NATIONAL NEWS

Bhupendra Yadav Launches Clean the Beach Campaign 2024

The Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, led the country in this year's Clean the Beach Campaign on the occasion of the International Coastal Clean-up Day on 21 September 2024.

The Clean the Beach Campaign was simultaneously undertaken on more than 100 beaches across the country.

The campaign is part of the government of India’s “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” and “Swachh Sagar Abhiyan,” which call for a mass cleanliness and sanitation campaign in the country with public participation.

The campaign focuses on encouraging citizens to clean up coastal areas of man-made trash like plastic bottles, cigarette buts, glass, etc., and create awareness about preserving and protecting the oceans and waterways.

Finance Ministry Plans 'One State, One RRB' Policy to Boost Efficiency

The "One State, One RRB" policy, aimed at consolidating Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) for operational efficiency, is in the drafting phase.

As per the Department of Financial Services (DFS), draft rules for the policy will be completed by the end of September 2024.

Venkateshwar Reddy, Secretary General of the AIRRBEA, stated that the policy may eventually lead to the creation of the National Rural Bank of India, reducing the number of sponsor banks.

RRBs face significant employee attrition despite offering pay scales similar to Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs).

The Finance Ministry recommended implementing more employee-friendly policies, including local postings, to improve retention.

According to NABARD, the number of RRB employees declined from 95,833 in FY22 to 91,664 in FY23.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Jordan Becomes First Country to Eliminate Leprosy, Receives WHO Verification

The World Health Organization (WHO) has congratulated Jordan for becoming the first country in the world to be officially verified as having eliminated leprosy.

This achievement represents a major milestone in global public health efforts.

Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium leprae. It affects the skin, nerves, and mucosal surfaces and can lead to permanent damage if untreated.

Early diagnosis and treatment are essential in preventing disability from the disease.

Jordan’s success is attributed to strong political commitment and effective public health strategies.

WHO sent an independent verification team to assess Jordan's status, and after a thorough review, they confirmed the elimination of leprosy in the country.

This achievement sets a new benchmark for other countries in the fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) like leprosy, which still affect many parts of the world.

Cotton Association of India and the International Cotton Association

The Cotton Association of India (CAI) and the Liverpool-based International Cotton Association Ltd (ICA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance cooperation and promote fair business practices in the cotton industry.

The agreement aims to combine efforts for promoting contract sanctity and fair business practices in cotton trading.

The ICA is recognized as the world's leading arbitral body in cotton, with most global cotton trading conducted under its bylaws.

 

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

28th IAF Chief

The government of India has appointed the current Vice Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh, as the next Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force.

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh will be the 28th Chief of the Indian Air Force.

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh graduated from the National Defence Academy and was commissioned into the Indian Air Force as a fighter pilot in December 1984.

Before being appointed Vice Chief of the Air Staff, he was the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Central Air Command, Prayagraj.

Air Marshal Amar Preet Singh commanded a MiG-27 squadron and, as a test pilot, led the MiG-29 Upgrade Project Management Team in Moscow, Russia.

He strongly supports self-reliance in the Indian Air Force and has backed the development of the indigenous fighter plane Tejas.

President of Sri Lanka

Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as the 9th President of Sri Lanka for a six-year term.

The Election Commission of Sri Lanka on 22 September declared Anura Kumara Dissanayake as the winner of the recently held Presidential election after the second round of counting in the Presidential election.

.Anura Kumara Dissanayake replaced Ranil Wickremesinghe as the President of Sri Lanka, who came a distant third in the Presidential election with just 17% of the vote.

Presidential elections were held in Sri Lanka on 21 September 2024 to elect a new President.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake is a left-leaning politician and leader of the Marxist political party Janatha Vimukti Peramuna (JVP). In the Presidential election, he was the candidate of the National People Power alliance, of which JVP is a member.

Brand Ambassador for the Ministry Of Ports, Shipping And Waterways

India's Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways (MoPSW) has appointed Manu Bhaker, the double Olympic medal-winning shooter, as its brand ambassador.

This decision reflects the ministry's commitment to promoting the marine sector by associating it with a celebrated sports figure like

She is a renowned shooter who recently won medals at the Paris Summer Olympics.

She is also the daughter of a marine engineer, making her an ideal candidate to promote India's maritime sector.

The event, organized by the Chennai Port Authority in collaboration with the Kamarajar Port Authority, emphasized the achievements of these remarkable women and their contributions to nation-building.

 

SPORTS

10th Indian Bowler to take 400 International Wickets

Indian fast bowling spearhead Jasprit Bumrah became the sixth Indian fast bowler and 10th overall to claim 400 wickets in international cricket matches (Test matches, One Day Internationals and T-20 Internationals combined).

Jasprit Bumrah achieved this milestone in the first test match against Bangladesh at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.

India defeated Bangladesh by 280 runs in the match to go 1-0 up in the 2-Test match series.

Jasprit Bumrah, who has an awkward bowling action, debuted for India in a One Day International match against Australia in Sydney, Australia, on 23 January 2016.

He played his first test match against South Africa in Cape Town on January 5-8, 2018.

Jasprit Bumrah has played 196 international matches, including the first test match against Bangladesh.

Polish International Badminton Championships

Indian badminton prodigy Anmol Kharb won the women’s singles title at the Polish International Badminton Championships.

The USD 3000 prize money 2024 Polish International Badminton Championship was held in Lublin, Poland, from 19-22 September 2024.

Anmol Kharb won her second senior title by beating Milena Schnider of Switzerland in the final of the Polish International Badminton Championship on 21 September 2024.

Anmol Kharb, ranked 165 in the world, defeated her higher-ranked opponent, Milena Schnider, ranked 141 in the world, in straight sets, 21-12, 21-8, in just 33 minutes.

45th FIDE Chess Olympiad

Indian Men’s and Women's chess teams won gold medals in their respective events at the 45th edition of the FIDE Chess Olympiad, held in the Hungarian capital of Budapest from 10-23 September 2024.

The next 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad will be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan 2026.

The Indian team retained the Gaprindashvili Cup, which is awarded to the best combined result in the Open and Women’s sections.

The Indian team consisting of Arjun Erigasi, Rameshbabu Pragannandha, Dommaraju Gukesh, Vidit Gujrathi and Pentala Harikrishna won the gold medal in the Open section. The Indian men’s team was awarded the gold medal and the Hamilton Russell Cup.

The Indian team topped the points table with 21 points, followed by the United States in second place and Uzbekistan in third place.

The Indian women's team of Vantika Agarwal, Divya Deshmukh, Harika Dranavali, Vaishali Rameshbabu and Tania Sachdev won the gold medal and the Vera Menchik Cup.

The Kazakhstan team was awarded the silver medal, while the USA team settled for the bronze medal.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Alzheimers Day

Every year World Alzheimers Day is observed on 21st September.

The theme for World Alzheimer's Day 2024 is "Time to act on dementia, Time to act on Alzheimer's."

Alzheimer's disease was first diagnosed in an old German lady in 1901 by Alois Alzheimer, a German Psychiatrist. This illness was named after the German Psychiatrist.

When Alzheimer’s Disease International celebrated its 10th anniversary in 1994, the Association declared that World Alzheimer’s Day was observed on the 21st September of every year.

Alzheimer’s disease is the 6th leading cause of death and in all over the world the 7th deadliest disease.

The early symptom of the disease is an inability to recall the events or discussions or our daily activities. It may affect physical health too.

International Day of Peace

International Day of Peace is celebrated on 21st September of every year.

The International Day of Peace 2024 Theme is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace”.

The United Nations General Assembly declared the International Day of Peace in order to strengthen the ideas of peace.

In the beginning, the date chosen was the opening day of the annual sessions of the General Assembly (the third Tuesday of September) but later it was declared that the 21st September is observed as International Day of Peace.

In 1983, the office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Pathways to Peace(PTP) submitted a “We the Peoples” initiative Annual Report to the UN, summarising the Peace Day activities.

For its initiative, the International Year of Peace in 1987, PTP was granted” Peace Messenger”. In 2006, the name was changed from “We the Peoples” initiative to “Culture of Peace Initiative.”