Current Affairs Quiz- September, 2019

Notes:
A dataset titled ‘International Migrant Stock 2019’ has recently released by the Population Division of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The data provides the latest estimates of the number of international migrants by age, sex and origin for all countries and areas of the world.  As per UN report, India is the leading country of origin of international migrants in 2019 with a 17.5 million strong diaspora. Migrants from Mexico constituted the 2nd largest diaspora with 11.8 million people followed by China with 10.7 million people and Russia with 10.5 million people. The report says  that the number of migrants globally reached an estimated 272 million.

Notes:
Moti Bagh, a documentary film based on the struggle of an 83-year-old farmer ‘Vidyadutt’ in a remote Himalayan village, has been nominated for the 2019 Oscars. The film is directed by Nirmal Chander & is about a farm in the hills of Uttarakhand runs by farmer who grows award-winning radishes and writes poetry. The film highlights migration of locals from several villages in the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of the state.

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has signed Memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for development of human centric systems specific to the Human Space Mission (HSM) under the Gaganyaan project. Some of the critical technologies to be provided by the DRDO to ISRO include space food, space crew health monitoring and emergency survival kit, radiation measurement and protection, and parachutes for safe recovery of crew module. The aim of the ISRO is to demonstrate human spaceflight capability before the 75th anniversary of India’s independence in 2022.

Notes:
To reduce human-animal conflict, the Uttarakhand government has decided to carry out bio-fencing by growing various species of plants in those areas viz. lemongrass, agave, rambans, and chilly. The move is to prevent wild animals from entering residential areas and to protect agricultural crops and livestock in areas adjoining to forests. This biotic method is environment-friendly and harvesting of such plants can also be economical for farmers. Leopards, bears, elephants and wild boars are a major threat to human life and livestock.

Notes:
Karan Vandana (DBW 187) is a new hybrid wheat variety which is resistant to yellow rust and white blast and can give significantly higher yield than normal varieties. It is likely to be soon launched across the country. It is rich in protein & iron, and has high heat tolerance across the country. It has been developed by the Indian Institute of Wheat and Barley Research (IIWBR) under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).

Notes:
Kerala will host the India’s first-ever trans art festival titled “Varnapakitt-2019”.  In it, talented transgender members will get a platform to showcase their artistic and creative skills. As part of the art festival, the state government has  also invited applications for cash awards from 10 transgenders who have proved their excellence in various social fields except cinema. The 2-day event is considered to be the first such state-sponsored art festival to be organized exclusively for transgenders in the country. 

Notes:
The book titled “Being Gandhi” has been authored by award-winning author Paro Anand. This new book will mark the 150th anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi by looking beyond the leader and his politics and into his way of life.  It explores “not Gandhi the man or his life as a leader, but really the Gandhian way that must remain relevant to us”.

Notes:
The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD)  has decided to launch a new public-private partnership scheme – National Educational Alliance for Technology (NEAT) – using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to make learning more personalized and customized as per the learner’s requirements. The scheme is expected to begin operations by early November 2019 & aims to harness technology for better learning outcomes in higher education. The start-ups which join the government platform must offer 25% free coupons for students from disadvantaged communities.

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has decided to set-up  a world-class National Police University (NPU) in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh. The proposed state-of-the-art university will offer to the students formal education programmes leading to the award of the bachelor’s, masters’ and doctoral degrees as well as PG Diploma in specialized niche areas in police sciences, cyber forensics, criminology, criminal justice, forensic science, risk management and allied subjects.

Notes:
Madhukar Kamath, chairman emeritus of advertising firm DDB Mudra Group, has been unanimously elected chairman of the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC) for 2019-20. Beside this, he is the president of Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and also the  chairman of the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI).