Daily Current Affairs 17 September 2019

Daily Current Affairs

1) Ram Nath Kovind, President of India in Slovenia

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind reached Ljubljana, Slovenia, on September 15, 2019, in the final leg of his visit to Iceland, Switzerland, and Slovenia. This is the first-ever presidential visit from India to Slovenia. 

 The President led delegation-level talks on India-Slovenia bilateral trade. Indian and Slovenian companies are finding new opportunities to do business together. India’s growth and Slovenia’s technology and manufacturing capacity complement each other. 

There are immense possibilities of cooperation between the two countries in the fields of high technology, especially clean technology, robotics, and artificial intelligence. Start-up and innovation sectors also present opportunities. Slovenia has developed niche technology in the defence sector and is a proven leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence, defence equipment, and clean water technologies. 

India and Slovenia signed and exchanged seven MoUs and Programmes of Cooperation in the fields of Investment, Sports, Culture, River Rejuvenation (Clean Ganga Mission), Science & Technology and Standards in the presence of the two Presidents.

2) National Centre for Clean Coal Research & Development inaugurated at Bengaluru

Union Minister of Science & Technology, Dr.  Harsh Vardhan, today inaugurated the National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bengaluru.  Government of India through the Department of Science & Technology has set up the National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D) as a national level consortium on clean coal R&D, led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bengaluru.

About National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D)

National Centre for Clean Coal Research and Development (NCCCR&D) is a national level consortium on clean coal R&D, led by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc)-Bengaluru.  The primary goal is to address several critical R&D challenges towards the development of clean coal technologies, in tandem with developing supercritical power plant technologies, both at the materials and system level.

What is the need? 

To achieve international targets on climate change by minimizing anthropogenic emissions and also to address the ever-growing energy demand of India, the development of clean coal technologies to reduce carbon emissions from coal-based power plants has become a prime necessity for India. The pathways identified for lowering the carbon footprint of coal-based thermal power plants is by shifting towards high efficiency advanced ultra-supercritical (AUSC) steam power plants as well as supercritical carbon dioxide (s-CO2) based Brayton cycle power plants, along with exploration of new combustion and gasification technologies.

3) Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launches Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) - 2019 and Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT) - 2019

Union Human Resource Development Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP) - 2019 and Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT) – 2019 under Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) in New Delhi

About Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP)

To build higher managerial capabilities of existing higher education leaders and administrators and to draw fresh talent into the management of higher education systems, a National Initiative “Leadership for Academicians Programme (LEAP)” was launched to design and deliver a structured scheme of leadership development for Higher Education Institutions. LEAP is a three weeks leadership development training program (2 weeks domestic and one-week foreign training) for second level academic functionaries in public-funded higher education institutions. The main objective is to prepare the second tier academic heads that are potentially likely to assume leadership roles in the future. LEAP is being implemented through the following 15 institutions:

1. Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
2. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
3. Banaras Hindu University
4. Jamia Milia Islamia
5. Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee
6. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata
7. University of Hyderabad
8. NIT Trichy
9. University of Delhi
10. Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
11. Jawaharlal Nehru University
12. Indian Institute of Technology BHU
13. TISS Mumbai (CALEM)
14. AMU (CALEM)
15. NIEPA (CALEM)

About the Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT)

Ministry of Human Resource Development launched the Annual Refresher Programme In Teaching (ARPIT) in November 2018. ARPIT is a major and unique initiative of online professional development of 1.5 million higher education faculty using the Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) platform SWAYAM. For implementing ARPIT, discipline-specific National Resource Centers (NRCs) are identified which are tasked to prepare online training material with a focus on latest developments in the discipline, new & emerging trends, pedagogical improvements and methodologies for transacting revised curriculum.

For ARPIT 2019, 51 discipline-specific NRCs have been notified covering 46 disciplines, such as, Agriculture, Law, Architecture,  Social Sciences, Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Geography, Home Science, Tribal Studies, Commerce, Library and Information sciences, Curriculum development, Humanities, Language Teaching in Sanskrit, Urdu, Hindi and English, Pharmacy, Skill development, Textile Technology, Management, Public Policy, Leadership & Governance, Library & Information Science, Astronomy & Astrophysics, Assessment and Evaluation, Pedagogy and research methods, Climate Change etc.

4) Wargaming software handed over to Indian Navy

Institute for Systems Studies and Analysis (ISSA) Delhi, a premier DRDO laboratory, has designed and developed a new generation Wargaming Software in collaboration with Maritime Warfare Centre, Visakhapatnam to meet the contemporary operational and tactical level wargaming requirement for the Indian Navy.

Need Of Wargaming Software

The key focus has been to create a wargaming environment that enables Maritime Warfare Centres (MWCs) to train using the latest technologies and computing tools. The software has versatile and user-friendly features that enable globally playable wargaming scenarios between multiple forces. It enables exercises to be conducted between geographically dispersed locations over Wide Area Network. The architecture is forward compatible and new functional and equipment modules can be developed and easily plugged in.

5) Maiden IN-RSN-RTN Trilateral Exercise Commences

A maiden trilateral exercise, involving the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), Royal Thailand Navy (RTN) and Indian Navy (IN) has commenced at Port Blair on 16 Sep 19. The five-day-long exercise is aimed at bolstering the maritime inter-relationships amongst Singapore Thailand and India, and contribute significantly to enhancing the overall maritime security in the region. This would also strengthen the mutual confidence amongst three navies in terms of interoperability and development of a common understanding of procedures.

RSN Tenacious, a Formidable-class guided missile stealth frigate and His Majesty's Thailand Ship (HTMS) Kraburi, a Guided Missile Frigate would be exercising with Indian Naval Ships Ranvir, a Guided Missile Destroyer, Kora, a missile corvette and Sukanya, an Offshore Patrol Vessel along with P8I Long Range Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft.

6) On World Ozone Day, India’s Cooling Action Plan gets the UN to applaud

India became one of the first countries in the world to launch a comprehensive Cooling Action plan in March 2019, which has a long term vision to address the cooling requirement across sectors such as residential and commercial buildings, cold-chain, refrigeration, transport, and industries. The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) lists out actions that can help reduce the cooling demand, which will also help in reducing both direct and indirect emissions.

Goals of ICAP

• The India Cooling Action seeks to 
• Reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25% by 2037-38, 
• Reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by 2037-38, 
• Reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to 40% by 2037-38,
• Recognize “cooling and related areas” as a thrust area of research under national S&T 
• Program, Training, and certification of 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23, synergizing with Skill India Mission.

7) Drone strikes on Saudi facility lead to a jump in crude prices

Drone attacks last week on Saudi Arabia’s crude processing facility, the largest in the world, have impacted half of the country’s crude oil production and about 5% of the world supply. Following the attacks, Global Brent crude futures shot up more than 20% to $66.91 per barrel.

Impact on India

Saudi Arabia is a major source of oil imports for India, accounting for nearly 18% of the 226 million tonnes of crude the country imported during 2018­19, according to data with the Ministry of Commerce. India, which imports more than 80% of its crude oil requirement, is particularly vulnerable to geopolitical risks arising out of the oil-producing countries.

Petrol price may rise by ₹5

Prices of petroleum products like petrol and diesel are likely to go up by up to ₹5 a liter each over the next few days after international crude oil prices shot up following the drone attack on Saudi Aramco’s facility at Abqaiq.

Rupee tumbles 68 paise 

The rise in crude oil prices spooked all the emerging market currencies with rupee being hit the worst, despite the central bank’s intervention that helped the currency to reduce losses. The rupee opened weaker at 71.75 against the dollar, compared with the previous close of 70.93

8) The Solomon Islands ends ties with Taiwan

The Solomon Islands’ government has cut official ties with Taiwan in a new blow to President Tsai Ing-wen, who is seeking re­election in January amid rising tension with China. Taiwan now has formal relations with only 16 countries worldwide, but China claims Taiwan as its territory and says it has no right to formal ties with any nation.

The Solomon Islands is the sixth country Taiwan will lose as a diplomatic ally since Tsai came to office in 2016 following Burkina Faso, the Dominican Republic, Sao Tome, and Principe, Panama and El Salvador. The move came after the Solomon Islands’ monthslong review of the pros and cons of a switch to Beijing, which was offering $8.5 million in development funds.

9) The Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) will jointly conduct a large war exercise near the China border. It's named as HimVijay

The Indian Army and Indian Air Force (IAF) will jointly engage to conduct a large war exercise code-named 'HimVijay' in October 2019 along the china border near Arunachal Pradesh. This would be the 1st and biggest ever war game done by the strike corps in the eastern region. For the first time, 17 Mountain Corps will be involved, over 2500 soldiers will participate in it. The Indian Army will deploy state-of-the-art American weapons. These include the M777 ultralight howitzers, including Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. Chinook heavy-lift helicopters were inducted into the Indian Air Force at Chandigarh Airbase on 25 March 2019. The purpose of the exercise is to test the capabilities of war in the northeast. It will also include the recently formed 17 Mountain Strike Corps. The Air Force will do everything to meet the Army's needs during the war. M777 ultra-light howitzers will be provided to 17 Mountain Strike Corps during the exercise.

10) National Intelligence Grid plans to connect to social media and all database information in one platform

The govt besides the National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) plans to connect to social media with records including immigration entry, banking, and phone numbers and all database information in one platform case. Home Minister has reviewed the progress of NATGRID on 12th Sept in Delhi. About the National Intelligence Grid: The National Intelligence Grid was first began in 2009 with a spending limit of Rs.2,800 crore. About 10 central agencies like Intelligence Bureau (IB), Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) and others will approach the information in a secured manner. After Mr.Patnaik's resignation, NATGRID is presently headed by IAS Ashish Gupta

11) The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

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 helps in preserving life on the planet. The 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 percent of ozone-depleting chemicals in refrigerators, air-conditioners and many other products.

12) Special Training Program for Maldivian Civil Servants and Bangladesh Civil Servants being conducted by NCGG

The National Centre for Good Governance is conducting a Special Training Program for Maldivian Civil Servants and Bangladesh Civil Servants under the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation Program (ITEC) from September 16-28, 2019 at Mussoorie and Delhi. Shri K.V. Eapen, Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) and Shri V. Srinivas, Additional Secretary, DARPG addressed  33 Maldivian Civil Servants and 31 Bangladesh Civil Servants in a Joint Session on “Public Policy and Governance” at the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), Mussoorie.

The National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG), India’s leading civil services training institution, has been training Civil Servants from a number of countries in South Asia and Africa. Over the next 5 years, the NCGG will conduct training for 1800 civil servants of Bangladesh and 1000 civil servants of Maldives.

13) The International Day for South-South Cooperation 2019 

The International Day for South-South Cooperation was observed on 12 September 2019 by United Nations (UN) aims to raise awareness of the UN's efforts to work on technical cooperation among developing countries. The day also celebrates the political, social and economical developments made by regions and countries in the south in recent years. The theme for the year 2019 is "South-South Cooperation is From Commitment to Action - Follow up to Buenos Aires Plan of Action+40". The theme focuses on Promoting and implementing the commitments adopted in the Second High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation (BAPA+40).

14) 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 organized to create awareness about River Ganga. The marathon was organised by the Ministry of Jal Shakti. A large number of people from all age groups participated in the marathon.