Daily Current Affairs 04 January 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 04 January 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the daily current affairs on our mobile app.
Current Affairs 04 January 2020
MEA Sets up NEST Division to deal with new and emerging technologies
- The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has set up New, Emerging and Strategic Technologies (NEST) division, as a nodal division within the ministry to deal with issues like new and emerging technologies.
- NEST will help the country to collaborate with other countries in the field of 5G and artificial intelligence which are in line with India’s security goals.
- Some of the mandates of NEST shall include:
- Evolving India’s external technology policy in coordination with domestic stakeholders and in line with India’s developmental priorities and national security goals.
- Assess foreign policy and international legal implications of new and emerging technologies and technology-based resources, and recommend appropriate foreign policy choice.
- Negotiate technology governance rules, standards and architecture, suited to India’s conditions, in multilateral and plurilateral frameworks.
KVIC Inaugurates its First Silk Processing Plant in Gujarat to Boost Patola Saree Production
- The Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) inaugurated its first silk processing plant at Surendranagar in Gujarat on 03 January 2020, to cut cost, boost production of signature Patola Saree, as well as create livelihoods for women.
- The plant has been set up by a khadi institution at a cost of Rs 75 lakh, in which KVIC has contributed Rs 60 lakh.
- The newly set up silk plant would help cut down the cost of production of silk yarn drastically and hence increase the sale and availability of raw material used for manufacturing Gujarati ‘Patola’ sarees locally.
- The unit has employed 90 local women, 70 of whom belong to the Muslim community.
- Patola is the trademark saree of Gujarat and is considered to be very costly and worn only by royals or aristocrats.
- This is because the silk yarn used to make them is purchased from Karnataka or West Bengal, where silk processing units are situated. This increases the cost of the fabric manifolds.
4th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship 2019 Organised by CRPF In New Delhi
- Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Nityanand Rai, inaugurated the 4th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship 2019, in New Delhi on 3rd January 2020.
- The five-day 4th All India Police Judo Cluster Championship has been organized this year by CRPF and will conclude on January 7.
- The sporting event is being attended by 34 participating teams consisting of 1207 sports persons from across the country, with a total of 15 Trophies and 214 Medals.
- This event is part of the Sports Calendar of All India Police Sports Control Board (AIPSCB) for the Year 2019-20. These are hosted on rotation basis by the members of the board.
- Earlier, this cluster were organized by Sashtra Seema Bal (SSB) in 2016, West Bengal Police in 2017 and Odisha Police in 2018.
World’s Youngest Girl to scale Mount Everest, Malavath Purna, Scales Antarctica’s Highest Peak Mt. Vinson Massif
- Indian mountaineer, Malavath Purna, added another feather to her cap by conquering Mt. Vinson Massif, the highest mountain peak (4,987 metres) of Antarctica continent.
- With this, the 18-year-old Telangana teen becomes the first and youngest tribal woman in the world to set foot on the six tallest mountain peaks across six continents.
- Poorna has so far scaled Mt. Everest(Asia, year 2014), Mt. Kilimanjaro (Africa, 2016), Mt.Elbrus (Europe, 2017), Mt. Aconcagua (South America, 2019) Mt. Cartsnez (Oceania region, 2019) and Mt. Vinson Massif (Antarctica, 2019)
- Poorna scaled the highest peak of Mount Everest on 25 May 2014 at the age of 13 years and 11 months and became the youngest Indian and the youngest girl in the world to have reached the summit.
- She is currently set on her goal of scaling the seven tallest summits located in seven continents.
Manav Thakkar Creates History by becoming first Indian to be ranked World no.1 in U-21 in latest ITTF rankings
- Young Indian Tennis player Manav Thakkar created history by becoming the World no.1 in the Under-21 men’s singles category in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings released on 03 January 2020.
- The 19-year-old has jumped nine places to take the pole position.
- Thakkar achieved the feat after clinching the Under-21 men’s singles title at the ITTF Challenge Plus Benemax-Virgo North American Open in Markham, Canada in December 2019.
- With this, he also became the only fourth Indian player to win ITTF Challenge Plus Benemax-Virgo North American Open in Markham in the Under-21 men’s single category after Harmeet Desai, G Sathiyan and Soumyajit Ghosh.
- Thakkar was also world no. 1 in the Under-18 category in February 2018.
Iran names Esmail Qaani as new Commander of its Quds Force
- The Supreme Leader of Iran, Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei, has named Brigadier General Esmail Qaani as the commander of the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (a branch of the Iranian Armed Forces).
- Quds Force is a special operations unit for handling activities abroad.
- The appointment of Esmail Qaani comes following the martyrdom of the glorious general Qasem Soleimani, who was killed in a targeted US drone strike in Baghdad on 3rd January 2020.
- Also killed in the air strike were Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces members and the deputy head of the PMF, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
World Braille Day: January 4
- The World Braille Day, is observed every year on January 4 since 2019, to commemorate the birth anniversary of Louis Braille, the inventor of Braille.
- The day aims to recognize the right of access to braille by blind people and to raise awareness on its relevance.
- The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in November 2018.
- The first World Braille Day was celebrated on January 4, 2019.
- Louis Braille was born on 04 January 1809 in northern France. He lost his both eyes in an accident, at the age of 3. This resulted into the invention of 6 dots which is popularly known as braille
Centenarian Freedom Fighter Bhim Chandra Jana Passes Away at 107
- Centenarian freedom fighter Bhim Chandra Jana passed away of old age-related ailments in Howrah district of West Bengal.
- Jana was arrested for the first time in 1930 at the age of 17 while opposing the use of foreign goods. He was awarded by the Government of India after Independence.
- Jana was a devoted Gandhian all his life.