Top Current Affairs of the Week: 15 - 21 September 2019

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1. Pankaj Advani clinches record 22nd world billiards title

• India’s Pankaj Advani (34-years) clinched a record 22nd world titles by winning a 4th straight final in the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship in Myanmar. • In a repeat of last year's final against local favourite Nay Oo, Pankaj re-enacted the one-sided match with the same eventual outcome as well as identical scoreline of 6- 2. • Pankaj Advani has brought home a world trophy every year ever since returning from a professional stint in the UK in 2014. • In the short format of billiards, this is Advani's fifth title in the last six years.

2. India beat Bangladesh by five runs to lift U-19 Asia Cup title

• India clinched the Under-19 Asia Cup title (eight editions) with a thrilling five-run win over Bangladesh in a low-scoring final at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo. • Defending a paltry total of 106, India dismissed Bangladesh for 101 in 33 overs. • Left-arm spinner Atharva Ankolekar (18-years), emerged as the star of the Indian team, with figures of 5 for 28 from 8 overs.

Note:

• The 2019 Under-19 Asia Cup cricket tournament was held in Sri Lanka from 5th September to 15th September 2019. • 8 teams participated in the tournament, including 5 full members (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan) and three qualifiers (Kuwait, Nepal and United Arab Emirates).

Final Score:

• India: 106 (32.4 overs) • Bangladesh: 101 (33 overs) • Player of the match: Atharva Ankolekar (India).

3. 15th September: Engineer’s Day

• Engineers’ Day is celebrated every year on 15th September in India commemorating the birthday of one of the greatest engineers in India, Bharat Ratna Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvarayya. • Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya was an Indian engineer, scholar, statesman and the Diwan of Mysore from 1912 to 1918. • He was an engineering pioneer of India whose genius reflected in harnessing of water resources and building and consolidation of dams across the country. • He is a recipient of the Indian’s highest honour, the Bharat Ratna (1955). • The Telangana state celebrates Engineers day on 11th July on the birthday of Ali Nawaz Jung Bahadur.

4. 15th September: International Democracy Day

• The International Day of Democracy is being observed across the world on 15th September every year to raise awareness about the democratic system.

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• The 2019 theme for democracy day was ‘participation’. • This year's International Day of Democracy is an opportunity to recall that democracy is about people. Democracy is built on inclusion, equal treatment and participation. • It is a fundamental building block for peace, sustainable development and human rights.

Note:

• In 2007, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolved to observe 15th September as the International Day of Democracy with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of democracy.

5. International Day for Preservation of Ozone Layer being observed today

• The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is being observed every year on 16th September for the preservation of the Ozone Layer. • The Ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet radiation of the sun and thus helping preserve life on the planet. • The theme for this year celebrates over three decades of remarkable international cooperation to protect the ozone layer and the climate under the Montreal Protocol. • It reminds us that we must keep up the momentum to ensure healthy people and a healthy planet.

Note:

• The day marks the commemoration of the date of signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 on substances that deplete the Ozone layer. • The principal aim of the Montreal Protocol is to protect the ozone layer by taking measures to control the total consumption of these chemicals.

6. DRDO hands over second 'Netra' early warning system to IAF

• The Defence Research Development Organization (DRDO) handed over the second Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft ‘Netra’ to the Indian Air Force (IAF). • An Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEWC) aircraft ‘Netra’ had played a stellar role during the Balakot airstrikes that had been carried out by the IAF in February 2019. • It provided surveillance and radar coverage to the five Mirage jets that bombed terror launch pads in Balakot in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan. • It has been designed and developed by scientists of the DRDO, with assistance from the Bengaluru-based Centre for Airborne Systems.

7. Justice P Lakshmana Reddy appointed as first Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh

• Justice P. Lakshmana Reddy (Retired) has been sworn in as the Lokayukta of Andhra Pradesh for five years. • Governor Biswabhusan Hairchandan administered the oath of office to Justice Reddy at a function in Vijayawada. • He is the first Lokayukta to be assuming charge since the state bifurcated in 2014.

Note:

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• The ‘Lokayukta’ is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in the Indian states. • Once appointed, Lokayukta can not be dismissed nor transferred by the government and can only be removed by passing an impeachment motion by the state assembly.

National Affairs

8. Great Ganga Run-2019 flagged off in New Delhi

• Gajendra Singh Shekhawat (Jal Shakti Minister) and Kiren Rijiju (Sports Minister) jointly flagged off Great Ganga Run-2019 at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi. • A large number of people from all age groups participated in the marathon. • Participation of the people in the run corroborates the fact that people are not only aware of the importance of water but are active to conserve the important resource. • It was organized to create awareness about the river Ganga. • Jal Shakti ministry will organise Ganga Expedition from October 9 as well.

9. Traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concludes in Tripura

• The three-day-long traditional Neermahal Jal Utsav concluded with eye-catching boat race and swimming competitions at Rudrasagar lake. • Chief Minister of Tripura Biplab Kumar Deb flagged off the boat race. • Neermahal is a water palace built at the middle of Rudrasagar lake by Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya in 1930 as his summer resort is inspired by the Mughal style of architecture.

10. Sheikh Hasina receives Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019

• Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina received the Dr Kalam Smriti International Excellence Award 2019 in Dhaka for her contribution in fostering cooperation between India and Bangladesh. • Chief Adviser of the Dr Kalam Smriti International Advisory Council and former Ambassador T.P. Sreenivasan handed over the award to Sheikh Hasina. • The award citation lauded Prime Minister Hasina for her vision of a peaceful and prosperous South Asia, free of tension, conflicts and terrorism. • The Presidents of the Maldives, Ghana and Mauritius earlier received the prestigious award since its introduction in 2015.

Note:

• The award has been instituted in the memory of former President Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. • The award is given every year to honour statesmen or leaders who have shown excellence in respective fields to achieve the best for their countries.

11. Bangladesh’s bamboo-made school wins Aga Khan Award for Architecture

• Bangladesh’s bamboo-made school built by Arcadia Education Project at South Kanarchor in Keraniganj has won the 2019 Aga Khan Award for Architecture. • The award was given away in Kajan, the republic of Tatarstan for the Arcadia Education Project in South Kanarchor of Bangladesh. • The project involved the construction of a school in an area which is underwater during the monsoon months.

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• The architect of the project Saif Ul Haque designed a school which remains on the ground during the dry season and floats when the area is submerged in water during monsoon • The winners that include five other structures in Bahrain, Palestine, Russia, Senegal and the United Arab Emirates will share USD 1 million between them.

Note:

• The Award was established by the Shia Ismaili community’s spiritual leader Prince Karim Aga Khan in 1977 to identify and encourage building concepts that successfully addressed the needs and aspirations of communities in which Muslims have a significant presence.

12. India’s first central police university to come up in Greater Noida

• The country’s first central police university will be set up by the Union home ministry off the Yamuna Expressway in Greater Noida. • Union Government had given in-principle approval for the university and a 100-acre plot has been identified in Sector Techzone for it. • The land earmarked for the university had been allotted to an IT company. • The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) confirmed that the land had been allotted to the Centre at a cost of Rs 372 crore. • The university will offer undergraduate and postgraduate courses on policing, internal security, cybercrime and forensic sciences.

13. 21st Sep: International Day of Peace

• The International Day of Peace is observed around the world annually on 21st September. • It is dedicated to world peace and specifically the absence of war & violence such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access. • The theme for 2019 is “Climate Action for Peace”. • The theme draws attention to the importance of combatting climate change as a way to protect and promote peace throughout the world

Note:

• In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had designated 21st September as the International Day of Peace.

14. 21st Sep: World Alzheimer’s Day

• World Alzheimer’s Day is observed every year on 21st September to raise awareness about Alzheimer’s and dementia. • Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, a group of disorders that impairs mental functioning. • Some of the most common signs of Alzheimer’s Disease include memory loss, problems with language, difficulty performing familiar tasks, changes in personality and difficulty keeping track of things.

15. Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria appointed as new Air Chief

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• The Union government has appointed Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria as the new chief of Indian Air Force for two years. • Currently, Air Marshal Bhadauria is the vice chief of air staff. • He will replace Air Chief Marshal BS Dhanoa, who is going to retire 30th of this month. • Air Marshal RKS Bhadauria has clocked over 4250 hours of flying and has experience of 26 different types of fighters. • He was the first Indian Air Force officer to fly Rafale fighter jet. • RKS Bhadauria (alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune) has been awarded several medals: the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal, the Vayu Sena Medal and the Param Vishisht Seva Medal.

Note:

• Chief of the Air Staff is the professional head and the commander of the Indian Air Force.

16. SC gets four new judges taking total strength to highest-ever of 34

• The Union government had increased the strength of its judges from 31 to 34, including the Chief Justice of India(CJI). • Four separate notifications have been issued by the Ministry of Law and Justice on the appointments of four judges in Supreme Court. • Justices Krishna Murari (Punjab and Haryana High Court Chief Justice), Justices SR Bhat (Rajasthan High Court Chief), Justices V Ramasubramanian (Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice) and Justices Hrishikesh Roy (Kerala High Court Chief Justice) were appointed as judges of the Supreme Court of India.

Note:

• There is a collegium of five senior-most judges of the Supreme Court, including the Chief Justice of India, which selects a person who is to be appointed as a judge in the Supreme Court.

17. At 17.5 million, Indian diaspora largest in the world: UN report

• India is the leading country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with a 17.5 million-strong diaspora. • The International Migrant Stock 2019, a dataset released by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs provides the latest estimates of the number of international migrants by age, sex and origin for all countries and areas of the world. • The report says that India hosted 5.1 million international migrants in 2019, less than 5.2 million in 2015. • After India, Migrants from Mexico makes the second-largest diaspora (11.8 million), followed by China (10.7 million), Russia (10.5 million), Syria (8.2 million), Bangladesh (7.8 million), Pakistan (6.3 million).

18. Jagdeep Jaffery received IIFA Lifetime Achievement award 2019

• Veteran actor Jagdeep (80-years) has been given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement honour at International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards-2019 (20th edition) ceremony in Mumbai for his contribution in the field of cinema.

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• Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri (known as Jagdeep) is an Indian film actor and comedian who has appeared in more than 400 films. • He played Soorma Bhopali in Sholay (1975), Machchar in Purana Mandir (1984), Salman Khan's dad in Andaz Apna Apna (1994) and directed the movie Soorma Bhopali, with his character as the protagonist. • Ranveer Singh walked away with the best actor trophy for Padmaavat, Alia Bhatt won the best actress for her role in Raazi.

Note:

• The International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA Awards) are a set of awards presented annually by the International Indian Film Academy to honour both artistic and technical excellence of professionals in Bollywood. • The 1st IIFA Utsavam was held on 24 – 25th January 2016 at the Gachibowli Athletic Stadium, Hyderabad, India.

S. No. Categories Names

1. Best film Raazi

2. Best Actor (Male) Ranveer Singh (Padmaavat)

3. Best Actor (Female) Alia Bhatt (Raazi)

4. Best Director Sriram Raghavan (Andhadhun)

5. Best Actor (In Supporting Role: Female) Aditi Rao Hydari (Padmaavat)

6. Best Actor (In Supporting Role: Male) Vicky Kaushal for (Sanju)

19. Prasar Bharati funded documentary ‘Moti Bagh’ nominated for Oscars

• Short movie ‘Moti Bagh’ has been nominated for Oscars. • The film made with the financial assistance from Prasar Bharati is about the life of an 82- years old farmer from Uttarakhand, Vidyadutt Sharma. • Mr Sharma lives in Saanguda village of Kaljikhal block of Pauri district in Uttarakhand. • It has been directed by a three-time national award winner Nirmal Chandra Dandariyal. • It is the first film from Uttarakhand which will be showcased on a prestigious global platform like Oscars.

Note:

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• The 92nd Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), will honour the best films of 2019 on 9th February 2020 in Los Angeles.

20. Delhi Police launches app 'Tatpar' for citizens

• Anil Baijal (Delhi Lieutenant Governor) has launched a newly integrated one-touch mobile app ‘Tatpar’ for citizens. • to provide safety and a convenient online mode on a 24x7 basis to its citizen • ‘Tatpar’ app (developed by the Delhi Police) is a one-stop destination for access to over 50 citizen-centric services. • With the help of this app, people can navigate to their nearest police station, traffic pit and prepaid taxi booth. • The app amalgamates all the websites and mobile applications of the Delhi Police.

Note:

• 'Tatpar' app is another step from Delhi Police to provide its services to the citizens of Delhi in a convenient online mode on 24x7 basis.

Sports

21. Bing Dwen Dwen & Shuey Rhon Rhon revealed as 2022 Beijing mascots

• A smiling panda (Bing Dwen Dwen) and walking Chinese lantern (Shuey Rhon Rhon) were revealed as the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games. • The mascots were revealed at a ceremony at the Shougang Ice Hockey Arena in Beijing, China. • In Mandarin, “bing” means ice and “dwen dwen” means robust and lively. • The panda is wearing a suit which resembles ice. • 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.

Note:

• The 2022 Winter Olympics is an international winter multi-sport event that is scheduled to take place from 4 to 20 February 2022, in Beijing China.

22. Air-to-Air Missile Astra successfully flight tested from Su-30 MKI

• India's indigenously designed air-to-air missile ‘Astra’ was successfully test-fired from the Bay of Bengal off the coast of Odisha. • As part of the trial, the live aerial target was engaged accurately demonstrating the capability of the first indigenous air-to-air missile. • Various radars, electro-optical tracking system and sensors tracked the missile and confirmed its engagement with the target. • The Astra is capable of engaging targets of different ranges and altitudes including long-range as well as short-range targets.

Note:

• ‘Astra’ has been designed by the premier research and development organisation of the armed forces in the country, DRDO.

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23. Trilateral Exercise “SITMEX” Commences at Port Blair

• The Navies of Singapore, India and Thailand began their first joint maritime exercise ‘SITMEX-2019’ in Port Blair. • The Singapore’s Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) are conducting the five-day exercise (till 20th September 2019). • The objective of the ‘SITMEX’ exercise is to bolster maritime relationships and contribute significantly to enhancing overall maritime security. • This would also strengthen the mutual confidence amongst three navies in terms of interoperability and development of a common understanding of procedures.

24. India’s first National Antimicrobial Resistance Hub inaugurated in Kolkata

• The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Director General (DG) Balram Bhargava has inaugurated India’s first National Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Hub in Kolkata. • AMR is the ability of a microbe to resist the effects of medication that once could successfully treat the microbe. • The Kolkata centre would be the hub for research on antibiotic resistance not only for the country but for entire South Asia. • The AMR facility has been developed by ICMR (Indian Council of Medical Research) in collaboration with the USA.

Note:

• India has joined the Global Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Research and Development (R & D) hub as a new member.

25. Wing Commander Anjali Singh becomes India's first military diplomat

• Wing Commander Anjali Singh (41-years) has become India's first female military diplomat to be posted in any of the Indian missions abroad. • She has joined the Indian Embassy in Russia as the Deputy Air Attache. • Until now, only male officers from the three services (Indian Air Force, Navy and Army) were appointed as military attaches in overseas Indian missions. • Anjali Singh (hails from Bihar) is from the aeronautical engineering branch of the Indian Air Force (IAF) with 17 years of service, trained on MiG-29 aircraft.

Note:

• A military diplomat is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission, often an embassy. • In the Indian Air Force, Navy and Army, the women constitute 13% (highest among armed services), 6% and 3.80% of the workforce respectively.