Current Affairs Quiz- September, 2019

Notes:
The Union Science and Technology (S&T) and Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan has recently launched ‘UMMID (Unique Methods of Management and treatment of Inherited Disorders)’ initiative to tackle inherited genetic diseases of newborn babies. The aim of the new initiative is to create awareness about genetic disorders amongst clinicians and establish molecular diagnostics in hospitals so that the benefits of developments in medical genetics could reach patients. 

Notes:
The UK government has launched its biggest peacetime repatriation – Operation Matterhorn – in its history, after British  travel firm Thomas Cook collapsed on 23rd September 2019. Thomas Cook’s administration puts 22,000 jobs at risk worldwide. The corporate bankruptcy left some 6, 00,000 tourists stranded worldwide. The travel company was founded in 1841 by a Derbyshire-based cabinet-maker named Thomas Cook.

Notes:
At Nur-Sultan (Astana) in Kazakhsta, the Kerala Tourism has won three prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Gold awards viz. for an ethnic food restaurant run by women at Kumarakom under its Responsible Tourism Mission, for an advertisement campaign of Kerala Tourism ‘Come Out and Play’ and for its website (www.keralatourism.org) respectively. The ad campaign was run by Stark Communication & the Kerala Tourism website has been designed and maintained by Invis Multimedia.

Notes:
On 24th September 2019, the Gandhi Solar Park (GSP) and the ‘Gandhi Peace Garden’ have inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with others world leaders at UN headquarters. On the occasion, a special UN Postage on Mahatma Gandhi’s 150 years also released.  The GSP is a first-of-its-kind symbolic Indian effort at the UN that highlights India’s willingness to go beyond the talk on climate change and climate action. While, the  Peace Garden is dedicated in the memory of Gandhi and is a crowd-sourced project, with people adopting trees in the memory of their loved ones. Mr. Modi  was also conferred the “Global Goalkeeper” award by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by his government.

Notes:
At Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi, President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 6th edition of ”India Water Week (IWW-2019)”, which is organised by Ministry of Jal Shakti with the theme of ”Water cooperation-coping with 21st-century challenge’ . Japan and European Union have been associated as partner countries for this mega event. Under this campaign, the entire Government of India (GoI) machinery of over 1000 senior Central Government officers have joined the States to promote focused interventions for water collection and conservation, including restoration and renovation of traditional water bodies.

Notes:
Off-spinner Deepti Sharma from Agra has become the 1st Indian cricketer to bowl 3 maidens in T20I. This history was created during the India’s first T20I against South Africa at the Lalabhai Contractor Stadium in Surat, Gujarat. She ended with figures of 4/8 with three of the four overs to lead India to victory. India beat South Africa by 11 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.

Notes:
To promote innovation, 2nd edition of Singapore – India Hackathon will be organised at IIT Madras in Chennai from Sep 28 to 29, 2019. The Hackathon is the first of its kind joint International hackathon between India and Singapore during which the selected bright students from India and Singapore will work in collaboration to develop innovative and out-of-the- box solution for some of the daunting problems faced by our societies. This year, the hackathon is focused on quality education, Good Health and clean energy.

Notes:
Venu Madhav (51), the well-known Telugu comedian and actor, has passed away in Secunderabad on  25th September 2019. He started as a mimicry artiste and forayed into movies. His filmography had over 170 movies in Telugu. Other than Telugu films, he even acted a few Tamil films. The 2016 film “Dr Paramanandaiah’s Students Gang”  remains his last release.  

Notes:
The Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has inked an agreement with IIT-Delhi for cooperation in research, education and technology developments in science and other disciplines. This collaboration will also facilitate access to each other’s libraries and central research facilities to intensify joint research projects and other related academic activities.

Notes:
Actor Madhuri Dixit has been chosen as goodwill ambassador by the Chief Electoral Office (CEO) in Maharashtra to create awareness among people about the importance of voting. The State Assembly polls are scheduled for October 21 and results will be declared on October 24. She will be seen in a video titled ‘Let’s Vote” speaking about the democratic process and role of voters in the development of the country.