Current Affairs for BANK, IBPS Exams - 24 September 2021

::National::

World's tallest electric vehicle charging station inaugurated at Kaza, Himachal Pradesh

The world’s highest charging station for electric vehicles was inaugurated at Kaza in Spiti today. MahenderPratap Singh, SDM, inaugurated it. It was set up by goEgo company.
The SDM said the inauguration of the charging station would play a crucial role in protecting the environment of the area. Travellers using electric vehicles would be able to avail charging facilities at Kaza.
On a trial basis, two electric scooters were charged successfully.
In official of the company said two workers of the firm arrived at Kaza from Manali on an electric scooty. During the trip, scooty was charged at three places. They did not face any trouble reaching Kaza.

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::International::

WHO revises air quality norms

The World Health Organisation (WHO) released a revised Global Air Quality Guidelines on Wednesday, announcing more stringent limits for six pollutant categories —particulate matter (PM), ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sulfur dioxide (SO2) and carbon monoxide (CO).
The latest WHO guidelines provide clear evidence of the damage air pollution inflicts on human health, at even lower concentrations than previously understood. The guidelines recommend new air quality levels to protect the health of populations, by reducing levels of key air pollutants, some of which also contribute to climate change.
“Air pollution is a threat to health in all countries, but it hits people in low- and middle-income countries the hardest,” said WHO Director-General TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus said at the virtual launch of the guidelines.
“WHO’s new Air Quality Guidelines are an evidence-based and practical tool for improving the quality of the air on which all life depends. I urge all countries and all those fighting to protect our environment to put them to use to reduce suffering and save lives,” he further said.
Since the WHO’s last 2005 global update, there has been a marked increase of evidence that shows how air pollution affects different aspects of health. Taking cognisance of these factors, the WHO has adjusted almost all the air quality norms downwards, warning that exceeding the new air quality guideline levels is associated with significant risks to health. At the same time, however, adhering to them could save millions of lives.

::Economy::

PFRDA (Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority) to observe NPS (National Pension System) day on 1st October

The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) haskickstarted a campaign under ‘AzadiKaAmritMahotsav’.
The Pension Regulator will be observing 1st October 2021 as the National Pension System Diwas (NPS Diwas) to promote pension and retirement planning for a carefree ‘azad’ retirement. PFRDA is promoting this campaign on its social media platforms with #npsdiwas.
The pension regulator aims to encourage every citizen (working professionals and self-employed professionals) to plan towards creating a financial cushion to ensure for onself a financially sound future after retirement. NPS subscribers will enjoy the benefits, power of compounding now and reap many of the benefits after retirement.
PFRDA Chairperson ShriSupratimBandyopadhyay said: “We are happy to announce October 1 as NPS Diwas, especially for pension and retirement planning.
We are excited to be a part of the AzadiKaAmritMahotsav of the Government. Through this campaign, we want to create awareness about pension planning among the public.
As a regulatory body, our foremost aim is to cover all eligible citizens under a pension scheme to fulfil the vision of a pensioned society for India.”

Defense Ministry places order for supply of 118 main battle tanks Arjun Mk-1A for Indian Army

The DefenceMinistry sealed a contract to procure 118 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) Arjun for the Indian Army at a cost of Rs 7,523 crore, in a major move to boost its combat capabilities.
The defence ministry placed the order for the Arjuna Mk-1A tanks with the Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi, Chennai.
Prime Minister NarendraModi had handed over an MBT Arjun Mk-1A to Army Chief General M.M. Naravane in Chennai on February 14, 2021.
The MBT Mk-1A is a new variant of Arjun Tank designed to enhance firepower, mobility and survivability, infused with 72 new features and more indigenous content from the Mk-1 variant.
"The Ministry of Defence (MoD) placed an order with Heavy Vehicles Factory (HVF), Avadi, Chennai for supply of 118 Main Battle Tanks (MBTs) Arjun Mk-1A for the Indian Army on September 23," the ministry said in a statement.
"The order, worth Rs 7,523 crore, will provide further boost to the 'Make in India' initiative in defence sector and is a big step towards achieving 'Aatmanirbhar Bharat'," it said.

::Science and tech::

Moon crater named after Matthew Henson

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 came from Jordan Bretzfelder, an Exploration Science summer intern with the Lunar and Planetary Institute, in Houston, TX, which is a member of the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, headquartered at NASA's Ames Research Center in California's Silicon Valley.
"Creating an inclusive community and achieving equity in the sciences begins by recognizing the contributions of people from all backgrounds," said Bretzfelder, who is a PhD student at the University of California Los Angeles. "It felt like a disservice that Henson hasn’t been appropriately recognized for his contributions to polar science, and I'm proud to be a part of rectifying that."
In NASA's missions , putting the diverse backgrounds of humanity at the forefront of space exploration is a core part of the agency's values. Located between Sverdrup and de Gerlache craters at the south pole of the Moon, Henson Crater is in the same region the Artemis program aims to land the next slate of lunar explorers, which will be selected from NASA’s increasingly diverse astronaut pool.
NASA’s Artemis program provides a cornerstone both to study planetary processes and to create the infrastructure to advance human exploration at the Moon and then Mars – a fitting continuation of the incredible journeys Earth explorers like Henson took over a century ago.
Bretzfelder spent her internship working with David Kring of the Lunar and Planetary Institute, mapping out potential landing sites for future Artemis missions at the Moon's south pole with collaborating students Indujaa Ganesh of the University of Arizona, NanditaKumari of Stony Brook University, and Antonio Lang of the State University of New York at Buffalo.

::Sports::

Struggling Barcelona held to draw again in Spanish league

Barcelona's ongoing crisis keeps getting worse, with the team unable to win on the field and the club's players, coach and president growing increasingly at odds.
Barcelona was held to a 0-0 draw by Cádiz in the Spanish league, extending its winless streak to three matches and adding pressure on Coach Ronald Koeman.
Koeman a day earlier surprisingly read from a prepared statement in the pre-match news conference and downplayed the team’s chances of winning titles this season.
Players didn't hide the fact they were not on the same page.