Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
Google’s parent company Alphabet recently announced that it is to shut down the ambitious nine-year ‘Loon’ Internet balloon project.
The company aimed to deliver global internet access with a fleet of balloons floating on the edge of space. As per the company, the commercial viability of the project of the Google’s X lab, is considered risky and long.

Notes:
London approved the removal of the Statues of William Beckford and Sir John Cass from its iconic Guildhall home of statues.
After the Black Lives Matter protests, the city corporation set up a task force on tackling racism, which recommended removing the statues of the two figures. The city’s elected representatives voted for the decision.

Notes:
A team of archaeological experts have discovered tombs with the remains of two children claimed to have belonged to the Incan empire.
The tombs were discovered as part of excavations at the ‘Huaca de las Abejas’ complex in the Lambayeque city. The Incan Empire was the largest empire in pre-Columbian America. The Inca civilization is said to have arisen from Peru in the early 13th century.

Notes:
Union Home Minster Amit Shah launched Ayushman CAPF scheme, which will benefit around 10 lakh personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and their family members.
The scheme is a joint initiative of National Health Authority (NHA) with the Ministry of Home Affairs. Cashless and paperless medical treatment will be given to the beneficiaries at 24,000 hospitals in the country.

Notes:
The Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has recently launched a mobile app named ‘Udyam Sarathi’ for seeking employment, as a part of the 3-day event marking UP DIWAS.
The state also announced the proposal to launch ‘Abhyudaya’ coaching centres, which would benefit the students who are preparing for various competitive examinations.

Notes:
Rajasthan state has launched the new M-Sand Policy-2020 recently. The state Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the state government aims to meet the quantity of sand needed for construction work in the state.
This would encourage the production of manufactured sand or M-sand and reduce the dependence on traditional sand.

Notes:
A 122-member armed forces contingent of Bangladesh participated in the Rajpath at the Republic Day parade of India.
This comes as a part of celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 1971 Liberation War, by India and Bangladesh. While Bangladesh takes part in the parade for the first time, it is the third foreign country after France (2016) and the UAE (2017) to take part in India’s Republic Day parade.

Notes:
The United States Senate confirmed veteran economist Janet Yellen as first woman Treasury Secretary of the country.
The 74-year-old eminent economist is also the Former chairperson of the Federal Reserve during the Global Financial Crisis. She is the third cabinet member of the Biden Administration to be confirmed by the Senate.

Notes:
World Economic Forum (WEF) launched a global coalition at the ongoing Davos Agenda Summit to end racism at work place.
It has been named as “Partnering for Racial Justice in Business” initiative. Recently, Indian companies Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services joined the alliance, whose founding members include 48 organisations including Google, Microsoft, Deutsche Bank, EY, among others.

Notes:
As per the Brand Finance’s Global 500 ranking, India’s Reliance Jio owned by Mukesh Ambani has emerged as the fifth strongest brand globally. The list is topped by WeChat followed by Ferrari and Russian Bank Sber. Coco Cola is ranked 4th in the chart.
Reliance Jio has achieved this fete, despite being founded only a few years ago in 2016.