Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open championship returned him to the top rank in the ATP rankings, replacing Carlos Alcaraz.
His four-place rise from No. 5 to No. 1 is the largest jump to the top spot in the 50-year history of the computerized rankings for men’s tennis. This marks Djokovic’s 374th week leading the ATP. With the 10th title at the Australian Open, he tied Rafael Nadal with 22 Grand Slam trophies.

Notes:
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan said the State capital would be shifted to Visakhapatnam.
He was addressing the preparatory meeting for Global Investors Summit to be held in Visakhapatnam. The State government had proposed three capitals, Visakhapatnam (Executive capital), Amaravati (Legislative capital) and Kurnool (Judicial capital). Amaravati is the present capital of Andhra Pradesh.

Notes:
WAPCOS is an engineering consultancy and construction services firm under the Jal Shakti Ministry. In September 2022, it filed draft papers with market regulator SEBI for launching an IPO by selling 3.25 crore shares held by the Government.
Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) announced recently that the Government is targeting to launch the initial public offering (IPO) of IREDA, and WAPCOS, in the next fiscal.

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 announced an initiative called MISHTI ‘Mangrove Initiative for Shoreline Habitats and Tangible Incomes’.
Under the scheme, mangrove plantations will be taken up along the country’s coastline apart from salt pans, wherever feasible, through the convergence of the job guarantee scheme MGNREGS, the Compensatory Afforestation Fund, and other sources.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) designated the first seven days of February as World Interfaith Harmony Week in 2010.
The idea of World Interfaith Harmony Week was first proposed at the United Nations in 2010 by Jordan’s King Abdullah II. UNGA encourages all countries to voluntarily disseminate the message of interfaith tolerance and goodwill in accordance with their religious traditions.

Notes:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi named as the world’s most popular leader with an approval rating of 78 per cent.
The Global Leader Approval survey, carried out by the USbased Morning Consult, featured 22 global leaders. PM Modi stood on top of the list with 78% approval rating. The second most popular leader as per the survey is Andres Manual Lopez Obrador ( Mexico ), while Alain Berset (Switzerland ) stood third. US President Joe Biden came seventh while UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was placed 12th.

Notes:
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) recently found 1,200-year-old idols in Nalanda in Bihar. They were found from a waterbody close to the ancient Nalanda University during desilting of a pond.
Nalanda Mahavihara is a world heritage site about 88 km from this place.  The idols were found during desilting under Bihar government’s ‘Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali’ project launched to protect and conserve water and the environment.

Notes:
Reliance Retail has become the first Indian retailer to introduce Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), also known as digital rupee.
The company has piloted the use of Digital Rupee in one store in Mumbai, and is planning to make this facility available in all its stores in Mumbai within the next three to four months, in accordance with Reserve Bank of India (RBI) norms.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 4 February as the International Day of Human Fraternity in 2020.
It celebrates the values of compassion, religious understanding, and mutual respect. On the occasion, the UN chief called for renewed commitment to form an ‘alliance of peace’ amid a surge in hate speech, sectarianism and strife.