NATIONAL:
1. Jain Community Protests
Why in news - Members of the Jain community have been staging protests across the country over demands related to two holy sites.
Key Points –
• The two holy sites are Sammed Shikhar on Parasnath hill in Jharkhand and Shetrunjay hill in Palitana of Gujarat.
• Reason –
A. Jharkhand - Parasnath area (Giridih) was declared a ‘tourist spot’ and an eco-sensitive zone.
B. Someone had vandalised the Adinath Dada’s Pagla, a marble carving representing the feet of Lord Adinath, the first Jain Tirthankar.
• Sammed Shikhar is considered among the most important Jain pilgrimage sites, where 20 of the 24 Jain Tirthankars are believed to have attained salvation.
• Parasnath Hill is revered as “Marang Buru” (supreme deity or literally the great mountain), especially for the people of the Santhal community.
2. Kala-Azar (Visceral leishmaniasis)
Why in news - There has been a 98.7% decline in cases of Kala-azar from 44,533 in 2007 to 834 in 2022 in India.
Key Points –
• India is committed to eliminating Kala-azar from the country by 2023.
• Elimination status - less than one case per 10,000.
• Four endemic states - Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand and West Bengal.
• Only one block (Littipara) of Pakur district, Jharkhand is in the endemic category (1.23 cases/10,000 population).
• Kala-azar is the second deadliest parasitic killer in the world after Malaria.
• It is caused by the protozoa parasite Leishmania.
• The parasite is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female phlebotomine sandfly.
3. Joshimath Crisis
Why in news – Uttarakhand authorities declared it a landslide and subsidence-hit zone after cracks appeared in hundreds of houses of Joshimath.
Key Points –
• Reason behind land subsidence - Unplanned construction, over-population, obstruction of the natural flow of water and hydel power activities.
• Joshimath city has been built on an ancient landslide material — meaning it rests on a deposit of sand and stone, not rock, which doesn’t have high load-bearing capacity.
• Geographical reason - Reactivation of a geographic fault where the Indian Plate has pushed under the Eurasian Plate along the Himalayas.
• Subsidence is the “sinking of the ground because of underground material movement.
• MC Mishra committee report (1976) cautioned against “unplanned development in this area, and identified the natural vulnerabilities.”
4. Coal Gasification-based Fertiliser Plant
Why in news - India’s first-ever coal gasification-based Talcher Fertiliser plant in Odisha would be ready by October 2024.
Key Points –
• Coal India Ltd, GAIL and the National Fertiliser Corporation are supporting the setting up of the coal gasification technology.
• Gasification of coal is a process in which coal is partially oxidated by air, oxygen, steam or carbon dioxide under controlled conditions to produce a fuel gas.
5. Fully Digital Banking State
Why in news - Kerala became the first state in the country to go fully digital in its banking service.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. International Kite Festival 2023
Why in news - The International Kite Festival 2023 began in Ahmedabad, Gujarat on January 8, 2023.
Key Points –
• Organized by - Gujarat Tourism on the G20 theme of 'One Earth, One Family, One Future.
• Ahmedabad first hosted the festival on the occasion of Uttarayan in 1989.
2. Female Sikh Judge in the US
Why in news - Indian-origin Manpreet Monica Singh became the first female Sikh judge in the US.
Key Points –
• She was sworn in as a judge of the Harris County Civil Court at Law No. 4 in Texas.
3. Riots in Brazil
Why in news - On January 8, supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro stormed important government buildings including the Supreme Court.
Key Points –
• Bolsonarists demanded that the result of the presidential election of October 2022 be overturned.
• Bolsonaro is often called “Trump of the Tropics,”.
• Other populist leaders – Donald Trump (USA), Viktor Orban (Hungary), Marine Le Pen (France) and Geert Wilders (Netherlands).
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. 'Voice of Global South' Summit
Why in news - A 2-day virtual summit (Jan 12-13) would be organised to bring the countries of the global South together.
Key Points –
• To be chaired by PM Narendra Modi.
• Theme - Unity of voice, unity of purpose.
• The 'global South' largely refers to countries in Asia, Africa and South America.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. World Hindi Day 2023
Why in news - World Hindi Day (Vishwa Hindi Diwas) is celebrated on January 10 every year.
Key Points –
• It marks the anniversary of the first time Hindi was spoken in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 1949.
• In the year 1975, then PM Indira Gandhi inaugurated the first World Hindi Conference.
• On January 10, 2006, World Hindi Day was celebrated for the first time.
• The 12th World Hindi Conference is being organized in Fiji from Feb 15-17, 2023.
• Hindi Diwas is celebrated on September 14 annually.
BOOKS & AUTHORS:
1. “Chief Minister's Diary No.1”
Why in news - Former CJI and Rajya Sabha MP Ranjan Gogoi released a book titled “Chief Minister's Diary No.1”.
Key Points –
• It contains the account of events of the first year in office of Assam CM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma.
SPORTS:
1. Khelo India Youth Games-2022
Why in news - MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan unveiled the mascot, torch, and anthem of Khelo India Youth Games-2022 in Bhopal.
Key Points –
• Madhya Pradesh is hosting the 5th edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (30th Jan to 11th February).
• 8 host cities of the state - Bhopal, Indore, Ujjain, Gwalior, Jabalpur, Mandla, Balaghat and Khargone (Maheshwar).
• A game (cycling) would be held in Delhi.
• For the first time, water sports i.e., kayaking-canoeing, canoeing and fencing competitions would be part of games.
2. Chetan Sharma
Why in news - Chetan Sharma was reappointed as the chairman of the BCCI by the senior selection committee.
Key Points –
• Other members - Subroto Banerjee, Salil Ankola and Shiv Sunder Das.
POINTERS:
• 'Water Cunningham' has passed away. Who was he – Astronaut.
• When has DRDO celebrated its 65th Foundation Day – 1st January.
• Where will the first meeting of G20 be held in India – Puducherry.
• With the approval of the Central Government to the Kalasa Banduri project, the river dispute flared up in which two states – Goa and Karnataka.
• Which union minister has launched the ‘CAPF e Awas’ portal – Amit Shah.
• Which union minister has announced India’s first National Center of Excellence for Green Ports and Shipping - Sarbananda Sonowal.
• Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has inaugurated the second Adarsh Ved Vidyalaya in which city – Puri.
• Guru Nanak Dev University became the only university in India to get A grade by NAAC. It is located in which state – Amritsar, Punjab.
• Recently, in which state the world’s highest polling station Tashigang has been built – Himachal Pradesh.
• Which state government has started ‘Trees Outside Forest in India’ program – Haryana.