Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2018

Notes:
Lifter Rakhi Halder of Railways Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) has created a new national record in clean and jerk en route to a gold medal in the 63kg women’s category in the 33rd Women Senior National Weightlifting Championships, in Mangaluru, Karnataka on January 24, 2018. She lifted 128kgs in the clean and jerk for a total of 230kgs to create a new national record, bettering Karnam Malleswari’s feat (127kg) created in Athens in 1999. The silver in this category went to S Thasana Chanu of Karnataka (202kg) while the bronze was clinched by AIPSCB’s Amandeep Kaur (191kg). The day concluded with a gold medal for RV Rahul of RSPB in 85kg men’s division of the 70th Men National Weightlifting Championships.

Notes:
Hugh Masekela (78), the legendary jazz musician and anti-apartheid activist, has passed away in Johannesburg, South Africa on January 23, 2018. He was also known for his jazz compositions and for writing well-known anti-apartheid songs such as “Soweto Blues” and “Bring Him Back Home”. He also had a number 1 US pop hit in 1968 with his version of “Grazing in the Grass”.

Notes:
The Andhra Pradesh government has signed a sister-state agreement with the Canton of Zurich in a bid to strengthen the friendly ties and promote mutual understanding. The Letter of Intent (LOI) was signed by Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu and Zurich Councillor and Head of the Department for Economic Affairs Carmen Walker Späh in the presence of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. The purpose of LOI is to achieve mutual prosperity and development. The agreement will strengthen economic and scientific relations between the two governments in the areas such as information and communication technology, environmental technology, life sciences and urban and regional Development.

Notes:
The book ‘Staniya Svasasan Mei Addhi Aabadhi’ has been authored by Dr. Sadhana Pandey, which is released by the Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, in New Delhi on January 25, 2018. Naidu stated that the book is an empirical study that captures the voices of the rural women who are occupying positions of authority at the local level. It can help the policy makers to understand the perspectives of women representatives and address the key issues of education, health, nutrition, information sharing, economic independence and empowerment.

Notes:
The Jawai Bandh is a dam built across the Jawai river, a tributary of Luni river near Sumerpur town in Pali District of Rajasthan. The dam has capacity of 7887.5 million cubic feet and covers an area of 102,315 acres of cultivable command area. Its height is about 61.25 feet. Sei dam and Kalibor dam are the feeder dams of the Jawai dam.

Notes:
The Punjab Government has launched Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojna (MGSVY) on the occasion of 69th Republic Day 2018 for the distressed sections of the society across the state. The purpose of the programme is to give the distressed sections of the society the help they need socially, economically and psychologically. This scheme will be on the line of Antyodaya principles. The aim of the programme is “Wipe every tear from every eye” as envisioned by Mahatma Gandhiji. The main purpose of this scheme is to provide the benefit of welfare schemes for debt stressed farmers, poor families that have a woman as sole bread earner, families of AIDS patients, out-of-school children, martyred soldiers, differently-abled, abandoned old persons, drug addicts among others.

Notes:
President Ram Nath Kovind has launched the countrywide Pulse Polio programme for 2018 by administering polio drops to children below five years at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi. The programme will cover around 17 crore children to maintain the country’s polio-free status. The president administered the drops on the eve of 2018 National Immunisation Day (NID), which is observed on January 28.

Notes:
Caroline Wozniack, a Danish professional tennis player, has won the 2018 women’s Singles title in the Australian Open 2018. With this, she became the first Danish player to win a Grand Slam singles title by defeating Simona Halep in the final by 7–6, 3–6, 6–4.

Notes:
Achanta Sharath Kamal from Tamil Nadu has won the 79th edition of the 11Even Sports National Senior Table Tennis Championship 2018 by defeating top-seed Anthony Amalraj in the final by 4-1 in Ranchi, Jharkhand. With this, he lifted the National men’s singles title for the 8th time and equaled the record of Kamlesh Mehta. The winner received Rs 2 lakh as prize money. Suthirta Mukherjee from West Bengal emerged the new women champion, beating Hyderabad Nationals winner Manika Batra 4-3. Her maiden effort fetched Rs 1.5 lakh, while Manika received 50% less in prize money.

Notes:
Chintaman Wanaga, the Member of Parliament (MP) of 16th Lok Sabha from Palghar in Maharashtra, has passed away in New Delhi on January 30, 2018. An advocate by profession, he served as the President of BJP’s Thane district office from 1990 to 1996. He was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice and once as the member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.