Current Affairs Quiz 24th September 2024 Quiz

Exp. FSSAI, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil sign MoU for food safety collaboration

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has signed a MoU with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) of Brazil in the area of food safety.

The MoU was signed by Agriculture and Livestock Minister Carlos Henrique Baqueta Fávaro and CEO of FSSAI, G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, on the sidelines of the Global Food Regulators Summit in New Delhi.

The MoU demonstrates India’s dedication to food safety and signifies a major advancement in its ongoing efforts to enhance international collaboration in food safety.

FSSAI also conducted a bilateral meeting with the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) on the sidelines of the Global Food Regulators Summit. The meeting focused on the implementation protocol of the agreement signed between India and BFDA in March this year during the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

This Agreement underscores a mutual commitment to enhance food safety by aligning regulatory frameworks, simplifying the Food Import Procedure, and fostering technical collaboration.

About Brazil

• Capital – Brasília
• Currency – Brazilian Real
• President – Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva

Exp. India signs agreements on clean and fair economy under Indo-Pacific Economic Framework

India has signed the first-of-its-kind agreements focused on a Clean Economy, Fair Economy, and the overarching Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) in Delaware, USA.

These agreements were exchanged under the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) for prosperity yesterday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a three-day visit to the US for the Quad Summit.

The Agreement on Clean Economy intends to promote technical cooperation, workforce development, capacity building, and research collaborations.

It will facilitate investments and project financing, including concessional financing, as well as joint collaborative projects, with a particular emphasis on supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

The Fair Economy Agreement seeks to create a more transparent and predictable trade and investment environment across the Indo-Pacific. Meanwhile, the overarching IPEF Agreement aims to establish a high-level political oversight framework at the ministerial level for the various individual IPEF agreements, providing general guidance and goals while aligning with leaders’ vision and mandate for the IPEF.

About Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF)

• IPEF was launched on 23 May 2022 in Tokyo, Japan, comprising 14 countries – Australia, Brunei, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and USA.
• The IPEF seeks to strengthen economic engagement and cooperation among partner countries to advance growth and economic stability.
• The framework is structured around four pillars relating to Trade (Pillar I); Supply Chain Resilience (Pillar II); Clean Economy (Pillar III); and Fair Economy (Pillar IV).
• India has ratified Agreement on Supply Chain Resilience (Pillar II) in February 2024 and has maintained an observer status in Pillar-I.

Exp. India and Bhutan Deepen Cooperation on Food Safety and Regulatory Standards

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare conducted a bilateral meeting with the Bhutan Food and Drug Authority (BFDA) on the sidelines of the Global Food Regulators Summit, at Bharat Mandapam.

The meeting focused on the implementation protocol of the “Agreement” signed between India and BFDA on 21 March 2024, during the visit of PM Narendra Modi.

This Agreement underscores a mutual commitment to enhance food safety, aligning regulatory frameworks, simplifying the Food Import Procedure and fostering technical collaboration. The Agreement aims to recognize the official control exercised by BFDA over food business operators (FBOs) by the FSSAI.

The Agreement further seeks to enhance technical cooperation between FSSAI and BFDA, establishing a functional mechanism to facilitate and develop trade between the two countries.

Recently India signed MoUs with others countries

• India, European Union agree to deepen cooperation in Sustainable Water Management
• FSSAI, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil sign MoU for food safety collaboration
• India-Denmark Maritime collaboration gathers momentum with focus on Green Shipping, Digitalization, and Sustainable Development
• Indian Navy and South African Navy sign agreement to enhance submarine rescue support cooperation
• India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Maldives sign Charter and MoU for establishment of Colombo Security Conclave Secretariat

Exp. IBM and NTT Data launches SimpliZCloud to Revamp India’s Financial Services Sector

NTT DATA and IBM have launched SimpliZCloud, a fully managed cloud service built on IBM LinuxONE.

The service is designed to support the infrastructure needs of critical workloads like those in financial services organizations including core banking applications, lending and risk management applications.

This solution offers the opportunity to optimize infrastructure investments and ongoing costs by consolidating resources and spending, especially enterprise software license costs. The subscription-based model also helps avoid expensive capital investment and maintenance costs.

SimpliZCloud is built on a secure, scalable, and integrated architecture that delivers dedicated compute and storage resources, powered by Software Defined Networking (SDN). The service offers a jump in performance over traditional x86 architecture-based environments, claims the company.

Exp. KVS Manian Takes Charge as MD and CEO of Federal Bank

KVS Manian has officially taken charge as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Federal Bank, succeeding Shyam Srinivasan, who stepped down after an impressive 14-year tenure.

Previously, Manian served as the Joint Managing Director at Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited until April 30, 2024.

During his time there, he was crucial in establishing a strong and profitable franchise across various business segments, significantly enhancing the bank’s technological capabilities and transaction banking services.

The appointment was approved by the Reserve Bank of India in July, for a period of three years.

Recent Appointment in Banking & Insurance Sector

• Executive Director of TamilNad Mercantile Bank – Vincent Menachery Devassy (for three years)
• Chief Compliance Officer of CIFDAQ – Muthuswamy Iyer
• MD and CEO of IDFC First Bank – V Vaidyanathan (reappointment for three years)
• CCO of Airtel Payments Bank – Amar Kumar Kakarlapudi
• MD & CEO of Galaxy Health Insurance – G Srinivasan

Exp. Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana in collaboration with the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality

The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), in collaboration with the Institute for What Works to Advance Gender Equality (IWWAGE) successfully hosted the National Conclave on Gender Mainstreaming in New Delhi.

The conclave focused on strengthening gender-responsive community institutions and discussed strategies for advancing gender integration within the DAY-NRLM framework.

DAY-NRLM provides a unique opportunity to empower women by addressing structural inequalities and strengthening women’s collectives, voice, and agency.

Exp. Mizoram govt introduces Financial Assistance Scheme for Farmers and Small Entrepreneurs

The Mizoram government has launched a financial assistance and support programme, ‘Bana Kaih’, for small entrepreneurs and farmers of the state.

This scheme aims to provide financial assistance to farmers growing ginger, turmeric, Mizo chilli, and broomsticks. These crops will be purchased through farmer societies established in villages.

Under this initiative, the government has set minimum prices for these cash crops. If farmers sell their produce below these rates, they will receive support prices. However, if they manage to sell at higher prices, the government will not intervene.

Additionally, paddy unhusked rice will be bought at Rs 30 per kg from Kolasib and Mamit districts.

The state government has allocated Rs 200 crore for the scheme’s implementation in 2024-25. An additional Rs 110 crore has been set aside for agricultural assurance in the 2023-24 fiscal year.

About Mizoram

• Formation – 20 February 1987
• Capital – Aizawl
• Chief Minister – Lalduhoma
• Governor – Hari Babu Kambhampati

Exp. Marxist leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake is Sri Lanka’s new president

Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the left-wing leader of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), has won the 2024 Sri Lanka Presidential election.

He defeated the incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe and will be the island nation’s ninth executive president.

According to the official data, the 55-year-old Marxist leader secured 56.34 lakh votes. The opposition leader Sajith Premadasa finished second with 43.63 lakh votes, and Wickremesinghe third with 22.99 lakh votes.

About Sri Lanka

• Legislative capital – Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte
• Executive and Judicial capital – Colombo
• Currency – Sri Lankan rupee
• President – Anura Kumara Dissanayake;9th (replace Ranil Wickremesinghe)
• Prime Minister – Dinesh Gunawarden

Exp. Ayushman Bharat PM-Jay scheme introduced by PM Modi marks six years since launch

The Ayushman Bharat PM-JAY scheme, launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 23, 2018, celebrated its sixth anniversary.

The scheme provides health coverage of Rs 5 lakh per family annually for secondary and tertiary care to over 55 crore individuals.

Earlier on September 11, the Union Cabinet had approved health coverage for all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, irrespective of income, under the flagship scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).

AB PM-JAY is the world’s largest publicly funded health assurance scheme, provides health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care hospitalisation to 55 crore individuals to 12.34 crore families.

Exp. Sangram Singh becomes 1st Indian male wrestler to win MMA fight at Gama International Fighting Championship

Indian wrestler Sangram Singh became the first Indian male wrestler to win an MMA (mixed martial arts) fight at the Gama International Fighting Championship Tbilisi in Georgia.

Commonwealth heavyweight wrestling champion Sangram won in a 90-second match against the Pakistani opponent, Ali Raza Nasir.

Moreover, Sangram also registered the fastest win ever by an Indian fighter in the 93 kg division in the championship.

Exp. Lando Norris wins Singapore Grand Prix

Formula One title contender Lando Norris led from pole to chequered flag to win the Singapore Grand Prix, narrowing the gap to championship leader Max Verstappen, who was second.

It was the McLaren driver’s third career GP win and his first from pole at his sixth attempt.

His McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri finished third to extend their lead over Red Bull in the constructors’ championship.

Recent 2024 F1 Grand Prix Winner

• Azerbaijan Grand Prix – McLaren’s Oscar Piastri (Australia)
• Italian Grand Prix – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Monaco)
• Dutch Grand Prix – McLaren’s Lando Norris (British)
• Hungarian Grand Prix F2 – Kush Maini (India)
• Belgian Grand Prix – Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton (UK)
• Hungarian Grand Prix – McLaren’s Oscar Piastri (Australia)
• British Grand Prix – Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton (UK)
• Austrian Grand Prix – Mercedes’s George Russell (UK)
• Spanish Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Canadian Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Monaco Grand Prix – Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (Monaco)
• Emilia Romagna Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Miami Grand Prix – McLaren’s Lando Norris (British)
• Chinese Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Japanese Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Australian Grand Prix – Ferrari’s Carlos Saina (Spain)
• Saudi Arabian Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)
• Bahrain Grand Prix – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen (Netherlands)

Exp. Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko, Nikolai Chub set new record for longest single mission aboard ISS

Russian cosmonauts Oleg Kononenko and Nikolai Chub have set a new record for the longest single mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

Kononenko and Chub broke the previous record for the longest continuous stay in space, which was set by cosmonauts Sergei Prokopyev, Dmitry Petelin, and NASA astronaut Francisco Rubio.

The three set the previous record last year by spending 370 days aboard the International Space Station. Kononenko and Chub returned to Earth on the Soyuz MS-25 spacecraft, after spend a record 374 days in space.

Exp. Laapataa Ladies picked as official entry for 97th Oscars Awards

The Hindi comedy film ‘Laapataa Ladies’, produced by Amir Khan and Kiran Rao and directed by Kiran Rao, has been chosen to be India’s official entry for the International Feature Film Category at the 97th Academy Awards 2025 (popularly known as the Oscars).

The international Feature film category is for the country-selected feature film. The Hindi film Laapataa Ladies was chosen by a 13-member jury of the Film Federation of India, headed by renowned Assamese Director Jahnu Barua.

The 97th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on 2nd March 2025 in Los Angeles, United States of America.

Last year, the superhit Malayalam film “2018: Everyone’s a Hero” was India’s official entry for the 96th Oscar Award 2024.

Indian films nominated for Oscar Award

• 57 Indian films including Laapataa Ladies, have been nominated for the ‘International Feature Film Category at the Oscars. Mehboob Khan’s directed film Mother India was the first Indian film to be nominated for an Oscar in 1957.
• Only three Indian films, Mother India (1958), Salaam Bombay (1989), and Lagaaan (2001), have made the final list of Oscar nominees.
• None of the Indian films has won the Best International Feature Film category award at the Oscars.

Exp. 22 September – World Rhino Day

World Rhino Day is celebrated annually on September 22 to raise awareness about the Rhinoceros and the urgent need for their conservation.

It serves as a global platform to highlight the critical threats rhinos face, including poaching and habitat loss, while recognizing the efforts of individuals and organizations dedicated to protecting these majestic animals.

Theme 2024 – Keep the Five Alive

The day also emphasizes the importance of preserving rhino populations for ecological balance, cultural heritage, and future generations. It is a call to unite in the fight for rhino conservation worldwide.

The Indian rhino is the largest of the three Asian species and shares its single-horn characteristic with the Javan rhino.

Exp. 23 September – International Day of Sign Languages

The International Day of Sign Languages is an annual event observed on September 23 globally.

The day is marked to raise awareness about the rights of the deaf community and other sign language users.

Theme 2024 – Sign up for Sign Language Rights

The choice of 23 September is the same date that the World Federation of the Deaf was established in 1951. The International Day of Sign Languages was first celebrated in 2018 as part of the International Week of the Deaf.