Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

Notes:
National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is set to launch ‘NPCI PayAuth Challenge’, a global-level hackathon.
The hackathon is supported by the world’s first open architecture API marketplace, APIX. It is a cross-border sandbox platform. The hackathon aims to get alternatives for the authentication of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions.

Notes:
India’s first-ever diesel tractor, converted to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), has been launched recently by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari.
This conversion has been carried out by two companies- Rawmatt Techno Solutions and Tomasetto Achille India. Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) is a clean fuel with the lowest content of Carbon and other pollutants. It is also more affordable than diesel.

Notes:
In India, every year February 10 and August 10 are observed as the National Deworming Day (NDD).
The day aims to eradicate intestinal worms within the age bracket of 1-19 years, which are also referred to as Soil-Transmitted Helminths (STH). As per the World Health Organisation, about 241 million children in India between 1-14 years are at risk of parasitic intestinal worms.

Notes:
The Department of Science and Technology of India has reported that Indian astronomers have detected huge optical flare in BL Lacertae.
BL Lacertae is a feeding super massive black hole or blazar. The analysis of this old astronomical object may help to trace the mass of the black hole and the source of this emission.

Notes:
The United States of America (USA) has decided to revoke the designation of Yemen’s Houthi movement from the present status of “foreign terrorist organization”. This decision was announced by the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken
The movement was regarded and declared as a terror outfit by the erstwhile Trump administration.

Notes:
The final production batch of Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (LRSAM) was recently flagged off at DRDL, A P J Abdul Kalam Missile Complex, Hyderabad.
The missiles have been designed and developed by DRDO in collaboration with various industry partners and integrated by Bharat Dynamics Limited. The missile system provides defence against aerial targets including fighter aircrafts and missiles.

Notes:
Indian Origin investment and development banker Preeti Sinha has been appointed as the Executive Secretary of UN Capital Development Fund.
It is an organisation that provides micro finance access to Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It is headquartered in New York.

Notes:
Theodore Baskaran, a leading Writer, historian, naturalist, and activist has been awarded with the Sanctuary Nature Foundation’s “Sanctuary Lifetime Service Award 2020”.
This award has been conferred upon him for his dedicated works in wildlife conservation and for his writings in Tamil – English regarding the same.

Notes:
India’s leading cement maker ACC has launched a new low carbon range of ready mix concrete, in order to cut down carbon emissions.
This has been named as ECOPact. It has been launched in Mumbai and Hyderabad initially and would be rolled out in the entire country in some time.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Minority Affairs is to organise a ‘Mushaira’ event, in which renowned poets from across the country will recite their poems.
The event is to be conducted on February 20, 2021, on the theme ‘Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat’. Mushaira, which is regarded as a poetic symposium is part of the Culture of India and Pakistan. It aims to make younger generation aware of the country’s art and culture.