GK & Current Affairs Quiz: February 23, 2018

Notes:
The 3-day India International Textiles Expo (IITExpo) has started in Sri Lankan capital of Colombo on February 21, 2018. It is being organized by Powerloom Development & Export Promotion Council (PDEXCIL) with the support of Union Ministry of Textiles & Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India (GoI). The Chief Guest at the inauguration ceremony was Dr. Sarath Amunugama, Minister of Special Assignments of Sri Lanka. At the event, about 45 exhibitors from various textile clusters of India are displaying variety of fabrics, home textiles, traditional items etc. suitable for apparel, industrial, technical application and general consumers. This would be a unique opportunity to see the products of reputed Indian textile companies under one roof.

Notes:
The Telangana Government has signed a technology partnership agreement with the Taiwanese city of Taoyuan to facilitate learning and knowledge sharing in emerging technologies and their implementation at the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) 2018 in Hyderabad on February 21. Taoyuan is a hub for firms working in new-age technologies such as robotics and IoT (Internet of Things). Therefore, the partnership would promote knowledge sharing between various entities. It would provide insights into implementation of IoT, robotics and other emerging technologies, including VR/AR in governance and for offering government-to-citizen services. The WCIT, which was conducted in India for the first time, was a grand success with about 2,500 delegates attending it.

Notes:
The International Mother Language Day (IMLD) is celebrated every year by UNESCO on February 21 to promote awareness of linguistic and cultural diversityand promote multilingualism. This year, in 2018, UNESCO commemorates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its bold statement that ‘no discrimination can be made on the basis of language’, and celebrates its translation into more than 500 languages. The 2018 theme is “Linguistic diversity and multilingualism count for sustainable development”.

Notes:
India and France will co-host will co-host the first International Solar Alliance (ISA) summit at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on 11th March 2018, where at least 10 heads of state are expected to be present. The ISA will see representation from over 120 countries and multilateral bodies like the United Nations, World Bank and Asian Development Bank (ADB). The ISA is a treaty-based international body for promotion of solar energy in alliance with 121 countries, which are lying fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn. The summit would discuss various projects being prepared by different countries in areas including rural electrification, off grid solar, water supply and irrigation.

Notes:
Suresh Seth (86), the former Madhya Pradesh minister and senior Congress leader, has passed away in Indore on February 21, 2018. He was popularly known as `Sher-e-Indore’ for vociferously raising issues of public interest and corruption. Seth had served as the minister for urban administration in then chief minister Arjun Singh’s cabinet, and also as the Indore Mayor.

Notes:
The 7th edition of the Youth Festival has started with theme “Let Love Live” at Central Park in New Delhi on February 22, 2018. The 6-day is organised by Sahitya Kala Parishad and the Department of Art, Culture and Languages, Delhi Government. The main purpose of this fest is to promote young performers. This year’s festival is focused on “celebration of the freedom to love” and will host performances that drive home this message among the youngsters of Delhi.

Notes:
Billy Graham, one of the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, has passed away in North Carolina, USA on February 21, 2018. He is credited for transforming American religious life through his preaching and activism. His leadership summits and crusades in more than 185 countries and territories forged powerful global links among conservative Christians, and threw a lifeline to believers in the communist-controlled Eastern bloc. Dubbed America’s pastor, Graham was a confidant to US Presidents from Dwight Eisenhower to George W. Bush. In 1983, President Reagan gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honour. Graham’s reached millions of people through his pioneering use of prime-time telecasts, network radio, daily newspaper columns, evangelistic feature films and globe-girdling satellite TV.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) has contributed $1 million aid for the rehabilitation efforts in kingdom of Tonga after the Tropical Cyclone Gita caused massive destruction in the Pacific island nation. India has allocated $500,000 in the India-UN Development Partnership Fund for the rehabilitation efforts while $500,000 will be provided for immediate relief assistance. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund is supported and led by the Government of India (GoI) and managed by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation. The Fund supports Southern-owned and led, demand-driven, transformational sustainable development projects across the developing world, with a focus on least developed countries and Small Island developing states. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reported that the Category 4 cyclone was the worst on record to hit Tonga.

Notes:
The Chandrapur Super Thermal Power Station (CSTPS) is located in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra. With the total capacity of 3340MW, the plant is largest power plant in the Maharashtra. It accounts for more than 25% of total Maharashtra needs. The plant gets water supply from Erai Dam when in normal conditions.

Notes:
The 23rd edition of the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT-2019) will be held in Yerevan, Armenia. The WCIT is the largest and the most reputable international event among worldwide IT leaders. It brings together high-level officials from different countries, heads of multinational organizations, universities and scientific research centers, non-governmental organizations’ representatives and many more. The event includes discussions of legal, political and economic trends affecting IT business processes, presentations of innovative solutions, B2B meetings and so on. The WCIT 2019 will be the first Congress being held in Europe since 2010.