Current Affairs 2020 Malayalam
January 2020
1.Which river, which was recently in news for failed rejuvenation efforts, is known as Mexico’s most polluted waterway by the UN?
Correct Answer: Santiago river
Notes:
The United Nations called the Santiago river as Mexico’s most polluted waterway. According to the 2017 figures, less than a third of the country’s industrial wastewater is treated. Recently, Mexico has signed an expansive trade deal with the US and Canada in which it made an explicit promise to conserve its environment.
2.The Molotov Ribbentrop Pact, which is currently being debated in news, was signed by Nazi Germany with which country?
Correct Answer: Soviet Union
Notes:
Eighty years after the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany signed a non-aggression treaty dividing Europe into spheres of influence, Russia has put the original Molotov-Ribbentrop pact and its secret protocol into the public. Alongside the pact, 1938 Munich Agreement and other documents related to the occupation of Czechoslovakia until the outbreak of Second World War was also displayed to state that the west sought to redirect Nazi Germany’s aggression towards Moscow.
3.From which Indian organization, the four personnel have been selected for training in Russia for the Gaganyaan Mission, that is going to be launched in 2022?
Correct Answer: IAF
Notes:
Recently, four men from Indian Air Force have been identified for Gaganyaan, India’s first manned mission to space. They will undertake astronauts’ training in Russia. Gaganyaan is a crewed orbital spacecraft intended to send astronauts into space for a minimum of 7 days by 2022 as a part of the Indian Human Spaceflight Programme.
4.What aspect of agriculture is focused upon by Krishi Karman Award?
Correct Answer: Production
Notes:
The Prime Minister is to visit Karnataka on January 2nd and 3rd. He will confer Krishi Karman Award to 21 states that have recorded good agriculture production in various categories during the previous crop seasons.
5.ISRO is to set up its second launch port in Tamilnadu for SSLV. What does SSLV stand for?
Correct Answer: Small Satellite Launch Vehicle
Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation is to set up its second launch port in Thoothukodi district of southern Tamilnadu. The Government of Tamilnadu will arrange nearly 2300 acres of land for the construction of the launch centre. The proposed launch port will mainly handle the Small Satellite Launch vehicle (SSLV), which is under development. SSLVs will be used to carry a payload of up to 500 kg and are expected to be deployed in the first half of 2020.
6.Which city is host to the 107th edition of the Indian Science Congress (ISC)?
Correct Answer: Bengaluru
Notes:
The Prime Minister, Narendra Modi will inaugurate the 107th edition of the Indian Science Congress (ISC) at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka from January 3 to 7, 2020.The theme of the five-day event will be ‘Science and technology: rural development’. The congress would also host various programmes like Women Science Congress, Children Science Congress, Science Communicators Meet and Farmer’s Science Congress.
7.Who received the famous ‘Sangita Kalanithi’ award of the Music Academy, recently?
Correct Answer: S. Sowmya
Notes:
The leading Carnatic vocalist S.Sowmya was selected for the ‘Sangita Kalanithi’ award instituted by the Music Academy and recently received the award. Sowmya, a recipient of various awards and titles in her music career, is a visiting faculty at the Madras Advanced School of Carnatic Music, run by the Music Academy. She also serves as the member of the Academic Council of the Tamil Nadu Music and Fine Arts University.
8.The term SPARMVs, sometimes seen in news, is most closely related to which organization?
Correct Answer: Indian Railways
Notes:
SPARMVs refer to Self Propelled Accident Relief Medical Vans which are vehicles to provide relief during Railway accidents and disasters. Indian Railways is gradually replacing locomotive hauled Accident Relief Medical Vans (ARMVs) with Self Propelled Accident Relief Medical Vans (SPARMVs) to improve response during disaster. Another kind of vehicles, which Railways proposes to include are high speed Self Propelled Accident Relief Trains (HS-SPARTs) with speed of 160 kmph. Railways will soon procure them.
9.Sunita Lakra, who announced her retirement recently, is a famous Indian player of which Sports?
Correct Answer: Hockey
Notes:
Former Indian Hockey team captain and the team’s defender Sunita Lakra recently announced her retirement from International Hockey citing her knee injuries. In the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy, India bagged the second place under her captaincy. She was also a part of the Indian team that participated in the Rio Olympics, 2016. Though she could not participate in Tokyo Olympics, Sunita will hopefully return to play domestic Hockey after her knee surgery.
10.Which Union Ministry recently set up a new division called the ‘New, emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division’?
Correct Answer: Ministry of External Affairs
Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs recently announced that it would set up a new division under its aegis called the New, emerging and strategic technologies (NEST) division’. The proposed NEST would act as the nodal division under the ministry for addressing the issues related to emerging technologies. It will help our country to closely work with foreign partners in the field of 5G and artificial intelligence. Recently all companies including the Chinese major Huawei were allowed to participate in 5G trials.