25th September Current Affairs

• Japan’s rovers successfully land on asteroid
  • Japanese space agency’s MINERVA-II1 (Micro-Nano Experimental Robot Vehicle for Asteroid, the second generation) is the world’s first rover to land on the surface of the asteroid Ryugu.​​
  • The MINERVA-II1 consisted of two rovers, Rover-1A and Rover-1B.

  

  
  

  • The rovers are designed to hop along the asteroid’s surface, taking photographs and gathering data.
• India’s MIB in UN Global Media Compact
  • India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is among more than 30 organisations from across the world that have come together to form a global media compact.

  

  
  

  • The SDG Media Compact is an initiative to advance awareness of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • The Compact is an initiative of the United Nations, in collaboration with the UN Foundation.
• Former BCCI president Biswanath passed away
  • Former BCCI president Biswanath Dutt passed away on 24 September 2018.

  

  
  

  • Dutt was the BCCI president in 1989 after a six-year stint as the vice-president of the parent body from 1982-88.
  • Dutt began his career in cricket administration as Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) secretary in 1977 and became president in 1982, a post he held till 1986.
• Ibrahim Solih won Presidential Election
  • Ibrahim Mohamed Solih won the Maldives‘ presidential election on 24th September 2018.
  • He defeated Maldives President Abdulla Yameen.
  • Mr Solih entered the Parliament for the first time after defeating a ruling party candidate in 1994.
  • He has been representing ‘Lhaviyani Atoll’ in the Maldivian Parliament.
• India, Nepal agree to explore satellite images
  • India and Nepal have agreed to explore the possibility of using high resolution satellite images in boundary survey work during a meeting of the Nepal-India boundary working group (BWG).

  

  
  

  • The BWG is a joint body constituted by Nepal and India in 2014 to carry out works in the fields of construction, restoration and repair of boundary pillars, including clearance of no-man’s land.
• India won silver in Snooker Championship
  • India won the silver medal in the final of the Asian Team Snooker Championship.
  • India was defeated by Pakistan in final.
  • The team India consisted of Pankaj Advani and Malkeet Singh.
  • Pankaj Advani is a 19-time World Champion English billiards and snooker player from India.
  • He was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2018.
• Vietnam’s President Tran Dai Quang passed away
  • Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang died on 21 September, 2018.
  • A career security officer and four-star general, Quang was elected president of Vietnam in April 2016.
  • He was the second most powerful man in the country after General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.
  • He rose through the ranks at various positions at the Ministry of Public Security before being appointed the minister in 2011.
• Fitch raises India growth forecast
  • Global research agency Fitch raised India’s growth forecast for the current fiscal to 7.8% from the earlier 7.4%.
  • Fitch has revised the forecast for current fiscal ‘on the back of the better-than-expected 2018 outturn’.
  • Fitch’s latest projection for the current fiscal is higher than what is estimated by the Reserve Bank of India (7.4%) and even the Government (7.5%).
• BSNL signs deal with Softbank, NTT
  • BSNL has inked a pact with Japan’s Softbank and NTT Communications to roll out 5G and internet of things (IoT) technology in India.
  • Under the agreement with Softbank, BSNL will look at collaborating with the NTT Communications for its satellite constellation to provide high speed internet services.
  • BSNL has signed an agreement with Nokia and Cisco as well for developing 5G ecosystem.
• Rs 25,050 crore needed to rebuild Kerala
  • The World Bank, in its preliminary report, has estimated that an amount of Rs 25,050 crore is necessary for rebuilding the state.
  • The report was prepared after the visits of World Bank and Asian Development Bank teams to several flood-hit areas of Kerala.
  • The final report would be submitted on October 1, 2018, after incorporating the changes suggested by the State government.