Current Affairs in English – September 18 2022

September 18 , 2022

National Events:

Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav:

• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on 17 Sept 2022 launched a 15 – day blood donation drive on the occasion of PM Modi’s birthday.
• This drive has been called the ‘ Raktdaan Amrit Mahotsav ‘ which will continue till 1 Oct 2022 which is also National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. Over 87,000 people donated blood on the first day of the blood donation drive , which is a ” world record “.

UNGA:

• External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar will visit the US from 18th to 28th Sept 2022 to participate in the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly ( UNGA ).
• He will address the High – Level Session of the 77th UNGA on 24th September. The theme of the 77th UNGA is ” A Watershed Moment : Transformative Solutions to Interlocking Challenges “.

Global Crypto Adoption Index:

• India with an index score of 0.663 , stood at 4th in the 2022 Global Crypto Adoption Index. Vietnam is ranked first with an overall index ranking 1.000. In the 2021 edition of the index , India had stood at the second position , just behind Vietnam.
• This index , published by crypto analysis firm Chainalysis , tracks countries adopting cryptocurrencies or investing in digital assets.

IndusInd Bank:

• IndusInd Bank has re – appointed Sumant Kathpalia as managing director and chief executive officer of the bank for three years with effect from March 24 , 2023.
• Prior to joining IndusInd Bank , Kathpalia had stints with Citibank , Bank of America and ABN Amro. IndusInd Bank HQ : Mumbai. Founder : S. P. Hinduja. Founded : 1994.

International Events:

SCO:

• The rotational presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization ( SCO ) was handed over to India in Samarkand , Uzbekistan on 16 September 2022. India will hold the presidency of the grouping for a year until September 2023.
• The next meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of State will be held in 2023 in India. Iran will also become a permanent member of SCO in 2023 under the presidency of India.

World Bamboo Day : 18 September:

• World Bamboo Day is celebrated every year on September 18. This day is celebrated globally to spread awareness about bamboo conservation & to promote the global bamboo industry. The bamboo plant is known for being one of the fastest – growing plants in the world.
• After China , India is the second largest cultivator of bamboo in the entire world. World Bamboo Day was first celebrated in 2009.

Rashid-2:

• The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre ( MBRSC ) of the UAE and the China National Space Agency ( CNSA ) have signed an MoU to work together on the UAE’s moon missions. This agreement marks the first joint space project between the two countries.
• Under the project , the UAE will develop a rover named Rashid – 2 & China will help it with the landing , data transmission , observation , and control.

Sports Events:

Pranav Anand:

• 15 – year – old Pranav Anand has become India’s 76th Grandmaster ( GM ). He achieved this feat after crossing the 2,500 Elo mark in the ongoing World Youth Chess Championship in Romania on 15 Sept 2022.
• In July 2021 , 12 – year – old Abhimanyu Mishra of US became the world’s youngest chess Grandmaster.