Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
The Department of Science & Technology (DST) has established the National Centre of Excellence in Carbon Capture and Utilisation (NCOE-CCU) at Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay.
This is India’s first such centre centrally funded by the DST. This Centre of Excellence explores the potential of Carbon Capture and Utilization (CCU) technologies, which will help India achieve its climate change goals.

Notes:
India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade announced that the import of drones is banned. The order exempted those used for research and development, defense, and security purposes.
This move also blocks the market for China’s SZ DJI Technology Co., the world’s top dronemaker, and encourages India’s local industry to increase production. Import of some drone components will be allowed.

Notes:
Elon Musk’s Starlink has lost 40 of the 49 satellites causing them to fall from orbit before they could be commissioned.
They were caught in a Geomagnetic storm a day after they were launched. A geomagnetic storm is a temporary disturbance of the Earth’s magnetosphere caused by a solar wind shock wave. It also occurs when cloud of magnetic field interacts with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Notes:
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the annual ‘Udyanotsav’ of Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. Every year, the event is held during February-March.
The Mughal Gardens will remain open for the general public from February 12, 2022 to March 16, 2022. The main attraction of this year’s event will be 11 varieties of Tulips which are set to bloom in phases during February.

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:
Southern Railway has introduced Quick Response (QR) code-based payment of ticket fare in Automatic Ticket Vending Machines (ATVMs).
This aims to encourage cashless transactions and digital payments. As per the Railway administration, journey and platform tickets can be purchased using QR code facility. Renewal of season tickets can also be completed digitally.

Notes:
Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been elected to a second term as Germany’s President. A special assembly voted the veteran politician, to the President Post.
Steinmeier was elected by secret ballot by a majority of the assembly for another five years. German presidents are elected by special assemblies comprising lawmakers and hundreds of other prominent citizens.

Notes:
Japan is the only country that has dedicated country-focused industrial townships across India. Recently DPIIT (India) reviewed the status of Japan Industrial Townships (JITs) with METI (Japan).
Japan Industrial Townships (JITs) were set up after the “Action Agenda for the India-Japan Investment and Trade Promotion and Asia-Pacific Economic Integration” signed in 2015. They wer developed in India especially in Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor (DMIC) and Chennai Bengaluru Industrial Corridor (CBIC).

Notes:
The Northern Mariana Islands, a United States territory, is located only 2500km southeast of Japan.
Japan has planned to dump more than 1 million tonnes of treated water from the damaged Fukushima nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean. The Northern Mariana Islands has proposed another viable solution to the plan to be considered.

Notes:
Medaram Jatara is the second-largest fair of India, after Kumbh Mela, celebrated by Koya Tribal Community of Telangana, for four days
The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has sanctioned ₹2.26 Crores for various activities related to Medaram Jathara 2022.  At present, the Jathara festival is biennially celebrated by the Koya Tribes in collaboration with the Tribal Welfare Department, Telangana.