Important Current Affairs 25th September 2021

INTERNATIONAL

Hungary: Statue honouring mysterious Bitcoin founder unveiled

• Hungary has unveiled the statue of Bitcoin founder Satoshi Nakamoto. The imposing bronze statue was unveiled in Hungary’s capital, Budapest. This is the first such statue across the world to pay homage to the creator of Bitcoin digital currency. It has been constructed in a business park near the Danube River in Budapest. The bust sits atop a stone plinth and is also engraved with the name of Satoshi Nakamoto, who is the pseudonym of the mysterious developer of Bitcoin whose true identity is still unknown.

• Statue has been created by Reka Gergely and Tamas Gilly. They have portrayed a human form and have stayed true to the anonymity of Nakamoto, the person nobody knows how do they look like.

World's highest electric vehicle charging station inaugurated in India's northern Himachal state

• The world’s highest electric vehicle charging station has been inaugurated in Kaza village of Lahaul and Spiti district in Himachal Pradesh. The electric vehicle charging station is set up at a height of 500 ft. The aim of this initiative is to check vehicular pollution and promote electric vehicles for a clean and green environment in the region. India is gaining good momentum in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem.

• There is a good response for battery-operated small electric vehicles like e-scooter, electric three-wheelers, e-rickshaws, e-carts, and e-bikes in the country. Both battery electric vehicle and fuel cell vehicle technologies are complementary to each other and are all set to overtake fossil-run automotive by 2050 in the country.

Apple Co-Founder Is Launching A Space Startup

• Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak speaks during a press conference on the sidelines of the World of Business Ideas forum in Bogota, Colombia, 06 June 2018. During the event Wozniak stated that digital privacy must be a priority for big tech companies for the security of users. EPA/MAURICIO DUENAS CASTANEDA

• Apple’s co-creator Steve Wozniak has launched a new space start-up called Privateer Space, bringing potential competition to a field dominated by billionaires Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Richard Branson. Privateer will be represented at the Advanced Maui Optical and Space Surveillance Technologies Conference, scheduled to run from September 14-17 in Hawaii.

• The global space economy, which has attracted many top companies such as Tesla and Amazon, involves various activities such as research and development, space tourism and the utilisation of space. Bank of America predicts the space economy will have more than tripled in size by 2030, with a $1.4 trillion market value.

Lunar Crater named after Matthew Henson by International Astronomical Union

• The International Astronomical Union has named a crater at the Moon’s south pole after the Arctic explorer Matthew Henson, a Black man who in 1909 was one of the first people to stand at the very top of the world. The proposal to name the crater after Henson was put forward by Jordan Bretzfelder who is an Exploration Science summer intern with Lunar & Planetary Institute, in Houston.

• Artemis Programme was launched by NASA which aims to land the next slate of lunar explorers on the Henson Crater. They will be selected from NASA’s increasingly diverse astronaut pool. Henson Crater is located between Sverdrup and de Gerlache craters at the south pole of the Moon. This program provides a cornerstone to study planetary processes as well as to create the infrastructure to advance human exploration at the Moon and on Mars.

NATIONAL

PM Modi to announce nationwide rollout of Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will announce the nationwide roll-out of the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM), which has been renamed as Pradhan Mantri Digital Health Mission (PM-DHM), on September 27. Under this, a unique digital health ID will be provided to the people, which will contain all the health records of the person. The id will be created using details such as Aadhaar and the user’s mobile number.

• The initiative will be rolled out on the final day of Arogya Manthan, which was kicked off to mark the third anniversary of the government’s flagship health insurance scheme — Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana.

• The project is currently in its pilot phase in the Union territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.

SPORTS

Odisha to host FIH Hockey Men's Junior World Cup 2021

• Odisha will host the Men’s Hockey Junior World Cup at the Kalinga Stadium here from November 24 to December 5. Hockey India had recently approached the Odisha government to support them for the Men’s Junior World Cup to be held in two months time. Patnaik also unveiled the logo and the trophy for the event. Lucknow had hosted the tournament’s last edition in 2016 where India claimed the honours.

• At the upcoming event, 16 nations will vie for the title. The participating teams are India, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, South Africa, Egypt, Belgium, England, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, USA, Canada, Chile and Argentina.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Antyodaya Divas 2021:  25th  September

• In India, the Antyodaya Diwas is observed every year on September 25, to mark the birth anniversary of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya. Antyodaya means “uplifting the poorest of the poor” or “rise of the last person”. The day was declared by the Modi Government on September 25, 2014, and officially celebrated since 2015.

• Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, born in Mathura in 1916 was one of the key leaders of Bharatiya Jana Sangh from which the BJP later emerged. He was the leader of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh from 1953 to 1968.

• Deendayal Upadhyaya was a humanist, economist, journalist, philosopher and abled statesman.

• Deendayal Upadhyaya was introduced to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) by his classmate named Baluji Mahashabde.

World Pharmacist Day 2021: 25th September

• World Pharmacist Day is observed globally on 25th September every year. This day is celebrated to create awareness about the role of a pharmacist in improving health. The day was an initiative of the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) along with the council of this organization. This year’s theme is “Pharmacy: Always trusted for your health“.

• The day was designated in 2009 by the FIP Council (International Pharmaceutical Federation or Federation Internationale Pharmaceutique) at the World Congress of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Istanbul, Turkey. The purpose of the day is to draw attention to pharmacies and the positive benefits they offer when it comes to health and FIP encourages all its members to participate to make the event a success.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Audiobook ‘Jungle Nama’ released by Amitav Ghosh

• Amitav Ghosh’s “Jungle Nama” has now been released as an audiobook with music and voice of US-based Ali Sethi. Jungle Nama evokes the wonder of the Sundarban through its poetry, accompanied by stunning artwork by the renowned artist Salman Toor. This is an illuminated edition of a fabulous folk tale that every book lover will want to possess.

• Jungle Nama is Amitav Ghosh’s verse adaptation of an episode from the legend of Bon Bibi, a tale popular in the villages of the Sundarban, which also lies at the heart of the novel The Hungry Tide. It is the story of the avaricious rich merchant Dhona, the poor lad Dukhey, and his mother; it is also the story of Dokkhin Rai, a mighty spirit who appears to humans as a tiger, of Bon Bibi, the benign goddess of the forest, and her warrior brother Shah Jongoli.

BANKING AND ECONOMIC

Bharat Petroleum, SBI Card Launch Co-Branded RuPay Credit Card

• Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) and SBI Card have joined hands to launch the ‘BPCL SBI Card co-branded RuPay Contactless Credit Card, offering fuel and other benefits. The card will provide rewarding fuel savings and other benefits to the customers. Cardholders will also get accelerated savings on other categories of spends, which include groceries, departmental stores, dining, and movies.

• As per the details revealed, users of BPCL SBI Card RuPay will get 13X reward points on every ₹100 spent on fuel purchases at BPCL petrol pumps and 1% fuel surcharge waiver on every transaction up to ₹4,000.

• This will translate to a 4.25% value back. Customers using this card will earn 2,000 activation bonus reward points worth ₹500 on payment of the joining fee.