Today’s Current Affairs January 29

January 29, 2020

Front page

Nitish Kumar says NPR in new format could cause confusion

Bihar Chief minister, Nitish Kumar clarified his stand on CAA, NPR, and NRC. On CAA, he said the Supreme Court is to decide on the validity or otherwise of the matter. He reiterated his opposition to NRC, and stressed that it will not be implemented in Bihar. On NPR, he was a bit ambivalent, saying that the NPR in the new format that has additional questions that could cause confusion. He stopped short of expressing his total aversion to the idea.

Good words used .. Ambivalent, Aversion

14 Gujarat riot accused servinf life sentences get interim bail

A Bench headed by the CJI granted bail to 14 riot accused who are serving jail sentences for their involvement in the Gujarat riots. The Court, however, stipulated that the persons will not return to Gujarat and will do social service and spiritual work.

Novel anti-liquor movement by Karnataka Women

Organized by the Karnataka Madya Nishedha Andolan, a large group of women formed a chain in waist-deep water in a spot where the Krishna and Malaprabha rivers meet. They were trying to draw the attention of the authorities to the way drunken husbands ruin their families and destroy their marriages. These women will stand in the water everyday till the authorities relent, and take effective steps to stop this malaise.

Good words used .. Relent, Malaise

India faces MEPs’ ire today in European parliament

MEPs of different political parties have tabled five different proposals that castigate India for its recent steps like CAA, NPR, and NRC that smack of religious discrimination, and trampling of UN-mandated human rights. The search light on India is quite disconcerting for India.

Good words used … Ire, Castigate, Disconcerting

Air India flight stand ready to rush to Wuhan

The DGCA awaits a permission from the Chinese government to send the aircraft to Wuhan to bring back the Indians stranded there.

India forests will soon have African cheetas

The Supreme Court has lifted a 7-year ban over importing the African cheetas as a result of which wild life enthusiasts can the exotic cheetas prowling in Indian forests. The SC wants the process to be monitored by a committee of experts.

Karnataka to reduce rice allocation through ration shops

Monthly allocation per head will be reduced from 7 kilos to 5 kilos. The government will also use modern technology to vet he cards and weed out the ineligible ones.

National

Sharjeel Imam arrested from Bihar village

Sharjeel Imam, who created a nation-wide indignation over his remark about perceived injustice towards Muslims, was arrested from a Bihar village. Sharjeel had angrily suggested that a large group of 5 to 6 lakh Muslims could block off the North East at the Chicken’s neck area, and force the central government to heed the demands of the Assamese, particularly, the Muslims. Many felt his outburst was aimed at dismembering the country, and should be labeled as sedition under the IPC. The police promptly booked him under sedition law.

Good words used … Indignation, Outburst, Dismember, Sedition

Anurag Thakur faces EC action

BJP minister, Anurag Thakur, who gave inciteful speech in an election meeting prodding his followers to shoot dead the alleged anti-national elements, has been served a show-cause notice by the Election Commission. His hateful speech created revulsion among the sane voters.

Good words used .. Inciteful, Prod, Revulsion, Sane

Rajnath Singh alludes to Pakistan as the nation obstructing SAARC

In his expected tirade against Pakistan, Rajnath Singh has said that Pakistan’s open embrace of terrorism as a tool of foreign policy was the biggest impediment to SAARC’s growth.

Good words used .. Embrace, Impediment

Taranjit Singh, new ambassador to the U.S.

Taranjit Singh, a career diplomat, has been tipped to be India’s next ambassador to the United States.

Prof. Banerjee expresses fears about Indian economy

The Nobel Laureate said that it can’t be authoritatively said that India has actually slipped recession. He said stimulating demand was the key to revival, and further tax cuts are not possible. He was speaking in the convocation of Calcutta University. The Governor of the state Dhankar had to confront irate students, who blocked his way and raised slogans against him. After waiting for an hour, the Governor had to leave the premises.

India adds 10 more wetlands to its list of Ramsar sites

Ramsar is a city in Iran where an international convention was signed in 1971 binding the signatory countries to protect their wetlands through strict environmental laws. After adding 10 new sites, India will ave a toal of 37 such sites.

Maradu apartments razed, but debris remain

Part of the Maradu demolition rubble has fallen in a nearby lake. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has formed a panel to oversee the process of retrieving the immersed debris.

Good words used .. Rubble, Retrieve

Procurement process of agricultural produce starts in Karnataka

Crops like Paddy, Ragi, Jowar, Toor, and Blackgram will e procured from the growers approved rates. The decision has brought cheer to the farming community.

Rajanikant shoots for Man vs. Wild with Bear Grylls in Bandipur Forest

Conservationists have derided the permission given to the filming crew citing fire hazards through human activity in this season that experiences heightened fire risks.

International

China’s 5G technology wins limited access to the U.K, despite strident U.S. opposition

The United Kingdom, after much vacillation, has allowed access to China’s 5G technology, although in a heavily truncated way. This development signals a major victory for thelong battle the Chinese waged to diffuse the U.S. opposition.

Good words used .. Strident, Truncated, Diffuse

Trump unveils West Asia plan, but Palestinians demur

The U.S administration has unveiled the much-awaited West Asia Peace plan. According to it, Palestinians will have a self-governing state with East Jerusalem as capital. The Americans will recognize all Israeli settlements illegally built as legitimate Israeli possessions. Additionally, Israel will undertake not to build any more settlement for four years during the period the negotiations for the separation of Palestine from Israel takes place. The Palestinians have remained aloof of the drafting of the peace plan. They have also been quite vocal in criticizing it.

Good words used .. Demur, Aloof,

U.S. Supreme Court approves Trump’s new Green Card rule

The news came as a shot in the arm of President Trump facing torrid times in the Senate impeachment hearings. When the rules are enforced, poor immigrants will be disadvantaged because they lack the high skill and wealth demanded by the Green card granting authorities.

Good words and phrases used .. Torrid, Shot in the arm

Hong  Kong cuts off air and ferry links with China

To curd the coronavirus coming into the territory, Hong Kong has suspended ferry and air links with the main land, where death tolls have soared in the last few days.

Finance

Emirates says it’s not interested in Air India

Singapore airlines and Lufthansa keep their cards close to their chest. In the meantime, both the government and the ir India employees nervously await bidders to come forward and bid.

Tata group companies will pool their resources to develop the Electric Vehicle ecosystem

Seeing the immense potential for electric vehicles in India and abroad, six Tata companies have joined hands to help Tata Motors develop cost effective and efficient automobiles. Tata Power will develop charging stations, Tata Chemicals will produce the Lithium –ion batteries, Tata auto comp will produce the special spares, and TCS will develop the payment solutions.

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Learning use of phrases and idioms ..

Selected phrases and idioms … a. Make strange bed fellows,  b. Spew venom,   c. Wear something in the sleeves,  d. Give some one a long rope e. Hit the nail in the head

The following sentences have gaps. Choose the right phrase / idiom from the above list and insert in the gaps.

1. Some lower level BJP workers make a show of their nationalism and to the central government led by P.M Modi by being very aggressive and assertive in their speaking and manners. We can say that they —— their nationalism ————–.
2. I can’t imagine Asauddin Owassi, the Hyderabad politician ever joining a ministry where Anurag Thakur is a member. They will ————————–.
3. When the economist told the Prime Minister that the surest way to fight the slowdown is to somehow boost spending by the middle class, the PM was delighted. He told the economist, “Yes, you …………………”.
4. There was a time when East Germany under communist rule and West Germany under capitalist rule used to ———————- at one another. Now, they are united to become a single country.
5. India tolerated Pakistan’s covert terror activities in Kashmir for far too long. India gave Pakistan ———————————-. Now, India has taken decisive military and administrative steps to completely outsmart Pakistan

——————————————————.——————–

Answer …

1. c, 2. a, 3. e, 4. b, 5. d