Daily Current Affairs and GK | 28 September 2023

Topic: State News/ Nagaland

1. Nagaland Police launched an app to fight against Drugs and Extortion.

• Nagaland Police has launched the “Made in Nagaland” app to fight against Drugs and Extortion in the state.
• Citizens can register via (Movement Against Drugs and Extortion in Nagaland) Made in Nagaland app, or go through the website.
• This app will be for the general public or victims to provide information complaints regarding Drugs and Extortion.
• This app will help them in providing information without visiting the police station.
• Anonymous complaints can also be registered through this app.
• The police assured that information shared through the app will be kept secret and confidential.
• The police can be reached through the Whats App number available in the app as well as the website.

Topic: Important Days

2. World Rabies Day 2023: 28 September

• The 17th World Rabies Day was celebrated on 28 September 2023.
• This year's World Rabies Day theme is: “All for 1, One Health for All”.
• This day is also observed to mark the death anniversary of Louis Pasteur, who developed the first rabies vaccine.
• The theme emphasizes the importance of equality, and strengthening overall health systems by ensuring One Health for everyone.
• World Rabies Day has been observed since 2007 to raise awareness about the world's deadliest infectious disease.
• Nearly 60,000 people die from the disease around the world each year.
• World Rabies Day gives an opportunity to present the efforts to control rabies.
• Rabies is a preventable viral disease spread through the bite of a rabid animal.
• The Rabies virus infects the central nervous system of mammals, which causes disease in the brain and death.

Topic: Personality in News

3. The 116th-anniversary birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh was observed on 28 September 2023.

• Bhagat Singh was a revolutionary freedom fighter, who gave up his life for India’s independence at the age of 23.
• He dedicated his life at a young age to fight against the British colonial rule.
• Bhagat Singh was born on September 28, 1907, in Banga, Punjab.
• He was influenced by Marxism and was inspired by Vladimir Lenin Leon Trotsky and Mikhail Bakunin's writings.
• ‘Shaheed Diwas’ is observed on 23 March to pay tribute to Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev.
• Bhagat Singh witnessed the Jallianwala Bagh massacre at the age of 12.
• In March 1926, Naujawan Bharat Sabha was founded by him. Along with other leaders, he also founded the Hindustan Socialist Republican Association. He also served as secretary of the Kirti Kisan Party.
• In December 1928, Bhagat Singh and Shivaram Rajguru confused John Saunders with James Scott and fired on him to take revenge for the death of Lala Lajpat Rai.
• In April 1929, Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly.
• Bhagat Singh, Raj Guru and Sukhdev were hanged to death on 23rd March 1931 in the Lahore conspiracy case.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: National Appointments

4. A senior bureaucrat Piyush Goyal tenure as executive officer of NATGRID has been extended.

• A 1994-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Piyush Goyal’s tenure has been extended as the executive officer of National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID).
• The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of Goyal's tenure beyond March 25, 2024.
• The tenure of Piyush Goyal has been extended up to November 19, 2025.
• The government has also approved the extension of Sukriti Likhi’s tenure as Additional Secretary & Financial Adviser till 19 September 2025.
• National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID):
  • It is an integrated intelligence master database structure for counter-terrorism purposes
  • It was conceptualized after the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
  • It is a streamlined and secure database containing information on terrorists, economic crimes, and other similar incidents.

Topic: Reports and Indices/Rankings

5. The number of Indian institutes in the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Ranking increased from 75 last year to 91 this year.

• In 2017 rankings, only 31 institutes from India were included. 91 Indian institutes have qualified for the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2024.
• No Indian institute is, however, placed in top 200 institutes of the world.
• Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore is India’s top-ranked institute. It has come in 201-250 band for the first time since 2017.
• Anna University, Jamia Millia Islamia, Mahatma Gandhi University and Shoolini University of Biotechnology & Management Sciences are the next highest-ranked universities in India.
• These are ranked in the 501-600 band. There are 20 newly ranked universities from India.
• The University of Oxford leads the THE World University Rankings 2024.
• It is followed by Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology in second and third places, respectively.
• THE World University Rankings 2024 ranks 1,904 universities from 108 countries and regions.
• This year there were 18 performance indicators, up from 13 last year.
• The indicators were grouped into five pillars. These pillars are teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry.

Topic: Art and Culture

6. Pitra Paksha Mela started on 28 September in Gaya city, Bihar.

• The primary inaugural event has been held at Vishnupad Temple.
• Pitra Paksha Mela is a world-famous fortnight event that occupies significance in Hindu religion.
• People from across India and abroad come here to offer prayers for their departed soul on the banks of Falgu River.
• Pitra Paksha is dedicated to the departed souls. During this period rituals like Shraddh, Tarpan, and Pind Daan are performed.
• These rituals are performed at the Falgu River. After the rituals, special prayer is offered at Vishnupad Temple, Gaya.
• Vishnupad Temple is an ancient Hindu temple in Gaya, Bihar. It is dedicated to Lord Vishnu. It is located on the banks of Falgu River.

Topic: State News/Manipur

7. Entire Manipur has been declared as a disturbed area by the Manipur government.

• 19 specific police station areas have been excluded from this declaration of disturbed area under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
• The imposition of AFSPA has been extended in the whole state for another six months.
• The 19 police stations come under seven districts of Imphal valley.
• The excluded police stations areas are under Imphal, Lamphel, Singjamei, Sekmai, Lamsang, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Lamlai, Irilbung, Leimakhong, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Nambol, Moirang, Kakching, and Jiribam.
• AFSPA has been applicable in Manipur since 1981. In April 2022, it was removed from 15 police station areas in six districts.
• From April 1, 2023, the disturbed area notification was withdrawn from four other police stations.
• Notifications regarding AFSPA can be issued by both the State and Union governments.
• Presently, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs has issued “disturbed area” notifications only for Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh.
• The notifications for Manipur and Assam have been issued by their respective State governments.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

8. India's official entry for Oscars 2024 is the Malayalam movie 2018.

• '2018: Everyone is a Hero,' has been chosen as India's official entry for the 96th Academy Award, in the Best International Feature Film category.
• It is only the fourth film from the language to be selected for the honour.
• Earlier, Guru (1997), Adaminte Makan Abu (2011) and Jallikattu (2019) were selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars, but none of these films got nominated.
• 2018 is directed by Jude Anthany Joseph. It is based on the rains and floods that hit Kerala in 2018.
• Jude Anthany Joseph co-wrote the screenplay with Akhil P. Dharmajan.
• The star cast of the movie includes Tovino Thomas, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Aparna Balamurali, Kalaiyarasan, Kunchacko Boban, Lal, Narein, Tanvi Ram and others.
• The 96th Oscars will be held on March 10, 2024 at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
• Last year, Pan Nalin’s Chhello Show was chosen for this year’s Oscars. It was shortlisted, but it didn’t get nominated.
• India won the Best Documentary Short Film for The Elephant Whisperers.
• ‘Naatu Naatu’ from RRR won the Best Music (Original Song) award.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

9. As per an ICMR study, Indians' intake of salt is 3% higher than the WHO standard.

• According to a study of ICMR, Indians are consuming 8gm of salt every day, which is 3 % more than the WHO standard.
• Salt intake by men (8.9 gm) is higher and employed people consume 8.6 gm of salt every day.
• The consumption of salt is higher among obese persons (9.2 gms) and those with high blood pressure (8.5 gms).
• Women's average consumption of salt is 7.9 grams daily.
• As per the WHO, an individual has to take 5gm of salt every day for a healthy life. The reduction in salt intake to 5gm can reduce high blood pressure by 25 per cent.
• The high intake of salt can increase the risk of hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, and can be a catalyst for severe health issues like heart attacks and strokes.
• Globally, a reduction in dietary sodium consumption by at least 1.2 grams per day could decrease the number of individuals getting treatment for hypertension by 50%.

Topic: State News/ Bihar

10. Bihar will get its second tiger reserve in Kaimur district.

• The much-awaited second tiger reserve of Bihar will open by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
• Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary will be the second tiger reserve of Bihar after the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR).
• There are a total of 54 tigers are currently present in the state.
• Shergarh Fort, a major tourist attraction, as well as 58 villages, will be in a buffer zone of this tiger reserve.
• The State Forest Department officials said they are working to obtain the National Tiger Reserve Conservation Authority’s (NTCA) approval for declaring it a tiger reserve.
• The Kaimur district is divided into two parts: the hilly area which is also known as the Kaimur plateau and the plain area on the western side.
• Kaimur district has a large forest cover and is home to tigers, leopards and chinkaras.
• The forest of Kaimur is spread over 1,134 sq km area including 986 sq km of the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Kaimur district has the highest forest cover in Bihar and it shares borders with Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.

Topic: Banking System

11. License Of Mumbai-based 'The Kapol Co-Operative Bank' cancelled by RBI.

• On September 25, the license of Mumbai-based Kapol Co-operative Bank Ltd. was cancelled as the lender did not have adequate capital and earnings prospects.
• As a result of the cancellation of the license, the Co-operative Bank is prohibited from conducting 'banking' business.
• This includes accepting deposits and repayment of deposits with immediate effect.
• RBI has also requested the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation and the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies to issue an order to close the bank and appoint a liquidator for the bank.
• Every depositor will be entitled to receive the deposit insurance claim amount of his deposits up to a monetary limit of ₹ 5 lakhs from the Deposit Insurance and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DICGC).
• About 96.09% of depositors are entitled to receive the full amount of their deposits from DICGC.
• As of July 24, 2023, DICGC has already paid ₹ 230.16 crore of total insured deposits based on the willingness received from the respective depositors of the bank.

Topic: Sports

12. Nepal became the first team to score 300 runs in T20I.

• On 27 September, Nepal became the first team to score over 300 runs in a T20I when they scored a total of 314 against Mongolia in men's cricket at the Asian Games.
• For Nepal, Kushal Malla scored an unbeaten 137 runs in 50 balls, which included 12 sixes and eight fours.
• Malla's century, which came in 34 balls, is the fastest in this format, surpassing Rohit Sharma and David Miller's record of 35 balls.
• Deepender Singh hit eight sixes in 10 balls in his unbeaten 52-run innings and scored the fastest half-century in the format, breaking Yuvraj Singh's record.
• Deepender completed his half-century in 9 balls, three balls faster than Yuvraj, who scored the half-century in 12 balls against England in the 2007 World Cup.
• Nepal's 314/3 is its highest score so far in T20Is, surpassing Afghanistan's 278/3 against Ireland in 2019.
• Nepal also hit a total of 26 sixes in their innings, the most by any team in a T20I innings, and broke Afghanistan's record.

Topic: Sports

13. Marco Bezzechi wins the first Indian GP.

• Marco Bezzecchi of Mooney VR46 Racing Team wins the Bharat GP.
• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath presented the winning trophy to Mooney VR46 Racing Team (Ducati) team Italian rider Marco Bezzecchi.
• Bezzecchi completed the race in 36 minutes, 59 seconds and 15 microseconds.
• Spain's Jorge Martin finished second and France's Fabio Quartararo finished third.
• The gap between Bezzecchi and Martin was 8.649 seconds.
• South Africa's Brad Binder finished the race at the fourth position.
• The Indian GP main race's distance in at the BIC in Noida was reduced to 21 laps from 34.
• MotoGP Bharat was held at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida from September 22 to September 24.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

14. ‘World Leader for Peace and Security’ award conferred to Mata Amritanandamayi Devi.

• Renowned spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi Devi has been selected for the 2023 World Leader for Peace and Security Award’.
• She has been selected for the award for her remarkable contributions to global peace, spirituality, and compassion.
• This award is given by the Boston Global Forum (BGF) and the Michael Dukakis Institute for Leadership and Innovation (MDI).
• Mata Amritanandamayi Devi is popularly known as “Amma” among her admirers and followers.
• Amma's profound spirituality, commitment to core values, and influential global leadership have earned her this esteemed accolade.
• The announcement of the award was made on 31 July at the C20 Summit in Jaipur, India.
• BGF will give tributes to Amma in a Global Entertainment Symposium on the 3rd of October.