January Current Affairs part 8

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read current affairs which can help you in competitive exams.

•ADB signs $100-mn loan with Indian gov 

Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Indian government signed a $100-million dollar loan on 31 December 2020. This loan will be used to enhance the power distribution system of Bengaluru in Karnataka with an aim to modernise and upgrade the power distribution system.  This loan will help to enhance the quality and reliability of electricity supply in Bengaluru city. 

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•Bank of Baroda launches WhatsApp banking 

Bank of Baroda announced the launch of banking services on WhatsApp for customers and non-customers of the bank. The services offered by the bank via WhatsApp will be balance inquiry, mini statement, cheque status enquiry, cheque book request, blocking of a debit card, information on Bank's product and services, etc. The service is available for customers and non-customers of the bank. 

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•UP gov to set up warehouse unit in Lucknow 

The Uttar Pradesh Government has approved the first investment proposal under the State Warehousing and Logistics Policy-2018 for the establishment of a warehousing unit in Lucknow. The warehousing unit is spread over an area of 86,000 square meters at Bhukapur village of Sarojini Nagar in Lucknow. 

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•Global Ayurveda festival from March 12-19 

Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan announced that the fourth Global Ayurveda Festival (GAF 2021) will be held from March 12 to 19 in Kerala as a virtual meet  Union Minister of State V Muraleedharan is the chairman of this Ayurveda festival. The fest would feature 12 seminars per day at five venues. The festival which was scheduled in May 2020 was postponed due to the pandemic. 

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•Delhi Gov sets up Tamil Academy 

An academy has been set up by the Delhi government to promote the Tamil language and culture in Delhi. The academy has been notified under the Department of Art, Culture, and Language of the Delhi government on January 3rd, 2021. The Delhi government has appointed the current member of Delhi Tamil Sangam N Raja as the vice-chairman of the academy 

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•FAU-G to be launched on Republic Day 

Highly awaited mobile video game FAU-G Is all set to launch on India's 71th Republic day on 26th January 2021. FAU-G will be a third-person shooter game featuring a level based on the recent Indo-China clashes in eastern Ladakh. The launch date of the FAU-G game was announced by nCore Games by its brand ambassador and Bollywood star Akshay Kumar. 

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•Malayalam Poet Anil Panachooran dies 

Well-known Malayalam poet and lyricist Anil Panachooran died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram at night after suffering a heart attack on 3rd January 2021. Anil Panachooran who tested positive for COVID-19 was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kollam district. He was known for his famous lyrics in movies like Arabikadha and Madambi. 

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•January 4: World Braille Day 

World Braille Day is observed on January 4 every year on the birth anniversary of Louis Braille who was the inventor of the Braille language. Louis Braille has created a language called “Braille” for the visually impaired so that they can also read and write. The first-ever World Braille Day was celebrated on January 4 in 2019 after it was approved by the United Nations General Assembly. 

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•US gov passes Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act 

The U.S. Congress has passed the ‘Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act’ for Pakistani women. The bill now heads to the White House for US President Donald Trump to sign into law. The bill requires the US Agency for International Development to award at least 50 percent of scholarships under a Pakistan-based higher education scholarship program to Pakistani women, from 2020 to 2022. 

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•Germany approves over €1bn in arms deal 

The German government approved a total of €1.16 billion ($1.41 billion) in arms exports during 2020 to countries involved in both the Yemen and Libya conflicts. In 2020, the German government signed off on weapons exports to countries involved in the deadly conflicts in Yemen and Libya. Germany is one of the top five arms exporters worldwide, along with the US, Russia, France, and China. 

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•S Muralidhar: New Chief Justice of Orissa HC 

Justice S Muralidhar took oath as the new Chief Justice of Orissa High Court on the 4th of January 2021. Justice Muralidhar is the 32nd Chief Justice of Orissa High Court. He succeeds his predecessor Justice Mohammad Rafiq, who has been transferred and appointed as the new Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. 

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•Train services started in Bengaluru airport 

The much-awaited train services from Bengaluru city to Kempegowda International Airport has started on the 4th January 2021. The first train left KSR Bengaluru at 4.45 a.m and reached the newly-built halt station near the Airport at 5.50 a.m. This train service comes as a huge relief for passengers and thousands of people working at the airport. 

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•L&T bags over Rs 7,000 Cr order from HPCL 

L&T Hydrocarbon Engineering (LTHE), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Larsen & Turbo has bagged an over Rs 7,000 crore order from HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd (HRRL) for setting up a dual-feed cracker unit. HPCL Rajasthan Refinery Ltd is a joint venture between Hindustan Petroleum Corporation (HPCL) and the Government of Rajasthan. 

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•Woolly rhino from the Ice Age found in Russia 

A well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of its internal organs still intact has been recovered from permafrost in Russia's extreme north. The carcass was found on the bank of the Tirekhtyakh river in the Abyisk district, close to the area where another young woolly rhino was recovered in 2014. Scientists dated the carcass as anywhere from 20,000 to 50,000-years-old. 

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•DRDO to boost mushroom farming in Northeast 

Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), has conducted a three-day skill development program on mushroom farming and spawn production technology in Jan 2021. In the training session, participants from Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Assam have imparted training on oyster mushroom cultivation technology. 

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•Chinese firm gets contract for RRTS project 

The National Capital Region Transport Corporation has awarded a contract to a Chinese company, Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Company Limited, for the construction of a 5.6-kilometer, underground stretch, from New Ashok Nagar to Sahibabad, of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS project. The contract will be awarded a certain set of procedures and guidelines. 

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•PM Modi delivers inaugural address at NMC 

PM Modi virtually inaugurated the National Metrology Conclave on January 4th, 2021. The theme of the conclave was ‘Metrology for the Inclusive Growth of the Nation. The conclave has been organized by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (CSIR-NPL). CSIR-NPL has completed 74 years after its inception. 

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• FSSAI slashes limit for trans fat levels 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority 

of India has capped the amount of trans fatty acids (TFA) in oils and fats to 3% for 2021 and 2% by 2022 from the current permissible limit of 5% through an amendment to the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations. Trans fats are associated with increased risk of heart attacks and death from coronary heart disease. 

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January Current Affairs part 4 (One liner)

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read some current affairs which can help you in competitive exams.

1. Dr. Harshvardhan has launched ‘Digital Ocean’ platform of Indian National Centre of Oceanic Information Services (INCOIS).

2. Umesh Sinha has been appointed as the Deputy Election Commissioner in the Commission of India.

3. The Delhi Government has notified the Tree Transplantation Policy.

4. RuPay has patnered with RBL Bank to launch an innovative payment solution for Indian Merchants.

5. President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Kathleen Hicks to be his Deputy Defence Secretary, making her the first woman to hold the post.

6. P Ravi Kumar, an IAS officer of 1984 batch, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Karnataka.

7. Leon Mandonca has become India’s 67th Chess Grandmaster.

8. V.K. Yadav, Chairman and CEO, Railway Board has been conferred with the ‘Eminent Engineer Award for the Year 2020’ by the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

9. K Sivan, Chairman of ISRO has got an extension of 1-year extension till January 14,2022.

10. Odisha government will set up a memorial in honour of all Covid warriors.

11. Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru now has CAT IIIB compliant South runway.

12. Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the Virtual Agri-Hackathon 2020 in New Delhi.

13. General Manoj Mukund Narawane received a Guard of Honour at Republic of Korea.

14. Amazon has announced its acquisition of podcast publisher Wondery.

15. Lewis Hamilton awarded a knighthood as part of Britain’s traditional New Year’s Honour list.

16. Defence Ministry signs a contract with Bharat Electrnics Limited for procurement of 10 Lynx Fire Control systems.

17. Law and Hustice Ministry has notified the elevation of four judges as Chief Justices of Odisha, Telangana, Madras, and J and K High Courts.

18. Colonel Narendra ‘Bull’ Kumar passes away, he contributed a lot in security of our country

19. Bharat Heavy Electronics Ltd,  has bagged orders worth Rs. 3,200 cr for hydro projects in Andhra Pradesh.

20. Indian Air Force Chief, Air Marshall RKS Bhadauria formally launched the IAF e-Governance (e-Office) portal in New Delhi.

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January Current Affairs part 2

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1. ISRO Chief Sivan gets one-year extension 

•K Sivan, Chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation and Secretary, the Department of Space, has got a 1-year extension till January 14, 2022. 

•The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet extended the tenure of Sivan for one year. 

•He joined ISRO in 1982 and was inducted into the PSLV Project. He took over as ISRO chairman in January 2018. 

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2. Biden names Kathleen Hicks as first woman DDS 

•President-elect Joe Biden has nominated Kathleen Hicks to be his Deputy Defence Secretary, making her the first woman to hold the post if she is approved by the Senate. 

•Hicks served in the Obama regime and was confirmed by the Senate in 2012 as the Chief Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for policy. 

•Hicks also served as the Deputy Under Secretary of Defence for strategy, plans, and forces 

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3. New Karnataka Chief Secretary appointed 

•P Ravi Kumar, an IAS officer of the 1984 batch, has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Karnataka. 

•He will take over from incumbent T M Vijay Bhaskar, who will retire from service on December 31, 2020. 

•Kumar, who is presently the Additional Chief Secretary, will be the 38th Chief Secretary of the state. 

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4. Delhi government notifies a policy 

•The Delhi govt has notified the Tree Transplantation Policy. 

•Under this, agencies will have to transplant a minimum of 80 per cent of the trees affected by their development works. 

•Ten saplings will be planted for each tree transplanted or felled and the Department of Forests and Wildlife will keep a detailed and up-to-date record of applications approved for tree felling. 

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5. Umesh Sinha appointed Dy Election Commissioner 

•Umesh Sinha has been appointed as the Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India. 

•Sinha, a 1986-batch IAS officer (retired) of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, is at present the Secretary-General in the commission. 

•Sinha is a part of a committee set up by the Election Commission to look into the issue of revising the election expenditure of candidates during campaigning. 

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December Current Affairs part 11

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read current affairs which can help you in competitive exams.

1. India falls 17 ranks in Human Freedom Index

•This index on global ranking of personal, civil and economic freedom placed India at 111 out of 162 countries. 

•China at 129 rank, Bangladesh at 139 and Pakistan at 140. 

•New Zealand was ranked one in the index, followed by Switzerland and Hong Kong.

•Bottom most Venezuela, Sudan, and Syria. 

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2. Recognition of Yogasana as a competitive sports.

•The Ministry of AYUSH & Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports announced the formal recognition of Yogasana as a competitive sport. 

•Sports discipline of Yogasana is likely to have 51 medals in 4 events and 7 categories. 

•National Individual Yogasana Sports Championship in 2021. 

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3. Karnataka CM unveils ‘Bengaluru Mission 2022' 

•Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa unveiled ‘Bengaluru Mission 2022' to revamp the city in the next two years. 

•The mission has been formulated identifying four core areas for development enabling faster commute, Swachcha, Hasiru Bengaluru and connecting with citizens. 

•A blueprint has been prepared to keep in mind how Bengaluru should be in the 22nd year of the 21st century. 

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4. Chinese spacecraft brings 1st lunar samples 

•China's Chang'e-5 probe successfully touched down on Earth on17 December 2020, bringing home the first samples of the moon in over 40 years. 

•Zhang Kejian, head of the CNSA, declared the Chang'e-5 mission a success. 

•The Chang'e-5 lunar probe was launched 

from the Wenchang Spacecraft Launch Site on November 24. 

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November Current Affairs part 31

  Hello friends in this article you are going to read about 'Vijayanagara: 31st district of Karnataka '

• Vijayanagara, which will be carved out of Ballari district, is set to be Karnataka's 31st district after Cabinet nod on 18 Nov 2020. 

• Vijayanagara district has been named after the capital of historic Vijayanagara Empire. 

• Hospete, Kampli, Hagaribommanahalli, Kottur, Hadagali and Harapanahalli taluks will form thenew district of Vijayanagara with Hospete as the district headquarters. 

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August Current Affairs part 4

 Hello friends in this blog you are going to read some GK points of current affairs.

1. Scientists have discovered new vulnerability in spike protein of the novel Corona-virus, which enables the virus to enter host cells, an advance that may lead to potential treatment pathways against Corona-virus. The researches including those from northwestern University, noted the spike protein contains the virus binding site, which adheres to host cells and enables it to the host's body.

2. Researches have found an extremely distant galaxy that looks surprisingly like the Milky way using Atacama large millimetre/ sub-millimetre Array (ALMA). Light from the galaxy took over 12 billion years storage the earth and researches show it as it was when the universe was just 1.4 billion years old. It has a rotating disc and a bulge like Milky way. It is surprisingly unchaotic, contradicting theories that all galaxies in the early Universe were unstable.  

3. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has said that the world needs to spend at least hundred billion dollars on new tools, to fight Covid-19. Especially vaccines to fight the corona-virus pandemic. "Before spending another  10 trillion dollar on consequences of the next Covid-19 wave, we estimate that the world will need to spend at-least 100 billion dollar on new tools, especially any new vaccines that are developed", tweeted Tedros.

5. Facebook on Tuesday, announced its decision to mandate US-based publications to disclose their political connections when they buy political ads. The social media platform also says it would not include their content in Facebook. News and bar access to WhatsApp business and messenger business. However these pages will still be allowed to register as news organisation and advertise on Facebook.

6. Several us companies including Apple food and Disney expressed their concerns over the effects of the executive order on WeChat, The Wall Street journal reported. With meeting with White House over a dozen forms specified the the consequences the ban code have on their own business. Other companies that participated in the discussion include Goldman Sachs Intel and MetLife.

7. Tata Sons has confirmed that it is value waiting a bid for debt laden Air India. Reading it has no plans to bring in a financial partner. The government had extended the deadline to bid for the national carrier to August 31. Tata sons already has to aviation joint ventures-Vistara with Singapore Airlines and AirAsia India with Malaysia's real Asia group.

8. Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused the Government of dismantling India's environment rules and demanded that the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) notification 2020 should be withdrawn immediately. The Draft EIA 2020 which involves the procedure of issuing environmental clearance to various projects was issued by the environment ministry in March this year. 

9. The total number of people arrested for the August 11 violence in Bengaluru has risen to 206 after 60 more people are arrested, the police stated. The police have filed 7 FIR leveling charges against over 300 people, of which 16 have been identified as members of the social democratic party of India. Around 60 police personnel were injured in the violence. 

August Current affairs part 3

 Hello friends, today we are going to continue the current affair series.

1. The Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEED) on Monday declared the SSLC results. A total of 6 students scored 625/625 marks in exams. The state recorded a pass percentage of 71.80%, which is reportedly a drop of 1.9% in comparison with the pass percentage of 2019. Over 8 lakh students from the state appeared for exam.

2. The Delhi University has activated an online portal for insurance of digital degree certificates to students who graduated from the University up till last year but did not receive their degrees, the Delhi High Court was informed. The university said that the students have to register at www.digicerti.du.ac.in, after which the digital degree certificates will be issued within a week.

3. A study sugested that 50 minutes dry heat in an electric cooker can decontaminate N95 respirators inside and out while maintaining their filtration and fit. Researchers verified that one cooking cycle, which maintained the cooker's temperature around 100 degree Celsius. Decontaminated the mask. It helped in getting rid of 4 different classes of virus including Corona virus.

4. Researchers have discovered a a 'bizarre'reptile fossil, which had a neck three times long from its torso, which lived in water. First described in 1852, the 20 foot long and lived 242 million years ago. They also said that the 'Tanystropheus hydroides' shared coastal waters with another smaller but similar-looking Tanystropheus species.

5. NASA has gathered the first full global map of helium, in the solar atmosphere using the sounding rocket launched in 2009. Using the images of the solar corona, scientists figured equatorial regions had almost no helium while areas at mid latitudes had the most helium. They further said abundance at mid latitudes overlaps with where Sun's magnetic field lines open out in the solar system.

6. Kobe University researchers have discovered what they believe may be the largest impact crater in the solar system located on Jupiter's biggest moon named Ganymede, they found these concentrical rings are distributed across almost the entire moon surface. This global distribution indicates the rings may be the remains of crater covering Ganymede.

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GK about animals

In this article you are going to know about animal species which are lesser known means which are rare. All species are from India. 

Q1. What is the scientific name of Great Indian Bustard ?
ANS. Ardiotis nigiceps.

Q2. The Great Indian Bustard is endemic to what?
ANS. To Indian subcontinent.

Q3. Currently in 2017, how birds exist in the world outside India having no known breeding population?
ANS. Around 300.

Q4. In how many states Great Indian Bustard is found in India?
ANS. In 5.

Q5. Name the states.
ANS. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Rajastan.

Q6. It is the state bird of which state?
ANS. Rajasthan

Q7. What s the main decline of their population
ANS. Illegal hunting.

Q8. Which is the tallest flying bird in India?
ANS. Sarus crane.

Q9. What is the height of  Sarus crane.

ANS. 155 cm.

Q10. What is the scientific name of Sarus crane?
ANS. Grus antigone.

Q11. Around how many Sarus cranes are there in India?
ANS. Around 8000 to 10000.

Q12. Sarus crane is state bird of which state?
ANS. Uttar Pradesh.

Q13. How many Sarus cranes re here in Uttar Pradesh?
ANS. Around 2000 to 3000.

Q14. What is the main decline in their population?
ANS. Loss of wetland.

Q15. What is the scientific name of red panda?
ANS. Alirus fulgens.

Q16. What is the nickname of red panda?
ANS. Firecat and lesser panda.

Q17. Where is firecat's most population in India?
ANS. Arunachal pradesh.

Q18. Why they are hunted?
ANS. They are hunted for their pelt by Chinese people for making traditional dresses.

Q19. What is the scientific name of  Nilgiri tahr?
ANS. Niligiritragus hylocrius.

Q20. Nilgiri tahr is endemic to what?
ANS. Nilgiri hills.

Q21. Nilgiri tahr is state bird of which state?
ANS.Tamil Nadu.

Q22. Adult male nilgiri tahr is called?
ANS. Saddleback.