Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2020

Notes:
A Singapore based cybersecurity firm reported that 98% of credit card data being sold on the dark web are of Indian customers and highlighted the use of JS sniffers. JS sniffers or JavaScript sniffers are specialized malwares that are used by cybercriminals for stealing sensitive credit card information. A recent report by Singapore based Group IB highlighted the growing use of these softwares by cybercriminals. The stolen information is then being sold on the dark web.

Notes:
Malai Mahadeshwara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka. It is expected to become a Tiger Reserve soon. Once it becomes a Tiger Reserve, the Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka will be home to three tiger reserves with two more reserves already there viz. Bandipur and Biligiri Ranganatha Temple (BRT) Tiger Reserve within its territorial limits. At present, Karnataka has five Tiger reserves viz. Nagarahole, Bhadra, Anshi-Dandeli, Bandipur and BRT Tiger Reserves.

Notes:
BIMSTEC is a regional grouping with seven countries from South and Southeast Asia including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. It aims to promote regional cooperation for rapid economic development.

Notes:
The first ‘National Conference on Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience (CDRR&R) – 2020’ was organized by the National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM), in New Delhi on February 25, 2020.

Notes:
Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ presented Vishwakarma Awards 2019 to the winners in New Delhi on February 24, 2020. The awards function was organised by All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). Chatra Vishwakarma Awards (CVA) were given to students and mentors. Institutes were felicitated under the Utkrisht Sansthan Vishwakarma Award (USVA). The awards were started by AICTE in 2017 for promoting innovative spirit and scientific temperament.

Notes:
The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) of the Ministry of Communication has recently launched ‘5G Hackathon’ in association with government and industry stakeholders.
The Hackathon aims to convert new ideas into feasible 5-G products and solutions in the country. All students, start-ups, SMEs, academic institutions and registered companies in India and even NRIs can participate in the event.

Notes:
The ‘Central Excise Day’ is celebrated every year in India on February 24. The day is celebrated to encourage the employees of excise department to perform their duties more efficiently.
Various seminars, workshops and cultural events are organized all over the country, to mark the event. It is also observed to commemorate the Central Excise and Salt Act, which was enacted on February 24, 1944.

Notes:
The incumbent President of Togo, Faure Gnassingbe has been re-elected for the fourth term as the country head. This would extend his 15-year rule of the country. After his father started to lead the country in 1967, his family has been continuously on the top-seat.
The President secured more than 72 percent of the votes in the first round of the presidential election. His closest rival was the former prime minister Agbeyome Kodjo.

Notes:
The world’s second youngest Grandmaster, India’s 13-year-old D. Gukesh has recently won the Cannes Open Chess Tournament, held in Cannes, France.
He defeated Harutyun Bargseghyan of France in the final round and scored 7.5 points. The Tamil Nadu player remained unbeaten in the tournament and had defeated the top-seeded Chongsheng Zeng of China. Gukesh had earlier won the Hillerod 110th Anniversary Open event in Denmark.

Notes:
Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman recently unveiled the initiative of Public Sector Banks named ‘EASE 3.0’.
The initiative aims to enhance Ease of banking in all customer experiences, using information technology. The EASE agenda was initially launched in 2018 by Public Sector Banks, for providing smart and effective banking to customers.