25th January, 2024

1. 9th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023 has been held in Faridabad, Haryana from January 17th-20th, 2024.
2. 5th International and 44th All India Criminology Conference has been held at National Forensic Science University (NFSU) at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
3. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has led the Indian delegation to 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in, Kampala, Uganda.
4. Cameroon in Africa has became the 1st country in the world to launch the RTS, S malaria vaccine for children into its routine national immunisation services.
5. SBI Life Insurance has recently launched two products– ‘SBI Life – Saral Swadhan Supreme’ and ‘SBI Life – Smart Swadhan Supreme’ to provide a life cover along with benefit of the return of premiums at maturity.
6. Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel has reached Egypt to take part in the 2nd edition of India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE.
7. Shubman Gill has won the best men’s international cricketer (Polly Umrigar Award) of 2022-23 in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Awards (Naman Awards) 2024 held in Hyderabad, Telangana.
8. January 24- National Girl Child Day
9. January 24– International Day of Education 2024
10. Indian contingent has won 8 medals in the Asian Shotgun Championships 2024 held at the Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex in Kuwait City, Kuwait.
11. Gurgaon-based ACME Group has signed an offtake term sheet for the supply of green ammonia from its project in Odisha to IHI Corporation, a Japanese integrated heavy industry company.

National News

1. 9th edition of the India International Science Festival (IISF) 2023 has been held in Faridabad, Haryana from January 17th-20th, 2024.
   • Key points-
     • Theme- Science and Technology Public Outreach in Amrit Kaal
     • Objective-
       • To provide a platform for inspiring public at large and individuals with diverse levels of interests.
     • More about IISF-
       • IISF 2023 will have a total of 17 themes to showcase scientific achievements offering diverse benefits to participants and the general public.
       • Organised by- Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Earth Sciences in association with Vijnana Bharati.
         Source: PIB
2. 5th International and 44th All India Criminology Conference has been held at National Forensic Science University (NFSU) at Gandhinagar, Gujarat.
   • Key points-
     • Organised by- National Forensic Science University (NFSU) and Indian Society of Criminology (ISC)
     • Topic- “Behavioral Forensics: Exploring the Evolving Boundaries of Criminology and Criminalistics.”
     • Centre of Excellence in Digital Forensics at NFSU to support capacity building and investigation has been inaugurated.
     • Themes of the conference-
       • Criminology and Behavioural forensics: Transdisciplinary Foundations
       • Contours of Victim Support, Justice and Challenges
       • Contemporary Issues in Criminal Justice System
       • Forensic Algorithms in Justice Delivery System
         Source: PIB, nfsu

International News

1. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar has led the Indian delegation to 19th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in, Kampala, Uganda.
   • More about Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit-
     • Uganda has assumed the NAM chairmanship for 2024-2027.
     • Last Chairmanship was with Azerbaijan for the period of 2019-2023.
     • 1st NAM Summit Conference took place in Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in September 1961.
     • Theme of 19th NAM summit- ‘Deepening Cooperation for Shared Global Affluence.’
     • More than 120 developing countries including India, Nepal, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Iran, among other have participated in the summit.

2. Cameroon in Africa has became the 1st country in the world to launch the RTS, S malaria vaccine for children into its routine national immunisation services.
   • Key points-
     • Cameroon will use the first of two recently approved malaria vaccines, known as Mosquirix.
     • Africa experiences an annual burden of approximately 250 million cases of a parasitic disease, resulting in around 600,000 deaths.

Source: The Hindu

Banking and Economy

1. SBI Life Insurance has recently launched two products– ‘SBI Life – Saral Swadhan Supreme’ and ‘SBI Life – Smart Swadhan Supreme’ to provide a life cover along with benefit of the return of premiums at maturity.
   • Objective-
     • To fulfill customer’s financial objectives and empower customers by catering to the growing awareness of the essential link between insurance and financial well-being.
   • Key points-
     • Upon maturity, policyholders are entitled to receive 100% of the total premiums (total of all the premiums received, excluding any extra premium, any rider premiums, and taxes.
     • Both these policies offer a minimum sum assured of Rs. 25 lakhs, which is capped at Rs. 50 lakhs SBI Life – Saral Swadhan Supreme.
     • Tax Benefits: As per the prevailing norms under the Income Tax Act, 1961.
       Source: livemint

Defence News

1. Indian Army contingent comprising 25 personnel has reached Egypt to take part in the 2nd edition of India-Egypt Joint Special Forces Exercise CYCLONE.
   • Objective-
     • Introduce both parties to each other’s procedures for Special Operations in desert or semi-desert terrain, following Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.
   • More about Exercise CYCLONE-
     • Venue– Anshas, Egypt
     • 1st edition of the exercise was conducted last year in India.
     • Participating units-
       • Indian contingent- Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)
       • Egyptian contingent- Egyptian Commando Squadron and Egyptian Airborne Platoon
         Source: PIB

Awards

1. Shubman Gill has won the best men’s international cricketer (Polly Umrigar Award) of 2022-23 in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Awards (Naman Awards) 2024 held in Hyderabad, Telangana.
   • List of winners–
     • Polly Umrigar Award for Best Men’s Cricketer of the Year: Shubman Gill (2022-23)
     • Best International Cricketer, Women: Deepti Sharma (2019-20, 2022-23)
     • Best International Debut, Men: Yashasvi Jaiswal (2022-23)
     • Best International Debut, Women: Amanjot Kaur (2022-23)
     • Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award: Ravi Shastri, Farokh Engineer (2019-20)

Source: HT

Important Days

1. January 24- National Girl Child Day
   • Objective- To engage the nation in creating a positive environment that values the girl child.
   • Painting competition on the theme “Mere Viksit Bharat Ka Sapna” has been organised to mark the day.
     Source: PIB
2. January 24– International Day of Education 2024; Theme- Learning for Lasting Peace
   Source: UN

Sports

1. Indian contingent has won 8 medals in the Asian Shotgun Championships 2024 held at the Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex in Kuwait City, Kuwait.
   • Key points-
     • India has ranked 5th in the medal tally with 8 medals, China secured 1st position with 13 medals.
     • Winner’s List from India-

Source: olympics.com

Memorandum of Understanding

1. Gurgaon-based ACME Group has signed an offtake term sheet for the supply of green ammonia from its project in Odisha to IHI Corporation, a Japanese integrated heavy industry company.
   • Key points-
     • Green hydrogen and ammonia project of ACME in Odisha has a planned capacity of 1.2 MMTPA to be developed in phases, and the first production is likely to be expected by 2027.
     • What is Green Ammonia?
       • Ammonia is a chemical which is used mainly in the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizers, like urea and ammonium nitrate, but can be put to other uses too, such as to run engines.
       • Green ammonia production is where the process of making ammonia is 100% renewable and carbon-free.
         Source: Business Standard

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