Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology (DST), has entered into Technology Transfer Agreements with Pune-based Biorad Medisys for two biomedical implant devices.
The institution is to develop India’s first indigenous flow diverter stent, used to reduce chances of Stroke. It is used to divert blood flow from localized ballooning of the brain’s arteries. Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Occluder is also to be developed via this agreement.

Notes:
A bike-based ambulance named ‘Rakshita’ has been developed by the Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Allied Sciences (INMAS), a laboratory of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).
It has been handed over to the Central Reserve Police Force. It seeks to provide quicker medical support to those living in narrow populous streets and remote locations.

Notes:
Davos Agenda is the online event of World Economic Forum’s annual meeting held at Davos, Switzerland. The rich and powerful of the world are said to be the participants.
This year, the five-day meeting is scheduled to be held between January 25 and 29, in the virtual mode, on account of Covid pandemic. WEF’s ‘Great Reset Initiative’ is also to be launched during the meeting. Several Union Ministers and top businesspersons from India are to attend the event.

Notes:
As per the recent study by the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Both the species of Panda, namely Himalayan red panda (Ailurus fulgens) and the Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani) are present in India.
It also revealed that the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh serves as the boundary by splitting the red panda into these two genetic species. As per another study, the Himalayan red panda was affected more during the Pleistocene glaciation.

Notes:
Alexei Navalny, the leader of opposition of Russia has been remanded to a 30-day custody by the Russian government. He was arrested at the Moscow Airport.
Alexei Navalny had earlier spent 5 months at Germany recovering from alleged nerve poisoning and had just returned to Russia where he was arrested.

Notes:
Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has recently notified Inter Country Transport Vehicles Rules, 2021.
As per the rules, the State Transport Authority can grant the Inter Country Transport Permit, which will remain valid for a period of one year. The new rules regulate the movement of passenger and goods vehicles between India and its neighbouring countries.

Notes:
The new US administration headed by Joe Biden has announced its plans to halt temporarily its oil and gas leasing in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. The preceding administration headed by Trump had issued leases in this region which is considered sacred by Indigenous Gwich’in.
Gwichʼin are an Athabaskan language speaking people of Canada and Alaska. They live in the northwestern part of North America close to the Arctic circle.

Notes:
Meghalaya, Manipur & Tripura celebrated their 49th statehood day on January 21, 2021.
On January 21, 1972, these three states became full-fledged states under the North Eastern Region (Reorganisation) Act of 1971. It also led to the formation of the Union territories of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh, which were declared as states on February 21, 1987.

Notes:
The Supreme Court upheld the validity of Section 32 A of the Insolvency Bankruptcy Code (IBC) in its recent judgement.
The apex court held that the successful bidders for a corporate debtor under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) would be immune from any investigations being conducted by investigating agencies such as the ‘Enforcement Directorate’ or statutory bodies such as SEBI.

Notes:
The 17th Ministerial Meeting of Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) was recently organised under the theme, “The New Normal and Safe and Healthy Tourism” virtually.
Riva Ganguly Das, Secretary of the Union Ministry of External Affairs represented India at the meeting. She highlighted about the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019.