Current Affairs

  The central banks of the UAE and Saudi Arabia have launched a common digital currency called “Aber“, which will be used in financial settlements between the two countries through Blockchains and Distributed Ledgers technologies. Through this digital currency, both the United Arab Emirates Central Bank (UAECB) and the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (SAMA) are studying the impact on the improvement and reduction of remittance costs and the assessments of risks.
Source: News on AIR

 In Britain, lawmakers voted in favor of an amendment in BREXIT plan seeking alternative arrangements to replace the Irish border arrangement known as the Irish backstop. With this, PM Theresa May will try to renegotiate the Brexit treaty with European Union. The amendment calls for the backstop to be replaced with unspecified “alternative arrangements” to avoid the reintroduction of border checks in Ireland. The backstop is aimed at keeping an open border between European Union-member Ireland and British-ruled Northern Ireland after Brexit. Another amendment, rejecting a no-deal Brexit, also won the support of Parliament. The vote was non-binding and the date for Brexit remains 29 March 2019.
Source- DD News

  The Maharashtra government launched a special scheme to curb infant deaths. Child Development Minister Pankaja Munde distributed baby-care kits to the children born in primary health centers and government hospitals. The scheme is applicable only for the first child and will benefit around four lakh women across the state, Women. The cost of the kit is around Rs 2,000.
Source: News on AIR

 Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced entering into agreements worth $93 million this for providing Naval Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) systems to India. The contracts for the air defence system were entered with the Indian Navy and the Cochin Shipyard. Under the contracts, IAI will provide complementary systems for the air defense system. They involve follow up orders for a range of maintenance and other services for various sub-systems of IAI’s advanced MSRAM ADS.
Source- The Economic Times

 30th January 2019, is celebrated as World Leprosy Eradication Day which stresses the need of eradicating the disease. It also brings to light the discrimination and stigma that people suffer from society every day. This year’s theme for World Leprosy Day is ‘ending discrimination, stigma, and prejudice’. Leprosy, also known as Hansen’s disease is a highly contagious infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium leprae.
Source: Times Now

 Scientists have developed an artificial pancreas smartphone app that will help in regulating blood sugar levels in diabetes patients. This app is capable of interfacing wirelessly with glucose monitors, insulin pump devices, and decision-making algorithms. A clinical trial showed that the artificial pancreas system (iAPS) app is safe. The app is effective in regulating glucose levels under challenging conditions and is suitable for use in unconstrained environments.
Source: News On AIR

 In commemoration of the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi dedicated grand and iconic ‘National Salt Satyagraha Memorial’constructed by the Central Public Works Department at Dandi, Gujarat to the Nation. This prestigious work entrusted to CPWD by the Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India has been completed by the dedicated team of CPWD in 20 months’ time well within the sanctioned amount of Rs. 72.23 crores.
Source: Press Information Bureau

 French sailor Jean-Luc Van Den Heede has won the round-the-world yacht race after212 days alone at sea without modern instruments. The 73-year-old, who completed his sixth circumnavigation of the globe, became the oldest to complete the 30,000-mile Golden Globe race. Of the 19 sailors who started out in July 2018, only 5 were still in the race.
Source: The Guardians

 Kerala based private sector lender Federal Bank has appointed Dilip Sadarangani as the part-time chairman. The appointment of Sadarangani, who has been on the bank’s board since 2013, has been cleared by the Reserve Bank.
Source: The Money Control

 Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has launched the National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) to attract talent and strengthen higher agricultural education in the country. It is inaugurated at the fourth Convention of 2-day “Agrivision-2019” organized by Vidyarthi Kalyan Nyas in Pusa, New Delhi. This project (Rs 1100 crore) is to be funded by the World Bank and the Indian Government on a 50:50 basis. To enhance the participation of students in agricultural business, READY (Rural Entrepreneurship Awareness Development Yojana) is also provided to the students.
Source: Press Information Bureau


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