Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 February 2020

1. Asian Wrestling Championship begins in New Delhi

• Asian Wrestling Championship has started in New Delhi.
• The events are to be organized in KD Jadhav Hall of Indra Gandhi Stadium, New Delhi.
• The events consist of a total of 30 weight classes, 10 each in Freestyle men, women and Greco Roman.
• Asian Wrestling Championship:

• It is an annual event organized by Asian Associated Wrestling Committee (AAWC).
• While men’s tournament started in 1979, the women’s tournament was first staged in 1996.

2. Draft of National Cyber Security Strategy 2020

• The draft of the National Cyber Security Strategy 2020 has been sent to key ministries for comment.
• The draft aims to provide secure cyberspace in India.
• It aims to fulfill the goals of the National Cyber Security Policy 2020-2025.

3. U.S.A President Donald Trump to arrive in India on 2–day visit

• U.S. President Donald Trump will visit India on February 24, 2020, on a 2-day visit.
• The visit would be his first to India, during which he would be accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump.
• Both leaders met in 2019 on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York.
• United States of America:

• It is a federal country consisting of 50 states and its capital is Washington D.C.
• Its currency is Dollars.

4. External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar reaches Belgium to hold talks with European Union leaders

• External Affairs Minister of India S. Jaishankar will hold talks with EU leaders in Belgium on bilateral issues.
• He met with Belgium Foreign Minister Philippe Goffin.
• The aim is to set the stage for the 15^th Indo- EU summit to be held in Brussels in March in which Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take part.
• Belgium:

• Belgium is a country in Western Europe that is known for its medieval cities.
• Its capital is Brussels and the currency is the euro.

5. Plan to create the Peninsula Command announced

• Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat announced a plan to create a separate Peninsula Command.
• The Eastern and the Western Commands of the navy are proposed to be under Peninsula Command.
• He further announced the following plans:

• India aims to set up 2 to 5 theatre commands.
• Air Defense Command is planned to be set up by the beginning of 2021 for which a study has been set up under Air Force Vice Chief.
• India also plans to have a separate Jammu and Kashmir theatre.
• India is also working on having separate joint commands for logistics and training.

6. Javelin thrower Amit Dahiya banned by NADA for 4 years

• National Anti Doping Agency has banned javelin thrower Amit Dahiya for 4 years.
• He has been guilty of evading sample collections and trying to cheat officials during the second National Javelin Throw Open Championship 2019 held at SAI Centre in Sonipat, Haryana (Rule 2.3 of NADA).
• His case was presented to the Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel, who then passed the order of his suspension.
• NADA:

• National Anti Doping Agency is India's independent anti-doping organization formed in 2005 under Societies Registration Act 1860.
• It works for controlling doping and thus plans and monitor anti-doping programs.
• The primary aim is to implement anti-doping rules in accordance with the World Anti Doping Agency’s code.
• It includes scientists and representation from the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).

7. 2021 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup to be hosted by India

• India will host the 2021 Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup after hosting the 2016 event in 2016 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
• The announcement was made by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at Lausanne in Switzerland.
• 16 teams would participate in the event which includes 6 teams from Europe, 4 from Asia, two from Africa, two from Oceania and two from Pan America.
• In 2016, India lifted 2^nd FIH Junior Men's World Cup after defeating Belgium.
• India won 1^st FIH Junior Men's World Cup in 2001 in Hobart, Australia, in which it defeated Argentina.
• FIH Junior Men's World Cup:

• The tournament formerly known as Hockey Junior World Cup is being held by International Hockey Federation (FIH) since 1979.
• Since 1985 it is held every 4 years.

8. Cairns Cup Chess Tournament, St Louis, USA

• Cairns Cup Chess Tournament title lifted by rapid world champion Koneru Humpy.
• With this, she gained 5 ELO rating points and moved to 2^nd rank in the world list.
• Zu Wezun ended at 2^nd position in the tournament.

9. 1 Zebra and 2 Lemurs arrived in Alipore zoo in Kolkata

• 1 Zebra and 2 Lemurs took birth in the Alipore Zoo in Kolkata.
• The Zebra has been named Valentina as she was born on February 14, 2020.
• Lemurs are native to Madagascar island in Africa.

10. SEBI decided to allow the use of Regulatory Sandbox

• In a board meeting of SEBI in Mumbai, a decision was taken to allow the use of Regulatory Sandbox.
• Regulatory Sandbox allows the testing of new products, services, and business models by market players on selected customers in a controlled environment on a real-time basis.
• To facilitate the use of regulatory sandbox, RBI has brought out an ‘Enabling Framework on Regulatory Sandbox’.
• SEBI:

• Security and Exchange Board of India is the regulator of the security market.
• It was formed in 1992 and given statutory powers under the SEBI Act 1992.
• Its headquarters is in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

11. India made the Haj process 100% digital

• India has become the 1^st country to make its Haj-2020 process 100% digital.
• The announcement was made by Union Minister for Minorities Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi while addressing a training and trainers' training program for Haj- 2020 at Haj House in Mumbai.
• In 2020, 21000 women will go to Haj from India without Mahram or the male companion.
• Digital services like online application, e-visa, Haj mobile app, and Masiha health facility, etc. have been introduced by India to make the process digital.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

1. Where is the Asian Wrestling Championship 2020 being organized?

A. New Delhi

B. Beijing

C. Kathmandu

D. Dhaka

2. How many states are there in the United States of America?

A. 45

B. 50

C. 55

D. 60

3. Brussels is the capital of which European country?

A. Hungary

B. Poland

C. Portugal

D. Belgium

4. National Anti Doping Agency has recently banned Amit Dahiya for 4 years. He is related to which sport?

A. Wrestling

B. Javelin Throw

C. Shooting

D. Swimming

5. Which country will host the Junior Men's Hockey World Cup 2021?

A. India

B. Brazil

C. Russia

D. America

6. Who has recently won the Cairns Chess tournament?

A. Dronavalli Harika

B. Koneru Hampi

C. Vijetar Singh

D. Jayanandini Deshpal

7. The arrival of one zebra and two lemurs at Alipore Zoo has been announced, in which state is this zoo located?

A. West Bengal

B. Tamil Nadu

C. Maharashtra

D. Uttar Pradesh

8. In which year was the Securities and Exchange Board of India established?

A. 1982

B. 1992

C. 2002

D. 2012

9.  Which country has made the Haj 2020 process 100% digital?

A. Kuwait

B. Iran

C. Pakistan

D. India

Solution:

1. A

2. B

3. D

4. B

5. A

6. B

7. A

8. B

9. D