Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Bengaluru -based start-up, Beta Tank Robotics, has developed a robot which can operate in oil tanks in petroleum refineries.
It was incubated at IIT Guwahati, and the project was funded by State-owned Oil India Limited. The robot does the job similar to a vacuum cleaner and thereby eliminates risks to human beings.

Notes:
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a grant of ₹5,300 crore for the Upper Bhadra Irrigation Project in Karnataka in the Union Budget 2023.
The fund will be used to provide sustainable micro irrigation and filling up of surface tanks for drinking water. Karnataka was the only state mentioned in the budget.

Notes:
Equatorial Guinea has appointed Manuela Roka Botey as prime minister. She became the first woman in the country to hold the position. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, who has ruled the country since 1979, made the announcement.
Ms Rotey was previously the education minister and joined the government in 2020. She replaces former premier Francisco Pascual Obama Asue.

Notes:
Bihar Deputy Chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav inaugurated the MV Ganga Vihar at NIT Ghat in Bihar.
The floating restaurant operated by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation (BSTDC). The two-storied floating restaurant has a restaurant on the ground floor with a seating capacity of 48 people along with a VIP lounge and a private lounge on the top floor.

Notes:
Google has invested nearly USD 400 million in artificial intelligence start-up Anthropic AI. The two companies announced a partnership that will see the AI start-up use Google’s cloud computing services.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei announced that they would use Google Cloud to build reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems and to create a robust AI platform.

Notes:
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited.
It aims to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to provide services offered by Common Service Centers. Over 300 services will be made available to the rural population including 13 crore farmer members of PACS.

Notes:
The United States and the Philippines announced plans to expand America’s military presence in the Southeast Asian nation.
The countries decided to accelerate full implementation of their ‘Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA)’. As part of the agreement, the U.S. has allocated $82 million toward infrastructure improvements at five current EDCA sites. This will provide access to four more bases to the US.

Notes:
National Award-winning legendary playback singer Vani Jairam passed away recently at the age of 78.
In a career spanning more than 50 years, Vani Jairam sang over 10,000 songs in several languages. The legendary singer was named for the Padma Bhushan the third-highest civilian award of the country by the Government of India, this year. Vani Jairam has won three National Film Awards for Best Female Playback Singer.

Notes:
Congo has recently joined the India-led International Solar Alliance. The Ambassador of Republic of Congo signed the International Solar Alliance Framework Agreement.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country in Central Africa bordered by the South Atlantic Ocean. DRC is the second-largest country in Africa by area.

Notes:
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the earthquake that hit Gaziantep in southern Turkey was the country’s worst disaster since 1939 Erzincan earthquake.
The 1939 Erzincan earthquake resulted in the deaths of around 33,000 individuals. It was caused by the movement of the North Anatolian Fault Zone, which resulted in a quake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. This earthquake caused damage to the Erzincan Plain and the Kelkit River Valley.