Current Affairs - September 21, 2019 Current Affairs

According to the report by the United Nations(UN) named 'The International Migrant Stock 2019', India topped the country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with 17.5 million migrants globally, making it the largest diaspora in the world. Currently the world's migrant population stands at 272 million in 2019, according to the report which grew by 23% over a decade. Country wise, United States(US) hosted large no. of international migrants at 51 million equaling 19% of the world's total.

Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF in June 1980, and has held various Command, Staff and Instructional appointments at various levels including the present one as Vice Chief of Air Staff and now the chief of IAF.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) inaugurated India's first National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Hub in Kolkata, West Bengal. It was developed by ICMR in association with the United States (US) Department of Health and Human Services. ICMR director-general Balram Bhargava, National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases (NICED) director Shanta Dutta and US ambassador to India Kenneth I Juster were among the dignitaries present at the inaugural ceremony.

Scientists from the Canterbury Museum(England) have discovered the world's oldest bird species' fossils in Waipara, New zealand that lived 62 million years ago. It was a sea bird, and is named as Protodontopteryx ruthae with its discovery details mentioned in the journal 'Palaeontology'. The bird which was smallest in size of its family, maintained size of an average sea gull while its descendants had wingspans more than five metres. It was first found by palaeontologist Leigh Love of the Canterbury museumat the Waipara Greensand fossil site in 2018.

Asia's first environment school named World Environment School, Coorg (WESc) was launched on the occasion. It is set up in Coorg, Karnataka.It will be operational from 2021 for grade 6 to 12 students and educate the next generation of environmental leaders.

Reykjavik is the capital city of Iceland, the world's northernmost capital. Nearly two-thirds of the country's population lives in the capital area.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notified that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerged as a top nation in making non-resident investments in Indian mutual funds (MFs). As of March 31, 2019, the foreign liabilities of units in Indian MFs made by UAE stood at Rs 14,979 crore, registering a share of 16%. The second place was acquired by the United States (US) with Rs 8,989 crore (9.6% share) followed by the United Kingdom (UK) with Rs 7,751 crore (8.3% share).

HNI(HIgh Networth Individuals) are type of Investors who buy a prticular share at the time of IPO of amount more than Rs. 200000.

September 22, US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will meet twice in Houston. One meet-up between the two leaders shall be at an event hosted by the Indian-American community, with over 50,000 in audience where both Modi and Trump will be jointly present, and both shall address. The other meet-up will be a Modi-Trump summit.

Government has approved 8.65% interest rate on deposits in Employees Provident Fund for 2018-19. Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified 8.65% rate of interest on EPF deposits for its over six crore subscribers. The EPFO has been settling EPF withdrawal claims at 8.55% interest rate, approved for 2017-18. Now, the EPFO will settle accounts on higher rate of 8.65% for 2018-19.

The Telangana government decided to celebrate the year of 2020 as the Year of Artificial Intelligence.

India and Slovenia signed 7 MoUs together by Indian and the Slovenian president. They are cooperation in the field of Investment, Sports, Culture, River rejuvenation(clean Ganga mission), Science, Technology, Standards.

The Ryder Cup is a biennial men's golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is contested every two years with the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe.

The Indian football team slipped a place to 104th position in the latest FIFA rankings released. Indian Football Team in recent times is playing under the leadership of new coach Igor Stimac. Belgium managed to hold on to the top position, while France has surpassed Brazil to reach the second spot.

The Indian Army conducted a massive rare exercise 'Chang Thang' in Eastern Ladakh bordering China. The exercise involved the use of infantry, mechanised forces, T-72 tanks, with force multipliers such as artillery guns and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The Indian Air Force was also roped in the exercise. This is the first time such kind of exercise has happened in the region.

NTPC to build India's biggest Solar Park in Gujarat. India's National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC Ltd.) plans to set up a 5 gigawatt solar park in the western state of Gujarat, the biggest in the country, as the top electricity generator shifts toward cleaner energy, according to media reports.

Super 30 founder and noted mathematician Anand Kumar, aged 46, was awarded Education Excellence Award 2019 by the Foundation For Excellence (FFE) at the organisation's 25th anniversary gala in San Jose, California, United States for the contributions towards imparting education to the needy students. Through the 'Super 30' initiative, Mr Kumar has been training 30 students free of cost for the last 18 years for admission to India's premier technology institutes i.e. Indian Institute of Technology- Joint Entrance Examination (IIT-JEE).

OP Jindal Global University (JGU) of Haryana has been conferred the 'Institution of Eminence (IOE)' status by the Ministry of Human Resource Development(MHRD) in recognition of its outstanding contribution of its faculty, students and staff.

Inorder to focus on cleanliness and sanitation research, the state govt of Maharashtra decided to set up 'Swachh Bharat World University' to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary. The university will be set up at Sevagram town, Wardha, in vidarbha region of Maharashtra. A seven-member committee headed by Vinod Tawde, education minister of Maharashtra has been formed to study about the university requirements.

Nasscom's Data Security Council of India (DSCI) has collaborated with Union Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) and Google India to launch nationwide awareness campaign 'Digital Payment Abhiyan'. It was launched by Union Communications and Electronics & IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad at Google-organised event 'Google for India' in New Delhi. It aims at increasing awareness about cashless payment, educate end-users on the benefits of making digital payments, online financial security and urge them to adopt security and safety best practices.

Visa Inc, the world's leader in digital payments technology and BillDesk, an Indian online payment gateway company have partnered for the launch of SI (standing instructions )-Hub which is a smooth and secure way to make recurring payments using cards with a one-time enrollment. This comes after the introduction of guidelines for e-mandate on cards for recurring transactions by RBI(Reserve Bank of India).

Astronomers at West Virginia University (U.S) of the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Pocahontas County, United States (US) have discovered the most massive neutron star ever called MSP J0740+6620. It is one of the densest objects in the known universe. The research was published in the journal Nature Astronomy.