Current Affairs Daily Digest – January 17 2020
1. Japan topped the 2020 Henley Passport Index
Henley Passport Index 2020 was launched recently by Henley & Partners. India ranked 84th in the index. Japan has the world’s strongest passport. The index was based on the data collected from the International Air Transport Association (IATA). Report Highlights: ♦ In the index, around 199 different passports and 227 different travel destinations were considered.
2. Anshu Malik won silver in 2020 Rome Ranking Series
Indian teenage wrestler Anshu Malik won in the women’s 57kg freestyle event of the season ‘s first major competition, the Ranking Series in Rome. She lost to Nigeria’s Odunayo Adekuoroye for the score 10-0.
Rome Ranking Series 2020: Rome Ranking Series 2020 was announced by the United World Wrestling. The event is being held from 15-18 January 2020.
3. MSME-EPC organized summit to boost NE entrepreneurs
The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Export Promotion Council (MSNE-EPC) is organizing the first three-day summit from 17 January 2020. It is organized by the Assam state government.
Aim: The aim is to aspire entrepreneurs in the North East to pave the way for the development of entrepreneurship and businesses by women and youths of the region.
4. VigyanSamagam to be held from 21 January to 20 March in New Delhi
A multi-venue mega-science exhibition ‘Vigyan Samagam’ has been scheduled to be held in New Delhi from 21 January to 20 March 2020 at the National Science Centre (NSC), New Delhi. The first-of-its-kind exhibition is being hosted in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Delhi from May 2019 to March 2020. The exhibition has been hosted for around two months at each venue.
5. Assam, World Bank sign $88 mn loan agreement to implement Inland Water Transport Project
World Bank signed an $88 million loan agreement with the Government of India and the Government of Assam on 16 January 2020. The loan is to help modernize Assam’s passenger ferry sector that runs on its rivers including the Brahmaputra and implement Inland Water Transport Project.
6. Rajnath Singh flagged off 51st K9 VAJRA-T Gun from Larsen and Turbo Armoured System Complex in Gujarat
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh flagged off 51st K9 VAJRA-T Gun from Larsen & Toubro (L&T) Armoured System Complex at Hazira, Gujarat on 16 January 2020. The participation of the private sector in defence manufacturing is toward fulfilling the government’s commitment to make India an arms manufacturing hub and net defence exporter.
7. Sindhi writer Vasdev Mohi to received the 29th Saraswati Samman
Sindhi writer Vasdev Mohi has conferred with 29th Saraswati Samman for his short stories collection ‘Chequebook’. The short stories collection talks about the agonies and sufferings of marginalized sections of the society. Vasdev Mohi: Vasdev Mohi was born in 1944 in Mirpur Khas. Mohi’s repertoire includes 25 books of poetry, critical pieces, translated works, and short stories.
8. Indian Army conducted the Exercise Winged Raider
The Indian Army conducted the airborne Exercise Winged Raider in the North-Eastern theatre on 10 January 2020. It is the Army’s biggest airborne exercise. It comprises of more than 500 special forces troops. It was conducted from 6-10 January. Exercise Winged Raider: ♦ Before the exercise, a series of preparations including the movement of special forces and rallying up of transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force was held from 6 January.
9. First session of India-Norway DIT was held in New Delhi
The first Session of India-Norway Dialogue on Trade & Investment (DTI) was held in New Delhi on 15-16 January 2020. The session was co-chaired by Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Nidhi Mani Tripathi, and Director General, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries, Mr. Erling Rimestad.
10. RBI directs issuers to provide a facility to switch on, off cards
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has directed banks and other card-issuing companies to provide a facility to customers to switch on and off their debit or credit cards. The move by RBI aims to enhance the security of digital transactions. It assumes significance amid rising instances of cyber fraud.
11. CSIR partners with DRDO to produce the Saras engine
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has partnered with the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to produce the Saras engine. Collaboration: ♦ CSIR will take up the project jointly designing and developing an aero-engine which is a highly complex task.
12. National Information Centre sets up Centre of Block Chain Technology in Bengaluru
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) will set up block chain technology centre in Bengaluru. The centre is to be inaugurated by Union Minister Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad. The centre aims to provide Block Chain as service to all the stake holders who are interested in shared experiences, learning and resources.
