Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
A special Assembly session of Tamil Nadu Assembly unanimously re-adopted the anti-NEET Bill, which Governor R N Ravi had returned to the government.
By re-adopting the Bill, and sending it again to the Governor, he is expected to forward it to the President for his assent. The state had set up Justice A K Rajan Committee to look into the impact of NEET in medical admissions.

Notes:
UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Maharashtra government to support its ‘Majhi Vasundhara’ campaign.
Majhi Vasundhara’ (My Earth) is an initiative of the Government of Maharashtra’s Environment and Climate Change Department, to empower citizens with knowledge on the impacts of climate change and environmental issues.

Notes:
The US Justice Department has announced the unravelling of the country’s biggest-ever cryptocurrency theft case.
The officials have recovered USD 3.6 billion, which was linked to the hack of Bitfinex. It is a virtual currency exchange whose systems were breached by hackers nearly six years ago. A pair is accused of conspiring to launder 119,754 bitcoin stolen after the exchange was hacked.

Notes:
The country’s first commercial-scale biomass-based hydrogen plant is being developed up in the Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh.
The plant will produce a tonne of hydrogen per day from 30 tonnes of biomass feedstock. It will also produce biochar and methane.

Notes:
Acromegaly is caused by excessive secretion of growth hormone, most often from a tumor in the pituitary gland. The disorder causes increased height when it manifests in childhood and adolescent age group.
The Fairbank’s disease (Multiple epiphyseal dysplasia) patient usually requires management of pain and orthopaedic procedures.  As per Health Ministry, patients of both these diseases are getting treatment at various tertiary health facilities in India.

Notes:
Australia has recently designated the koala an endangered species, which was classified as vulnerable only 10 years ago.
The impact of prolonged drought, summer bushfires, and the cumulative impacts of disease, urbanisation and habitat loss over the last twenty years have led to the decision. From now, Koalas will be provided with greater protection under Australia’s national environment law.

Notes:
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evem Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM KUSUM) Scheme for farmers for installation of solar pumps and grid connected solar and other renewable power plants.
Recently, the Central government has set the target for replacing diesel with renewable energy in the agricultural sector by 2024.

Notes:
As per the National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) data, India reported an 11 per cent jump in cyber crime in 2020.
A total of 50,035 cases were registered under cyber crimes in 2020. This is an 11.8 per cent in registration over 2019 (44,735 cases). In 2020, 60.2 per cent of cyber-crime cases registered was for the motive of fraud. It is followed by sexual exploitation (6.6 per cent) and extortion (4.9 per cent).

Notes:
India is placed third in the globe on the US Green Building Council’s (USGBC) 2021 global list for sustainable spaces.
It is a ranking of the top 10 nations and areas outside of the United States for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) in 2021. India has 1,649 LEED certified buildings with a total area of 46.2 million gross square metres, with a 10% rise in LEED certified space since 2020.

Notes:
International Day of Women and Girls in Science is observed every year on 11 February. The United Nations calls for women’s full and equal access to and participation in science.
The day also celebrates those that are leading action and innovation around the world. As per UN Women, only 33 per cent of researchers are women, and they are awarded less research funding than men, and are less likely to be promoted.