Current Affairs - January, 2023 - Free Time Learning

1 .

Which Indian-American has been nominated for appointment to the grade of Air Force Brigadier General?

A)

Bhagvati Bose

B)

Darshan Shah

C)

Uday Singh Tounke

D)

Raja J Chari

Correct Answer : Raja J Chari

Indian-American Astronaut Raja J Chari has been nominated for the appointment of Air Force Brigadier General in the American Air Force.

* It is a United States Air Force one-star General Officer rank, slightly above Colonel and below Major General.

* Chari is now the Commander and Astronaut for Crew-3 at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Johnson Space Center in Texas.

Published On : January 27, 2023

2 .

Which Indian poet has been elected as the corresponding member of the Academy of Letters of Brazil?

A)

Shiv K Kumar

B)

Dilip Chitre

C)

Abhay K

D)

A K Mehrotra

Correct Answer : Abhay K

In a Plenary Session held on January 19, 2023, the Academy of Letters of Brazil (ALB) accepted the election of poet-diplomat Abhay K as a foreign corresponding member of the Academy.

Abhay Kumar is a poet-diplomat from India who presently works as the Deputy Director General of the Indian Council of Cultural Relations in New Delhi.

Abhay K, even before his arrival as a diplomat in Brazil, edited CAPITALS – an anthology of poems on 185 capital cities of the world (Bloomsbury), which included a poem on Brasilia. During his diplomatic mission in Brazil as India’s Deputy Ambassador (2016-2019), he organized the monthly literary event Chai com Letras (Tea with Letters), where he brought together poets and writers from Brasilia and other cities in Brazil.”

“Abhay K also edited and translated ‘New Brazilian poems–A bilingual anthology after Elizabeth Bishop’ (Ibis Libris 2019), which presents the work of 60 Brazilian poets in English translation. This landmark anthology is the continuation of the work of Elizabeth Bishop, one of the greatest poets of the 20th century,” added Freitas.

ALB is like the French Academy of Letters has 40 active members, who are elected by their peers. The Academy has already had great names in Brazilian Literature in the past such as Ledo Ivo, Almeida Fischer, among others...

Source : Print

Published On : January 27, 2023

3 .

Who nominated "Julie Turner", director of the Office of East Asia and the Pacific in the Bureau of Democracy, at the Department of State, as North Korea Human Rights Envoy?

A)

Rishi Sunak

B)

Joe Biden

C)

Vladimir Putin

D)

Giorgia Meloni

Correct Answer : Joe Biden

United States President "Joe Biden" has nominated "Julie Turner" as special envoy for human rights in North Korea.

* White House said that the move is to fill a post that has been empty since 2017 amid debate over how rights issues fit with efforts to counter Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme.

* She is a long-time diplomat and current director of the Office of East Asia and the Pacific in the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor at the Department of State.

* She speaks Korean and has previously worked on North Korean human rights as a special assistant in the envoy's office. Biden vowed repeatedly after taking office in 2021 that human rights would be at the centre of his foreign policy, but the position had remained vacant...

Source : AIR

Published On : January 27, 2023

4 .

Who is the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Toyota Motor Corp from 1st April 2023?

A)

Harald KrÃ¼ger

B)

Koji Sato

C)

Jim Rowan

D)

Martin Schwenk

Correct Answer : Koji Sato

* The chief executive of Toyota Motor Corp will step down as head of the company his grandfather founded, the Japanese automaker said on Thursday (26th Jan 2023), handing over to the boss of its luxury car unit as it struggles to meet the shift to electric vehicles.

* Koji Sato, the automaker's 53-year-old chief branding officer, who is also president of Toyota's luxury brand Lexus, will take over as chief executive from April 1, the company said, as Akio Toyoda becomes chairman.

* The current chairman Takeshi Uchiyamada will drop his chairman title but remain on the board.

* The issue of who would take over from Toyoda, the 66-year-old grandson of the company's founder, had increasingly been a focus for investors. But the timing of the succession announcement was a surprise...

Source : Business Today

Published On : January 27, 2023

5 .

'Ironman of India' Sabir Ali, who won the decathlon gold at the 1981 Asian Athletics Championships in Tokyo, When did passed away?

A)

22nd January 2023

B)

23rd January 2023

C)

24th January 2023

D)

25th January 2023

Correct Answer : 22nd January 2023

‘Ironman of India’ Sabir Ali, who won the decathlon gold at the 1981 Asian Athletics Championships in Tokyo, passed away in New Delhi on Sunday (22nd January 2023) following a cardiac arrest, family sources said. He was 67.

* Ali, who retired from Railways, won the title in the Japanese capital with a tally of 7,253 points beating Japan’s Nobuya Saito (7,078) and China’s Zu Qilin (7,074).

* He also won two silver medals at the South Asian Federation Games held in Kathmandu and Dhaka.

* Ali won eight consecutive Open National titles in the gruelling event between 1979 and 1985.

* The Railways star was unbeatable at the Inter-State meets too – he represented Haryana -- which he won twice in 1979 and 1981. His pet event was the javelin throw.

* Ali won a bronze and silver at the World Railway meets in 1981 and ’85 and was honoured with the Arjuna Award in 1981. Ali, who grew up in Delhi, is survived by his wife, son and daughter...

Source : Times of India

Published On : January 27, 2023

6 .

Veteran Telugu film actor and former parliamentarian 'J Jamuna' when did passed away?

A)

27th January 2023

B)

26th January 2023

C)

25th January 2023

D)

24th January 2023

Correct Answer : 27th January 2023

Veteran actress from the Telugu film industry’s golden era - Jamuna - breathed her last during the early hours of Friday, January 27, 2023. She was 86.

She had been battling illness for many years. Many celebrities expressed their deepest condolences to her family. Her mortal remains are likely to be taken to the Film Chamber for public homage. Her last rites will be performed by the end of the day.

About Jamuna : Jamuna was an actress, director and politician.

* She made her acting debut when she was 16 years old.

* Her debut film was Puttillu was directed by Garikapati Rajarao.

* Her claim to fame was LV Prasad's Missamma, which was released in 1955.

* Missamma is one of the iconic films in the history of Tollywood. While she predominantly acted in Telugu films, she had also acted in Tamil, Kannada and Hindi.

* She was also a Member of Parliament in the 9th Lok Sabha and represented Rajahmundry. Some of Jamuna's films include Tenali Ramakrishna, Muddu Bidda, Gundamma Katha, Ramudu Bheemudu and Poola Rangadu, among others...

Source : India Today

Published On : January 27, 2023

7 .

Who has unveiled the world's first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine "iNNCOVACC" in New Delhi on 26th January 2023?

A)

Ashwini Vaishnaw

B)

Anurag Thakur

C)

Mansukh Mandaviya

D)

Hardeep Singh Puri

Correct Answer : Mansukh Mandaviya

Union Health Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya 26th January 2023 unveiled world’s first intranasal COVID-19 vaccine, "iNNCOVACC" in New Delhi.

* It is developed by Bharat Biotech International Limited (BBIL) in collaboration with Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance (BIRAC).

* The Vaccine was launched in the presence of Union Minister of State (IC) for Science and Technology Dr Jitendra Singh and other officials.

* In a statement the Ministry said, the intranasal COVID-19 vaccine is to receive approval for the primary 2-dose schedule and as a heterologous booster dose.

* The rollout of iNCOVACC is expected to begin in private hospitals that have placed advance orders. An initial manufacturing capacity of several million doses per annum has been established, this can be scaled up to a billion doses as required.

* iNCOVACC is priced at 325 rupees per dose for large-volume procurement by State and central government.

* Speaking at the event, Dr Mandaviya said that over 65 percent of vaccines supplied in the world are from India.

* Congratulating the BBIL team and the department of Biotech, he stated that being the world’s first intra-nasal COVID-19 vaccine, this marks a glorious tribute to the call for Atmanirbhar Bharat...

Source : AIR

Published On : January 27, 2023

8 .

Which country is building a new Dam on the Mabja Zangbo river, near north of the trijunction border with India and Nepal?

A)

Pakistan

B)

Afghanistan

C)

Bangladesh

D)

China

Correct Answer : China

China is building a new on the Mabja Zangbo river, near north of the trijunction border with India and Nepal, according to the new satellite images a geospatial intelligence researcher, Damien Symon on Thursday (19th Jan 2023).

Symon stated that the project will raise concerns regarding China's future control on water in the entire region. He said that construction is still incomplete at the site.

“Since early 2021, China has been constructing a dam on the Mabja Zangbo river just a few kilometers north of the trijunction border with India & Nepal, while the structure isn't complete, the project will raise concerns regarding China's future control on water in the region".

In the satellite images, it can be seen that the construction activity of dam is being done by the Chinese side on the Mabja Zangbo river in Burang county of Tibet. Symon informed that the dam is located only a few kilometres north of the tri-junction of China’s border with India and Nepal.

This came after China unveiled plans to build a super dam close to the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Tibet on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo river which flows into Arunachal Pradesh and then in Assam..

Source : Mint

Published On : January 27, 2023

9 .

Which country has announced a new federal investment to build and commercialise the world's first photonic-based, fault-tolerantÂ quantumÂ computer?

A)

China

B)

Canada

C)

Russia

D)

United Kingdom

Correct Answer : Canada

Canadian Prime Minister "Justin Trudeau" has announced a new federal investment to build and commercialise the world's first photonic-based, fault-tolerant quantum computer.

* According to a news release from the Prime Minster's website, the investment of 40 million Canadian dollars ($32 million) will enable Xanadu Quantum Technologies Inc., a Toronto-based Canadian quantum computing company, to develop the quantum computer which will have the potential to provide world leading capabilities to help solve complex data problems and could be used in a variety of sectors such as finance, transportation, environmental modelling, and health, Xinhua news agency reported.

* Supported through the government's Strategic Innovation Fund, this project of 177.8 million Canadian dollars ($142 million) is expected to create 530 new highly skilled positions in the high-tech and quantum computing fields..

* Earlier this month, Canada launched its National Quantum Strategy, which invests an additional 360 million Canadian dollars ($288 million) to help solidify Canada as a global leader in quantum technologies.

* Founded in 2016, Xanadu, with the mission to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere, leads the development of PennyLane, an open-source software library for quantum computing and application development..

Source : Business Standard

Published On : January 27, 2023

10 .

Which country said 26th January 2023 that it had reached a deal to transfer more than 100 cheetahs to India as part of an ambitious project?

A)

Kenya

B)

South Africa

C)

Nigeria

D)

Jamaica

Correct Answer : South Africa

South Africa said Thursday (26th January 2023) that it had reached a deal to transfer more than 100 cheetahs to India as part of an ambitious project to reintroduce the spotted cats in the south Asian country.

The environment ministry said an initial batch of 12 cheetahs would be flown to India next month, after eight cheetahs arrived from Namibia last September 2022.

"The plan is to translocate a further 12 annually for the next eight to 10 years" to help establish a "viable and secure cheetah population," the ministry said in a statement.

India was once home to the Asiatic cheetah but the animal was declared extinct there by 1952, primarily because of habitat loss and deaths at the hands of hunters seeking their distinctive spotted hides.

Efforts to reintroduce the animals gathered pace in 2020 when India's Supreme Court ruled that African cheetahs, a different subspecies, could be brought into the country at a "carefully chosen location" on an experimental basis...

Source : NDTV

Published On : January 27, 2023