Dear Readers, Here we have given the list of Important Weekly Current Affairs of 4th week January 2020. Candidates those who are preparing for Upcoming SBI Clerk 2020 and other competitive exams can make use of it.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DAYS
National Voters’ Day
- The 10th National Voters’ Day (NVD) will be celebrated on 25th January every year since 2011.
- The theme for NVD-2020 is Electoral Literacy for Stronger Democracy
National Tourism Day
- National Tourism Day is observed on 25 January to highlight the importance of tourism for the economy of the country.
International Customs Day
- The International Customs Day (ICD) is held on 26 January every year to recognise the role of customs officials and agencies and focuses on the working conditions and challenges that customs officers face in their jobs.
- Theme 2020: “Customs fostering Sustainability for People, Prosperity and the Planet”.
79th Foundation Day of ‘Income Tax Appellate Tribunal’ (ITAT)
- The Chief Justice of India A. Bobde inaugurated the 79th Foundation Day celebrations and All India Members’ Conference of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal on 24th Jan.
International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust
- International Holocaust Remembrance Day is held on 27 January to commemorate the tragedy of the Holocaust that occurred during the Second World War due to the genocide that resulted in the deaths of 6 million Jews and 11 million others, by the Nazi regime and its collaborators
- Theme 2020: “75 years after Auschwitz – Holocaust Education and Remembrance for Global Justice”
Nation pays homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his 72nd death anniversary, martyrs day
- 30 January is celebrated as Martyr’s Day or Shaeed Diwas every year in the memory of Mahatma Gandhi and sacrifice of three revolutionaries of India.
- As, on 30 January, 1948, the ‘Father of Nation’ was assassinated.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: NATIONAL
Bharat Parv 2020′ begins at Red Fort to celebrate spirit of India
- Bharat Parv 2020, a festival to celebrate the spirit of India has begun at Red Fort ground in New Delhi. It will continue till 31st of this month. The objective of Bharat Parv is to encourage people to visit different tourism places of the country and to inculcate the spirit of ‘DekhoApnaDesh’.
Corona Virus: Government launches 24X7 call centre
- Seven central teams will visit states and designated airports to review the end-to-end preparedness for management and control of Novel Coronavirus in India. These airports are New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and
- The team will consist of a public health expert, a clinician and a microbiologist. The decision was taken by the Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan at a review meeting held in New Delhi.
Union govt working on Delhi-Mumbai electric highway, says NitinGadkari
- Union Transport and Highways Minister NitinGadkari has stated that his ministry is working towards an electric highway.
- The highway from Delhi to Mumbai is under work and the target is to complete this highway before January 26, 2024.
Govt invites bids to sell 100 % stake in Air India
- Government has invited bids to sell its 100 per cent stake in Air India. Issuing the preliminary bid document for the strategic disinvestment , government set the March 17, as the deadline for submitting expression of interest.
- As part of the strategic disinvestment, Air India would also sell 100 per cent stake in low-cost airline Air India Express and 50 per cent shareholding in joint venture AISATS.
Amit Shah to chair Central Zonal Council meeting in Chhattisgarh
- Home Minister Amit Shah will chair the 22nd meeting of the Central Zonal Council at Raipur, in Chhattisgarh. There are five Zonal Councils in the country which were set up in the year 1957.
- Central Zonal Council comprises of four states- Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh.
PM Modi to attend NCC rally in New Delhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the National Cadet Corps, NCC rally at the Cariappa Parade ground in New Delhi. At the event, Prime Minister will inspect the Guard of Honour and review the March Past by the various NCC contingents.
Indian Railways to run 100% on electricity by 2024: Piyush Goyal
- Railways Minister Piyush Goyal on stated that the Indian Railways is expected to switch entirely to electricity by 2024, as it is already shunting diesel locomotives gradually out of service.
- “By the year 2024, the entire Indian Railways to be run 100 per cent on electricity
Jitendra Singh launches Bhuvan Panchayat V3 web Portal
- Union Minister of State for PMO Dr Jitendra Singh launched the Bhuvan Panchayat V3 web Portal that will enhance network application of gram panchayats. The Portal will function with the help of satellite technology developed by ISRO.
VicePrez, PM pay tribute to LalaLajpatRai on his birth anniversary
- Vice President and Prime Minister paid tribute to Punjab Kesari Lala Lajpat Rai on his birth anniversary.
- Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu stated, LalaLajpat Rai was a fierce nationalist and his remarkable and heroic role during the Vandemataram movement and Simon go-back agitation and his patriotism will continue to inspire every Indian.
SC allows introduction of African cheetah in India
- Stating that the rare Indian cheetah is almost extinct in the country, the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) had filed an application seeking permission for the introduction of the African cheetah from Namibia.
- The apex court set up a three-member committee, comprising former director Wildlife of India Ranjit Singh, DG of Wildlife of India Dhananjay Mohan, and DIG, Wildlife, Ministry of Environment and Forests to guide the NTCA in taking a decision on the issue.
2280 crore rupees projects financed under JKIDFC in this financial year in J&K
- IN a major push to development in Jammu and Kashmir, around 1,256 projects worth 2280 crore rupees financed under J&K Infrastructure Development Finance Corporation, are being completed by end of March.
NHRC organise meeting of Statutory Full Commission
- The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) is organising a meeting of a Statutory Full Commission in New Delhi.
- NHRC Chairperson Justice HL Dattu will chair the meeting.
Govt gives nod to amendments in National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 PTI
- The Union Cabinet has approved the amendments in the National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2019 for amending the Homoeopathy Central Council Act, 1973. Presently, the Bill is pending in RajyaSabha
Govt has released seven billion dollars to all states to tackle climate change: Javadekar
- Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar has stated that government has released seven billion dollars to all the states for intensive afforestation activities to tackle Climate Change.
- Addressing the World Sustainable Development Summit 2020 in New Delhi in the last four years India is the only country in the world which have grown its tree cover by 13 thousand square kilometre.
Centre asks banks to collect annual life certificates of its Pensioners from their doorsteps for continued pension
- Centre has decided that pensioners‘ life certificates will be collected from their doorstep, saving them from hassles of visiting pension disbursing banks.
- Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare has taken this landmark step to make life easier for senior citizens to submit their Annual Life Certificate for continued pension.
Nine Judge Constitution Bench of SC to frame issues about discrimination against women in various religions
- The Supreme Court stated, a 9-judge Constitution bench will on February 3 frame issues for deliberation in the matter relating to discrimination against women in various religions and at religious places including Kerala’s Sabarimala Temple.
- A 3-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde stated, the 9-judge bench will go through the issues framed by some arguing lawyers and would try to crystalize the common legal questions to be adjudicated upon by it. It will also fix the hearing schedule.
Govt aims to achieve objective of Housing for All by 2022 under PMAY-G
- Union Government aims to achieve objective of Housing for All by 2022 under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen.
- A total of over one crore 50 lakh rural houses have been completed in the last five years.
Be updated with Daily Current affairs News
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National Human Rights Commission
- Headquarters: New Delhi, India
- Chairman :Justice H. L. Dattu,
- Secretary General :JaideepGovind
Air India:
- CEO: Pradeep Singh Kharola
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Indian Railways:
- Founded :16 April 1853
- Headquarters New Delhi, India
- PiyushGoyal (Minister of Railways)
- Suresh Angadi (Minister of State for Railways)
- Vinod Kumar Yadav (Chairman, Railway Board)
CURRENT AFFAIRS: INTERNATIONAL
Switzerland mints world’s smallest gold coin
- Switzerland state-owned Swissmint has mintedWorld’s smallest gold coin of 2.96 millimeter (0.12 inches). The coin will feature face of scientist Albert Einstein sticking out his tongue.
- It weighs 0.063 grams and has a nominal value of 1/4 Swiss francs (USD United States Dollar- 0.26).
India and Brazil exchange 15 agreements widening areas of cooperation
- India and Brazil inked 15 agreements to boost cooperation in a wide range of areas like trade and investment, oil and gas, cyber security and information technology.
- The agreements were exchanged after talks between Prime Minister NarendraModi and visiting Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro.
India, Bangladesh sign agreement to upgrade Ashuganj-Akhaura road into 4-lane highway
- India and Bangladesh signed an agreement to upgrade the 58-kilometre long road between Ashuganj river port and the Akhaura land port in Bangladesh into a 4-lane highway.
- The deal to upgrade the 39 km long road between Ashuganj river port to Dharhar area was signed between the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) of Bangladesh and an Indian Company Afcons Infrastructure Limited.
Nepal wants India to take back demonetised notes worth Rs 7 crore from its Central Bank
- Nepal’s Central Bank is saddled with Rs 7 crore of demonetised Indian currency but India is not making “adjustments” to take back the notes, hoping the scrapped notes would be accepted by its neighbour.
- The Indian government on November 8, 2016 announced the ban on old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes to curb black money in the system.
WHO increases global risk degree of novel coronavirus from moderate to high
- The World Health Organization (WHO) has increased the global risk degree of the novel corona virus strain 2019-nCoV from moderate to high, citing an error in its previous report. According to the report, the total number of 2019-nCoV confirmed cases globally till reached 2,014, including 1,985 in China.
- Indian Embassy is considering all options which includes evacuation of Indians in Wuhan
European Parliament to discuss India’s anti-CAA resolution on January 29
- The European Parliament will discuss the draft resolution on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) during a plenary session.
- The 154 members EP members drafted the five-page resolution fearing that the recently enacted legislation by India could trigger the “largest statelessness crisis in the world.
- The resolution describes the CAA as “discriminatory” and “dangerously divisive” but also a “violation of India’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights”.
UK launches 4-mn pound Innovation Challenge Fund in India
- The UK government has launched 4 million pound (about Rs 37 crore) fund in India to support collaborative research into emerging technologies.
- Innovation Challenge Fund will encourage industry and academia to collaborate and develop tech solutions for social, economic and environmental challenges in India.
European Parliament approves Brexit deal with Britain
- European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to approve the Brexit deal with London, clearing the final hurdle for Britain’s departure from the EU.
- The vote was 621 to 49 in favour of the Brexit deal that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson negotiated with the other 27 EU leaders.
WHO declares International Emergency following outbreak of novel coronavirus from China
- World Health Organization has declared an international emergency over the novel coronavirus from China.
- It is a rarely used designation that could lead to improved international coordination in tackling the disease.
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| Country | Capital | Currency | |
| UK | London | Pound sterling | Prime minister: Borris Johnson |
| Nepal | Kathmandu | Nepalese rupee | Prime minister: KP Sharma Oli |
| Brazil | Brasilia | Brazilian real | President: JairBolsonaro |
| Switzerland | Bern | Swiss franc | President :SimonettaSommaruga |
| Bangladesh | Dhaka | Taka | Prime minister : sheikh hasina |
| China | Beijing | Renminbi | President : xi jinping |
WHO:
- Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
- Head: TedrosAdhanom
- Founded: 7 April 1948
European Union:
- Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium
- President of the Commission: Ursula von der Leyen
- President of the Parliament : David Sassoli
- President of the Council : Charles Michel
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BANKING AND FINANCE
New India Co-op Bank to convert into SFB
- New India Co-operative Bank (NICB) has been decided to be converted into a Small Finance Bank (SFB) after being agreed by its shareholders under Voluntary Transition of Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks (UCBs) into SFB.
- NICB will now approach the Reserve Bank of India(RBI) and Central Registrar of Societies for further action.
FPIs infuse Rs 1,624 crore in Indian markets in January
- Foreign portfolio investors have infused a net sum of 1,624 crore rupees into the domestic capital markets in January so far.
- As per latest depositories data, Foreign portfolio investors put-in a net of 13,304 crore rupees, in equities and withdrew a net 11,680 crore rupees from the debt segment between January 1 and 24. This translates into a total net inflow of 1,624 crore
India and World Bank sign loan agreement of 210mn for Rural Transformation Project
- The Government of India, the Government of Maharashtra and the World Bank signed a loan agreement of USD 210 million to support small holder farmers participate in competitive agriculture value chains, facilitate agri-business investments, increase market access and productivity in focus commodities, and build resilience of crops to recurrent floods or droughts in the Indian state of Maharashtra.
SBI’s new one-use ‘Virtual Cards’ reduce risk of fraud in net banking
- The Reserve Bank of India has brought out a new set of guidelines to enhance the security provided to debit and credit card customers, banks like the State Bank of India (SBI) have introduced new products and solutions that offer a more secure transacting experience for their customers.
- For instance, the SBI has recently rolled out a one-use ‘Virtual Card’ for its net banking users, which allows them to make online payments without exposing their real debit and credit card details to the merchant.
NABARD pegs credit potential at Rs 90,000 crore for Odisha
- The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) projected a credit potential of Rs 90,395.69 crore for Odisha under priority sector for 2020-21 fiscal.
- The projection was made in the State Focus Paper released by Finance Minister NiranjanPujari at the annual State Credit Seminar organised by NABARD for 2018-19 here.
UCBs report frauds worth ₹220 cr in last five fiscals: RBI
- Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs) have reported nearly 1,000 cases of fraud that amount to more than ₹220 crore in the last five fiscals, according to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
- The central bank stated a total of 181 fraud cases, involving ₹7 crore, were noticed during 2018-19.
BSE signs licensing agreement with ICE Futures Europe
- The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) has signed a licensing agreement with Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) Futures Europe, an operator of global exchanges and clearing houses.
- India is one of the largest consumers and importers of crude oil in the world, and Brent crude is highly co-related with the Indian crude oil market.
Mudra loans: Banks sanction ₹40,000 crore in last two months
- Banks have stepped up disbursal of loans under PradhanMantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) in the last two months by disbursing more than ₹40,000 crore.
- As on January 24, 2020, the disbursal of Mudra loans sanctioned stood at ₹1,97,816crore, while the disbursed loan amount was ₹1,91,970 crore, according to government data.
IRDAI slaps ₹1-cr fine each on Tata AIG and ICICI Lombard
- The IRDAI has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore each on ICICI Lombard General Insurance and Tata AIG General Insurance company.
Tata AIG to offer tailor-made insurance policies for drones
- In a new initiative, private sector general insurer Tata AIG has tied up with Drone Federation of India for drone insurance.
- The Drone Federation of India (DFI) is a not-for-profit industry-led body that strives to build a safe and scalable unmanned aviation industry in India. It had recently organised the Drone Festival of India on January 6 and 7 in New Delhi.
RBI imposes ₹1 crore penalty on HDFC Bank
- The Reserve Bank of India has imposed a penalty of ₹1 crore on HDFC Bank for non-compliance of master directions of KYC directions.
- The RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of ₹1 crore on the bank for failure to undertake on‐going due diligence in the case of 39 current accounts opened for bidding in Initial Public Offer
- Growth is likely to improve to 5 per cent in 2020-21 as per the projections, the survey stated.
FICCI survey projects FY20 GDP growth at 5%, to improve to 5.5% in FY21
- Industry body FICCI stated its Economic Outlook Survey has projected the country’s annual median GDP growth for 2019-20 at 5 per cent, in line with the projections made by the National Statistical Organisation (NSO).
Economic survey likely to peg India’s FY21 growth at 6-6.5%: Report
- India’s economic survey is seen projecting growth of 6 to 6.5 per cent in the next year starting April 1, boosted by a series of fiscal measures to revive demand that the government is likely to announce in the budget.
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RBI:
- Founded: 1 April 1935, Kolkata
- Governor: Shaktikanta Das
- Headquarters: Mumbai
FICCI:
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founded: 1927
- President Sangita Reddy
HDFC:
- CEO: AdityaPuri
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Founded: August 1994, India
- Non-executive chairman: shyamalagopinath
World Bank:
- Headquarters: Washington D.C
- President : David malpass
- MD and CFO: Anshulakant
- Chief economist : Penny Goldberg
NABARD:
- Founded: 12 July 1982
- Headquarters: Mumbai
- Agency executive: Harsh Kumar Bhanwala (Chairperson)
- Purpose: Development assistance; Poverty Reduction
Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE):
- Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- Founded- 9 July 1875.
- Chairman- Vikramajit Sen.
- Managing Director(MD) & Chief Executive Officer(CEO)- ShriAshishkumarChauhan
IRDAI:
- Founded: 1999
- Headquarters: Hyderabad
- Chairperson: Subhash Chandra Khuntia
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BUSINESS AND ECONOMY
PhonePe extends to insurance, MF, ATM
- PhonePe, one of the leading digital payments firms in India backed by global retail giant Walmart, has announced its foray into the insurance, mutual fund and instant-cash segments to tap the fast-growing digital payments industry, which is expected to touch $10 trillion by 2027.
- The Bengaluru-based fintech firm has announced two major tie-ups — with Aditya Birla SunLife Mutual Fund and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance — to offer its users benefits on mutual funds and travel
Loanwalle.com offers loans in 15 minutes
- The New Delhi-based fintech start-up com, which offers loans for a period of 7-30 days, to cater to any medical or financial emergencies.
- The USP of the fintech firm, founded by Sachin Mittal, lies in providing instant loan facility to individuals stuck in a crisis situation, through speedy approval of loans. One can get a loan approved in just 15 minutes, while generally the process including online and physical verification is completed in an hour.
Airtel Joins Hands with Western Union to Accelerate Real-time Global Payments
- BhartiAirtel, Country’s leading telecom giant recently associated with the major money transfer brand Western Union to launch real-time payments into bank accounts in India and mobile wallets across
Paytm Payments Bank to help identify rogue apps that could trigger fraud transactions
- Paytm Payments Bank Ltd (PPBL) stated it has added a new feature that analyses “rogue” apps on user devices that may trigger fraudulent transactions and advises users to uninstall such apps.
- It is also leveraging artificial intelligence to immediately identify and block suspicious activities, and is undertaking periodic awareness drives throughout the country to educate users about fraud calls and SMSes.
TCS BaNCS powers operations of merged Tamil Nadu Grama Banks
- Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) has successfully integrated operations of Tamil Nadu’s two rural banks — PandyanGrama Bank and PallavanGrama Bank, which were merged to form Tamil Nadu Grama Bank — onto TCS BaNCSCore Banking Solution within six months of the formation of the merged bank.
OPPO signs pact with IIT Hyderabad for R&D
- OPPO, Chinese smartphone brand, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad to promote research in the field of science and technology.
- The MoU will facilitate joint research and development for multiple projects over a period of two years.
RIL approaches NHAI for offering waste plastic-to-road technology
- Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has approached National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for offering its ‘waste plastic-to-road’ technology that uses end-of-life plastic for road construction.
- The company has already piloted few projects and has constructed nearly 40 km road by mixing 50 tonne of end-of-life plastic waste with bitumen at its Nagothane manufacturing site in Raigad district.
Google announces $1-million grant to promote news literacy among Indians
- In an effort to counter fake news and misinformation in India, Google News Initiative (GNI) has announced a $1 million grant for Internews, a news literacy organisation.
- The funding support is part of Google’s broader, $10-million commitment to media literacy
Pine Labs launches Paper PoS for merchants
- Pine Labs, a merchant commerce platform, has announced the launch of Pine Labs Paper PoSfor its merchants.
- Pine Labs Paper PoS is an all-in-one solution for accepting multiple forms of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) and Bharat QR payments through a single merged static QR at the point of sale.
Airtel’s name removed from DGFT blacklist after dialogue with authorities
- Bharti Airtel stated its name has now been removed from the denied entry list for non-fulfilment of export obligation under an export promotion scheme.
- The company stated its has now been removed from the denied entry list, after it highlighted the relevant details and documents submitted to the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT).
Nasscom, Japan join hands to match startups and tech firms with VCs
- Industry body National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) and the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO) have teamed up to bring more startups and technology firms in contact with venture capitalists and strategic partners from
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Oppo:
- Headquarters: Dongguan, Guangdong, China
- MD & CEO: Chen Mingyong
PhonePe:
- Headquarters location: Bengaluru
- CEO: Sameer Nigam
Airtel:
- CEO: GopalVittal
- Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal
- Founded: 7 July 1995, India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
Google:
- CEO: SundarPichai
- Founded: 4 September 1998, Menlo Park, California, United States
- Parent organization: Alphabet Inc
- Headquarters: Mountain View, California, United States
Airtel:
- CEO: GopalVittal
- Founder: Sunil Bharti Mittal
- Founded: 7 July 1995, India
- Headquarters: New Delhi
NASSCOM:
- Chairperson: Keshav R Murugesh
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founded: 1 March 1988
- Founders: Dewang Mehta, NandanNilekani
CURRENT AFFAIRS: STATES
East Coast Railway commissions waste to energy plant in Bhubaneswar
- The East Coast Railway commissioned Indian Railways’ first waste-to-energy plant at Carriage Repair Workshop in Bhubaneswar, Odisha.
- Railway Board Member (Rolling Stock) Rajesh Agarwal inaugurated the facility, first in Government sector.
India’s First War Memorial for Animals to Come up in Meerut
- Meerut city in Uttar Pradesh will be host to India’s first war memorial for service animals including dogs, horses and mules.
- This place will dedicate itself to the contributions and heroics of animals who have helped the army in counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir and in the battlefield during the Kargil War.
Srinagar declared Open Defecation Free
- Mayor of Srinagar Junaid Azim Mattu announced that Srinagar has joined the list of ‘Open Defecation Free’
- Srinagar receives its Swachhata Certificate from Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Central Government and joins the list of cities that are now “OPEN DEFECATION FREE”. Another achievement after Srinagar gets 45th Rank in Cleanest Cities in the country.
Arunachal CM dedicates Padi Yubbe stadium to people
- Chief Minister Pema Khandu dedicated the Padi Yubbe outdoor stadium to the people of Lower Subansiri district.
- Named after the first cabinet minister from Apatani community, the stadium has a seating capacity of 4000.
Archaea organism discovered in Sambharlake
- Scientists at the NCMR-NCCS in Pune have reported a new archaeon (a kind of microorganism), which they discovered in Sambhar Salt Lake in
- Archaeaare a primitive group of microorganisms that thrive in extreme habitats such as hot springs, cold deserts and hypersaline lakes.
Chhattisgarh government launches ‘Malaria-free Bastar’ campaign
- Bastar,the Red zone in south Chhattisgarh, is facing a different battle. The region which has so far not received the deserving attention, to fight the malaria menace, has the Annual Parasite Incidence (API) (malaria) of over 10—rated among the highest in the country.
Mumbai gets second all-women post office
- The city’s second ‘mahiladakghar’ – post offices operated by women staffers was inaugurated by operations member, Department of Posts, ArundhatyGhosh at Mahim Bazaar.
- The post office located in West zone of Mumbai..
World’s largest meditation centre coming up in Hyderabad
- The world’s largest meditation centre and the global headquarters of the Heartfulness Institute will be inaugurated on January 28.
- To mark the 75th anniversary of the organisation, Kanha Shanti Vanam will be dedicated to the first guide of Heartfulness, fondly called Lalaji by the present global guide Daaji.
India’s First Super Fab Lab That Can Produce ‘Almost Any Machinery’ Inaugurated In Kochi
- India’s first Super Fab Lab was inaugurated in Kochi, Kerala.
- The lab is built in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology(MIT) and is spread across an area of 10,000 sq ft.
Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra govt launches its much-awaited ‘Shiv Bhojan’ scheme
- The Shiv Sena-led Maharashtra government launched its much-awaited ‘Shiv Bhojan’ scheme, which is aimed at providing a meal to the poor for just 10 rupees, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day.
- Under the scheme, which has been launched on a pilot basis, thalis or lunch plates would be available to people at designated centres canteens during a stipulated time in all the districts.
Andhra Pradesh assembly unanimously passes resolution to abolish State Legislative Council
- The Andhra Pradesh Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution to abolish the State Legislative Council. Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy moved the one-line resolution in the assembly to abolish the council.
National Handloom Expo 2020 kicks off at Bhubaneswar
- The 17th National Handloom Expo 2020 has kicked off at Exhibition Ground to provide an opportunity to weavers to sell handloom products of different places under one umbrella.
- The expo, organised by the Odisha State Handloom Weavers Co-op Society Limited (Boyanika), was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Mamata Banerjee’s Bengal becomes 4th state to pass anti-CAA resolution
- West Bengal became the fourth opposition-ruled state to pass a resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in its assembly, after Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan.
- The West Bengal state assembly had previously passed a similar resolution against NRC in September 2019.
India’s first underwater metro in Kolkata to be finally ready by March 2022
- Kolkata Metro Rail Corp. expects to complete its East-West project, which runs partly under the city’s iconic Hooghly river, by March 2022 after a delay of several years doubled costs.
Mangaluru Smart City, IGBC ink pact
- The Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) and Mangaluru Smart City Ltd (MSCL) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for sustainable development in
Maharashtra CM inaugurates 18.5 km-long stretch of Nagpur Metro Aqua line
- In Maharashtra, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated 5 kilometre-long stretch of Nagpur Metro Aqua line of Maha Metro Rail Network in Nagpur through video conferencing.
- The Phase-I of Nagpur Metro is completed in record time
Mumbai gets India’s first ‘walk-through’ aviary
- Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray inaugurated the country’s first and biggest ‘walk-through’ aviary at the VeermataJijabaiBhosaleUdyan and Zoo also known as Byculla Zoo in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- Spread over 18,200 sq.feet and 44 feet (or a five-storey building) high, the aviary will house over 100 species of rare, exotic and common birds, living their natural environs.
Interceptor boat C-448 commissioned at New Mangalore
- The Karnataka government will provide 160 acres of land at Kenjar village in Mangalurutaluk to set up a Coast Guard Training Academy.
- The commissioning of C-448 (a high-speed interceptor boat) of Indian Coast Guard at New Mangalore.
S Jaishankar lays foundation stone of SardarVallabhbhai Patel Centre at Kevadia in Gujarat
- External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar laid the foundation stone of the SardarVallabhbhai Patel Centre for Empowerment and Livelihoods near the Statue of Unity at Kevadia in Gujarat
Assam Rifles builds war memorial in Nagaland for 357 martyrs
- The Assam Rifles has constructed a combined war memorial in Nagaland for the 357 Army and Assam Rifles personnel killed while fighting insurgency in the northeastern state.
- The memorial has been built at Mokokchung, which is also the cultural and intellectual centre of Nagaland.
Kamal Nathgovt to offer Rs 5,000 as stipend to unemployed in Madhya Pradesh
- The Kamal Nath-led Madhya Pradesh government is launching a revised version of its Yuva Swabhiman Yojana (YSY) – a scheme for the unemployed – with an increased monthly stipend and annual number of working days.
- The scheme was launched on January 31, 2019, ensuring 100 days of employment every year to economically weak urban youth at a stipend of Rs 4,000 per month.
Month-long Nagobajatara concludes in Telangana
- Nagoba Jatara is a tribal festival held in Keslapur village, Inderavelly Mandal Adilabad district, Telangana, India.
- It is the second biggest tribal carnival and celebrated by Mesaram clan of Gond tribes for 10 days.
Uttarakhand to get first Snow Leopard conservation center of India
- Uttarakhand is set to open the country’s first snow leopard conservation center. The project aims at protection and propagation of the species in higher reaches of the hill state which happens to be the natural habitat of the elusive big cat.
- The center will be built at the entry point of Gangotri National Park above 2800 meters sea level. However, no time limit has been set for the project. It will be built under central government scheme ‘SECURE Himalaya’.
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| States | Capital | Chief minister | Governor |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai | Uddhav Thackeray | Bhagat Singh Koshyari |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Bhupesh Baghel | AnusuiyaUikey |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | Shri Pinarayi Vijayan | Arif Mohammad Khan |
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | Y. S. Jaganmohan Reddy | Biswabhusan Harichandan |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar | Naveen Patnaik | Ganeshi Lal |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | PemaKhandu | BD Mishra |
| Gujarat | Gandhi nagar | Vijay rupani | Acharya Devvrat |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru | B. S. Yediyurappa | Vajubhaivala |
| Assam | Dispur | Sarbananda Sonowal | Jagdishmukhi |
| West Bengal | Kolkata | Mamthabanerjee | Jagdeepdhankar |
| Uttar Pradesh | Luck now | Yogi Adityanath | Anandhibenpatel |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | Kamalnath | Laljitandon |
| Uttarakhand | Raipur | Trivendrasinghrawat | Baby rani Maurya |
| Telangana | Hyderabad | Chandrasekhar rao | Tamilisai Soundararajan |
CURRENT AFFAIRS: MOU
OPPO, IIT-Hyderabad to take up joint R&D projects
- OPPO, the global smartphone brand, and IIT-Hyderabad have joined hands to take up joint R & D projects in advanced and emerging technologies.
- The areas identified are battery, camera and image processing, networks (5G), system performance and Artificial Intelligence among others.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: AWARDS AND HONOURS
Subhash Chandra Bose Aapda Prabandhan Puraskar 2020 announced
- In order to recognise the excellent work done by individuals and institutions in India in the field of disaster management, Government of India has instituted an annual award known as Subhash Chandra Bose AapdaPrabandhanPuraskar.
- The award is announced every year on 23rd January, the birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.
Kerala Tourism’s disabled-friendly project earns UNWTO special mention
- Kerala Tourism’s Barrier-Free Tourism Project has won global recognition with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) making a special mention of the south Indian state as an “Emerging Global Destination” in the Accessible Destination Awards 2019.
- Kerala Tourism Director P BalaKiran received the conferment from UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili at the awards ceremony in Madrid.
JK Police gets max 108 gallantry medals, CRPF 76
- The Jammu and Kashmir Police has been given the maximum number of gallantry honours with 108 medals, followed by the CRPF 76, on the occasion of the 71st Republic Day.
- The Union Territory police, thickly involved in counter-terrorism operations in the Kashmir Valley, has also bagged three top President’s Police Medal for Gallantry (PPMG) while one has been accorded to the CRPF (posthumously).
Padma Awards 2020: Arun Jaitley and SushmaSwaraj get second-highest civilian honour
- Former Union ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and George Fernandes – all of whom died in 2019 – were posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, the nation’s second highest civilian honour.
- The list had 141 awards – seven Padma Vibhushan, 16 Padma Bhushan and 118 Padma Shri. Thirty-four of the recipients were women.
Election Commission award for The Hindu Tamil
- The Hindu Tamil has won the Election Commission of India’s award for its voter awareness and education campaign in 2019 as part of the poll panel’s national awards given on the occasion of the 10th National Voters Day.
- President Ram Nath Kovind gave away the awards for best electoral practices to officers in conducting elections as well as civil society organisations and media groups for spreading awareness.
Sneha Pamneja wins Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize for ”Tiffin”
- Graphic designer Sneha Pamneja was awarded this year’s Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival for designing the cover of “Tiffin: Authentic Recipes Celebrating India’s Regional Cuisine“.
- The book is written by Sonal Ved and published by Roli books.
Andy Serkis to receive Bafta for outstanding contribution to cinema
- Actor and filmmaker Andy Serkis is to receive the outstanding British contribution to cinema award at the 2020 Bafta film awards.
- Serkis is best known for his pioneering performance capture work, portraying Gollum in The Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit films as well as the lead role of Caesar in the Planet of the Apes
2020 Grammy Awards: The Full List Of Winners
- The 62nd edition of the Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles.
- The 2020 Grammy Awards has wrapped, with Billie Eilish sweeping the top four categories — song, record, album and new artist. Other top awards went to Lizzo, Lil Nas X, Tanya Tucker and more.
- Record of the Year – “Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish
- Album of the Year – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish
- Song of the Year – “Bad Guy” – Billie Eilish
- Best New Artist – Billie Eilish
- Best Pop Vocal Album – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – Billie Eilish
Assam tableau wins first prize at 71st Republic Day parade
- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh gave away Best Tableaux awards for Republic Day Parade, 2020 in New Delhi.
- Assam’s tableau which portrayed the unique craftsmanship and culture of the state has been chosen as the best tableau, followed by Odisha and Uttar Pradesh who were tied for the second position.
Bajaj Housing Finance Limited Bags the BFSI Digital Innovation Awards 2020 for Cloud Solutions
- Bajaj Housing Finance Limited (BHFL), a 100% subsidiary of Bajaj Finance Limited, has won the ‘BFSI Digital Innovation Award‘ for Cloud Solutions at the recently held Express BFSI Technology Conclave and Awards 2020.
Indian environmental economist PavanSukhdev wins Tyler Prize for ‘green economy’ work
- Renowned Indian environmental economist and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador PavanSukhdev has won the 2020 Tyler Prize, regarded as the “Nobel Prize for the Environment” for his groundbreaking “green economy” work.
Abhijit Banerjee conferred D Litt by alma mater Calcutta University
- Nobel laureate Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee was conferred the honorary D Litt by his alma mater Calcutta University.
- Banerjee had pursued his graduation with economics honours from the then Presidency College, now university, and secured first class first rank in Calcutta University in 1981.
Noted theatre personality Sanjna Kapoor to be conferred French honour
- Noted theatre personality Sanjna Kapoor, the daughter of Bollywood actor Shashi Kapoor, will be conferred prestigious French honour, Knight of the Order of Artsand Letters, for her outstanding contribution to theatre.
Dr Partap Chauhan conferred with Ayurveda Ratan Award in Brussels
- The All-Party Parliament Group on Traditional Medicines organized a meeting at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium with the objective of devising a roadmap to legalize Ayurveda in Europe and to integrate it with their healthcare systems.
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UNWTO
- Formation:1 November 1974
- Headquarters:Madrid, Spain
- Secretary-General: ZurabPololikashvili
Bajaj Housing Finance Limited
- Headquarters-Pune, Maharashtra
- Chief Executive Officer (CEO)– Atul Jain
CURRENT AFFAIRS: APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATION
Prem Chand Verma appointed India’s Deputy Chef de Mission for Tokyo Olympics
- Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed Prem Chand Verma as the Deputy Chef de Mission of India for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
- Rakesh Sharma will not be accompanying the Indian Contingent to the Olympics due to personal reasons and IOA relieved him of his duties.
Ex-ED of Indian Overseas Bank appointed CVC board member on bank frauds
- Former executive director of Indian Overseas Bank A D M Chavali has been inducted into a five-member advisory board for banking and financial frauds created by the CVC to act as the “first-level of examination” in respect of general managers and above rank officers.
- The tenure of Chavali would be up to August 20, 2021.
CEC Sunil Arora takes over as new chairman of FEMBoSA
- Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora took over as the new Chair of the Forum of the Election Management Bodies of South Asia (FEMBoSA) for the year 2020 at the annual meeting of the poll management bodies of SAARC countries.
- Arora took over from outgoing Chair M. Nurul Huda of Bangladesh during the 10th meeting of FEMBoSA.
Debashish Panda nominated to SBI Central Board
- The State Bank of India (SBI) stated the Central government has nominated Debashish Panda, Special Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Finance Ministry as a director on the Central Board of SBI.
- SBI, the country’s largest bank had posted a 218 per cent jump in standalone net profit for the September quarter to Rs 3,011.73 crore.
Anil Khanna nominated as Life President of ATF
- Anil Khanna was unanimously nominated as the Life President of Asian Tennis Federation (ATF).
- The ATF’s Board of Directors also appointed Khanna as the Chairman of the Finance Committee as well as Co-Chairman of the ATF foundation
Senior bureaucrat B Anand appointed secretary of National Commission for Minorities
- Senior bureaucrat B Anand was appointed as the secretary of National Commission for Minorities.
- Anand, a 1987-batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, is at present additional secretary and financial advisor, the department of science and technology.
Sunil Mehta takes over as Chief Executive of Indian Banks’ Association
- Sunil Mehta has taken over as Chief Executive of Indian Banks’ Association .
- He succeeds VG Kannan, who demitted office as Chief Executive on December 31, 2019, after being at the helm for three years.
Sachin Bansal steps down as director of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
- Sachin Bansal has resigned as independent director of Ujjivan Small Finance Bank, a role he took up in May 2019. In a letter to the board members, posted on the exchanges.
- Bansal stated he was stepping down in the interest of propriety and to prevent conflict of interest arising out of the fact that his wholly-owned firm Navi Technologies has applied for a banking license.
Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa named new Qatari PM
- Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani.
- The emir named Sheikh Khalid bin Khalifa bin Abdulaziz Al Thani as the Gulf state’s new prime minister and interior minister.
EU Appoints Joao Vale De Almeida As First Ambassador To Post-brexit UK
- Portuguese diplomat Joao Vale de Almeida as EU’s top envoy to London.
- Joao Vale de Almeida has previously served as an ambassador for the European Union in Washington and the United Nations.
Slovenian prime minister announces resignation
- Slovenia’s prime minister announced his resignation and called for early general elections. Marjan Sarec served as premier in a minority government set up after general elections in 2018.
Taranjit Singh Sandhu appointed India’s ambassador to US: MEA
- Seasoned diplomat Taranjit Singh Sandhu has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to the US, replacing Harsh VardhanShringla, the Ministry of External Affairs.
- Shringla is set to take over as the next foreign secretary
Harsh Vardhan Shringla takes charge as new foreign secretary
- Seasoned diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla, who last served as India’s envoy to the US, took charge as new foreign secretary for a fixed two-year term, succeeding Vijay Gokhale.
Vakrangee appoints Ex- RBI & Ex-SEBI ED Ramesh Joshi as Non-Executive Chairman
- Vakrangee Limited has appointed Ramesh Joshi (EX-RBI & EX-SEBI ED), a veteran with over 40 years of experience, as the Non-Executive Chairman of the company.
- As well as has Re-designated Mr. Dinesh Nandwana, Executive Chairman as the Managing Director and Group CEO in place of Mr. Anil Khanna
Alastair Cook & Ricky Skerritt Appointed to MCC’s World Cricket Committee
- Former England opener Alastair Cook and ex-West Indies team manager Ricky Skerritt became new members of MCC’s World Cricket Committee.
RBI appoints Executive Director Janak Raj as member of MPC
- The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) appointed its Executive DirectorJanak Raj as member of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), the highest interest rate setting body.
- Raj replaces Patra, who was recently elevated as Deputy Governor of the RBI.
IDBI Federal Life Insurance appoints M Balakrishnan as CFO, Prabhu as CIO
- Private life insurer IDBI Federal Life Insurance announced the appointment of MathivananBalakrishnan as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
- Besides, the company also announced elevation of S P Prabhu as its Chief Investment Officer (CIO).
India’s Gita Sabharwal Appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand
- The UN has appointed India’s Gita Sabharwal, who has over two decades of experience in peace building and social policy, as the Resident Coordinator in
Arvind Krishna elected IBM CEO
- Indian-origin technology executive Arvind Krishna has been elected Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American IT giant IBM after a “world-class succession process, succeeding Virginia Rometty, who described him as the “right CEO for the next era at IBM and well-positioned to lead the company into the cloud and cognitive era.
Lt Gen CP Mohanty takes charge of Southern Army Command
- Lieutenant General CP Mohanty assumed command of Southern Army with a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at the National War Memorial, Pune, wherein he paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, followed by traditional Guard of Honour at Headquarters Southern Command.
ICC appoints Anurag Dahiya as chief commercial officer
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) appointed seasoned media professional AnuragDahiya, who launched Star Cricket, as its Chief Commercial Officer.
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EU
- The European Union is a political and economic union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe.
- It is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Slovenia
- Capital- Ljubljana
- Currency- Euro
IDBI federal life insurance
- CEO: VighneshShahane
- Headquarters location: Mumbai
- Founded: March 2008
IBM
- Founder: Charles Ranlett Flint
- Founded: 16 June 1911, Endicott, New York, United States
- Headquarters: Armonk, New York, United States
ICC
- Chairperson: ShashankManohar
- CEO: Manu Sawhney
- Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- Membership: 104 members
Qatar
- Prime minister: Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani
- Capital: Doha
- Currency: Qatari riyal
Indian Banks’ Association (IBA)
- Indian Banks’ Association (IBA), formed on 26 September 1946 as a representative body of management of banking in India operating in India – an association of Indian banks and financial institutions based in Mumbai. IBA currently represents 237 banking companies operating in India.
- Formation– 26 September 1946
- Headquarters– Mumbai, Maharashtra
Ujjivan Small Finance Bank
- Founder: SamitGhosh
- Headquarters Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Non-Exe Chairman : Sunil Patel (MD & CEO): Nitinchugh
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SUMMITS AND CONFERENCE
Prime Minister to Address the 3rd Global Potato Conclave, Gandhinagar, Gujarat
- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi shall be addressing the 3rd Global Potato Conclave at Gandhinagar,Gujarat through remote video conferencing.
- Gujarat is one of the leading producers of Potato in the country.
France will be guest of honour at New Delhi World Book Fair 2022
- France will be the guest of honour at the New Delhi World Book Fair in January 2022, announced France Ambassador to India, Emmanuel Lenain as part of a reciprocal invitation as New Delhi is the guest of honour this year at Livre Paris (Paris Book Fair).
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France
- Capital- Paris
- Currency- Euro
- President- Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron
- Prime Minister- Édouard Charles Philippe
CURRENT AFFAIRS: RANKING
Global unemployment to rise by around 2.5 million in 2020
- Global unemployment is estimated to increase by around 2.5 million in 2020, the United Nations’ International Labour Organisation report has revealed.
India ranked 80th in Corruption Perception Index
- India has been ranked at the 80th position among 180 countries and territories in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) prepared by Transparency International.
China Ranked World’s Second Largest Arms Producer Trailing Behind US
- The opaque Chinese arms industry has made the Asian nation the world’s second largest producer of munitions, a clear shift from a decade ago
- China is the second largest arms producer in the world, behind the US and ahead of Russia.
Assam tops in budgetary practices, followed by Odisha, Andhra: Survey
- Assam has emerged as the top state in terms of best practices followed in budget formulation, followed by Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, says a survey by Transparency International
- The states which figured lower in the ranking were Goa, Maharashtra and Punjab.
Uttar Pradesh’s Chandauli district tops Niti’s ranking in Dec
- Chandauli district in Uttar Pradesh has topped the list of aspirational districts ranked by the government think tank NitiAayog.
- Belangir (Odisha) and YSR (Andhra Pradesh) have been placed at the second and third positions, respectively.
Rani Rampal becomes first ever hockey player to win World Games Athlete of the Year’ award
- Indian women’s team captain Rani Rampal became the first-ever hockey player to win the prestigious ‘World Games Athlete of the Year’
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International Labour Organization (ILO)
- Formation–1919
- Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
- Director-General– Guy Ryder
CURRENT AFFAIRS: DEFENCE
DRDO to showcase indigenously-developed military systems, technologies at DefExpo 2020
- The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will display various indigenously-developed military systems and technologies at the 11 edition ofDefExpo 2020, the biennial show that will be held in Lucknow from February 5-9.
- The DRDO will exhibit more than 500 products from all technology clusters in the five-day mega expo in line with the theme of the event “Digital Transformation of Defence”
GRSE set to deliver anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kavaratti to Navy soon
- Defence PSU Garden Reach Shibuilders and Engineers (GRSE)is set to deliver anti-submarine warfare stealth corvette INS Kavaratti to the Navy soon.
- ‘Kavaratti’ is the last of the four Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) stealth corvettes built by the GRSE for the Indian Navy under Project P28.
- ‘Kavaratti’ will be the 104th ship to be constructed and delivered by the GRSE.
The ‘Rao’ power of ‘Mission Shakti’
- For the first time, scientist leads DRDO contingent at RD parade
- Adefence scientist – Y SreenivasaRao – led the DRDO contingent displaying the indigenous Anti-Satellite Weapons (ASAT) from ‘Mission Shakti’ at the 71st Republic Day parade.
Operation Vanilla: India sends INS Airavat to provide aid to disaster-hit Madagascar
- Indian Navy launched Operation Vanilla in a bid to support the people of island nation Madagascar in the face of a natural disaster.
- Indian Navy stated, ‘As the first respondent, Indian Navy Ship Airavat, which was en-route to Seychelles has been diverted to Madagascar for rendering assistance.’
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DRDO:
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founded: 1958
- Motto: “Strength’s Origin is in Science”
- Minister responsible: Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence
- Chairman : satheeshreddy
Assam Rifles:
- Founded- 1835.
- Headquarters- Shillong, Meghalaya.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
French agency CNES to aid ISRO’s space station project
- The French national space agency National Centre for Space Studies (CNES), which is collaborating with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in the Gaganyaan project, will also partner with the latter in the development of India’s planned space station.
IIT-H team develops essential oil delivery system to treat fungal diseases
- Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology, Hyderabad (IIT-H), have developed a novel delivery system based on essential oils in the treatment of diseases caused by fungi.
Aunties, uncles, tube lights among 26 new Indian words in Oxford dictionary
- Aunties, uncles and tube lights have made it to the latest edition of the world’s best selling dictionary, Oxford with 26 new Indian English words being added to a total of 384 existing ones.
- The 384 words in the 10th edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary come with an Indian English label, including 22 new additions in print and 26 in the online edition.
10 more wetlands in India declared as Ramsar sites
- India has added 10 more wetlands to sites protected by the Ramsar Convention, Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar announced
- The 10 new ones are Nandur Madhameshwar, a first for Maharashtra; Keshopur-Miani, Beas Conservation Reserve and Nangal in Punjab; and Nawabganj, Parvati Agra, Saman, Samaspur, Sandi and Sarsai Nawar in Uttar Pradesh. The other Ramsar sites are in Rajasthan, Kerala, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, West Bengal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Manipur, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Tripura
New mission to take first peek at Sun’s poles: NASA
- NASA, in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), is launching a new spacecraft next month to snap the first pictures of the Sun’s north and south poles,
- The Solar Orbiter spacecraft will have its first opportunity to launch from Cape Canaveral in the U.S. on February 7, 2020.
NCRB Launches two online national level services related to Search of Missing Persons and to Generate Vehicle NOC
- National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) launched Police related Citizen centric services on CCTNS platform.
- These online services will help Citizens in Searching their Missing Persons and Generating Vehicle NOC.
- The services can be accessed through ‘gov.in’ portal or through a link in the existing ‘Digital Police Portal’.
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NASA:
- Headquarters: Washington, D.C., United States
- Founder: Dwight D. Eisenhower
- Founded: 29 July 1958, United States
- Jim Bridenstine, Administrator
- James Morhard, Deputy Administrator
NCRB:
- Founded- 1986.
- Headquarters- New Delhi.
DRDO:
- Headquarters location: New Delhi
- Founded: 1958
- Motto: “Strength’s Origin is in Science” (Sanskrit)
- Minister responsible: Rajnath Singh, Minister of Defence
- Chairman : Dr.G. Satheesh Reddy
CURRENT AFFAIRS: BOOKS AND AUTHORS
Cabinet Minister Naqvi’s Hindi Novel “Balwa”
- Minister of Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has penned a Hindi novel titled “Balwa”, which loosely translates to turmoil.
- The book is published by Diamond Pocket Books.
CURRENT AFFAIRS: SPORTS
Australia to host 11th Indoor Cricket WC in October
- Australia is set to host a third cricket World Cup this year with the World Indoor Cricket Federation announcing Melbourne as the host city for the eleventh Indoor Cricket World Cup from October 10-17.
- The tournament will be held at two state-of-the-art, elite indoor cricket venues in Melbourne: Casey Stadium and CitiPower Centre.
Hagley Oval to host 2021 Women’s Cricket World Cup final
- Six New Zealand cities will host the tournament’s 31 One Day International matches, which runs from 6 February to 7 March. The cities are Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin and Christchurch.
India’s Federation Cup games moved from virus-hit China to Kazakhstan
- The Indian Federation Cup team heaved a sigh of relief after the International Tennis Federation (ITF) shifted the Federation Cup matches from the Coronavirus-hit China to
Adhiban, Narayanan register impressive wins in Gibraltar chess
- Grandmasters B Adhiban and S L Narayanan registered impressive wins in the third round of the Masters’ category of the ongoing Gibraltar chess festival.
- Adhiban and Narayanan scored superb wins over Martin Petrov of Bulgaria and Tingjie Lei of China while young GM Raunak Sadhwani securing 1.5 points shared the point with higher-ranked David Navara.
India’s EsowAlben bags gold in men’s Keirin individual event of Six Day Berlin Tournament
- In Cycling, India’s EsowAlben has bagged a gold in the men’s Keirin individual event of the Six Day Berlin Tournament. The 18-year-old finished on top of the podium, earning 20 classification points.
North East Dr T Ao Trophy: Mizoram defeats Sikkim
- Two times champion Mizoram defeated Sikkim by a solitary goal to emerge as the champion of the Northeast T Ao Football Trophy 2020 at Indira Gandhi Stadium in Kohima. The first half saw a goalless draw. Mizoram midfielder David Lalrinmuana scored the lone goal in the 74th minute to secure the title for the team
Young Grand Master Praggnanandhaa stuns former world champ Topalov
- Young Indian Grand Master R Praggnanandhaa pulled off a huge upset, beating former world champion VeselinTopalov in the sixth round of the 18th Gibraltar Chess Festival to record his fifth straight win here.
Motera Cricket Stadium, world’s largest, could host IPL 2020 final in Ahmedabad
- The final of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2020 can be played at the Sardar Patel Stadium (Motera) Stadium in Ahemadabad,Gujarath.
- The Motera Stadium will become the largest cricket arena in the world when its construction is completed. The spectacular stadium will have a seating capacity of 1,10,000 spectators overtaking the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in Australia which is the largest cricket stadium in the world at the moment.
Javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra qualifies for 2020 Tokyo Olympics
- After recovering from an elbow injury, ace India javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a throw of 87.86m at the Athletics Central North East meeting in South Africa
- This was the Olympic medal hopeful’s first competitive event after recovering from the injury
National Shooting trials: Ayonika Paul and Vijayveer Sidhu emerge winnersl
- Olympian Ayonika Paul has won the women’s 10m Air Rifle T1 event while Vijayveer Sidhu won the men’s 25m Pistol T2 event in the National Shooting trials at Thiruvananthapuram .
- Ayonika overcame a quality eight-woman field which had the likes of Tokyo 2020 quota holders ApurviChandela and AnjumMoudgil among competitors.
- Last year, India won the FIH Series Finals, and Rani was named Player of the Tournament
CURRENT AFFAIRS: OBITUARY
Former NBA star Kobe Bryant passes away
- Kobe Bryant, one of the NBA’s all-time greatest players whose international stardom transcended basketball, passed away in a helicopter crash near Los Angeles.
- Along with his 13-year-old daughter and seven others on board.
Sahityacharya Dr Golok Chandra Goswami passes away
- Eminent scholar, linguist and litterateur Sahityacharya Dr Golok Chandra Goswami passed away.
- Dr Goswami attended a number of national and international seminars on linguistics, representing Assam and India. He was the founder president of Assam BhashaBigyanSamiti.
Former Karnataka minister K Amarnath Shetty passes away
- Former minister and senior JDS leader K Amarnath Shetty passed away. He was 80.
- Shetty who entered electoral politics in 1965, became the MLA in 1983 from Moodbidri-Mulky constituency.
- In 1984, he was made minister for tourism and religious endowment under Ramakrishna Hegde’s government.
Noted artist, sculptor Sher Singh Kukkal passes away
- Noted artist and sculptor Sher Singh Kukkal passed away after a brief illness.
- He won various national and international awards for photography and painting, including the Gold Medal in Painting from Queens College, Lucknow and the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation Award.
Veteran south actress Jameela Malik passes away
- Veteran actress Jameela Malik, known for her critically acclaimed roles in a handful of movies in Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu, besides television serials, passed away.
Veteran film producer Vinay Sinha passes away
- Veteran film producer Vinay Sinha who contributed to films like ‘AndazApnaApna’ and ‘RafooChakkar’passed away.
Former women’s hockey team captain Sunita Chandra passes away
- Former Indian women’s hockey team captain Sunita Chandra passed away.
- She had played for the Indian women’s hockey team between 1956 to 1966 and served as skipper from 1963 to 1966
Netherlands legend Rob Rensenbrink passes away
- Former Netherlands wingerRob Rensenbrink has passed away at the age of 72.
- Rensenbrink also played in the teams which won European Cup Winners Cup in 1974 and 1978.
Ex Bihar Minister and RJD MLA Abdul Gafoor passes away
- Former Bihar Minister and RJD MLA Abdul Gafoor passed away.
- Gafoor represented Mahishi constituency in Bihar assembly for 4 times .
- He was the former Minister of Minority Welfare in Nitish Kumar Government of Bihar
Eminent Assamese litterateur Sashi Sarma passes away
- Eminent Assamese litterateur Sashi Sarma passed away.
- Sarma also an academic, intellectual and a living example of Hindu-Muslim unity in Assam had authored nearly 100 books.
Kerala: Senior Congress leader M Kamalam passes away at 92
- Senior Congress leader and ex-minister M Kamalam passed away .She was 92.
- Former KPCC Vice President and AICC working committee member, she was the cooperation minister in the K. Karunakaran government in 1982. After having a long stint as councillor, she was first elected to the Assembly from Kalpetta in 1980.
Eminent Social Worker and Educationist Tushar Kanjilal passed away
- Eminent social worker, environmentalist,educationist and writer Tushar Kanjilal passed away.
- Kanjilal is known for his contribution to education in remote Rangabelia in the Sundarbans in the 1970s and his work for the uplift of the people in the area.