Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2018

Notes:
Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player, has won the 2018 Rotterdam Open men’s singles tennis tournament by defeating Grigor Dimitrov in the final by 6-2-6-2 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It was his 97th career title. This was Federer’s 3rd title in Rotterdam following successes in 2005 and 2012. In the Open era, only American Jimmy Connors has won more titles than Federer, with 109.

Notes:
State-owned telecom firm BSNL and Japan’s NTT AT along with their Indian partner Virgo Corps, have signed a MoU (memorandum of understanding) to collaborate in futuristic technologies such as artificial intelligence / IoT and jointly create a 5G test bedan agreement to collaborate in developing futuristic technologies. The agreement is in line with the vision of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to collaborate on the next generation technologies and use the expertise of India in software and Japanese expertise in manufacturing.

Notes:
The 6th edition of annual joint military exercise ‘Garuda Shakti-2018’ has started between Indian and Indonesian Army in Bandung, Indonesia on February 19, 2018. This joint exercise between Indian and Indonesian Special Forces highlights the increasing trust and cooperation between the two armies. The aim of exercise is to build experience sharing in counter-terrorism operations, close quarter combat and other areas of special operations. It is a two-week long joint Military drill.

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:
On February 23, the Director General of National Archives of India (NAI) – Pritam Singh launched a Book reading series -“Archives Reads” in New Delhi to showcase importance of archival records. This Book Reading Series commenced with the book titled “Hari Singh Nalwa: Champion of the Khalsaji – 1791-1837” authored by Dr. Vanit Nalwa, a senior consultant Psychologist. This book chronicles the life and times of Sardar Hari Singh Nalwa, one of the great pillars of Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s empire. Hari Singh Nalwa was the commander-in-chief of the Sikh army along its border with Afghanistan.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has launched Ombudsman Scheme for redressal of complaints against the Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs). The scheme will provide a cost-free and expeditious complaint redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in the services by NBFCs covered under the scheme. The scheme will cover all deposit-taking NBFCs, and based on the experience gained. The scheme will initially cover all deposit-taking NBFCs, and will subsequently include companies with asset size of Rs 100 crore and above with customer interface. Additionally, the mechanism will provide an option to the NBFC in question to appeal against the decision of the Ombudsman before the appellate authority. The NBFC Ombudsman will have offices in four cities – New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata – and will handle complaints of customers in the respective zones.

Notes:
Kunwar Bai (106), the brand ambassador of Swachch Bharat, has passed away at Raipur in Chhattisgarh on February 23, 2018. A resident of Kotabharri village in Dhamtari district, Kunwar Bai was in the national news as a mascot for Swachch Bharat campaign; she sold all her goats to construct a toilet at her home. Not only was she applauded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the PM also touched her feet and felicitated her during a public meeting in Rajnandgaon in February 2016.

Notes:
Michael McCormack has been elected as the new Deputy Prime Minister of Australia, after being selected as the leader of the country’s National Party. McCormack succeeded former Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce who was forced to resign last week amid public anger over an extramarital affair with his former press secretary. The leader of the National Party automatically becomes deputy prime minister under the terms of the coalition agreement with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s Liberal party.

Notes:
The Jawahar Sagar Dam is a dam across the Chambal River. It is situated about 24 km (15 mi) south-west of Kota, Rajasthan. The dam has a catchment area of 27, 195 km ² and provides relief to the people of the area during times of severe water shortage. It is one of the dams which have been built under the Chambal Valley project of State of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. The dam also produces 99 MW (3×33 MW) of hydropower.

Notes:
The Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) has signed a MoU with the Regional Center for Science and Technology Transfer (RCSTT) of Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for designating Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow (CSIR-CIMAP) as Coordinating Center on Medicinal Plants. The IORA Center at CSIR-CIMAP will establish a database on the important medicinal plants, their value added products, related experts and industries of the IORA member states and organize meetings and training programmes to promote trade, commerce and scientific exchanges to complement the strength and limitation of the member states. The IORA is an association of 21 countries and 7 dialogue partners which have identified 6 areas of cooperation including medicinal plants.