Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 January 2020

1. National Voters Day being celebrated on January 25, 2020

• 10^th National Voters Day is being celebrated on January 25, 2020.
• The theme of the National Voters Day is “Electoral Literacy for Stronger Democracy”.
• The day is celebrated every year since 2011 to mark the foundation of the Election Commission of India on January 25, 1950.
• The function to celebrate the foundation day is to be held by the Election Commission of India at Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
• President of India Ramnath Kovind will be the Chief Guest of the function.

2. Britain signed Brexit withdrawal deal

• Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed the Brexit withdrawal agreement in Brussels.
• On January 31, 2020 Britain would leave the European Union block.
• Britain:
  • It consists of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Also known as the United Kingdom of Great Britain, its capital is London.

3. Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora takes on chair of FEMBoSA for 2020

• Chief Election Commissioner of India assumed the chair of FEMBoSA (Forum of Election Management Bodies of South Asia) for 2020.
• He took over the chair from Bangladesh CEC KM Nurul Huda at the 10^th Annual meeting of FEMBoSA in New Delhi.
• FEMBoSA was formed in 2012.

4. Ladakh being proposed for the 6^th Schedule status by the Tribal Affairs Ministry

• Ladakh has been proposed for the 6^th Schedule Area status by the Tribal Affairs Ministry.
• The Union Minister for Tribal Affairs Arjun Munda has sent the request to the Home Ministry.
• 6^th Schedule Areas: It is related to the provisions for the scheduled tribe areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.

5. Middle East Peace Plan to be unveiled by U.S President Donald Trump

• Middle East Peace Plan will be unveiled by U.S President Donald Trump.
• The plan aims to bring peace to the Israel- Palestine conflict.
• Palestine has rejected the proposal before it is unveiled.
• Palestine:
  • It is the de-jure sovereign state of West Asia.
  • It is a partially recognized state by the United Nations.

6. Agreement signed to upgrade Ashuganj- Akhaura road into 4- lane highway

• India and Bangladesh signed an agreement to upgrade 50.58 Km Ashuganj- Akhaura road into 4- lane highway.
• The road connects the Ashuganj river port and Akhaura land port.
• The 39 Km road between Ashuganj river port and Dharhar area will be upgraded by Roads and Highways Department (RHD) of Bangladesh and an Indian Company Afcons Infrastructure Limited. The remaining road will be upgraded by RHD and Indo- Bangladesh joint venture firm.
• It is a part of the 2 billion second line credit agreement extended by India to Bangladesh in 2016.

7. Indian Grandmasters B. Adhiban and SL Narayanan won Gibraltar Chess Festival

• Indian Grandmasters B. Adhiban and S.L Narayanan registered win in the third round of masters’ category of Gibraltar Chess Festival.
• There are other Indians like Vaibhav Suri and Karthikeyan Murali who participated in the event.
• Gibraltar International Chess Festival: The festival is held annually at Caleta Hotel in Gibraltar.

8. Oldest mushroom fossil discovered

• According to a study published in journal Science Advances, the researchers have found microscopic remains of the mushroom called mycelium in rocks aged between 710 to 810 million years.
• The rocks were found in the Democratic Republic of Congo and estimated to be formed in a lagoon or coastal lake environment.
• The scientist used multiple molecular analysis technique at the microscopic scale.
• The multiple molecular analysis technique is better than the earlier used corrosive chemical treatment method, which damaged the chemistry of the organic compounds.
• Earlier the oldest mushroom fossil remain was 460 million years ago.

9. Thai Amavasai celebrated in Tamil Nadu

• Thai Amavasai festival observed throughout Tamil Nadu.
• It celebrates the first New Moon after the sun starts moving towards Northern Hemisphere.
• It is a holy festival in which people offers rituals to the ancestors and take a bath in holy rivers.

10. Plantation Labour Act 1951 to be repealed

• The centre is considering the repeal of the Plantation Labour Act 1951.
• The act made it mandatory for the plantation owners to give non-cash benefits to the workers like housing, drinking etc.
• The new code of wages will be implemented besides the repeal of the act.
• The plantation sector includes tea, rubber and coffee industries according to the Plantation Act 1951.
• India is the second-largest producer of tea in the world after China.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. National Voters Day is celebrated to commemorate the

A. Foundation of Election Commission of India

B. Grant of Universal Adult Franchise

C. Conduct of 1^st election in independent India

D. None of the above

2. Boris Johnson is the Prime Minister of which of the following countries?

A. U.S.A

B. U.K

C. France

D. Germany

3. Who among the following is the Chief Election Commissioner of India?

A. Sunil Arora

B. Ashok Lavasa

C. Rajesh Sharma

D. G. Chandrasekhar

4. Which of the following states is not a part of the 6^th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

A. Assam

B. Meghalaya

C. Tripura

D. Uttar Pradesh

5. Which country will propose the Middle East Peace Plan?

A. Canada

B. U.K

C. U.S.A

D. France

6. Ashuganj River Port lies in which of the following countries?

A. Bangladesh

B. India

C. Oman

D. Syria

7. Gibraltar Strait separates which of the following two countries?

A. Spain and Morocco

B. Portugal and Morocco

C. Croatia and Morocco

D. None of the above

8. The oldest Mushroom fossil recently discovered in which of the following countries?

A. India

B. Congo

C. Morroco

D. Russia

9. Thai Amavasai festival is celebrated in which of the following states?

A. West Bengal

B. Karnataka

C. Tamil Nadu

D. Uttar Pradesh

10. According to the Plantation Labour Act 1951 which of the following industries is not covered under the Plantation sector?

A. Tea

B. Coffee

C. Rubber

D. Sugarcane

Solution:

1. A

2. B

3. A

4. D

5. C

6. A

7. A

8. B

9. C

10. D