Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2020

Notes:
The prestigious Mystic Kalinga Literary Award (Indian and Global Languages) is to be presented to the noted Odia and English writer Manoj Das. The award would be presented during the Mystic Kalinga Festival (MKF) which commences in Bhubaneswar on February 8.
The Mystic Kalinga Literary Award is conferred to a person who has made significant contribution to the literature and culture of Odia. The bilingual writer recently received the country’s third-highest civilian award- Padma Bhushan, for his contribution in the field of literature and education. He had also been conferred with the Saraswati Samman award.

Notes:
A private Indian firm has recently unveiled the indigenous air to ground missile ‘Khagantak’, during the ongoing DefExpo 2020. The firm has manufactured the air to ground missile with a strike range of 180 km.
The Managing Director of JSR Dynamics Air Marshal SB Deo announced the missile and said that when released from a height of 12 km, the missile is an air-launch weapon. It can be used as a guide weapon, which also has artificial intelligence (AI) to recognise the targets. Such indigenous missiles are expected to be a boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative and reduce our dependence on foreign defence manufacturers.

Notes:
The Sharang Artillery gun would be inducted into the Indian Army on February 7, 2020, as per the recent announcement of the Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane. The 155 mm-Sharang is an upgraded version of the existing 130 mm M-46 field guns.
He also announced that Sig Sauer assault rifles and Spike anti-tank missiles are being issued to the army troops, who are deployed in the forward areas. The Gun Carriage Factory (GCF) in Jabalpur upgraded the Sharang artillery gun along with the ordnance factories and technical teams of Army and DRDO.

Notes:
The South African country Botswana has the largest elephant population in the world. Recently, the country was seen in news as it auctioned licenses to hunt elephants, to tackle human-animal conflict.
In the capital city of the country Gaborone, the licenses to hunt 70 elephants were said to be auctioned. The government had lifted the ban on hunting, which was prevalent for five years.

Notes:
Indian cueist Aditya Mehta was seen in news recently as he won the National Snooker Championship, held at Pune. He represented the Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) and defeated the 22-time-world champion Pankaj Advani 6-2 to win the title. Pankaj recently won the National Billiards Championship.
Vidya Pillai of Karnataka clinched the women’s snooker title, by beating Amee Kamani of Madhya Pradesh.

Notes:
The National Deworming Day was recently observed across the country on February 10. All children and adolescent boys and girls in all states and Union Territories, who are in the age group of 1 to 19 years are given a single dose of the medicine called Albendazole.
The day is observed with an aim of deworming children and adolescents to reduce the occurrence of parasitic worms in intestine. It is observed under the supervision of the Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare.

Notes:
The South Korean film Parasite created history at the 2020 Oscars, by being the first film not in the English language to win the coveted award. It won a total of four Oscars, including best picture, best director, best screenplay and best international feature.
This is also the first film to have won both international feature and best picture at the Oscars, in its history. Joaquin Phoenix and Renee Zellweger won the award for best actor and actress respectively.

Notes:
Top Global aerospace company Boeing recently announced that it has asked license from the United States authorities for sanction, to export its F-15EX fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force. This was announced by the aerospace firm in an aviation magazine.
After this fighter aircraft is inducted, it would be the eighth fighter aircraft deployed in the Indian Air Force. Last year, Indian Air Force issued tender for acquiring 114 medium jets.

Notes:
Indian Naval Station (INS) Shivaji is located in Lonavala, Maharashtra, India. It comprises of Naval College of Engineering, which imparts training in engineering discipline to personnel of Indian Navy, Coast Guard and other countries.
President Ram Nath Kovind recently presented ‘President’s Colour’, the highest honour given to a military unit, to INS Shivaji. The honour was bestowed on the occasion of the Platinum Jubilee (75th anniversary) of the unit.

Notes:
The United States has recently approved the sale of an Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) to India. The Weapon system is to be sold for an estimated cost of $1.9 billion. India would deploy the IADWS to modernise its armed forces and enhance its air defence architecture.
The trade deal is proposed to be signed during the visit of the US President Donald Trump to India, in the month of February, 2020.