Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Textiles cleared 15 Research & Development projects worth around INR 32.25 crores across key strategic areas.
The projects are from various categories include Speciality fibre, Protective textiles, Geo-textiles, Medical Textiles, Sustainable Textiles, and Textiles for Building Materials.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Power has finalized the draft National Electricity Policy and has sought comments from the states and the Central Electricity Authority (CEA).
An expert committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Gireesh Pradhan, Ex-Chairperson, Central Electricity Regulatory Commission, to prepare and recommend National Electricity Policy (NEP), 2021.

Notes:
On 27 January, the international community comes together to commemorate the International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
The theme of this year is “Home and Belonging”, which highlights the humanity of the Holocaust victims and survivors. This Day was chosen by the United Nations General Assembly to mark the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp in 1945.

Notes:
The United States and the European Union have signed an agreement to collaborate on “responsible advancements” in Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The agreement aims to speed up and enhance the use of artificial intelligence to improve agriculture, healthcare, emergency response, climate forecasting and the electric grid.

Notes:
Pakistan cricketer Babar Azam wins the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Sir Garfield Sobers award for cricketer of the year.
The Pakistan skipper was picked for both the ‘ODI Cricketer of the Year’ and the ‘Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Men’s Cricketer of 2022’. He was the only player to breach the 2000-run mark in 2022 across all formats.

Notes:
Ernakulam in Kerala has been named as the first district to achieve registration of 10,000 new MSMEs.
This will help boost the contribution of MSMEs by generating new jobs and diversifying India’s GDP. The availability of highly skilled Human Resources and the good industrial infrastructure are among the key reasons for its excellent communication and networking systems.

Notes:
Germany beat Belgium 5-4 in penalty shootout to win the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup in Bhubaneswar.
Jean-Paul Danneberg, the German goalkeeper made three saves in the penalty shootout. Germany became the fourth team to have won three or more hockey World Cup titles. Pakistan has won the title four times and is the most successful team at the hockey World Cup. Earlier, the Netherlands beat Australia 3-1 to claim the bronze medal.

Notes:
After floating over the US for days, a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon has been shot down by the US Defence officials.
The balloon is said to have a payload the size of several buses. China’s foreign ministry denied that the balloon was used for surveillance, and it said that it was a civilian airship used for meteorological and other scientific research

Notes:
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a new initiative for empowering the Vishwakarma community.
The PM VIKAS (Pradhan Mantri Vishwakarma Kaushal Samman) yojana will provide support by providing skills training to artisans and craftsmen people engaged in traditional and skilled professions. The special package will help integrate them with MSME value chain.

Notes:
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said while presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 that the Centre will work in mission mode to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047.
This programme will include awareness creation and universal screening of 7 crore people in 0 – 40 years age group in affected tribal areas and counselling through collaboration of central ministries and state governments.