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CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
World Water Monitoring Day
- World Water Monitoring Day is an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness of the importance of protecting water resources around the world by engaging people to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies.
- World Water Monitoring Day is officially celebrated on September 18
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Indian diaspora, at 17.5 million, is the largest in the world, says UN study
- The count of the Indian disapora has increased 10% from 15.9 million in 2015, making it the largest in the world, according to the UN’s International Migrant Stock 2019.
- It now comprises 6.4% of the total global migrant population.
- In 2019, Russia fell to the fourth position behind Indian, Mexico and China with 10.5 million migrants.
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) was the top destination of Indian migrants followed by the US, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Oman, as per the data set compiled by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs Division.
- Bangladesh was a top source of migrants to India, followed by Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and China.
- In China’s case, the top source of migrants were from South Korea, Brazil, Phillpines and Indonesia. The number of migrants from India was not given by the UN though Indian ministry of External Affairs pegs the number at 35,500.
- The ministry also puts the numbers of non resident Indians and people of Indian origin around the world at 31 million.
- Globally, in 2019, the number of international migrants worldwide was nearly 272 million, up from 221 million in 2010 and 174 million in 2000. More than half of all international migrants lived in Europe (82 million) or Northern America (59 million).
- In 2019, 38 million international migrants, equivalent to 14% of global migrant population, were under 20 years of age. Three out of every four international migrants are of working age (20-64 years) In 2019, 202 million international migrants, equivalent to 74 % of the global migrant population, were between the ages of 20 and 64. More than three quarters of international migrants were of working age in Eastern and South Eastern Asia, Europe and Northern America.
MHRD announces NEAT scheme for better learning outcomes in higher education
- Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) announced a new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) scheme- National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) aimed at using technology for better learning outcomes in Higher Education.
- The objective is to use Artificial Intelligence to make learning more personalised and customised as per the requirements of the learner.
- MHRD has proposed to create a National Alliance with such technology developing EdTech Companies through a PPP model.
- MHRD would act as a facilitator to ensure that the solutions are freely available to a large number of economically backward students. MHRD would create and maintain a National NEAT platform that would provide one-stop access to these technological solutions.
- EdTech companies would be responsible for developing solutions and manage the registration of learners through the NEAT portal. They would be free to charge fees as per their policy.
- All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) would be the implementing agency for the NEAT program
- The scheme shall be administered under the guidance of an Apex Committee constituted by MHRD.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Ministry for Human Resource Development (HRD) |
| Union Minister | Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ |
| Constituency | Haridwar, Uttarakhand |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Sri Lanka unveils South Asia’s tallest tower, funded by China
- Sri Lanka unveiled South Asia’s tallest tower, costing over $100 million, 80% of which has been funded by China under the controversial Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
- The 350-metre-tall 17-storey Lotus Tower, located in the heart of Colombo city, comprises a television tower, a hotel, a telecommunications museum, restaurants, auditorium, an observation deck, a shopping mall and a conference centre.
- The tower, spread over an area of 30,600 sq. metres, was constructed at a cost of over $100 million, 80% of which was funded by China.
- The Lotus Tower is foreseen to be one of the significant landmarks and an epitome of the country’s economy, culture and development.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Sri Lanka Capital | Colombo, JayawardenepuraKotte |
| Sri Lanka Currency | Sri Lankan rupee |
| Sri Lanka President | MaithripalaSirisena |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATE
2020- “Year of AI” for Telangana
- The Telangana government has decided to declare 2020 as Artificial Intelligence year by organising various activities related to the emerging technology.
- The year 2020 is going to be celebrated in Telangana as AI year.
- The state government has signed up with NITI Aayog, which has come out with the ‘National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence’ to run pilot projects in Telangana.
- IT industry body NASSCOM is setting up a Centre of Excellence in Data Sciences and AI here, which is expected to start its activities in 2020.
- IIT, Khargapur, which is coming up with its regional centre, would take up the first programme in AI.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Telangana Capital | Hyderabad |
| Telangana CM | Chandrasekhar Rao |
| Telangana Governor | TamilisaiSoundararajan |
Hyderabad-Karnataka region renamed as Kalyana Karnataka
- The Karnataka government has approved to rename Hyderabad-Karnataka region of the state as Kalyana Karnataka to do away with any remnants of colonial nomenclature or connection with the Nizams to refer to the six districts on the north eastern part of the state.
- The Hyderabad-Karnataka Regional Development Board (HKRDB) will now be renamed as Kalyana Karnataka Regional Development Board.
- The government will now initiate a process to change the name in all government records to wipe out references to the region as Hyderabad-Karnataka.
- The HKRDB was set up on 6 November, 2013 under the Siddaramaiah-led Congress government in Karnataka. The board spreads over six districts-Bidar, Bellary, Kalaburagi, Koppal, Raichur and Yadgir– and 40 assembly constituencies.
| USEFUL INFO |
| Karnataka Capital | Bangalore |
| Karnataka CM | Kumarasamy |
| Karnataka Governor | VajubaiRudubaiWala |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
London overtakes India’s financial capital Mumbai in rupee trading
- London has overtaken India’s financial capital Mumbai to become the top center for trading the nation’s currency.
- Average daily volumes for rupee in the UK soared to $46.8 billion in April, a more than fivefold jump from $8.8 billion in 2016, according to the latest survey from the Bank for International Settlements released this week. That exceeded the $34.5 billion recorded in India.
- Trading in dollar-rupee offshore non-deliverable forwards increased threefold over the three-year period.
| USEFUL INFO |
| UK Capital | London |
| UK Currency | Pound Sterling |
| UK PM | Boris Johnson |
Airtel Payments Bank launches Bharosa savings account scheme
- Airtel Payments Bank has launched ‘Bharosa savings account’ which enables customers to withdraw cash, check their balance or access a mini statement of their account at over 6,50,000 Aadhaar-enabled payment system (AePS) enabled outlets across India.
- These services have been designed for deepening financial inclusion in the country.
- Airtel Payments Bank has launched ‘Bharosa savings account’ which lets you open a savings account with just₹500 minimum monthly balance.
- Along with convenient banking services, Bharosa savings account offers₹5 lakh personal accident insurance on maintaining balance of ₹
- Airtel Payments Bank Bharosa Savings Account will allow you minimum one debit transaction per month.
- Customers would also be eligible for cashback, if they decide to receive government subsidies in their Bharosa account or if they make cash deposits in it.
- Airtel Payments Bank offers digital banking services through a network of 5,00,000 neighbourhood banking points spread across India.
Govt waives three-year lock-in period on investments made by NRIs in IDFs
- The government has waived the three-year lock-in period on investments made by non-residents in infrastructure debt funds (IDFs), to promote funding in the infrastructure sector.
- A notification had been issued by the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).
- To attract off-shore investments into IDFs, any amount of interest received by non-resident or foreign company from investment in such IDFs is charged at a reduced tax rate of 5 per cent.
- IDFs are investment vehicles to accelerate the flow of long-term debt to the sector.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria to be the next Air Force Chief
- The government has named vice chief of the Indian Air Force RKS Bhadauria as the next chief of the force in place of Birender Singh Dhanoa who retires on 30 September.
- Bhadauria was commissioned into the fighter pilot stream of Indian Air Force in June 1980, and has held various Commands, Staff and instructional appointments at various levels including the present one as Vice Chief of Air Staff.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ISRO, DRDO ink MoUs to provide technologies for Human Space Mission
- The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) joined hands with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for development of human-centric systems for the Human Space Mission to demonstrate its human space flight capabilities.
- The purpose behind the development is to provide technologies for human-centric systems and technologies specific to the Human Space Mission.
- The technological capabilities existing in DRDO laboratories for defence applications will be customised to meet the requirements of the human space mission of ISRO.
- Some of the critical technologies to be provided by DRDO to ISRO include space food, space crew health monitoring and emergency survival kit, radiation measurement and protection, parachutes for the safe recovery of the crew module and others.
- ISRO aims to demonstrate human spaceflight capability before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022.
| USEFUL INFO |
| DRDO –Defence Research and Development Organisation |
| DRDO Chairman | G Satheesh Reddy |
| DRDO Headquarters | New Delhi |
Astra missile successfully flight tested from Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet
- India successfully flight-tested the indigenously developed air-to-air missile Astra that was fired from a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jet.
- The state-of-the-art missile was launched from Sukhoi-30 MKI off the coast of Odisha as part of user trials by the Indian Air Force(IAF).
- The missile is designed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)
- The Astra missile is a beyond visual range missile. It is capable of engaging different targets at different altitudes.
- The missile has a strike range of 70km.The missile has a 15-kg high-explosive pre-fragmented warhead.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Indian School of Business ranks 7th in Forbes’ ‘Best Business Schools 2019’
- The Indian School of Business (ISB) has secured seventh spot globally in the Forbes’ “Best Business Schools 2019” rankings.
- The annual Forbes’ list ranks the schools solely on their “5-year MBA gain.”
- The list has been topped by IMD, Lausanne, Switzerland.
- ISB participated in Forbes’ rankings for the first time this year. It has two campuses, one in Hyderabad and the other at Mohali.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Beijing unveils new ‘ice’ panda mascot to promote 2022 Winter Games
- Beijing has released its mascot for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games — a smiling giant panda wearing a suit made to resemble ice.
- The panda is named Bing DwenDwen — in Mandarin, “bing” means ice and “dwendwen” means robust and lively.
- Beijing also revealed the mascot for the Paralympics, a lantern child called “ShueyRhonRhon” whose name represents “warmth, friendship, courage and perseverance.”
- The two mascots were revealed in Beijing at a ceremony attended by Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng and IOC President Thomas Bach.
- The black and white bear has a “heart of gold and a love of all things winter sports. The newly launched Olympic mascot resembles an astronaut, embracing new technologies for a future with infinite possibilities.
| USEFUL INFO |
| China Capital | Beijing |
| China Currency | Renminbi, Yuan |
| China President | Xi Jinping |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Shyam Ramsay of Ramsay Brothers passes away
- Shyam Ramsay of the Ramsay Brothers passed away in Mumbai. He was 67.
- Shyam Ramsay and his six brothers, together known as Ramsay Brothers in the Hindi film industry, started a mini cottage industry of small-budget horror films with scripts which wasted no time on non-essentials: the humans were just an excuse for the parade of colourful, crass otherworldly creatures.
- Shyam helmed movies like Andhera (1975), Saboot (1980), PuranaMandir (1984), Purani Haveli (1989), Dhund: The Fog (2003), Koi Hai (2017) among others.