Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2020

Notes:
The US-based leading certification agency, Green Business Certification Inc. recently released the list of India’s top 10 States for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Maharashtra has been ranked at the top spot among the states, in the global green building rating system. The building which obtained the rating has low carbon emissions.
The system ranks Indian states in terms of cumulative gross square meters (GSM) of space, certified by the LEED system. Maharashtra has attained over one crore GSM development and retains its first position for the second year, followed by Karnataka, Haryana, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently cancelled the Certificate of Authorisation (CoA) of Vodafone m-pesa after it voluntarily surrendered its authorisation. RBI authorises the Payment System Operator to set up and operate in India under the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007.
After the closure of Aditya Birla Idea Payments Bank Ltd (ABIPBL), with which Vodafone m-pesa was merged, the company decided to apply for voluntary surrender of authorisation. After the cancellation, the company cannot transact business of issuance and operation of Prepaid payment Instruments but the customers or merchants with a valid claim on the company as a PSO, can approach it till September 30, 2022.

Notes:
World Holocaust Forum was recently convened in the capital city of Israel, Jerusalem. The forum marked the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp.
More than 40 global leaders attended the forum, which includes the Russian President Vladimir Putin, US Vice-President Mike Pence, Presidents of France and Germany and the Prince of Wales. The forum was organised by the World Holocaust Forum Foundation, which is an international organisation found to preserve the memory of the Holocaust and to promote tolerance between all religions and nationalities.

Notes:
India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has recently estimated that the gross domestic product (GDP) of India to grow at 5.5 per cent in FY21. The ratings agency also hoped that the growth would improve in 2021 but the country’s economy is stuck in a low consumption-low investment phase.
It observed that the shortfall in the tax plus non-tax revenue of the country will make the fiscal deficit slip to 3.6 % of GDP, against the budget target of 3.3 per cent. Even after accounting for the surplus transferred to the government by the RBI, the fiscal deficit target could not be possibly achieved, as per Ind-Ra.

Notes:
The inaugural edition of the Ganga Volga Dialogue was recently held in New Delhi, the idea of which was originated during the India-Russia Summit between President Putin and Prime Minister Modi, held in October 2018.
The Dialogue was organised by the Union Ministry of External Affairs, India in association with Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation. Several scholars of India and Russia participated in the event and had discussions in the context of India-Russia bilateral cooperation, with the main focus on culture and civilization.

Notes:
Six-time World Champion and Olympian boxer Mary Kom was conferred with the prestigious ‘Padma Vibhushan’ award on the Republic day of the year 2020.
Seven eminent personalities were presented the ‘Padma Vibhushan’ award, which is the second highest civilian award in India, only next to the ‘Bharat Ratna’. Other awardees are Former Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Sushma Swaraj and George Fernandes (posthumously), Singer Chhannulal Mishra of Uttar Pradesh and former Mauritius prime minister Anerood Gugnauth.

Notes:
Indian boxer Mohammed Hussamuddin was seen in news recently as he clinched the silver medal in the 57-kg category, at the Strandja Memorial Boxing Tournament. The tournament was being held in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Hussammudin, who is a Commonwealth Games bronze-winner, lost the final bout to Italy’s Francesco Maietta and settled with the silver. Other two Indian boxers who won bronze medals in the tournament were four-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa and former world silver-medallist Sonia Lather.

Notes:
The Prime Minister of Slovenia, Marjan Sarec was seen in news as he recently submitted his resignation from the post to the country’s parliament. He also called for an early election as his minority government could not pass important legislations. The next regular election is due to be held in the middle of 2022.
The ruling coalition of five parties, which assumed power in Late 2018, had only 43 out of 90 seats in parliament. Before the announcement of the Prime Minister, the Finance Minister Andrej Bertoncelj also submitted his resignation.

Notes:
Maharashtra-based renowned rights activist and feminist, Vidya Bal recently passed away. She had been undertaking legal battles against social and gender inequalities throughout her life.
She was the founder of the social organisation ‘Nari Samata Manch’ which aimed at discussing and providing solutions to various problems of women. The centre mainly focussed on reclaiming the rights of rural women. She was also the editor of the progressive magazine ‘Miloon Saryajani’ and author of many literary works. She is well-known for demanding the entry of women in all temples.

Notes:
Renowned environmental economist and UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Goodwill Ambassador Pavan Sukhdev has been awarded the prestigious Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, for this year.
The award was instituted in 1973 and is otherwise known as the Nobel prize for environment. Pavan Sukhdev shares the prestigious award with another conservation biologist from the United States, Gretchen Daily. Sukhdev is only the third Indian in the last decade to receive this coveted award. His report on ‘The Economics of Environment and Biodiversity’ was the base for the Green Economy movement of UNEP.