Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
Senegal won its first African Cup of Nations title in the year 2022 by beating Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout.
Senegal’s Sadio Mané scored the winning spot kick. Senegal had finished as runners-up in 2019 African Cup, losing the final 0–1 to Algeria. Senegal has played in sixteen editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and the team finally won their first AFCON title in 2021.

Notes:
Ministry of Earth Science’s System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting Research (SAFAR) recently announced that Mumbai has seen unusually high levels of pollution this week, with its air quality index reading frequently above 300.
An AQI between 301 and 400 is categorised as ‘red’ or ‘very poor’. Mazgaon, the most polluted area in the city had AQI of 495 in ‘severe’ category. The current high pollution is due to a second dust storm in less than two weeks that has hit Mumbai.

Notes:
Mumbai Central Division of Western Railway, has achieved a milestone of loading the 100th Textile Express from Chaltahan (Surat area) to Sankrail (Kharagpur Division).
The first Textile Express was started on 1st September2021. The milestone has been achieved within a span of five months. Surat textile sector is prominent in the western part of India. Textile Express fetched revenue of over ten crore rupees to Railways.

Notes:
The US Justice Department has announced the unravelling of the country’s biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft case.
The officials have recovered USD 3.6 billion, which was linked to the hack of Bitfinex. It is a virtual currency exchange whose systems were breached by hackers nearly six years ago. A pair is accused of conspiring to launder 119,754 bitcoin stolen after the exchange was hacked.

Notes:
Scientists in the United Kingdom have achieved a new milestone in producing nuclear fusion energy, or imitating the way energy is produced in the Sun.
A team at the Joint European Torus (JET) facility in central England generated 59 mega joules of sustained energy during an experiment. A kg of fusion fuel contains about 10 million times energy of that of a kg of coal, oil or gas.

Notes:
Australia has recently designated the koala an endangered species, which was classified as vulnerable only 10 years ago.
The impact of prolonged drought, summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation and habitat loss over the last twenty years have led to the decision. From now, Koalas will be provided with greater protection under Australia’s national environment law.

Notes:
The Indian Railways has notified the Indian Railway Management System (IRMS) which will unify the eight existing services of the transporter.
IRMS is a new Group ‘A’ Central service and only the officers of IRMS will be eligible to become the functional members and chairman/CEO of the railway board.

Notes:
The National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) has instituted National Award for Innovations and Good Practices in Educational Administration.
The 5^th National awards were recently presented to the selected District and Block level education officers from 29 states/ UTs of the country. This year, over hundred officers received Award or Certificate of Appreciation.

Notes:
The Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL) is a government printing and minting agency. It functions under the Ministry of Finance.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman launched the first colour souvenir coin on ‘Panchtantra’ on the occasion of 17th foundation day of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Limited (SPMCIL).

Notes:
Philippines has recently deferred ratification of Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
This decision has been taken after farmers and other civil society groups in the country expressed strong apprehensions against the mega trade deal signed. India has decided to stay out of RCEP, as per current situations.