Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

Notes:
Grand Anicut Canal, also called as ‘Kallanai’ is said to be the oldest water regulating structure in the world, constructed in the 2nd century A.D by the Chola King Karikal Cholan.
Recently, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the extension, renovation and modernization of the Grand Anicut Canal System. The project is to be taken up at a cost of Rs 2,640 crores. He also inaugurated the 1000-Crore Discovery Campus in IIT, Chennai.

Notes:
Olympus Mons is the largest volcano in the solar system present in the planet of Mars. It is a large shield volcano, which is over two times the height of Mount Everest above sea level.
The UAE’s “Hope” Mars probe sent back its first image of Mars, after the spacecraft successfully entered the planet’s orbit. The probe recently captured the Olympus Mons volcano, taken from an altitude of 24,700 kilometres above the Martian surface.

Notes:
The Union Ministry for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched the Mahatma Gandhi National Fellowship (MGNF) programme.
This nation-wide programme has been launched in partnership with nine Indian Institutes of Management across India. It has been launched under the SANKALP (Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion) scheme.

Notes:
The 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, also known as COP26, is scheduled to be held in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021.
The event is to be held under the presidency of the United Kingdom. British MP and President-designate of COP-26, Alok Sharma called on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.

Notes:
Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot released the third edition of the Indian Sign Language (ISL) Dictionary.
This edition has 10,000 terms of daily use and technical terms including academic, legal, medical terms. The second edition of the dictionary released in 2019 had 6,000 terms and the first edition released in 2018 had 3,000 terms.

Notes:
The world’s largest cricket stadium, Motera stadium was rebuilt and renovated. It is the venue for the third day-night India-England Test.
The stadium has a capacity of 1,10,000 along with 11 centre strips. It also houses four dressing rooms with in-built gymnasium. On account of Covid-19 pandemic, only 55000 persons are allowed inside the stadium.

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Australian Space Agency signed an amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding, for space cooperation with Australia.
The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison last year.

Notes:
Annual naval defence and maritime security exhibitions NAVDEX and IDEX are to be scheduled in the United Arab Emirates.
Indian Naval ship Pralaya arrived at Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates to participate in the exercises from February 20 to February 25. INS Pralaya is the second ship of the indigenously built Prabal Class Missile Vessels.

Notes:
Central American country Nicaragua has created a new National Ministry for Extra-terrestrial Space Affairs, the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies.
The Ministry is set to promote the development of space activities, with the aim of broadening the country’s exposure in the fields of education, industry, science and technology.

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram received their statehood on February 20, 1987, following the 53rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution in 1986.
On 20th January 1972, the North East Frontier Agency (NEFA) was renamed as Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh and on 20th February 1987 statehood was granted to Arunachal Pradesh. Mizoram was also a Union Territory from 1972 to 1987 before achieving statehood.