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. 

========

•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. 

=======

•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. 

=========

•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. 

========

•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 

==========

•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. 

=========

•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. 

=========

•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. 

===========

•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. 

==========

•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. 

==========

•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. 

=======

•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. 

=========

•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. 

===========

•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. 

========

•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. 

========

•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. 

=======

•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. 

======

• 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. 

===========

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.

January Current Affairs part 7

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

1. Hollywood director Joan Micklin Silver dies 

• Hollywood filmmaker Joan Micklin Silver, who directed films like 'Hester Street’ and 'Crossing Delancey’, passed awayin January 2021. 

•Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska to Russian Jewish parents, Silver left home to attend Sarah Lawrence College in New York. 

•Silver made her film debut in 1967, and Silver began writing scripts for educational films for children. 

==========

2. Bihar govt installs IT devices to water towers 

•Bihar's Panchayati Raj Department has installed computer-based application to keep a tab on the operation of motorised pumps across Bihar. 

•All water towers would be equipped with specially designed device, internet of things, to calculate operation time of pumps and flow of water from the towers. 

•The device will also detect wastage or excessive use of water by the people. 

========

3. Tesla opens its biggest supercharger facility 

•Tesla launched the world's largest Supercharger station in China's Shanghai with 72 charging stalls in Jan 2021. 

•Tesla beat its own record of single-point EV super-charging station with 56 stalls opened in California in November 2020. 

•The new superchargers come with a charging capacity of the 120 kW while the superchargers in California get a much faster 250 kW charging speed. 

=======

4. India delivers relief materials to Fiji 

• India has sent over six tons of relief material to Fiji for its cyclone-affected people, reflecting its close ties with the island nation in the South Pacific. 

•The relief material sent in the wake of tropical cyclone Yasa highlighted India's commitment to providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief support to friendly foreign countries as a first responder. 

========

5. 03 January: Savitribai Phule birth anniversary 

•January 3 marks the birth anniversary of Savitribai Phule. 

•She is known for her contribution in the field of women's education, She was born on January 3, 1831, in Maharashtra’s Satara district in a country ruled by the Britishers, where women rights were non-existent. 

•She is widely regarded as a woman teacher who campaigned to create awareness on the need for education for women. 

=========

6. IDBI Bank sells 23% stake in life insurance JV 

•IDBI Bank has sold 23 per cent stake in IDBI Federal Life Insurance Company Ltd (IFLI) to Ageas Insurance International NV for 3507.10 crores.

•Following this transaction, the joint venture has been rebranded as Ageas Federal Life Insurance Company Ltd. 

•IFLI is a three-way joint venture of IDB! Bank, Belgium's Ageas and Federal Bank. 

======

7. Tata Sons largest promoter of listed companies 

•Tata Sons has emerged as the largest promoter of listed companies at the end of 2020. 

•The company replaced central government as the largest promoter at the end of a tumultuous year for the equity market which saw benchmark indices hit record lows and highs. 

•Tata Sons' stake in the listed companies of the conglomerate rose 34.4% on annual basis to Rs 9,28 lakh crore. 

=======

8. J S Banerjee new Chief Justice for Madras HC 

•President Ram Nath Kovind has appointed Justice Sanjib Banerjee as the Chief Justice of the Madras High Court. 

•He would be succeeding Chief Justice Amreshwar Pratap Sahi, who retired from service on 31 December 2020. 

•He was elevated as a permanent judge of the Calcutta High Court on June 22, 2006, and was now the seniormost puisne judge there. 

========

9. Tamil film producer K Balu passes away 

•Renowned Tamil film producer K Balu has passed away in January 2021. 

•He was known for bankrolling films like Prabhu and Kushboo starring Chinna Thambi under his banner KP Films. 

•Balu has contested Tamil Film Producers Council election and emerged the winner as an executive committee member. 

=========

10. Bhima-Koregaon anniversary celebration 

•The programme to mark the 203rd anniversary of the Battle of Koregaon Bhima at the “Jaystambh" in Perne village was held peacefully on 01 January 2020, 

•Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and some other leaders paid tributes at the "Jay Stambh" 

•"The battle (Koregaon Bhima Battle) was a fight against untouchability that was being followed during the Peshwa rule and it received success’.

========

11. River cruise Brahmaputra’r Mukuta 

•Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated river cruise Brahmaputra’r Mukuta at the bank of the Brahmaputra near Bogibeel bridge in Dibrugarh on 31 Dec 2020. 

•The cruise built-in one-and-half-year is an ABCD Exploration Company project with the initiative of two local youths, Dhiraj Bikas Gogoi and Uday Shankar Mohan. 

===============

12. Gujarat BJP MP Mansukh Vasava quits party 

•Gujarat BJP MP and former Union Minister Mansukh Vasava has quit the party and announced that he would resign from Lok Sabha in the budget session of Parliament. 

•He has been vocal on tribal issues and had written a letter to PM Narendra Modi seeking withdrawal of a Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notification declaring 121 villages of Narmada district as eco-sensitive zone. 

========

13. Dagmara Baskova banned for match-fixing 

•Slovakian tennis player Dagmara Baskova has been banned for a period of 12 years after an investigation by the Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) uncovered five incidents of match-fixing by the player in 2017. 

•Baskova, who had the highest WTA ranking of 1117 in singles and 777 in doubles, has also been fined $40,000, 

•The majority of the fine is suspended, with $1,000 payable within 90 days. 

========

14. Uliyin Osai director llavenil passes away 

•Tamil director and writer llavenil passed away in January 2021, 

• The director is known for his film Uliyin Osai, which was written by Karunanidhi, and produced by S. P. Murugesan. 

•The film released on 4th July 2008 and it featured Vineeth and Keerthi Chawla in the lead roles. 

•llavenil had worked in popular movies like Alladista, Pen Singam. 

=========

15. Lenovo to start manufacturing tablets in India 

•Personal Computer (PC) maker Lenovo is going to start manufacturing tablets in India through an original design manufacturer. 

•The company is also planning to increase laptop manufacturing facility by about 10 times at its Puducherry facility. 

•Lenovo was ranked second after HP in terms of shipment of personal computers (PCs) in India in July-September 2020 period. 

=========

16. IFSCA becomes associate member of IOSCO 

• International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA) has become an associate member of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), 

•The IOSCO works closely with the G20 nations and the Financial Stability Board (FSB), in setting up the standards for strengthening the securities markets. 

•The first IFSC in the country has been set up in Gandhinagar. 

========

17. Shah releases ‘National Police K-9 Journal’ 

•Union Home Minister Amit Shah released the inaugural issue of “National Police K-9 Journal” on 2 Jan 2021. 

•The journal comprises different sections in Hindi and English. 

•A special ‘Police K9 Cell’ was established in November 2019 under the Police Modernisation Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs with the mandate of ‘Mainstreaming and Augmentation of Police Service K9s in the country: 

========

18. PMC's “plug and key” garbage processing units 

•The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has introduced ‘plug and key' garbage processing units to save time and money. 

• The new units installed on vehicles with various types of mesh attached with a conveyor belt will segregate dry garbage. 

•Post segregation of garbage, the residue will be sent to scientific landfilling in Uruli garbage depot which is lawful as per National Green Tribunal order. 

=======

19. Dabholkar Memorial Award for DK chief 

•The Dr Narendra Dabholkar Memorial Award for 2020 has been conferred upon Dravidar Kazhagam President K. Veeramani. 

•The award was instituted in the memory of the Maharashtra-based rationalist Dabholkar, who was killed some years ago. 

• It includes 21 lakh and a citation. « Mr Veeramani has dedicated his whole life to 

propagate rationalism and served for the cause of social justice in society. 

20. 01 January : Global Family Day 

•Global Family Day is celebrated annually 

on January 1 in different parts of the world, especially in the United States, as a global day of peace and sharing. 

•It was first observed in the year 2000 on January 1.

•Since then, the first day of the New Year is celebrated as Global Family Day every year. 

•The day considers the entire world as one family. 

========

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.

December Current Affairs part 6

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

1. Maharashtra gets 10 new conservation reserves 

•The Maharashtra Wildlife Board has accepted suggestions to declare 10 areas of the state as conservation reserves. 

•

It has also agreed to upgrade Kanhalgaon in Chandrapur to the level of a sanctuary. 

• The new conservation reserves are Amboli Dodamarg, Chandgad, AajraBhudargad, Gaganbawda, Panhalgad, Vishalgad, Jor Jambhli, Maini in western Maharashtra, and Mahendri and Munia in Vidarbha. 

===========

2. Ajay Banga named by Fortune in its list 

•Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen and Mastercard CEO Ajay Banga have been named by Fortune among the Businessperson of the Year 2020. 

•The list has been topped by Tesla CEO Elon Musk for the second time. 

•Narayen was ranked 8th in the list, while Banga was ranked 9th. 

•Banga, who had been Mastercard’s CEO for 10 years, will step down from his role and Michael Miebach will be the new CEO. 

============

3. Tata Sons buys shares in Tata Chemicals 

•Tata Sons Pvt Ltd has bought more than 25 lakh shares of Tata Chemicals via open market transaction. 

•According to the bulk deal data available on NSE (National Stock Exchange), Tata Sons bought 25,71,651 shares of the company at an average price of 7471.88. 

• This took the total deal value to 7121.35 crores. 

===========

4. International Volunteer Day: 5 December 

•International Volunteer Day is observed on December 5 every year. 

•The day was designated by the United Nations in 1985 as an international observance day to celebrate the power and potential of volunteerism. 

•The theme for International Volunteers Day 2020 is ‘Together We Can Through Volunteering: 

5. Former Pakistan PM Zafarullah Jamali dies 

•Former Pakistan Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali passed away in December 2020. 

•He had served from November 2002 until June 2004. 

•Jamali, Pakistan's first and only elected Prime Minister from Balochistan, had served during the military regime of Gen Pervez Musharraf. 

•However, Gen Musharraf sought his resignation in 2004, and he was replaced by Shaukat Aziz. 

============

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.

December Current Affairs part 3

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

----------

1. Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 

•The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is annually observed on November 29. 

• The day is also known as Solidarity Day. 

•On Nov 29, 1947, the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution on the partition of Palestine (resolution 181 (II)). 

•On Dec 2, 1977, it was recorded that the assembly called for the annual observance of November 29 as this day. 

============

2. Rajasthan BJP MLA Kiran Maheshwari passes away 

•Senior BJP leader and MLA from Rajsamand in Rajasthan, Kiran Maheshwari passed away in Nov 2020, 

•She had tested positive for coronavirus. 

•Kiran Maheshwari was a three-time MLA from Rajsamand. 

•She had served, previously, as a member of parliament in the 14th Lok Sabha where she represented the Udaipur Constituency.

============ 

3. Electric buses to ply on Tirumala Hills 

•Andhra Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation will soon introduce electric buses to transport visiting pilgrims to Tirumala Hills. 

• The famous temple of Lord Venkateswara is located at the same place. 

•With an aim to maintain the holy hills a ‘zero carbon emission zone’, the TTD that manages the hill shrine took a decision to introduce electric buses in the place of those operated by diesel. 

============

4. China to build a major dam on Brahmaputra 

•China will build a major hydropower project on Brahmaputra river in Tibet and a proposal for this has been clearly put forward in the 14th Five-Year Plan to be implemented from 2021, 

•The project will serve to maintain water resources and domestic security. 

•China has already operationalised the USD 1.5 billion Zam Hydropower Station, the largest in Tibet in 2015. 

============

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.

December Current Affairs part 2 (One liner Current Affairs)

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

1. Andhra Pradesh State has launched Jagannath Thodu Scheme on 25th November.

2. Sydney Thunder has won Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), it is an Australian women's domestic Twenty20 cricket competition.

3. Bijoy Krishna Patel has been appointed as chairmen of Odisha Human Rights Commission.

4. Roch Marc Christian has become president of Burkina Faso for the second time.

5. In Dubai, Arab Gulf's first coal based power plant is being developed.

6. On 27th November, 11th National Organ Donating day was celebrated.

7. 'Hualong Forest' is a nuclear reactor made by China for domestic use.

8. Avinash Sable has won Airtel Delhi Half Marathon Race 2020.

9. In Rajasthan 'Organ Donor Memorial' is inaugurated  at Jaipur.

10. Hetero is the company which will produce Russian vaccine Sputnik-V in India.

December Current Affairs part 1

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

1. Tech companies sign ‘Tech for Good’ initiative 

•Google, Facebook, Microsoft are among the 75 executives of technology companies that had signed up the French government's ‘Tech for Good' initiative. 

•The initiative seeks to get global tech companies to publicly commit to principles including paying their fair share of taxes. 

•Amazon and Apple have not signed up to a new French initiative.

•France- 

President	Emmanuel Macron
Prime Minister	Jean Castex
Currency	Euro
Capital	Paris
National Language	French

============

2. Scottish homes to use 100% green hydrogen 

• Scotland is set to start the world's first trials of green hydrogen to replace natural gas for cooking and heating in 300 homes. 

•Scotland's gas company SGN will fit houses in Fife with free hydrogen heating systems and stoves/ovens to be used over four years. 

•The aim is to see if carbon-free hydrogen made from water and electricity via electrolysis can help the UK meet its carbon goals.

• Scotland-  

President	Nicola Sturgeon
Prime Minister	Nicola Sturgeon
Currency	Pound Sterling
Capital	Edinburgh
Language	Scotic Gaelic and English

==========

3. IT workers get jobs through Karmo Bhumi app 

•Nearly 8000 jobs have been secured by IT professionals in West Bengal who have 

returned from other places due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Karmo Bhumi is a Government of West Bengal initiative to collaborate between job seekers and employers in the IT/ITeS sector. 

•The state IT department had developed the "Karmo Bhumi" app for professionals. 

• West Bengal- 

Capital	Kolkata
Chief Minister	Mamta Banerjee
Governor	Jagdeep Dhankar
State Language	Bengali

==========

4. 01 Dec: World AIDS Day 

•World AIDS Day is observed on December 1 every year. 

•The theme of World AIDS Day 2020 is “Global solidarity, resilient HIV services’ 

•World AIDS Day was first marked in 1988 and was also the first-ever international day for global health. 

=============

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.

November Current Affairs part 43- World Philosophy Day

Hello friends in this article you are going to read about Philosophy Day.

•World Philosophy Day is observed on the third Thursday of November every year. 

•It raises awareness about the importance of philosophy. 

•The 2020 edition of World Philosophy Day is being celebrated on November 19 and November 20. 

•The theme of World Philosophy Day 2020 is the importance of philosophy in times of crisis. 

Thanks for reading, share this article for more such informative articles.

November Current Affairs part 42- National Epilepsy Day

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read about National Epilepsy Day.

 •In India, November 17 is observed every year as National Epilepsy Day to create awareness about  epilepsy. 

•It is celebrated by the Epilepsy Foundation, and various seminars, debates, stage events are organised. 

•Epilepsy is a chronic brain disorder that results in recurrent ‘seizures’ or ‘fits'.

•Seizures occur due to the sudden, excessive electrical discharges in the neurons or brain cells. 

Thanks for reading, share this article for more such informative articles.

November Current Affairs part 34

  Hello friends in this article you are going to read about corp day.

• 240th Corps of Engineers Day: 18 November Indian Army celebrated the 240th Corps of Engineers Day on 18 Nov 2020. 

• In a ceremony organized at ‘National War Memorial, Lt Gen SK Shrivastava, Engineer-in-Chief laid wreaths and paid homage to the brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. 

• The Corps of Engineers provides combat engineering support, develops infrastructure for armed forces, etc. 

Thanks for reading, share this article for more such informative articles.

November Current Affairs part 33 ( World Toilet Day)

  Hello friends in this article you are going to read about World Toilet Day.

• World Toilet Day is observed on 19 November to create awareness about sanitation and encourage people to use toilets. 

• There are 4.2 bn people in this world who are living without access to safely managed sanitation. 

• The theme of World Toilet Day 2020 is sustainable sanitation and climate change. 

• Safe and hygienic toilets form the strongest defence mechanism against COVID and other diseases. 

Thanks for reading, share this article for more such informative articles.

November Current Affairs part 17 (Public Service Broadcasting Day)

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read about Public Service Broadcasting Day.

• Public Service Broadcasting Day is being observed every year on Nov 12. 

• The day is celebrated every year to commemorate the only visit of Mahatma Gandhi to the studio of All India Radio, Delhi in 1947, 

• The Father of the Nation addressed the displaced people, who had temporarily settled at Kurukshetra in Haryana after partition. 

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.

November Current Affairs part 15 ( Jharkhand Foundation Day)

 Hello friends in this article you are going to read about Jharkhand Foundation Day.

• Jharkhand was founded by the Bihar Reorganisation Act on 15 November 2000 as the 28th State of India. 

•Jharkhand is also known as ‘The land of forest" or ‘Bushland: 

•Presently, Jharkhand state shares its border with Bihar to the north, Uttar Pradesh to the northwest, Chhattisgarh to the west, Odisha to the south and West Bengal to the east. 

Thanks for reading share this article for more such informative articles.