Current Affairs Quiz - February, 2021

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:
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.

Notes:
Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has recently launched the ‘Pey Jal Survekshan’ survey under the Jal Jeevan Mission- Urban.
This survey is conducted on a pilot basis in 10 cities- Agra, Badlapur, Bhubaneswar, Churu, Kochi, Madurai, Patiala, Rohtak, Surat and Tumkur. The survey would assess distribution of water, reuse of wastewater and mapping of water bodies.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to chair the sixth meeting of the NITI Aayog’s Governing Council sixth. Problems related to agriculture, infrastructure, manufacturing and human resource development will be discussed in the meeting.
The council is the apex body of NITI Aayog, which includes all chief ministers, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories (UTs), Union ministers and senior Government officials.

Notes:
Pangolins are the most trafficked mammals in the world. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classified all eight species of pangolin as “threatened” to “critically endangered”.
The World Pangolin Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of February, to raise awareness on their importance. This year, it has been celebrated on February 20. Pangolins are considered as the pest controllers in the ecosystem.

Notes:
Ace Tennis star Serbia’s Novak Djokovic won his ninth men’s singles title at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
He defeated Russia’s Daniil Medvedev in the final match. Men’s Doubles title was won by Croatia’s Ivan Dodig & Slovakia’s Filip Polášek. Women’s Doubles title was won by Belgium’s Elise Mertens & Belarus’ Aryna Sabalenka. Mixed Doubles was won by Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejčíková & U.S.A ’s Rajeev Ram.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh is set to export a consignment of 20 tonnes of Buddha Rice, also known as “Kala Namak” Rice to Singapore.
This variety of rice is one of the finest varieties of aromatic rice in India. This will boost the farm exports of the states with more focus on the Buddhist countries. The state Government has declared it as the One District One Product (ODOP) of Siddharth Nagar district.

Notes:
Every year, a group of blue earthworms, migrate about 300 metres up and down the slopes in the East Khasi Hills, Meghalaya.
Scientists of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have prepared a report on the two-way mass migration, for the first time. The blue earthworms migrate twice annually, uphill in spring and downhill in autumn.

Notes:
Australia introduced the Code of Practice on Disinformation and Misinformation to address the spread of fake news and disinformation on online platforms.
Top technology tech giants like Facebook, Google, Microsoft, TikTok and Twitter have agreed on adopt the code on misinformation. It was prepared by the Digital Industry Group Inc (DiGi), a non-profit industry association.

Notes:
The 2021 Asia Economic Dialogue would be co-chaired by Pune International Centre, India. The event would witness the participation of Union External Affairs Minister S.Jayshankar along with his counterparts from Japan, Australia, Maldives, Mauritius and Bhutan.
The Asia Economic Dialogue (AED) is a flagship geo-economics conference of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).