Important Current Affairs 24th September 2018 English

National News
Three states Bag Award of Three Best Performing States in “Ease of Living Index” Under Amrut
 
Andhra Pradesh has topped the charts among States in terms of “Ease of Living Index” rankings launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA). 
It was followed by Odisha and Madhya Pradesh.  The three States were awarded the three best performing States under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) at the National Dissemination Workshop on Ease of Living Index, 2018. 

PM inaugurates Pakyong Airport, as air connectivity reaches Sikkim
 
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Pakyong Airport in Sikkim. This is the first airport in the Himalayan State, and the 100th airport in the country.
Pakyong Airport
Pakyong Airport is a Greenfield airport near Gangtok, the state capital of Sikkim, India. The airport, spread over 400 ha (990 acres), is located at Pakyong village about 35km (22 mi) south of Gangtok. 
At 4500 ft, Pakyong Airport is one of the five highest airports in India. It is also the first Greenfield airport to be constructed in the Northeastern Region of India, the 100th operational airport in India, and the only airport in the state of Sikkim.

Inauguration of Two-day National Orientation workshop on National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA)
 
Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Shri  Arjun Ram Meghwal presided over the Inaugural Session of the two-day National Orientation workshop on National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA), organized by Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs.
NeVA  (NeVA-mobile app)
The NeVA (NeVA-mobile app) is a device neutral and user friendly app that has made information on conduct of business in Legislatures accessible anytime, anywhere to everyone. 
It is a work-flow based app deployed in Cloud (Meghraj) which helps the Chair of the House to conduct the proceedings of the House smoothly and the members to carry out their duties in the House efficiently. 
NeVA-mobile App is available for download from Play store and App store for Android and iOS mobiles respectively. 

Centenary celebrations of 'Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha'
 
President Ram Nath Kovind has inaugurated the centenary celebrations of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha in New Delhi. 
Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha
Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha is an organisation whose main goal is to improve Hindi literacy among the non-Hindi speaking people of South India. The headquarters are located at Thanikachalam Road, T. Nagar, and Chennai.

Science and Space News
Miniature human oesophagus grown in lab
 
In a first, scientists have successfully grown oesophageal organoids -- miniature, functional versions of the human food pipe -- using stem cells, paving the way for new ways to study and test drugs against gut disorders.
The research, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, shows how human oesophageal tissue was grown entirely from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), which can form any tissue type in the body.
The oesophagus is a long, muscular tube that connects your mouth to your stomach. It's around 25cm (10in) long in adults. When you swallow food, the walls of the oesophagus squeeze together (contract). This moves the food down the oesophagusto the stomach.

International News
India, Nepal agree to use satellite images in boundary survey work
 
India and Nepal have agreed to explore the possibility of using high-resolution satellite images in boundary survey work. 

During the 5th meeting of Nepal-India Boundary Working Group (BWG) in Kathmandu, both sides also agreed to continue mapping of No man’s land encroachment and cross-border occupation. 

Oscars 2019: Assamese film is India's official entry
 
Assamese film 'Village Rockstars' has been selected as India's official entry to Oscars 2019 in the Foreign Language Film category.
The announcement was made by Kannada filmmaker Rajendra Singh Babu, the Head of the Committee.

Day & Dates News
‘International Day of Sign Languages’ celebrated on 23rd September
 
“International Day of Sign Languages” was celebrated by Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC) under Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment on 23rd September. 
International Day of Sign Languages
International Day of Sign Languages is celebrated annually across the world on 23 September every year along with International Week of the Deaf. The choice of 23 September is the same date that the WFD was established in 1951. The theme of International Day of Sign Languages is "With Sign Language, Everyone is Included!” With Sign Language, Everyone is Included! IDSL held today, along with IW Deaf, which runs between Monday, September 24 and Sunday, September 30, 2018.