Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
Masada Fortress, which is located in Israel, is a symbol of Jewish Heroism. Israel’s Ambassador to India Naor Gilon shared a video that showed the Masada Fortress in Israel illuminated with lights.
It commemorates the India-Israel Ties, as the two countries celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations. Earlier both the countries unveiled a commemorative logo.

Notes:
Researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jodhpur have developed an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based chest X-ray diagnosis technique using X-Ray that can detect COVID-19.
The AI-based solution can be an alternative to the regular RT PCR tests conducted across the world. The Researchers from the institute proposed a deep learning-based algorithm, COMiT-Net, which can differentiate between a COVID-19 affected lung and a non-COVID affected lung.

Notes:
Aryabhatta Research Institute for Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, is an autonomous institute under the Ministry of Science & Technology
ARIES, along with Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune has organised Indo-US Workshop on “Space Radiation Workshop: Radiation Characterisation from Sun to Earth, Moon, Mars and Beyond”.

Notes:
Italian President Sergio Mattarella has been elected to a second term in the recent round of elections.
Mattarella was reconfirmed with a broad majority, in the voting done by lawmakers and regional representatives. The 80-year old Jurist-Academic has been serving as the country’s President since 2015.

Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) celebrated its 46th Raising Day on 1 February 2022. It is the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world with the motto of “Vayam Rakshamah” or “We Protect”.
The Indian Coast Guard was inaugurated with seven surface platforms in 1978. It is set to achieve the targeted force levels of 80 aircraft and 200 surface platforms by the year 2025.

Notes:
The Union Budget announced a new scheme called ‘Parvat Mala’ or National Ropeways Development Programme.
The scheme will be launched for regions like Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, J&K, and the northeast to facilitate a modern system of transportation and connectivity in hills.

Notes:
A study was conducted jointly by 100 scientists across the world and it found out that the total number of tree species on Earth is 73,000.
It also highlights that 9,200 tree species have remained mysterious and undiscovered. South America has likely more undiscovered tree species than others at about 40%. As per the estimates, 43 percent of all Earth’s tree species occur in South America, followed by Eurasia (22 percent), Africa (16 percent).

Notes:
Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) has commenced India’s first-of-its-kind project of mixing Hydrogen into Natural gas system at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.
The hydrogen blended natural gas will be supplied to Avantika Gas Limited, one of GAIL’s Joint Venture Company with HPCL, which is operating in Indore. This is a pilot project to establish the feasibility of blending hydrogen in City Gas Distribution (CGD) network.

Notes:
Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has extended a Line of credit of USD 500 million to Sri Lanka for financing the purchase of petroleum products.
With this LOC agreement, Exim Bank has extended 10 lines of credit to the Sri Lankan Government on behalf of the Indian government, taking the total value of LOCs extended to USD 2.18 billion. Exim Bank has provided 276 LOCs, covering 61 countries.

Notes:
As per a recent research, Ring-shaped molecules known as ‘Porphyrins’ have potential as effective catalyst.
They are the most abundant pigments in nature, noted for their ability to catalyze chemical reactions. The reactions also include those occurring in living systems such as photosynthesis and respiration. It can be used to provide Clean Energy Solutions.