Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2023

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated to the nation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Helicopter Factory at Tumakuru in Karnataka.
The factory is India’s largest helicopter manufacturing facility and will initially produce LUHs. He also unveiled the Light Utility Helicopter (LUH). Initially, this factory will produce around 30 helicopters per year and can be enhanced to 60 and then 90 per year in a phased manner.

Notes:
The US and Brazil, two of the world’s largest biofuels markets, are joining an India-led initiative of International Biofuels Alliance.
The Alliance will aim to boost demand for the lower-emissions energy source. India has also earmarked 350 billion rupees (USD 4.3 billion) in its union budget to promote energy security.

Notes:
The government has set up a special committee to examine the need for a separate competition law for digital companies.
Chaired by Corporate Affairs Secretary Manoj Govil, the committee will review whether existing antitrust laws in the country are equipped to deal with the challenges that have emerged from the digital economy, and submit to the government a draft Digital Competition Act within three months.

Notes:
A report titled ‘LiFE lessons from India’ was recently released by the International Energy Agency (IEA).
As per the report, the ‘Lifestyle for Environment’ or LiFE initiative of India for the adoption of energy-efficient behaviour can save the world USD 440 billion in 2030. As per the report, the saving would be equivalent to around 5% of all fuel spending across the global economy in that year.

Notes:
India launched ‘Operation Dost’ to extend assistance to Turkey and Syria after the devastating earthquake.
The seventh ‘Operation Dost’ flight reached earthquake-hit Syria with over 23 tons of relief material. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the flight is carrying more than 35 tons of relief material, of which over 23 tons is headed for relief efforts in Syria, and around 12 tons to Turkey.

Notes:
PhonePe recently became the first Indian fintech company to enable payments abroad. It allows international transactions through Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
With this, Indian travellers can make UPI transactions to foreign merchants using PhonePe platform. Cross-border transaction facility by PhonePe will support all international outlets in UAE, Singapore, Nepal, Bhutan and Mauritius having local QR Code.

Notes:
India’s first “frozen-lake marathon” is going to be organised at Pangong Tso lake in the union territory of Ladakh.
This event will be held at an altitude of 13,862 feet and cover a distance of 21 kilometers. The marathon will start at Lukung and end at Maan village. The Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) will oversee the event. This marathon is called the ‘Last Run’ to highlight the issue of climate change.

Notes:
Nigeria has recently announced demonetization to address corruption and bring down inflation. Its purpose is to bring back most of the money that is in circulation outside the banking system and to minimize money laundering.
Nigerians are required to turn in their old 1,000, 500 and 200 naira banknotes as part of this initiative in return for new naira notes. With the African country being largely dependent on cash, the shortage of new naira notes is causing chaos in Nigeria.

Notes:
The Emden Port is the western-most sea port in Germany’s coast. It is situated at the mouth of the Ems River into the North Sea.
The Pakistan government is providing military supplies to Ukraine via the Emden Port. It has recently dispatched rocket supplies from the Karachi port for Ukraine via the German port. More than 10,000 rockets have been shipped via this route to be used in Grad multi-barrel rocket launchers. Ukraine is helping Pakistan to upgrade its Mi-17 helicopters.

Notes:
World Radio Day is observed on February 13 to raise global awareness about the importance of radio as a medium of mass communication.
UNESCO declared this day to commemorate the establishment of the United Nations Radio in 1946. The theme for the year 2023 is ‘Radio and Peace’. It highlights the radio’s role as an independent medium of peacemaking. The subthemes for this day are ‘Support for Independent Radio’ and ‘Radio in Conflict Prevention and Peace-building’.