17th September 2018 Current Affairs-Bitwise

International

• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu leaves for Malta after completing his three days visit to Serbia Current Affairs
• Vice President Venkaiah Naidu on 16th September, 2018 left for Malta after completing his three days visit to Serbia.
• The Vice President will attend the Indian Community reception on his arrival in Malta
• Also he will hold delegation level talks with the President of Malta, Ms. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca and witness signing of MoUs on mutual cooperation on 17th September, 2018.
• He will participate in a meeting with the speaker of the House of Representatives Dr. Anglu Farrugia and hold delegation level talks.
• He will also hold delegation level talks with the acting Prime Minister Mr. Evarist Bartolo.

National

• ISRO successfully launches PSLV C 42 with two British earth observation satellites
• Indian Space Research Organisation successfully launched PSLV C 42 with two British earth observation satellites NovaSAR and S1-4 in precision at 10.08 pm from the Sathish Dhawan Space Centre Sriharikota.
• The satellites were put into sun synchronous orbit just over 17 minutes after lift off from the first launch pad. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated ISRO scientists for successful launch of 2 UK satellites.
• With the successful launch of two British satellites on 16th September, 2018, the total number of foreign satellites launched by India goes up to 239. The 44.4 metres launch vehicle weighing 230.4 tons, blasted off from the first launch pad and soared into the sky with fierce orange flame at its tail lighting up the night skies.
• India has been sending foreign satellites belonging to international customers from 29 countries through PSLV. More commercial ventures are expected for nano satellites are expected in the future. Presently there is an order of 980 crore Rupees for this fiscal and next fiscal.

HM Rajnath Singh to inaugurate pilot project of smart fencing along Indo-Pak Border in Jammu on 17th September

• Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate pilot project’ of smart fencing’ along the Indo-Pak International Border in Jammu on 17th September, 2018.
• The Union Home Minister is also scheduled to visit Command Control Centres’ and Border Out Posts’ along the Indo-Pak
• International Border in Jammu sector and review the prevailing security situation.
• The Home Minister will also address the Sainik Sammelan' at BSF Frontier Headquarters in Jammu.
• The Union Home Minister will reach BSF Headquarters at Ploura in Jammu in the morning and after formally launching the initiative taken by the force’ as a part of the Comprehensive Integrated Border Management System’ there, hold high-level review of situation prevailing along the International Border (IB) in Jammu region with top brass of BSF.
• The pilot projects of smart fencing, features which will virtually make it impossible for the terrorists to breach it and infiltrate into the Indian Territory, have been installed at two places along the International Border in Jammu.

• India calls for expediting finalization of draft CCIT to fight terrorism
• India has called for expediting the finalization of the draft Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism (CCIT) to fight the scourge of terrorism.
• Artificial distinction created between good and bad terrorism is the most serious threat in today's world which can be defeated by organised international action.
• Terming terrorism as one of the foremost threats to international peace and security, Mr Venkaiah Naidu said, there is an urgent need to strengthen the global counter terrorism framework to combat the menace.
• The Vice President also said, Serbia shares India's views on United Nations Security Council reforms. He also expressed happiness for Serbia's support to India's membership to the Nuclear Suppliers Group.
• During the visit, vice president met top leaders of Serbia, including President Aleksander Vucic. He also met members of the business community and addressed the National Assembly.
• Though, trade and people to people engagement between the two countries is relatively small, but both leadership have shown strong desire to strengthen the economic, cultural and political relations.
• Indigenously developed weapon system 'MPATGM' successfully flight tested for second time
• Indigenously developed weapon system Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM), was successfully flight tested for the second time from the Ahmednagar range on 16th September, 2018. All the mission objectives have been met.
• The two missions have been successfully flight tested for different ranges including the maximum range capability.
• Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman congratulated the team DRDO, Indian Army and associated Industries for the twin success of MPATGM.

Sports

• World Champion Kevin Mayer sets new world record in Decathlon at Talence in France
• World champion Kevin Mayer set a new world record in the decathlon with 9,126 pointsat the Decastar meet on 16th September, 2018 at the Decastar event in Talence, France.
• World champion and Olympic silver medalist Mayer surpassed previous holder American Ashton Eaton’s 9045 points recorded at the 2015 world championships in Beijing.
• The Frenchman threw a personal best of 71.90 metres in the javelin in ultimate event to leave him with the relatively simple task of needing to finish inside 4 minutes 49 seconds in the 1500 metres to beat the previous record.
• The 26-year-old finished it in just outside four minutes 36 seconds, to become just the third decathlete to surpass the mythical 9,000-point barrier. He joined double Olympic champion Eaton and Czech icon Roman Sebrle.