Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
The Maharashtra Legislative Council passed the Maharashtra Public University Act, 2016 (Third Amendment) bill.
It seeks to give more powers to the Higher and Technical Education Minister in the state-run varsities. The bill also allows the minister to make recommendations to the Governor who is the chancellor of the universities. It also proposes appointment of the Minister as pro-chancellor of the universities.

Notes:
The Indian Army has set up a ‘Quantum computing laboratory and a Centre for artificial intelligence (AI)’ at Military College of Telecommunication Engineering, Mhow, Madhya Pradesh.
The centres will carry out research in developing transformative technologies to be used by the armed forces. It has been established by the Indian Army, with support from the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS).

Notes:
Afghanistan has signed a new agreement with Tajikistan’s “Tajik Electricity” company for the extension of the import of electricity for the next year.
As per recent reports, Afghanistan needs 850 megawatts of electricity per year. Afghanistan imports 620 megawatts from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran.While, 230 megawatts are supplied from domestic sources.

Notes:
China’s Shanghai has maintained its position as having the longest metro rail network in the world by adding two new lines that went into operation recently.
The new lines took the total length of the city’s metro network to 831 km, also bringing the total number of fully automatic driverless metro lines in the city to five.  Shanghai city now includes 508 stations. Shanghai’s Metro network is followed by Beijing, and Delhi was ranked third

Notes:
China complained to the United Nations that its space station was forced to avoid collisions with satellites launched by his Starlink Internet Services project.
As per China’s claim to the Vienna-based United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, the country’s space station had two close encounters with Starlink satellites this year. Starlink is a satellite internet network operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.

Notes:
Food aggregators like Swiggy and Zomato will have to collect and deposit tax at 5% rate from January 1, 2022.
At present, only those restaurants registered under GST are collecting and depositing the tax. Cab aggregators like Uber and Ola will have to collect 5% Goods and Services Tax for booking 2 and 3 wheeler vehicles.

Notes:
India’s current account balance posted a deficit of $ 9.6 billion in the second quarter ended September 2021 (Q2Fy22).
It forms 1.3 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). The current account was in surplus $ 6.6 billion (0.9 percent of GDP) in the first quarter ended June 2021(Q1Fy22). As per the RBI, the current account deficit (CAD) was mainly due to widening of trade gap and increase in outgo of investment income.

Notes:
Nodirbek Abdusattorov from Uzbekistan became the youngest ever World Rapid Chess champion, at 17 years three months. Magnus Carlsen had won the 2009 World Blitz Title at the age of 18.
He also defeated the Ace player Magnus Carlsen to win the World Rapid championship in Warsaw, Poland. France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave won the World Blitz title.

Notes:
DRDO observed the 63rd Foundation Day of its establishment on January 01, 2021. DRDO was established in 1958 with 10 laboratories to enhance the research work in Defence sector.
At present, DRDO is working with several areas including aeronautics, combat vehicles, electronics, instrumentation, advanced computing, simulation among others. DRDO Chairperson declared ‘Export’ as the theme of DRDO for 2021.

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.