Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2018

Notes:
India has been ranked 177th out of 180 countries in the 2018 Environmental Performance Index (EPI). The report was released on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland. The Index stated that deaths attributed to ultra-fine PM2.5 pollutants have risen over the past decade and are estimated at 1,640,113 annually in India. Switzerland has topped the index, followed by France, Denmark, Malta and Sweden in the EPI, which found that air quality is the leading environmental threat to public health. The 10th EPI report ranks 180 countries on 24 performance indicators across 10 categories covering environmental health and ecosystem vitality.

Notes:
The book ‘Staniya Svasasan Mei Addhi Aabadhi’ has been authored by Dr. Sadhana Pandey, which is released by the Vice President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu, in New Delhi on January 25, 2018. Naidu stated that the book is an empirical study that captures the voices of the rural women who are occupying positions of authority at the local level. It can help the policy makers to understand the perspectives of women representatives and address the key issues of education, health, nutrition, information sharing, economic independence and empowerment.

Notes:
India’s first indigenously developed vaccine “Rotavac” has been pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation (WHO). To be “pre-qualified” means that the vaccine can be sold internationally to several countries in Africa and South America. The vaccine was developed by the Hyderabad-based Bharat Biotech Limited (BBL) and was included in India’s national immunisation programme. The Rotavac vaccine protects against childhood diarrhea caused by the rotavirus. Rotavirus is the most common cause of severe diarrhoea and kills more than 200,000 children every year.

Notes:
Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player, has won the 2018 men’s Singles title in the Australian Open 2018. He successfully defended his title by defeating 6th seeded Marin Cilic of Croatia by 6-2,6-7, 6-3 3-6, 6-1. With this, Federer won his sixth title at the Australian Open equalling the record held by Roy Emerson and Novak Djokovic. The win has brought the Swiss to the elite group of Margaret Court, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf, the only players to have won 20 or more Grand Slam singles titles.

Notes:
The Economic Survey 2017-18 has tabled by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in Parliament on January 29, 2018. The survey has predicted 7 to 7.5% of India’s GDP growth in FY 2018-19. It says that a series of major reforms undertaken over the past year will allow real GDP growth to reach 6.75% this fiscal and will rise to 7.0 to 7.5% in 2018-19. It stated that the employment, education and agriculture will be the focus areas in the midterm. The survey underlines that due to the launch of transformational Goods and Services Tax (GST) reform, resolution of the long-festering Twin Balance Sheet problem, implementing a major recapitalization package to strengthen the public sector banks, further liberalization of FDI and the export uplift from the global recovery, the economy began to accelerate in the second half of the year and can clock 6.75% growth this year.

Notes:
Caroline Wozniack, a Danish professional tennis player, has won the 2018 women’s Singles title in the Australian Open 2018. With this, she became the first Danish player to win a Grand Slam singles title by defeating Simona Halep in the final by 7–6, 3–6, 6–4.

Notes:
The 2018 International Bird Festival will be held at the Dudhwa National Park in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh from February 9 to 11 with nearly 200 leading ornithologists expected to attend. The purpose of the bird fest is to promote eco-tourism in Dudhwa and to give it a distinct international identity besides highlighting its traditional Tharu arts, culture, and heritage. Eminent documentary maker Mike Pandey will be the brand ambassador of the festival. During the three-day event, the bird experts would visit various parts of Dudhwa to gather information about the 450 bird species existing there.

Notes:
The National Handloom Expo (NHE) has been inaugurated by Assam Handloom and Textile Minister Ranjit Dutta at Guwahati, Assam on January 29, 2018. The event is sponsored by Development Commissioner of Handloom, Govt of India and organized by ARTFED. Total 130 stalls have been set up. 12 states are participating in the event, which will continue till 11 February.

Notes:
Dharmasena Pathiraja (74), the renowned Sri Lankan filmmaker, has passed away in Kandy, Sri Lanka on January 28, 2018. He was fondly referred to as “a rebel with a cause’ and acclaimed for his compelling portrayals of urban underclasses. He is credited with making a critical intervention in Sinhala cinema, with themes that served as social commentaries on the prevailing socio-economic and political realities. He also taught film studies in various Sri Lankan universities.

Notes:
Chintaman Wanaga, the Member of Parliament (MP) of 16th Lok Sabha from Palghar in Maharashtra, has passed away in New Delhi on January 30, 2018. An advocate by profession, he served as the President of BJP’s Thane district office from 1990 to 1996. He was elected to the Lok Sabha thrice and once as the member of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.