Important Current Affairs of 12th July

NATIONAL:

ICSI launches UDIN to improve corporate governance

• Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) rolled out an initiative in the form of a Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN)

• The main aim is to pursue a heightened sense of self-governance and strengthen the practicing side of company secretaries.

• UDIN will provide ease of maintaining a register of attestation and certification services. The ICSI functions under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

The second edition of India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue 2019 held in New Delhi

• The second India-Russia Strategic Economic Dialogue (IRSED) 2019 held

The function was held in New Delhi.

• Aim: The bilateral cooperation between the two countries.The various fields was chaired by Rajiv Kumar, Vice-Chairman of India’s think tank, National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, and Russia’s Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Timur Maksimov.

• The main areas of cooperation include Development of transport infrastructure and technologies Development of agriculture and agro-Processing sector Small and Medium business support Digital Transformation and Frontier Technologies Cooperation in Trade, Banking, Finance, and Industry Tourism & Connectivity.

INTERNATIONAL:

Airtel Africa has been listed as the third-largest stock on the bourse by market value

• Airtel Africa has been listed as the third-largest stock on the bourse by market value. On 9 June, Nigerian Stock Exchange reported that the Airtel Africa has a 1.36 trillion naira ($4.4 bn) flotation. Airtel Africa operates across 14 African countries.

• The listing comes after Airtel's main rival, South Africa’s MTN, listed its Nigerian unit in Lagos in May in a $6.5 billion float.  South Africa’s MTN is in the second-largest stock on the bourse by market value.

• The shares of Airtel Africa climbed 10% from their listing price of 363 naira after the float went live. The company, owned 68.3% by India’s Bharti Airtel, offered shares in its African unit via a London IPO and dual list in Nigeria.

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

NASA awarded Imaging Xray polarimetry explorer (IXPE) mission to SpaceX

• NASAhas awarded a contract to SpaceX to launch NASA’s Imaging Xray polarimetry explorer (IXPE) mission,a groundbreaking astrophysics mission. The mission aims to uncover the mysteries behind black holes and neutron stars.

The cost estimated for the mission is $50.3 million. The mission plans to launch three space telescopes. These telescopes will be capable of analyzing the polarization of cosmic X-rays. The IXPE mission is expected to be launched from the Kennedy Space Centre in April 2021.

About IXPE:

The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) will get information regarding thepolarization state of light from astrophysical sources. This will provide insight into the X-ray production in objects such as neutron stars and pulsar wind nebulae, as well as stellar and supermassive black holes.

The launch mass of IXPE is 320 kilograms. IXPE will be launched over SpaceX FALCON 9 which is capable of launching 22,800 kilograms to low Earth orbit (LEO).There will also be excess payload capacity at launch.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION:

MN Rao appointed DG of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard

• The central government appointed M Nageswar Rao, Additional Director of CBI as the Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guard. He will continue to hold the post till superannuation in July 2020.

• He will replace former CBI Chief Alok Verma.The Supreme Court held Rao guilty of Contempt of Court for transferring the investigating officer heading the probe in Muzaffarpur shelter home case in violation of the orders of Apex Court.