Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2021

Notes:
The Maharashtra government is launching a new initiative named Jail Tourism in the state.
As a part of the programme, jails where many freedom fighters were jailed will be developed as Tourism sites. From January 26, 2021 the state has launched the programme starting with the 150-year-old Yerawada Jail. It will also include Nagpur, Thane, and Ratnagiri Jails.

Notes:
The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was approved by the United Nations General Assembly in 2017.
Recently, this first treaty came into force and in response, India announced that it does not support the treaty. None of the nine countries said to possess nuclear weapons and the NATO alliance supported the treaty.

Notes:
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has been re-elected as the President of Portugal. The right-wing President won the elections with 60.7 percent of the vote.
Although the Prime Minister Antonio Costa is a Socialist, the President has a prominent role in the nation’s polity with superior role in foreign policy and national security. President of Portugal has the power to dissolve the Parliament.

Notes:
The United States President Joe Biden signed an executive order, which would impose rules on government procurement practices.
Dubbed as the ‘Buy American’ order, it aims to strengthen domestic manufacturing and ensure better access to small and midsize businesses. This is a part of the ‘Build Back Better recovery plan’ proposed by Joe Biden.

Notes:
The West Bengal Transport Corporation in association with a heritage book store has launched a Young Readers’ Boat Library.
Under the initiative, children can choose from a selection of 500 titles in English and Bengali on cruising on the waters of Hooghly river on a three-hour-long trip.

Notes:
Freedom fighter and late former Union home minister Govind Ballabh Pant’s statue was relocated from the Parliament complex, as the construction for the new building commenced.
The statue was later unveiled in New Delhi’s Pandit Pant Marg. He was also the first Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh, from 1950 to 1954. He was also awarded with the highest honour of India, the Bharat Ratna.

Notes:
As per the Science Magazine, Scientists have discovered a rare Martian Mineral named ‘Jarosite’ in the Antarctic ice.
After boring more than a mile deep in the Antarctic region, the yellow-brown mineral which is rarely seen on Earth but found more on Mars was spotted. Mars is believed to be a dusty place and this discovery may be used to explain this theory.

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.

Notes:
Republic of Chad, a land locked country in North – Central Africa, has requested the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for debt restructuring, under the new common framework. Chad’s request makes it the first country to seek debt restructuring from IMF.
Chad has been struggling with high debt burden against a backdrop of the coronavirus crisis.

Notes:
The Budget Session of Parliament recently began with the address of President Ram Nath Kovind to the joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament.
During the address, the President mentioned that the ‘Amrut Mahotsav’ will be observed in the country from this year, to mark commencement of the celebrations towards the 75th year of India’s Independence.