Current Affairs - September 24, 2018 Current Affairs

Asian News International, ANI and Emirates News Agency, WAM, the official news agency of the UAE government has signed an MoU, for bilateral cooperation in the area of the free news exchange in Abu Dhabi. The Mou wa signed between: Mohammad Jalal Alrayssi, Executive Director of WAM and Sanjiv Prakash, Chief Editor and CEO of ANI.

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)'s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) has discovered two new earth-like exoplanets namely: "super-Earth" and "hot Earth". TESS was launched in April 2018 to detect exoplanets (planets outside the sun's solar system). It is a one year mission worth $337 million. This is TESS's first discovery. Super-Earth: It is named as Pi Mensae c. It is 60 light-years away. It orbits its sun every 6.3 days. Hot-Earth: It is named as LHS 3844 b. It is 49 light-years away. It orbits its sun every 11 hours. Both the planets are too hot to support life.

State-run telecom firm BSNL has inked a pact with Japan's Softbank and NTT Communications to roll out 5G and internet of things (IoT) technology in India. BSNL will look at collaborating with Softbank for its satellite constellation which will have around 900 satellites. 3G was launched in India after seven years the technology was available in other foreign markets and 4G services after four years' lag but according to BSNL CMD Anupam Shrivastava 5G will be launched in India in 2020 as soon the standards are freezed by ITU.

World Alzheimer's Day was observed all over the world. World Alzheimer's Day is observed on 21 September since 2012. Also, September is observed as World Alzheimer's Month. On this day, Alzheimer's organizations throughout the world create awareness about Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease is a group of disorders that impairs memory and other mental functions.

Andhra Pradesh has topped the charts among States in terms of "Ease of Living Index" rankings launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). It was followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh. The three States were awarded the three best performing States under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) at the National Dissemination Workshop on Ease of Living Index, 2018.

The BRICS New Development Bank has approved a $525-million loan for infrastructure projects in India. The loan will be used by the Indian government for on-lending to the Madhya Pradesh government for rehabilitating major district roads with a total length of about 2,000 km. The loan aims to improve connectivity of the rural interior with the national and state highways.

Assamese movie "Village Rockstars" has been chosen to represent India in the Best Foreign Language category at the 91st Academy Awards 2019. The film, which is directed by Rima Das, also won the Best Feature film Award at the 65th National Film Awards. The film follows Dhunu, a girl who grows up in poverty and learns to fend for herself. However, that does not prevent her from following her dream of forming a rock band and owning a guitar someday.

National Stock Exchange (NSE) and London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) signed a pact on a dual listing route for masala bonds as well as foreign currency bonds of Indian issuers. MOU was signed by NSE MD and CEO Vikram Limaye and London Stock Exchange Plc CEO Nikhil Rathi. Under the MOU, the masala bonds and foreign currency bonds in LSEG would be listed on NSE and the reverse would be done as well. This would help in: Enhancing visibility & increase liquidity in secondary markets, Also reduce the cost of raising capital for all issuers.

Rose Day is observed on all over the world every year who are battling cancer. It was observed on September 22nd of every year. The purpose of celebrating Rose Day is to make cancer patients become strong to face the disease with spirit and will power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) appointed Anil Kumar Chaudhary as the new chairman of the Steel Authority of India till his superannuation in December 2020. PK Rath appointed as CMD of the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL) He is presently the Director (operations) in RINL.

The first-ever Mizoram International Short Film Festival (MISFF) was inaugurated by Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla at the Aijal Club in Aizawl, Mizoram. At the inaugural event, Gulshan Grover's short film 'Forbidden' was screened. This is the first of its kind film festival in Mizoram. It is organised by: Government of Mizoram and Innovations India. It is supported by the Mizo Film Forum. The festival aims to promote Mizoram as a preferred destination for film making, and to exhibit the beautiful locations of Mizoram. It will also highlight the film making capabilities of the Mizo film makers.

Gitesh Sarma was appointed as Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). A Gitesh Sarma's appointment has been approved by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet. He is an Indian Foreign Service Officer (IFS) of 1986 batch. He replaces Ruchi Ghanashyam. Currently, A Gitesh Sarma is additional secretary in the foreign ministry. As the Secretary (West), A Gitesh Sarma will be responsible for India's diplomatic affairs with the UK and other European countries.

Pavithra Naveen claimed the Pan Tech-Abu Dhabi 83rd State senior championships at the EISA Badminton Academy, at Ettumanoor, Kerala. The unseeded Pavithra defeated Kozhikode's fifth-seeded N.Aswathy 16-21, 21-16, 21-16 in the women's final. In men's final Kozhikode's unseeded Mohammed Munawar won the title by defeating Ernakulam's top-seeded M. Shyam Prasad. He defeated Prasad by securing 21-16, 21-16. It is Munawar's fourth State men's trophy.

Corporation Bank has signed an information utility (IU) agreement with National e-Governance Services Ltd (NeSL), the first IU registered with the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India (IBBI), to share financial and security information under IBBI (IU) Regulation 2017. They serve the needs of the banking system by providing data to insolvency professionals, adjudicating authority and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Board of India on the proof of borrowing, proof of default and security interest data in respect of NCLT cases while adhering to prescribed standards of information security.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has chosen veteran scientist Dr VR Lalithambika to head its Gaganyaan mission to put an Indian in space by 2022. The 56-year-old scientist has 30 years of experience in space missions with ISRO. She was also a key member of the team responsible for launching 104 satellites in one go in February 15, 2017.

Yusaku Maezawa, a Japanese businessman, will be the first private moon tourist, to fly on Big Falcon Rocket (BFR) of SpaceX around the Moon in 2023. Yusaku Maezawa is a 42-year-old Japanese billionaire and chief executive of Japan's largest online fashion mall Zozotown. He will be the first lunar traveler since the last US Apollo mission in 1972. The amount he has paid for the journey has not been revealed. He will take six to eight artists along with him. The artists will not be charged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim on September 24, nine years after the foundation stone was laid. The airport is the hilly state's first and only airport. Currently, the nearest airport for the people of Sikkim is 124 kilometre (km) away in Bagdogra, West Bengal. The airport is spread over 201 acres. The foundation stone for the greenfield airport was laid in Pakyong in 2009, which is around 33 km from Gangtok, the state capital. The airport is located around 60 km from the Indo-China border. It is constructed by the Airports Authority of India (AAI). The project cost Rs 553 crore.