Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2020

Notes:
Also known as “hook-lipped rhinoceros”, these species, though called “black” are in varying colours of brown and grey. They are found in South and East Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Its IUCN status is critically endangered, though the South-Western status of the black rhinoceros is classified under vulnerable.

Notes:
The Union Minister for Home Affairs had recently visited Sashastra Seem Bal Headquarters in New Delhi. He reviewed the functioning of the SSB during this visit. The deployment, operational achievements and concerns were reviewed. SSB, one of the Central Armed Police Forces, was known as Special Service Bureau prior to 2001.

Notes:
These terms were mentioned in the news recently to indicate the different the cricket bats used. “The Camel” bat was recently used by Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan. Mangoose, Kaboom and Aluminium are some of the other names used to describe different cricket bats.

Notes:
A new Department of Military Affairs, also known as Sainya Karta Vibhag will be headed by the Chief of Defence Staff. This department is an addition to the four other departments of the Ministry of Defence – the Department of Defence, Defence Production, Defence and Development and Ex-service welfare.

Notes:
Former Indian cricket team captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni was selected as the captain of both the ESPNCricinfo’s ODI and T20 teams of the decade. The present skipper Virat Kohli was selected as the captain of ESPNCricinfo’s Test team of the decade, while he found place in all the three formats. Famous Indian batsman Rohit Sharma was included in the ODI team of the decade, while spinner R Ashwin found place in the test team. Bumrah was the only bowler to be placed in the T20 list.

Notes:
University of Agricultural Sciences (UASB), GKVK Campus, Bangalore, Karnataka is hosting 107th Indian Science Congress from January 3 to 7, 2020  with the theme Science & Technology: Rural Development.

Notes:
The 27th edition of National Children’s Science Congress was recently organised in the capital city of Kerala, Thiruvananthapuram. The Congress was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, Venkiah Naidu. More than 650 young student scientists from many states and union territories across the country and some students from the Middle East countries participated in the event and exhibited their projects and inventions.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi recently launched five new defence laboratories called DRDO Young Scientists Laboratories (DYSL) for the Defence Research and Development Organisation from Bengaluru, Karnataka. The labs will operate from five Indian cities, namely Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkatta. They will focus on developing new and innovative defence technologies for our country and thus enhance our self reliance in the field.

Notes:
The 3rd installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM- KISAN) scheme was released by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi in Tumakuru, Karnataka. This latest installment is expected to benefit nearly six crore beneficiaries. The PM- KISAN scheme was launched by the Prime Minister on February 2019 to provide financial assistance of Rs.6000 per year to eligible farmers in three installments of Rs.2000 each. The payment of second installment began from April 2019.

Notes:
The ancient ritualistic festival observed by the people of ‘Meiti’ community of Manipur is recently celebrated in the capital city of Tripura, Agartala. Department of Information and Cultural Affairs of the Tripura state Government jointly organised this festival along with the cultural committees of the state. The festival is celebrated for five days, hosting many cultural events that include folk dance, oral literature and music.