Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

Notes:
As per the recent data from the EU statistics agency Eurostat, China was the biggest trading partner of the European Union.
Last year, China overtook the United States as the biggest trading partner of the EU. As per the agency, Britain which is not a part of the European Union at present, was the third-largest trading partner.

Notes:
India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the first player in the 143-year history of Test cricket to take 200 wickets against left-handed batsmen.
He achieved the feat during the second day of India’s second Test against England at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai. With 391 wickets, he is also the second highest wicket taker in the country.

Notes:
Arribada is a term used to describe the mass migration of sea turtles, where large groups of females assemble at a nesting site on the beach.
Recently, the Olive Ridley turtles have started laying eggs in the beach in this nesting season. The nesting season which usually begins in November was delayed by a few weeks this year, due to changes in climate conditions due to the cyclones Nivar and Burevi.

Notes:
India nominated Ajay Mathur was elected as the next Director General of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). He succeeds Upendra Tripathy, who has serving as DG since 2017.
The Director-General has a four-year term, which can also be renewed for an additional term. Mathur is the chief of the New Delhi-based The Energy and Research Institute, at present.

Notes:
The United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres proposed that the G-20 association set up an emergency task force to prepare a “Global Vaccination Plan” against Covid-19.
As per the UN, this task force should include all countries that are capable of developing vaccines or to produce them, along with vaccination organisations, other technical organisations and international financial institutions.

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:
The TIME magazine’s annual list of 100 “emerging leaders who are shaping the future”, named the “2021 TIME100 Next”, was released recently.
Chandrashekhar Azad, the leader of the Bhim army, which runs school to educate Dalit children and works to curb caste-based violence, featured in the list. Other 5 Indian origin personalities are UK finance minister Rishi Sunak, Twitter lawyer Vijaya Gadde, Instacart founder and CEO Apoorva Mehta, ED of nonprofit Get Us PPE Shikha Gupta and founder of nonprofit Upsolve Rohan Pavuluri.

Notes:
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has built and delivered the 100th K9 Vajra tracked self-propelled howitzer. This is the last howitzer of the contract awarded in 2017.
This system has been built with technology transfer from South Korean defence major Hanwha Defense. The howitzer was flagged off at the Indian Army’s armoured system complex at Hazira in Gujarat.

Notes:
The trials of Helina – Indian Army version of a Missile system was carried out recently from an Advanced Light Helicopter. Additionally, Dhruvastra – the Indian Air Force Version of the same missile system was also tested.
These systems were designed and developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).