CURRENT AFFAIRS SEPTEMBER 21ST by exampreparationdaily

International Day of Peace: 21 September

The International Day of Peace, also known as World Peace Day, is a United Nations-sanctioned day observed annually on 21 September.

• It is dedicated to world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence, such as might be occasioned by a temporary ceasefire in a combat zone for humanitarian aid access.
• The day was first celebrated in 1981 and is kept by many nations, political groups, military groups, and people.

PM Modi, Mongolian President unveil Lord Buddha statue in Mongolia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mongolian President Khaltmaagiin Battulga jointly unveiled Lord Buddha statue.

• They unveiled the statue via video-conferencing in Delhi.
• The statue is built at Gandan Monastery in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
• Battulga will also participate in an India-Mongolia Business Forum in New Delhi.

Modi to embark on a seven-day visit to the US

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will embark on a seven-day visit to the United States.

• During his visit, Mr Modi will be in Houston and New York and address the United Nations General Assembly on 27th of this month.
• Prime Minister will address the Indian community on 22nd of this month and President Donald Trump will also be there.
• On 24th September, India will organize an event to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in the UN.
• During the visit, Mr Modi will also be honoured with Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's Global Goalkeeper's Award for his leadership in the field of sanitation through Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.

Ooty to host 2nd flower festival during North-East Monsoon

Udhagamandalam-Ooty- in Tamilnadu will be hosting the second flower festival of the year during the North-East Monsoon in October and November.

• Preparatory works for the elaborate exhibition of colourful and fragrant flowers have started in the famous Botanical Gardens in Udhagamandalam.
• More than eighty-five exotic varieties, including predominantly English flowers like Dahlia, Merigold, Calendula and Daisy will be exhibited during the festival.
• Flower plants are being replanted in two and a half lakh small pots, which will be kept in environmentally ideal conditions to ensure that the maximum number of flowers are ready by the time of the month-long festival.

Meeting of Northern Zonal Council chaired by Home Minister Amit Shah begins

The meeting of the Northern Zonal Council under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister Amit Shah began.

• The Northern Zonal Council comprises Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and National Capital Territory of Delhi.
• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar is the vice-chairman and host of the meeting.
• The council will discuss the issues pertaining to boundary disputes, security, infrastructure, transport, industries, water, power, housing, education, food security, tourism and forests and environment.

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana crosses one crore beneficiaries

Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY) has achieved a significant milestone by crossing one crore beneficiaries.

• The PMMVY is a direct benefit transfer scheme under which cash benefits are provided to pregnant women in their bank account directly to meet enhanced nutritional needs and partially compensate for wage loss.
• The scheme, under which the beneficiaries receive a cash benefit of five thousand rupees in three instalments, was launched on 1st of January in 2017.
• The eligible beneficiaries also receive cash incentive under Janani Suraksha Yojana.

Corporate tax rates slashed to 22% for domestic companies

Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitaraman announced that corporate tax rates have been slashed to 22% for domestic companies and 15% for new domestic manufacturing companies.

• This relief in tax has been done through an ordinance to make certain amendments in the Income-tax Act 1961 and the Finance (No. 2) Act 2019.
• The effective rate for domestic companies shall be 25.17 per cent inclusive surcharge and cess and for new companies (i.e companies incorporated on or after 1st October 2019 with a condition to commence production on or before 31st March 2023) is 17.01 % inclusive of surcharge and cess. 
• The Minister also said that the Government has also decided to expand the scope of Corporate Social Responsibility two per cent spending.

Government notifies 8.65% interest rate for EPFO members

Government has approved 8.65 per cent interest rate on deposits in Employees Provident Fund for 2018-19.

• Ministry of Labour and Employment has notified 8.65 per cent rate of interest on EPF deposits for its over six crore subscribers.
• The EPFO has been settling EPF withdrawal claims at 8.55 per cent interest rate, approved for 2017-18.
• Now, the EPFO will settle accounts on the higher rate of 8.65 per cent for 2018-19.

Amit Panghal becomes first Indian to enter World Men's Championship finals

In Boxing, Asian Champion Amit Panghal became the first Indian to make the finals of the World Men's Championship.

• In 52 kilogram category, second seed Panghal prevailed 3-2 against Kazakhstan's Saken Bibossinov in the last-four stage but Kaushik lost 0-5 to top-seeded Cuban Andy Gomez Cruz in 63-kilogram category.
• Panghal will take on Uzbekistan's Shakhobidin Zoirov, the reigning Olympic champion.
• India had never won more than one bronze medal in a single edition of the world championships but Panghal and Manish Kaushik changed that by making the semifinals.
• The past Indian medal-winners at the world meet are Vijender Singh (2009), Vikas Krishan (2011), Shiva Thapa (2015) and Gaurav Bidhuri (2017).

 Bajrang Punia, Ravi Dahiya qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics

Bajrang Punia and Ravi Dahiya qualified for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics winning their respective quarterfinal matches in World Wrestling Championships at Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan.

• However, they lost their semi-final bouts in the men's freestyle category. 
• Bajrang lost the semi-final home wrestler Daulet Niyazbekov while  Ravi Dahiya lost his match to reigning world champion Zaur Uguev from Russia.
• Vinesh Phogat had already booked an Olympic quota for India in women's 53 kilograms.