Daily updates 15 and 16 September 2019

National

1. Great Ganga Run 2019 flagged off in New Delhi

• Jal Shakti Minister and Sports Minister flagged off "Great Ganga Run-2019" at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
• The marathon was organised to create awareness about River Ganga. The marathon was organised by Ministry of Jal Shakti. A large number of people from all age groups participated in the marathon.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB PO Mains:

• Jal Shakti Minister: Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
• Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Youth Affairs and Sports: Kiren Rijiju.

2. St. Vincent and Grenadines, 79th country to join India-led ISA

• Saint Vincent and Grenadines became the 79th country to join the International Solar Alliance (ISA), an initiative by India aimed at combating the threats of climate change and global warming.
• The International Solar Alliance is a group of 121 solar resource-rich countries with headquarters in Gurugram, India. The organisation aims to deploy over 1,000 gigawatts of solar energy and mobilise more than USD 1,000 billion into solar power by 2030, according to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• St Vincent and the Grenadines Capital: Kingstown; Currency: Eastern Caribbean dollar.

3. MoC Ravi Shankar Prasad launches Maritime Communication Services in India

• Union Minister for Communications, Electronics & Information Technology and Law & Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched the Maritime Communication Services at Mumbai, Maharashtra.
• The Maritime Connectivity will enable high-end support to those in the sea by providing access to Voice, Data and Video services while travelling on sailing vessels, cruise liners, ships in India, using satellite technology.
• Nelco, India's leading VSAT solutions provider is the first Indian company that will now provide quality broadband services to the maritime sector.

State News

4. I&B Minister Prakash Javadekar flagged off Jaldoot vehicle in Pune

• Union Minister for Environment and Forest and Information & Broadcasting Prakash Javadekar flagged off a Jaldoot vehicle a travelling exhibition in Pune, Maharashtra.
• The van carrying the 'SAVE WATER' message will travel to different parts of the state.
• To tackle the water crisis looming the country, the Government of India launched the ‘Jalshakti Abhiyan’, a water conservation campaign focusing on 1592 stressed blocks in 256 districts across the country.

Appointment

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

• Former judge of the Andhra Pradesh High Court P. Lakshmana Reddy, who has been appointed as State’s Lokayukta.
• He is known for his campaign against corruption. His oath to the office was administered by Governor Biswabhusan Hairchandan at a function held in Vijayawada.
• Justice P Lakshmana Reddy would serve in the office of Lokayukta for 5 years. He is the first Lokayukta to be assuming charge since the state bifurcated in 2014.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• CM of Andhra Pradesh: YS Jaganmohan Reddy; Capital of Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati.

6. UN appoints Indian Army veteran Abhijit Guha as head of Hodeidah mission

• United Nations Secretary-General appointed Lieutenant General (Retired) Abhijit Guha as the head of the UN mission in Hodeidah, Yemen.
• He will succeed Denmark Lieutenant General Michael Lollesgaard, who served in these posts. Guha brings to this position 39 years of national and international military experience.
• He served from 2009-2013 as the Deputy Military Adviser and the Military Adviser within the Office of Military Affairs of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, while also establishing the Office of Peacekeeping and Strategic Partnerships in 2013.
• The UN Mission in support of the Hodeidah Agreement (UNMHA), Guha will also assume the chair of the Redeployment Coordination Committee (RCC), tasked with redeploying forces of the Yemeni warring parties in accordance with their agreement.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB Main 2019:

• On 24 October 1945, The United Nations officially comes into existence
• Antonio Guterres is the Secretary-General of the United Nations
• United Nations is headquartered in New York.

Defence

7. First-ever 'arrested landing' of Naval Tejas successfully executed

• DRDO and the Aeronautical Development Agency successfully executed the first-ever arrested landing of Light Combat Aircraft(LCA) Tejas (Navy) at the shore-based test facility in Goa.
• This is a step towards the aircraft getting operational on aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.
• This arrested landing heralds the arrival of true indigenous capability and displays the professional prowess of our scientific community Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) embedded with design plus build the capability of HAL(ARDC), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Static/Current Takeaways Important For RRB NTPC/IBPS RRB Mains:

• DRDO Chairman: G Satheesh Reddy; Established: 1958; Headquarters: New Delhi.

8. White Water Rafting Expedition 'Rudrashila' Flagged off at Jaisalmer

• The White water Rafting Expedition christened 'RUDRASHILA' being undertaken by Kalidhar Battalion under the aegis of Battle Axe Division was Flagged Off at Jaisalmer Military station.
• The expedition christened 'Rudrashila' has been organised to commemorate the 75th Raising day of the Kalidhar Battalion.
• 'Rudrashila' takes its name from the famed Rudraprayag tributary of the Ganges River in the Mountains of Uttarakhand.
• 'Kalidhar Battalion' was raised on 01 November 1943 and has participated in all major operations of the Indian Army including two overseas assignments in Korea in 1953 and UN peacekeeping mission in Congo in 2005-06.

Ranks and Reports

9. Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Gangs Of Wasseypur’ in the Guardian Best 100 list

• Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap’s Gangs Of Wasseypur has become the only Indian film to feature in “The Guardian” list of 100 Best Films of the 21st century. The film has bagged the 59th position.
• The two film Gangs Of Wasseypur series was released in 2012 and narrated the saga of a coal mafia family in the town of Wasseypur in Dhanbad district of Jharkhand.
• Both films were loved by the masses for their drama and rawness and acclaimed by the classes for cinematic aesthetics.

Sports

10. Pankaj Advani wins IBSF World Billiards Championship

• Pankaj Advani defeated Nay Thway Oo to win the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship held in Mandalay, Myanmar.
• This was his 4th straight victory in the final of the 150-up format at the IBSF World Billiards Championship. With this win, he has increased his tally of world titles to 22.

11. Sourabh Verma clinches Vietnam Open Super 100 title

• Sourabh Verma has won the Vietnam Open Super 100 title held at the Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
• He defeated China’s Sun Fei Xiang in the thrilling Men's Singles summit clash of Vietnam Open Super 100 title. He won the match with a score of 21-12, 17-2, 21-14.

12. Lakshya Sen wins Belgian International Badminton title

• Indian Badminton star, Lakshya Sen has won the Belgian International badminton title. He defeated Victor Svendsen of Denmark in the summit clash with a score of 21-14, 21-15. The tournament was held in Leuven, Belgium. Lakshya Sen belongs to Almora, Uttarakhand.

13. India's Kaushal Dharmamer wins Myanmar International Series

• Indian shuttler Kaushal Dharmamer has won the Myanmar International Series.
• He defeated Indonesia’s Karono Karono by 18-21, 21-14, 21-11 in the finals.
• He has made a comeback after been troubled by injuries for almost two years.

14. Spain beats Argentina to win Basketball World Cup

• Spain defeated Argentina by 95-75 to win the Basketball World Cup held in Beijing, China.
• This was its second title win after 13 years. The next world cup will held in 2023 in Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
• Spain had won the title last time in 2006 with a 70-47 win over Greece. Argentina had not triumphed since it hosted the inaugural World Cup in 1950. With 32 teams, this was the biggest Basketball World Cup ever.

Important Days

15. International Day of Democracy: 15 September

• The United Nations observes 15 September every year as International Day of Democracy.
• It is an opportunity to urge all governments to respect their citizens' right to active, substantive and meaningful participation in democracy and to recall that democracy is about people.
• Democracy is built on inclusion, equal treatment and participation and it is a fundamental building block for peace, sustainable development and human rights.
• Theme of International Day of Democracy 2019: Participation.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

16. International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer: 16 September

• The United Nations observes 16 September every year as International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
• The ozone layer is a fragile shield of gas which protects the Earth from the harmful portion of the rays of the sun and thus help in preserving life on the planet.
• Theme of the day for 2019: 32 Years and Healing.
• 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.
• The Montreal Protocol has led to the phase-out of 99 per cent of ozone-depleting chemicals in refrigerators, air-conditioners and many other products.

Static/Current Takeaways Important For IBPS RRB Clerk Mains:

• Headquarters of United Nations: New York, USA; Founded: 24 October 1945.
• Secretary General of the United Nations: Antonio Guterres.

Obituaries

17. Film editor Sanjib Kumar Datta passes away

• Film editor Sanjib Kumar Datta, who has movies like Iqbal, Ek Hasina Thi and Mardaani to his credit, passed away.
• He was an alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) and worked as an assistant to late editor Renu Saluja. His first big project was the 1998 film Bada Din.

18. Renowned writer of Kerala SivaramanCheriyanad passes away

• The renowned writer of Kerala Sivaraman Cheriyanad passed away. He received the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award in 1988 and the A.P. Kalakkad Award in 2009. He bagged Kerala Sahithya Akademi scholarship in 1990-91 for his study on the works of writer Parappuram. He was a recipient of the National Teachers Award in 1989.

Miscellaneous

19. UNESCO to publish anthology of Guru Nanak Dev's writing in world languages

• The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to translate and publish an anthology of the writings of Guru Nanak Dev in world languages to mark his 550th birth anniversary.
• The Government of India is also holding a series of events and has initiated projects to mark 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.
• These include the construction of Kartarpur Corridor from Dera Baba Nanak in Gurdaspur district in Punjab to the international border, the development of the historic town of Sultanpur Lodhi as a heritage town on the smart city principle, the up-gradation of Sultanpur Lodhi railway station and release of commemorative coins and postage stamps.