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:
India Gas Exchange (IGX) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Indian Energy Exchange (IEX). It is the first gas exchange in the country to be authorised from Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) under Gas Exchange Regulations 2020
Adani Total Gas and Torrent Gas have recently acquired five percent equity stake each in Indian Gas Exchange (IGX).

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:
Recently, the Central Board of Investigation (CBI) has filed a First Information Report (FIR) against two UK based firms Cambridge Analytica and Global Scientific Research.
The FIR has been filed after 30 months since probe was initiated against these two firms, based on a complaint by the IT Ministry. Investigation have revealed that the firm Global Scientific Research has illegally harvested Indian data and passed on to Cambridge Analytica for commercial gains.

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 World Health Organization (WHO) has collaborated with the American pharmaceutical firm Pfizer recently.
As per the deal, 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech coronavirus vaccine will be distributed for poor and lower-middle income countries under its COVAX programme.

Notes:
Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli belonging to the ruling communist party of Nepal, has been expelled from the party by leaders Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and former PM Madhav Kumar.
This decision has been made by the party, after the PM P. Sharma Oli dissolved the Lower House of the Parliament called “Pratinidhi Sabha”.

Notes:
As per a recent publication of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) named “Birds of the Sundarban Biosphere Reserve”, the region is home to 428 species of birds.
The Indian Sunderbans one of the largest mangrove forests in the world, also comprises of the Sunderban Tiger Reserve. Some birds like Masked Finfoot and Buffy fish owl are found only in the Sunderbans.

Notes:
Azim Premji University, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) released a new policy named ‘Udyog Sahayak Enterprises Network (USENET)’.
The policy aims to provide services to over 62 million nano and micro-enterprises. It also aims to create an additional 10.3 million jobs over five years. It also aims to improve Ease of Doing Business for the informal nano, micro and small entrepreneurs.

Notes:
The International Monetary Fund released its latest World Economic Outlook Update recently. As per the report, Indian economy would grow 11.5 per cent in FY22. It has revised the earlier forecast of 8.8 per cent growth.
As per the IMF, India would be the only key country to record a double-digit growth and reclaim the status of the fastest-growing major economy of the world.