Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2018

Notes:
Dr Harsh Vardhan, the Union Minister of Earth Sciences (MoES) , has launched a 2.8 Peta Flops capacity High Performance Computer (HPC) system ‘Mihir’ in Noida to improve India’s weather forecasting. The new HPC facility is expected to improve weather forecasts at the block level across India, predict extreme weather events, and offer high resolution seasonal and extended range forecasts of active/break spells of the monsoon. The facility will also make possible very high resolution coupled models for prediction of cyclones with more accuracy and lead time. The new system will be India’s largest HPC facility in terms of peak capacity and performance and will propel India’s ranking from the 368th position to the 30th in the list of top 500 HPC facilities in the world.

Notes:
China has remained the world’s largest steel producer in 2017 by producing 831.7 million tonnes (MT), according to a latest report published by World Steel Association (WSA). Japan has acquired 2nd position while India overtook the US to become the world’s 3rd largest steel producer. India’s crude steel production grew by 6.2% to 101.4 MT in 2017 compared to 95.5 MT in 2016. The Global steel production reached 1,691.2 MT for the year 2017, up by 5.3% compared to 2016 when the output was 1,606.3 MT. The WSA is one of the largest industry associations in the world. Its members represent approximately 85% of the world’s steel production, including over 160 steel producers with 9 of the 10 largest steel companies, national and regional steel industry associations, and steel research institutes.

Notes:
The World Leprosy Day (WLD) is observed every year on the last Sunday of January to support those suffering from leprosy and educate those taking care of people suffering from this disease. This year, in 2018, it falls on 28 January and its theme is ‘Zero Disabilities in Girls and Boys’. Leprosy is one of the oldest recorded diseases in the world. It is an infectious chronic disease that targets the nervous system, especially the nerves in the cooler parts of the body – the hands, feet, and face.

Notes:
The National Power Training Institute (NPTI) is a national apex body in India for training and human resources development in the power sector with industry specific technical interface. It is an autonomous body under Ministry of Power, Government of India and caters to the training needs of the power industry in India and abroad. Beside this, it is the only institution of its kind in India catering to the core power Sector and allied energy sector apart from University of petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun. The NPTI’s headquarters is located at Faridabad, Haryana.

Notes:
The Odisha government has bagged the Geospatial World Excellence Award- 2018 for successful IT application for tracking of mineral production, dispatch and value accrued on real time basis through its i3MS website based software. The award was given by Y.S. Chowdray, the Union Minister of State Science & Technology, in the Geospatial World Forum Meeting held at Hyderabad. The GPS linked web based software “i3MS” has been designed by the scientists of Odisha Space Application Center (ORSAC), Bhubaneswar. About 3,000 geospatial experts from 90 different countries attended the event.

Notes:
B A Chopade has been appointed the new vice-chancellor of Banaras Hindu University (BHU). He is at present the vice-chancellor of Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University. President Ram Nath Kovind, who is the Visitor to the university, approved Chopade’s appointment recently. The post was lying vacant after Girish Chandra Tripathi went on leave following the ruckus on campus in September 2017. Chopade will take charge from BHU Registrar Neeraj Tripathi, who had been holding the additional charge of the top post since October 2017.

Notes:
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has launched the world’s longest zip Line “Jebel Jais Flight ” in Ras al-Khaimah. The 2.83km zip line allows thrill seekers to jump from the peak off the UAE’s highest mountain “Jebel Jais”. The Jebel Jais Flight zip line launches from 1,680m above sea level, at the peak of the Jebel Jais Mountain. Ras al-Khaimah currently gets 1 million tourist visitors a year and aims to drive 100,000 of them to use the zip line. It was recently awarded the Guinness World Record for world’s longest zip line.

Notes:
The World Cancer Day (WCD) is observed every year on 4th February to raise awareness about cancer, its treatment and to encourage methods of its prevention. The primary goal of the day is to reduce the illness and related deaths by 2020. The 2018 tagline “We can. I can” will explore how everyone – as a collective or as individuals – can do their part to reduce the global burden of cancer.

Notes:
Syed Mahmud Hossain has been sworn-in as the 22nd chief justice Chief Justice of Bangladesh. He succeeded acting chief justice Abdul Wahab Mian. Mian was appointed as the acting chief justice after the Bangladesh’s first Hindu chief justice Surendra Kumar Sinha resigned in November 2017 amid graft allegations. Juestice Sinha was at the centre stage of the dispute after the apex court delivered a verdict declaring void 16th constitutional amendment, scrapping Parliament’s authority in impeaching Supreme Court judges.

Notes:
The unique, first-of-its-kind, floating market has come up in Patuli in Kolkata, West Bengal. The market is similar to the ones on Dal Lake in Srinagar and in Bangkok. The project is being implemented by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). There are 228 stalls, set up on 114 boats, with zone-wise demarcations for fish, meat, vegetables, grocery, etc. Wooden ramps have been constructed, over which people will walk to reach the boat of their choice. Modern technology is being adopted to ensure proper oxidation of the water and thus maintain ecological balance. The surrounding path beside the water body, a canal, on which the market is being set up, is being decked up with paver blocks. The market will be run through a cooperative. The prices will be similar to those in normal markets.