58.26% to about $44 billion in 2021-22, as against $27.8 billion in 2020-21, according to data from the Commerce Ministry. • The share of GCC members in India’s total imports rose to 18% in 2021-22, from 15.5% in 2020-21.

■ Tamil Nadu gets its first biodiversity heritage site in Arittapatti: • The Tamil Nadu Government, issued a notification declaring Arittapatti in Melur block, Madurai district, a biodiversity heritage site. The site spans a total area of 193.21 hectares. • The site will be known as the Arittapatti Biodiversity Heritage Site. • An order issued by Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary, Environment, Forests and Climate Change said, the declaration of the site, has been made under the Section 37 of the Biological Diversity Act, 2002. • To prevent the loss of biodiversity and to preserve the cultural and architectural heritage of bygone times, the State government, upon the recommendation of the Tamil Nadu Biodiversity Board has declared Arittapatti a biodiversity heritage site. • Arittapatti village, rich in ecological and historical significance, houses around 250 species of birds including three important raptors -- birds of prey, namely the Laggar Falcon, the Shaheen Falcon and Bonelli’s Eagle. • It is also home to wildlife such as the Indian Pangolin, Slender Loris and pythons. • The biodiversity-rich area is surrounded by a chain of seven hillocks or inselbergs that serve as a watershed, charging ‘72 lakes, 200 natural springs and three check dams.’ • The Anaikondan tank, built during the reign of Pandiyan kings in the 16th century is one among them, the government notification said. • Several megalithic structures, rock-cut temples, Tamil Brahmi inscriptions and Jain beds add to the historical significance of the region.