Welcome to E-City

Current Affairs-21.01.2021

21.01.2021

1. Oath of US President

The oath of office of the president of the United States is the oath or affirmation that the president of the United States takes upon assuming office.
The wording of the oath is specified in Article II, Section One, Clause 8, of the United States Constitution, and a new president must take it before exercising or carrying out any official powers or duties.
This clause is one of three oath or affirmation clauses in the Constitution, but it is the only one that actually specifies the words that must be spoken.
The presidential oath requires much more than that general oath of allegiance and fidelity. This clause enjoins the new president to swear or affirm that he "will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

2. Special Facts on the US Presidents in the History of US Democracy

Former American Vice President and Democrat Presidential candidate Joe Biden broke the record for receiving the highest votes ever for a presidential candidate in the history of US politics.
Donald Trump is the first president since George Bush Sr. to not secure a second term in the Oval Office.
The 2020 Presidential election is turning out to be the most expensive election in history and twice as expensive as the previous presidential election cycle.

3. Special Facts on Joe Biden

Joe Biden is the 46th President of the USA.
Biden would be the oldest first-term president in the history of the USA.
Joe Biden has run for presidency twice in the past- in 1988 and in 2008.
Biden was one of the youngest people who was ever elected in the US Senate.
He is the second Catholic president in the history of USA, after John F Kennedy.
Bident wrote the Violence Against Women Act.

4. India Innovation Index

Released by NITI Aayog
Karnataka is the most innovative state for the second year in a row.
Maharashtra pipped Tamil Nadu to the second spot.
Bihar was featured at the bottom of the list.
The index attempts to create an extensive framework for the continual evaluation of the innovation environment of states and union territories in India and intends to perform the following three functions.i. Ranking of states and UTs based on their index scores. ii. Recognizing opportunities and challenges. and iii. Assisting in tailoring governmental policies to foster innovation.
The Index is calculated as the average of the scores of its two dimensions – Enablers and Performance.

5. List of Teams for IPL

6. Houthi Rebels

The Houthis were formed by Zaidite scholars, a Shia sect who have lived in Yemen for over a thousand years and also ruled the country for several centuries.
Their rebellion against the Saudi-backed government began about a decade ago.

7. B’Tselem Israel

B'Tselemis a Jerusalem-based non-profit organization whose stated goals are to document human rights violations in the Israeli-occupied territories, combat denial of the existence of such violations, and help to create a human rights culture in Israel.
Its executive director is Hagai El-Ad.
B'Tselem also maintains a presence in Washington, D.C., known as B'Tselem USA.
B'Tselem has provoked sharp reactions within Israel, ranging from harsh criticism to strong praise.
B'Tselem was founded in 1989, during the First Intifada, by Israeli academics and activists of left-wing political parties.

8. Shaheen-III Missiles

The Shaheen-III is a Pakistani land-based surface-to-surface medium range ballistic missile, which was test fired for the first time by military service on 9 March 2015.
Development began in secrecy in the early 2000s in response to India's Agni-III, with 2750 km (1700 mi) range, which could enable it to reach all corners of India and reach deep into the Middle East parts of North Africa.
The missile, according to a former Director General of Pakistan's Strategic Plans Division, is designed to reach Indian islands so that India cannot use them as “strategic bases” to establish a “second strike capability.”

9. Exports of COVID Vaccines from India to the countries

The first doses would go to Bhutan and Maldives.
Bangladesh, Nepal, Myanmar and the Seychelles will also get supplies.
The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is widely viewed as their best option because the other two, manufactured by Pfizer/BioNTech and by Moderna, need to be stored at very low temperatures.

10. India and Singapore Pact on Navy Support

India and Singapore signed an agreement on submarine rescue support and cooperation between the two navies during the 5th Defence Ministers dialogue held virtually between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and his Singapore counterpart Dr Ng Eng Hen.
Defence and security engagements between India and Singapore have broadened significantly in scale and scope across all three services of the Armed Forces as well as in the areas of defence technology and industry.

11. Kamalam

The Gujarat government has decided to rename the dragon fruit as ‘kamalam’.
The word ‘kamalam’ is a Sanskrit word and the shape of the fruit does resemble the lotus flower.

12. Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Ordinance, 2020

According to the bill: ‘Beef’ is defined as the flesh of cattle in any form.
‘Cattle’ is defined as “cow, calf of a cow and bull, bullock, and he or she buffalo below the age of thirteen years”.
‘GauShalas’: Shelters established for the protection and preservation of cattle registered with the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries.
Police officers ranked sub-inspector and above or a competent authority will have the power to search premises and seize cattle and materials used or intended to use to commit the offence.
It is a cognizable offence, violators can attract three to seven years of imprison

13. Yoweri Museveni

Yoweri TibuhaburwaKaguta Museveni is a Ugandan politician who has served as President of Uganda since 1986.
Museveni was involved in rebellions that toppled Ugandan leaders Idi Amin (1971–79) and Milton Obote (1980–85) before he captured power in the 1980s.