Current Affairs Quiz February 2022

Explanation:-

Arif Khan, who will be competing in the Slalom and Giant Slalom events, is the only contestant from India, in the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022. India announced a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics, after the honour of carrying the Olympic torch went to a Chinese soldier who was wounded in the Galvan clash two years ago.

Explanation:-

Bharti Airtel has decided to acquire an additional 4.7 per cent stake in Indus Towers from Vodafone Group, the company announced on Friday. The two companies signed an agreement on the condition that Vodafone will use the proceeds to invest in Vodafone Idea (Vi) and the latter will clear its pending dues with Indus Towers.
“The said acquisition purchase would be at an attractive price representing a significant discount typically available for such large block transactions. In addition, Airtel is also protected with a capped price, which is lower than the price for the block of Indus shares sold by Vodafone on February 24. This shall be value accretive to Airtel and protect its existing significant shareholding in Indus Towers,” the company said.

Explanation:-

Union Minister for Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises, Shri Narayan Rane today launched the Union MSME RuPay Credit Card of Union Bank of India in Sindhudurg at the two day MSME Conclave being held in the district.  The card is being offered by Union Bank of India in association with National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).  It provides a simplified payment mechanism to MSMEs to meet their business-related operational expenses.

The RuPay Card offers benefits like anytime digital payments, interest-free period and will carry interest rate similar to the rate charged for loans. MSME borrowers will be able to enjoy an interest-free credit period of up to 50 days on their business spends. The card also offers the EMI facility to the customers on their business-related purchases. MSMEs will also get specially curated efficient business services on this card which will help them in taking their business on most of the digital platforms.

Explanation:-

The Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Government of India in association with Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering & Technology (CIPET) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) is organizing a seminar “Industry Connect 2022”: Industry and Academia Synergy on 25th February 2022 in Hari Shankar Singhania Commission Room, FICCI, New Delhi from 1000 hrs to 1500 hrs.
Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister of Health & Family Welfare, Chemicals & Fertilizers, Government of India will inaugurate the seminar in presence of Bhagwanth Khuba, Minister of State, (Chemicals & Fertilizers and Ministry of New and Renewal Energy), Senior officials from central Government, senior captains of industry, academicians etc.

Explanation:-

Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has extended a Line of credit of USD 500 million to Sri Lanka for financing the purchase of petroleum products. With this LOC agreement, Exim Bank has extended 10 lines of credit to the Sri Lankan Government on behalf of the Indian government, taking the total value of LOCs extended to USD 2.18 billion. Exim Bank has provided 276 LOCs, covering 61 countries.

Explanation:-

K S Mani, chairman, Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (KCMMF), has been elected to the board of directors of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI), the apex body of dairy and edible oil cooperatives in the country.

The election was held at the special general body meeting of the NCDFI, held at Anand in Gujarat.

Explanation:-

South Indian Bank has joined hands with Star Health and Allied Insurance Co. Ltd as a corporate agent to provide a slew of innovative health insurance products for the Bank’s more than 6.5 million customers spread over 923 branches across the country.
The Bank’s customers can avail of benefits of Star Health’s retail insurance products and group affinity products through the Bank’s various distribution channels thus helping customers address their health insurance needs under one roof, a media statement said here on Wednesday.

Explanation:-

Senegal won its first African Cup of Nations title in the year 2022 by beating Egypt 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Senegal’s Sadio Mané scored the winning spot kick. Senegal had finished as runners-up in 2019 African Cup, losing the final 0–1 to Algeria. Senegal has played in sixteen editions of the Africa Cup of Nations and the team finally won their first AFCON title in 2021.

Explanation:-

The Union Defence Ministry had launched the ‘Services e-Health Assistance and Teleconsultation (SeHAT)’ scheme. It aims to provide home delivery of medicines for veterans and serving military personnel. The scheme was first rolled out in Delhi and the scheme would be extended to more and more stations in the future. It also provides online medical consultation platform to the tri-services personnel and their families.

Explanation:-

Death Penalty in India Report was released by the criminal law reforms advocacy group at the National Law University, Delhi- named Project 39A. As per the report, the number of prisoners on death row at the end of 2021 stood at 488, the highest in 17 years. This is an increase of nearly 21% from 2020. This is also the highest the death row population has been since 2004 (563).

Explanation:-

When Mahatma Gandhi’s Non-Cooperation Movement was launched against the colonial administration, a mob set the station on fire, killing 23 policemen at Chauri Chaura Village, in present day Uttar Pradesh. It was done in retaliation to the Police firing killing three people from the group of protestors against foreign products. After the Chauri Chaura incident, Gandhi called off the movement and condemned the violence.

Explanation:-

Odisha’s first tribal chief minister as well as last Congress chief minister of the state, Hemananda Biswal passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar after a brief illness, on Friday. He was 82. Biswal, a Bhuyan tribal from Jharsuguda district, served as the chief minister twice from 1989 to 1990 and 1999 to 2000. In December 1989, he replaced the then chief minister JB Patnaik, after the Congress(I) was routed in the Lok Sabha elections. In December 1999, he was again made a chief minister after erstwhile chief minister Giridhari Gamang was replaced over his failure in relief and rehabilitation measures in the aftermath of the 1999 super cyclone that ripped through Odisha coast.

Explanation:-

The Tamil Nadu Government began work to form India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in the Palk Bay region. Dugongs are endangered species protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. According to the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), only 200-250 dugongs are left in the wild, of which 150 are found in Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu.

Explanation:-

Malaysian Tan Kim Her has been appointed as India’s doubles coach in badminton till the Asian Games in 2026, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) confirmed.
The 50-year-old’s return to India will raise the stock of the doubles combinations in the country. He has been credited with shaping the careers of doubles specialists Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy.

Explanation:-

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday said it has canceled the certificate of registration issued to PC Financial, which carries out lending operations through an app called Cashbean. This is the first instance of regulatory action against an entity in the wake of a surge in complaints against usurious and unfair recovery practices being followed by several digital lenders.
“In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 45-IA (6) (iv) of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934, the Reserve Bank has canceled the Certificate of Registration (CoR) issued to M/s P C Financial Services Private Limited, New Delhi. As such, M/s P C Financial Services Private Limited shall not transact the business of a Non-Banking Financial Institution (NBFI), as defined in clause (a) of Section 45-I of the RBI Act, 1934,” the central bank said in a statement.

Explanation:-

Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu made a winning return to competition at the Singapore International Weightlifting tournament on Friday.

The field didn’t pose much challenge but Chanu tested herself in a higher weight category (55kg) for the Commonwealth Games, to be held in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8, and came out with flying colours. Chanu’s Olympic medal last year came in 49kg.

Explanation:-

A molecule developed by researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland named ‘TriSb92’can inactivate the coronavirus spike protein and offers short-term protection against the virus. In contrast to vaccine protection, the effect of TriSb92 begins immediately after its administration. It protects against coronavirus infection for at least eight hours. In virus studies, TriSb92 was able to prevent even the spread of SARS. The product is nasally administered through sprays.

Explanation:-

According to figures released by the US Census Bureau, India-US bilateral goods trade was worth USD 113.391 billion from January to December 2021. This is the largest volume of goods trade in a calendar year in India-US economic history. India exported goods worth over USD 73 billion, and imported goods worth over USD 40 billion dollars. In 2020 trade fell to USD 78.2 billion due to pandemic, from the high of USD 92.1 billion in 2019.

Explanation:-

Chief Minister of Mizoram Zoramthanga, who also holds the finance portfolio, today presented the state budget for 2022-23 with an outlay of Rs 14,008.15 crore.  It is a zero-deficit budget and has not imposed any news taxes.

In his budget speech, the Chief Minister mentioned two projects under PM-DevINE for Mizoram that have been allocated in the central budget worth Rs. 600 crore and exuded hope that these projects will go a long way in boosting the state’s economy and securing livelihood for many people.

Explanation:-

The US Congress passed a legislation that ends forced arbitration in sexual assault and harassment disputes at workplaces. After getting signed by the President Joe Biden, the bill will allow survivors to sue their abusers in a public court even if they have signed employment agreements that require them to settle disputes internally through an arbitrator.