Latest Current Affairs For Thursday 29th September, 2022

Eliud Kipchoge breaks own world record in Berlin Marathon

Eliud Kipchoge (Kenya) has shattered his own world record by lowering the mark to 2:01:09 (new record) to win at the Berlin Marathon.

His previous best in an official 42.2km race was 2:01:39 set on the same course in 2018.

He has long been dubbed the world’s best marathon runner.

He was the first athlete to run a marathon distance in under two hours in Vienna in 2019.

Tigist Assefa (Ethiopia) has won the women’s race in a course record of 2:15:37.

India and Maldives signed MoU Hanimaadhoo International Airport

Government of Maldives has signed an MoU with the Indian JMC Projects for Maldives Hanimaadhoo International Airport Development Project.

The worth of project is about USD $136.6 million.

It was confirmed that the project will be financed by India's Exim Bank.

The Maldives govt is expected to build a 2.46 kilometer runway in addition to a terminal that can serve 1.3 million passengers annually.

The construction work is expected to be fully operational by the year 2024.

Hardeep Singh Puri launched special aviation fuel, AVGAS 100 LL

In an event, hosted by IndianOil at Hindon Airforce Station, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Housing and Urban, Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri has launched AVGAS 100 LL.

AVGAS 100 LL: It is a special aviation fuel meant for piston engine aircrafts and unmanned aerial vehicles.

With this launch, IndianOil has become the first oil marketing company (OMC) to produce and market, AVGAS 100 LL.

Currently India is importing AVGAS 100 LL from European countries.

International Day for Universal Access to Information: 28th September 2022

The International Day for Universal Access to Information (IDUAI) is observed on September 28 every year to raise awareness regarding the need to expand laws related to information.

Aim: To support the idea that everyone has the right to seek, receive, and distribute information.

The theme of the Global Conference in 2022 is “Artificial Intelligence, e-Governance and Access to Information". 

On 17 November 2015, UNESCO has declared September 28 is date as IDUAI.

World Rabies Day: 28th September 2022

World Rabies Day is celebrated each year on September 28 to promote the fight against Rabies and raise awareness of its prevention.

As per the World Health Organisation, the theme of World Rabies Day 2022 is ‘Rabies: One Health, Zero Deaths.’

This day was first observed in 2007 to raise awareness about the world’s deadliest infectious disease.

The campaign was started as a partnership between many organizations including the Alliance for Rabies Control.

Asha Parekh will be conferred with 2022 Dadasaheb Phalke award

Veteran actor, Asha Parekh (79) will be awarded the highest recognition in the field of Indian cinema, Dada Saheb Phalke award for 2020.

She will receive the award from President Droupadi Murmu at the 68th National Film Awards on September 30.

She was conferred the Padma Shri in 1992.

She also became the first women to head the Central Board of Film Certification from 1998-2001. 

The Dadasaheb Phalke Award was instituted in 1969 and it was first presented to Devika Rani.

English translation of ‘Lata: Sur-Gatha’ to release in January 2023

The English translation of award-winning book “Lata: Sur-Gatha" will be released in January 2023.

The book has been translated by noted writer and translator Ira Pande.

The announcement has been made by Penguin Random House India (PRHI).

This book was originally written in Hindi by writer-poet, Yatindra Mishra.

The book has also won the 64th National Film Award and the MAMI Award for Best Writing on Cinema (2016–17).

Govt appoints Rajendra Kumar as Director General of ESIC

IAS officer of TN cadre, 1992-batch, Rajendra Kumar has been appointed the director general of the Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).

He is currently an additional secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Other appointments:

T Natarajan has been appointed as an additional secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs.

V Hekali Zhimomi has been appointed as additional secretary in the Department of Health and Family Welfare.

ADB provides $14 billion support for food security in Asia Pacific

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has announced plans to provide at least $14 billion to Asia-Pacific for 2022–2025.

Reason: To ease a worsening food crisis and improve long-term food security by strengthening food systems due to climate change.

Use of fund: The funding will be channeled through existing and new projects in sectors including farm inputs, food production and distribution, social protection, irrigation, and water resources management.

Kumar Sanu, Shailendra Singh, Anand-Milind will get Lata Mangeshkar Award

Kumar Sanu and Shailendra Singh (Playback singers) and Anand-Milind (music-composer duo) will be conferred with the National Lata Mangeshkar Award for different years.

The prestigious award will be presented on September 28 (birth anniversary of the late legendary singer) at her birthplace Indore.

Shailendra Singh will be given the Lata Mangeshkar Award for 2019.

While Anand-Milind will be conferred with the honour for 2020.

Kumar Sanu will be given the award for 2021.

DRDO successful tests of Very Short Range Air Defence System Missiles

DRDO has conducted successful test flights of Very Short Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missiles at the Integrated Test Range, Chandipur, Odisha. 

It is a Man Portable Air Defence System that is designed and developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat, Hyderabad in collaboration with other DRDO facilities. 

Use: To neutralize low-altitude aerial threats at short ranges. 

The design of the missile including the launcher has been highly optimized to ensure easy portability. 

Government launched Jaldoot app for groundwater tables

Faggan Singh Kulaste (MoS for Rural Development and Steel) has launched the JALDOOT App and e-brochure.

Developed by: Ministry of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj.

Use: To capture the water level of selected 2-3 wells in a village.

The manual monitoring of water levels in open wells will be measured twice in a year (pre-monsoon and post-monsoon level for the same well ).

Assigned officers will measure the water levels and upload the geo-tagged photographs.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman named prime minister of Saudi Arabia

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been appointed the prime minister of Saudi Arabia by the King Salman bin Abdulaziz.

He is already de facto ruler of the Saudi Arabia.

Previously, he has served as the deputy prime minister as well as defence minister.

He is being replaced as defence minister by his younger brother, Khalid bin Salman, who was deputy defence minister.

Saudi Arabia's Capital: Riyadh; 

Currency: Saudi riyal

PM Narendra Modi to be awarded prestigious Lokmanya Tilak Award 2023

The Tilak Smarak Mandir Trust (Hind Swaraj Sangh) would confer the prestigious Lokmanya Tilak National Award 2023 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Pune on August 1, 2023.

Reason: This award recognizes PM Modi's supreme leadership under which India has climbed the ladder of progress

It is presented annually on the occasion of Lokmanya Tilak's death anniversary.

Other awardees: Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Sharad Pawar, Cyrus Poonawalla, and Manmohan Singh. 

J&K Bank wins award for Best Performance in CASA

Jammu & Kashmir Bank has been felicitated for the Best Performance in CASA-India (1st Runner up in Small Bank Category) at ICC Emerging Asia Banking Conclave & Awards 2022.

The event was participated by banks from India, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka & Myanmar.

The function was organized by the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Goa.

Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is a non-governmental trade association and advocacy group headquartered in Calcutta.

India poised to become world’s 2nd-largest economy by 2075: Goldman Sachs

According to the Investment Bank Goldman Sachs, India is poised to become the world’s second-largest economy by 2075.

As per the report, India would cross Japan, Germany, and the US With a population of 1.4 billion people.

India’s GDP is estimated to expand remarkably, reaching 52.5 trillion dollars surpassing the US GDP projection.

The labour force participation set to make India the second-largest economy in the world by 2075.

L&T and Spain's Navantia sign agreement for submarine project

L&T has signed a teaming agreement with Spanish-based Navantia for the submission of a techno-commercial bid for the Indian Navy’s prestigious P75 (India) submarine program.

P75 (India) Submarine Project is expected to be valued at €4.8 billion.

Navantia would carry out the design of P75(I) submarines based on its S80 class of submarines.

The first S80 class submarine was launched in 2021 and is undergoing sea trials prior to its delivery to Spanish Navy. 

India overtakes China as most attractive emerging market for investing

According to a study by Invesco Global Sovereign Asset Management, India has overtaken China to become the most attractive emerging market for investing in sovereign wealth funds this year.

Reason: This is due to its solid demographics, political stability, and proactive regulation. 

Positives for the nation also include the rapidly expanding demography, strong regulatory actions, and a welcoming climate for sovereign investors.

World Population Day 2023: 11 July

World Population Day is observed every year on July 11 in order to raise awareness about global population issues, including population control.

2023 theme: Unleashing the power of gender equality: Uplifting the voices of women and girls to unlock our world’s infinite possibilities. 

It was established by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in 1989, after the day the world approximately reached a population of five billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

MoHUA conducts SBM-U 2.0 Planning & Implementation Review-cum-Workshop

The Housing Ministry organized a review-cum-workshop to evaluate and accelerate the planning and implementation of the SBM-Urban 2.0.

PM Modi launched the 2.0 versions of SBM-U and AMRUT on October 1, 2021.

SBM-U 2.0: Achieving 100% waste segregation in all households and premises and 100% door-to-door collection of segregated waste from each. 

AMRUT 2.0: To provide complete coverage of water supply to all households and sewerage and septage in 500 AMRUT cities. 

Gujarat CM launches pilot project of ‘Antyodaya Shramik Suraksha Yojana’

Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel launched the Antyodaya Shram Suraksha Accident Insurance Scheme from Kheda

All those registered under the e-Shram portal from Nadiad will benefit from the scheme.

It is being implemented through the Indian Postal Department, the IPPB, and the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Under this scheme, insurance with a premium of Rs. 289 and Rs. 499 per year will be a big support to workers in the event of death or partial disability.

OCA elects Sheikh Talal as the new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

He replaced his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021.

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees.

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance wins Insurer Innovation Award 2023

Bajaj Allianz Life Insurance has won the Insurer Innovation Award 2023 for the APAC region at the 8th World Digital Insurance Awards, hosted by TDI - The Digital Insurer.

Recognition: Bajaj Allianz Life's ground-breaking WhatsApp Conversational Platform - empowering customers to digitally services their policies seamlessly. 

The award entries were shortlisted by industry experts and the winner was selected by the community through pre-voting and live event voting.