Daily Current Affairs for Bihar State Exams: 06.01.2021

The publication of the Police K9 Journal is another step in creating an ecosystem in the country to train and learn on augmenting this vital resource.
This is a unique initiative that will further enrich the subjects related to Police Service Canine (K-9) (PSK) teams in the country.
Note: A special ‘Police K9 Cell’ was established in November 2019 under the Police Modernisation Division of the ministry of home affairs with the mandate of ‘Mainstreaming and Augmentation of Police Service K9s in the country’.

After successfully increasing the population of wild animals such as tigers, lions, and leopards through protecting their habitats, India will be the co-chair of the IUCN-supported Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) for three years.
The APAP, formally launched at the IUCN World Parks Congress in Australia in 2014, is chaired by IUCN Asia and co-chaired by an APAP country member. India will replace South Korea which held this position for three years till November 2020.

Denmark's Oscar nominee 'Another Round' to be opening movie at 51st IFFI in Goa

The 51st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will be held in Goa from 16 to 24 January. The ceremony will begin with Thomas Winterberg's film Another Round.
Note: The International Jury for the 51st edition of the International Film Festival of India has been announced with eminent filmmakers from across the world.
Argentine filmmaker Pablo Cesar has been named as the Chairman of the jury. The other jury members are Prasanna Vithanage of Sri Lanka, Abu Bakr Shawky of Austria, Priyadarshan of India and Rubaiyat Hossain of Bangladesh.

Note: the five Eyes is an alliance of five major nations including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, and Australia.
The US and the UK formed a secret treaty known as the 'BRUSA Agreement' in May 1943 for cooperation in intelligence sharing.
This agreement was later formalized as the 'UKUSA Agreement' in 1946. The Five Eyes was an outcome of the UKUSA Agreement.

Skyroot Aerospace becomes first Indian company to test-fire solid-fueled rocket engine ‘Kalam-5’

Indian Space startup, Skyroot Aerospace, has proven the crucial propulsion technology of their maiden rocket Vikram-1, with the latest test-firing of an engine. Vikram-1 rocket is powered by four engines - three solid-fuel stages and one Liquid-fuel stage that the firm has designed and developed.
In August 2020, the company had tested its liquid-fueled engine and now has proven the technology of the solid-fueled engine (Kalam-5), by successfully test-firing a miniature version.
Kalam-5 is the first of five Kalam series of solid rocket motors.

The US Congress has passed the "Malala Yousafzai Scholarship Act" which will expand the number of scholarships available to Pakistani women to receive higher education under a merit and needs-based programme.
Passed by the House of Representatives in March 2020, the bill was passed by the United States Senate by a voice vote on January 1.
Note: On October 10, 2014, Malala shared the Nobel Peace Prize with Indian children's rights activist Kailash Satyarthi for her "struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all children to education".

Goa’s 14-year-old Leon Mendonca has become India’s 67th chess Grandmaster by winning the third and final norm at a tournament in Italy.
Mendonca is the second GM from the coastal state.
The first GM from Goa is Ivana Maria Furtado, she achieved it in 2011.
Chennai player G Akash, had in July, become the country’s 66th Grandmaster.

Soma Mondal has taken over as Chairman of Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) w.e.f. 01.01.2021. She was the Director (Commercial) of SAIL prior to this.
She is the first-ever woman head of the body. She replaces Anil Kumar Chaudhary.

Olympic bronze and World Cup-winning hockey player Michael Kindo passes away

He played three Men’s Hockey World Cup in 1971, 1973 and 1975 where India bagged bronze, silver and gold medals respectively.
He also represented in the 1972 Olympic Games where India secured a bronze medal. Kindo received the Arjuna Award in 1972.