Important Current Affairs 21st September 2019

INTERNATIONAL:

US sanctions Iran's central bank in highest ever sanctions on a nation.

• US President Donald Trump announced a new round of sanctions against Iran's central bank, calling the new penalties the highest sanctions ever imposed on a country. His remarks came days after he ordered to substantially increase sanctions on Iran. The sanctions come after the US blamed Iran for the drone attacks on two Saudi oil facilities last week.

The latest sanctions action against Tehran affected the last source of funds for Iran.The action comes after Washington accused Iran for the weekend attacks on Saudi oil refineries.

He ordered the Treasury Department to substantially increase sanctions on the country.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif blasted the new round of sanctions.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi that the sanctions against Iran's Central Bank are nothing new, but same old bans in a different form. The US to accept that the policy of sanctions is a failed one.

AGREEMENTS AND MOUS:

India and Mongolia signed MoUs on space cooperation.

•  India and Mongolia signed MoUs on space cooperation and disaster management during the visit of the Mongolian President in India. The aim of the MoU is to provide a new dimension to the India-Mongolia strategic partnership.

Highlights of various MoU:

The agreements will allow India to lend its support to Mongolia in resource management and satellite communication. The space cooperation between the countries will lead to the peaceful exploration of outer space and include remote sensing, weather forecasting, and disaster management. The MoU would provide a framework to expand mutual cooperation among the countries.

Other agreements:

♦ Another MoU was signed between the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of Mongolia and the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) of India for disaster risk reduction.

♦ The two countries took stock of the project to build a Cyber Security Training Centre to be established in Mongolia with Indian support.

♦ The military exercises between India and Mongolia named Nomadic Elephant and Khaan Quest are expected to be broadened.

♦ India will continue to help Mongolia with capacity building and training programmes for its citizens across diverse professions. India and Mongolia signed MoUs on space cooperation.

DAYS:

International Day of Peace is observed on 21 September.

• United Nations International Day of Peace is observed on September 21.

International Day of Peace 2019: Theme

The theme of International Day of Peace 2019 is Climate Action for Peace.

The theme focuses on the need of combating climate change as a way to protect and promote peace throughout the world. The climate change causes clear threats to international peace and security. Due to natural disasters millions of people are forced to leave their homes and seek safety. The food security is hampering by the salinization of water and crops.

International Day of Peace: History

The International Day of Peace established by the UN resolution on 1981. First time it was celebrated in 1982. It was celebrated on the third Tuesday of September each year. The main focus of declaring 21 September day as International Day of Peace is to encourage people to work in cooperation and to maintain worldwide peace.

In 2015, the United Nations member States adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals because it was understood that to obtain worldwide peace it is necessary to focus on the economic and social development for all people everywhere and to ensure that their rights were protected. The various issues are covered in the Sustainable Development Goals including poverty, health, education, climate change, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, environment and social justice.

The Sustainable Development Goal 13 focuses on Climate Action, need for immediate call to all to lower greenhouse gas emissions, to build resilience and improve education on climate change. There is a need to encourage people about the use of renewable energy, clean technologies.

Every year UN International Day of Peace is celebrated to encourage people about worldwide peace which can be achieved by focusing on and understanding the factors of climate change.

SPORTS:

Bajrang Punia won a bronze medal at the World Wrestling Championships.

• Bajrang Punia bagged the bronze medal in the World Wrestling Championships.

He defeated Mongolia's Tulga Tumur Ochir 8-7 to clinch the medal in the 65 kg weight category.

The wrestler was trailing to win in the match.

The 25-year-old had secured a spot for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after an impressive 8-1 win over North Korea's Jong Son in the tournament.

 Vinesh Phogat became the first Indian wrestler to qualify for the upcoming global games.

He booked her place in the 53kg category. She bagged back-to-back gold medals in the 2014 and 2018 Commonwealth Games.

In the 2018 Asian Games, she clinched a gold medal in the 50kg category.

World Wrestling Championships

World Wrestling Championships are the Amateur Wrestling World Championships organized by the United World Wrestling.

The Men's Greco-Roman Wrestling tournament began in 1904, and the Men's Freestyle Wrestling tournament began in 1951.

The Women's Freestyle championships were first staged in 1987.