Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
Delhi Government launched the ‘Streetscaping and Beautification of Roads’ project, on the lines of European Cities.
Nine selected stretches across the city are to be redesigned and redeveloped to make them useful for cyclists, pedestrians and motor cyclists. Recently, redesigning has commenced in a 600-metre stretch on Lodhi Road, to make it in line with various historical monuments in the area.

Notes:
India ace badminton player PV Sindhu won the women`s singles title at the Syed Modi International tournament.
The top-seed Sindhu defeated Malvika Bansod 21-13, 21-16 in the final clash. The men`s singles final of the Syed Modi India International 2022 was declared a `No Match’ as one of the finalists was declared Covid positive.

Notes:
‘VRR Auction’ stands for Variable rate repo auction. Repo is the rate at which RBI lends short term loans to Banks. A part of it is done at a fixed rate and some of it is a variable rate.
The Reserve Bank of India said it will conduct an overnight variable rate repo auction under liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) for an amount of Rs 75,000 crore. On January 20, the RBI conducted an overnight variable rate repo (VRR) auction of Rs 50,000 crore.

Notes:
Republic Day celebration includes recognition and honouring the brave personnel in the Armed Forces and police. There are eight categories of awards given to honour the recipients for their work in their respective fields.
It includes Padma Awards, Gallantry Awards (Param Vir Chakra, Mahavir Chakra, Vir Chakra, Ashoka Chakra, Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra), The President’s Police Medals, Correctional Services Medal, The President’s Fire Medals, Civil Defence & Home Guards Medals and Jeevan Raksha Padak.

Notes:
China-Russia-Iran Navies participate in the ‘CHIRU-2Q22’ is a Joint Drill. China announced that it has sent its naval missile destroyer Urumqi to the Gulf of Oman to participate in the drill.
The Chinese regime also sent helicopters and marines for the exercise. Russia sent its Pacific Fleet’s task force which included Nakhimov missile cruiser Varyag and anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Tributs. The exercises are held in the waters of the Mediterranean and Okhotsk seas.

Notes:
‘INS Khukri Memorial’ is a Indo-Pakistani War memorial commemorating a frigate attacked by a Pakistani submarine in 1976.
INS Khukri, the lead ship of the Indian Navy’s Khukri class corvettes and an indigenous surface-to-surface missile fitted vessel, was handed over to Diu administration.  Built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders, the ship was commissioned in 1989, in Mumbai. The ship was decommissioned in December 2021 and sent to Diu, for public display in INS Khukri Memorial.

Notes:
The scientific team at CSIR-CDRI, Lucknow along with their industry partner Biotech Desk have successfully developed the indigenous RTPCR Kit INDICoV-OmTM for specific detection of the Omicron variant.
Most of the RT-PCR-based diagnostic kits do not confirm whether Covid infection is caused by the Omicron variant. Also various current Omicron tests have several limitations.

Notes:
Saudi Arabia and Thailand have ended a 30-year dispute over a scandal involving stolen jewels and a series of murders. Saudi Arabian Airlines has announced to restart direct flights to Thailand.
The resumption of full diplomatic ties came during a visit to Riyadh by Thailand Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha. Gems stolen from Saudi had a rare 50 carat blue diamond, which was never recovered. The dispute has cost a huge dip in trade and led to job losses for Thai Migrant workers.

Notes:
‘International Customs Day’ is observed every year on January 26, across the world with the United Nations as the host. It recognises the role of customs officials and agencies in ensuring flow of goods across the world borders.
The Customs Cooperation Council (CCC) announced the observance of ICD in 1953. CCC was renamed as World Customs Organization (WCO) in 1994. The theme of 2022 is ‘Scaling up Customs Digital Transformation by Embracing a Data Culture and Building a Data Ecosystem’.

Notes:
Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar launched the Karnataka Brain Health Initiative, a first-of-its-kind plan in India.
The plan has been undertaken by NIMHANS (National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences) in association with NITI Aayog. Under the new programme, Doctors will be trained in screening and treating mental health patients.