Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
Belarus is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe. It is bordered by Russia to the east and northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest.
Russia and Belarus have started joint military exercises close to the Belarusian border with Ukraine. Russia has already amassed forces along its own border with Ukraine, and in the annexed Crimean peninsula.

Notes:
Indian Army conducted its first-of-its-kind Hackathon was conducted at the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), Mhow.
The event, ‘Sainya Ranakshetra’ was conducted in collaboration with the Rashtriya Raksha University. The event was held under the overall guidance of the Shimla based Army Training Command (ARTRAC).

Notes:
International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed every year on 11 February. The United Nations calls for women’s full and equal access to and participation in science.
The day also celebrates those that are leading action and innovation around the world. As per UN Women, only 33 per cent of researchers are women, and they are awarded less research funding than men, and are less likely to be promoted.

Notes:
Environment clearance has been issued to as many as 60 mining areas and legal mining of Bajri (riverbed sand) is initiated in Rajasthan.
Four years ago, the Supreme Court banned the sand mining activities in riverbeds until a scientific replenishment study was completed. The apex court later appointed a Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to probe the issue of illegal sand mining.

Notes:
Digital services company Jio Platforms has formed a joint-venture with Luxembourg-based SES to deliver satellite broadband services across India.
SES is a satellite-linked content connectivity solutions provider SES to deliver satellite broadband services across India. The joint venture will provide SES’s satellite data and connectivity services in India.

Notes:
Philippines has signed a USD 375 million deal with India to buy three batteries of the BrahMos cruise missile from India.
Recently India’s External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar held discussions with his Philippines counterpart Teodoro L Locsin, on mutual national security and development aspirations. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar has undergone a three-day maiden visit to the Philippines.

Notes:
India and Australia have signed a letter of intent (LoI) on New and Renewable energy technology. It aims to scale up manufacturing and deployment of ultra low-cost solar and clean hydrogen.
The LoI was signed during the 4th India – Australia Energy Dialogue. The dialogue was co-chaired by Union Minister for Power and New & Renewable Energy, R.K. Singh and his Australian counterpart.

Notes:
In 2018, SEBI asked the top 500 listed companies to split the post of chairman and managing director by April 2020, after the recommendations of the Uday Kotak-led panel on corporate governance. In 2020, it extended the timeline by two years to April 1, 2022.
Recently, SEBI has made splitting of the post of chairman and managing director (CMD) in the top 500 listed companies voluntary.

Notes:
Crimson Rose is a large butterfly with a mix of black, white and crimson colours on its wings and body. It belongs to the Swallowtails (Papilionidae) family and they are known to migrate along the coast, inland and cross the sea often.
Recently, thousands of Crimson Rose butterflies were seen flying from Dhanushkodi, at the southern-most tip of Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) Island towards Sri Lanka, which is around 25 km from the tip of Dhanushkodi.

Notes:
The Union Government has approved the ‘New India Literacy Programme’ for financial years 2022-27 which will cover all aspects of Adult Education in the country.
The program has been announced in line with National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. ‘Adult Education’ will now be called ‘Education For All’. As per 2011 Census, the number of non-literates in the country (15 years and above) was 25.76 crore (9.08 crore male and 16.68 crore female).