Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
The BRICS New Development Bank (NDB) announced that it will add Egypt as its new member. NDB was established by BRICS nations, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, in the year 2015.
Egypt is the fourth new member admitted into NDB, after Bangladesh, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Uruguay. Marcos Troyjo is the President of the NDB.

Notes:
Thirty white rhinos were transferred from South Africa to Rwanda in a Boeing 747 chartered plane. This is the largest single transfer of white rhinos ever undertaken.
The rhinoceros species is threatened by illegal poaching. Southern white rhino, one of two subspecies of white rhino, is considered “almost endangered” by the International Union for Conversation of Nature (IUCN).

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has extended the last date for KYC updation for bank accounts by three months to March 31 next year.
The deadline has been extended due to prevalent uncertainty due to new variant of Covid-19. RBI had relaxed the rules first in May last year due to pandemic. It also announced that banking services should not be restricted because the KYC documents are not updated by the customer.

Notes:
Himachal Pradesh defeated Tamil Nadu by VJD method to clinch their maiden Vijay Hazare Trophy title in 2021-22 edition, held at Jaipur.
Tamil Nadu has been the most successful team with 5 title wins. Vijay Hazare Trophy, also known as the Ranji One-Day Trophy, was started in 2002-03. It is named after the legendary Indian cricketer Vijay Hazare.

Notes:
SMILE (Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise) is an umbrella scheme being formulated by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
It includes two sub-schemes for the welfare of transgender persons and persons engaged in begging. The scheme will include rehabilitation, medical facilities, counselling, education, skill development and economic linkages.

Notes:
Jammu and Kashmir is set to become the first Union Territory to have a district-level Good Governance Index.
The Department of administrative reforms and public grievances will carry out this task in association with the Jammu and Kashmir government. The framework will have 58 indicators to assess different aspects of development and district administration such as agriculture, commerce and industry, public safety, public health among others.

Notes:
Ladakh is celebrating, Losar, the traditional new year. Losar festival is being celebrated by Buddhist Community in the region.
The festival began with the celebration of Birth and Nirvana Anniversary Je Tsongkhapa. People celebrated the festival at religious places like Monasteries, Stupas and other places. The festival is celebrated in Tibetan Buddhism in the month of February or March.

Notes:
Khurnak Fort, which was historically a part of India has been under Chinese control since 1958. Near to the Fort, China is building a new bridge.
The bridge is being constructed on Pangong Tso, near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. After the military standoff in May 2020, India and China have built several new roads, bridges and landing strips.

Notes:
The new COVID variant named IHU (B.1.640.2) has been discovered at the IHU Mediterranee Infection institute in France.
The new variant is said to have 46 mutations more than Omicron. The first case was reported from a person who had come from the African country of Cameroon. As per the Scientists, the new strain carries E484K mutation making it vaccine-resistant.

Notes:
XIV Corps or Fire and Fury Corps is a corps of the Indian Army. It is a part of the Army’s Northern Command based at Udhampur.
Lt Gen PGK Menon handed over the command of the XIV ‘Fire and Fury’ Corps to Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta. He was part of the last round of Corps Commander-level talks with China in October.