Current Affairs Quiz - February 2022

Notes:
China’s four government agencies including its central bank published a five-year plan for financial standardisation
The plan is to be implemented during the 2021-2025 period. China will strengthen its cross-border yuan payments system and explore setting up infrastructure standards for a digital fiat currency as part of the plan.

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 researchers from the United Kingdom found an ancient Roman settlement site while investigating the route of the construction of upcoming high-speed railway called HS2.
In a recent excavation, Scientists could find 40 decapitated skeletons, which were likely to have been executed criminals. Many of these were buried in graves with their severed heads placed between their legs or at their feet. The team earlier found 1,200 coins, pottery, cutlery, gaming dice, bells and lead weights.

Notes:
RBI’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has voted unanimously to keep policy repo rate unchanged at 4 percent. Reverse repo rate also remains unchanged at 3.35 percent.
As per the RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, the ‘accommodative’ stance will continue as long as needed.

Notes:
Karnataka’s Department of Primary and Secondary Education has developed an application named ‘Namma Shaale Nanna Koduge’ app.
This aims to address infrastructure needs of government schools, shortage of teachers, better use of learning aids and utilisation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funds.

Notes:
As per NASA’s recent announcement, there are currently 25,000 total objects tracked on-orbit and about 6,100 below 600 km.
SpaceX’s Gen2 expansion involves launching 30,000 satellites, which will double the number of tracked objects in orbit. As per NASA, this may impact NASA’s science and human spaceflight missions. Amazon also raised concerns that its Kuiper System may be impacted.

Notes:
NITI Aayog released a report titled ‘Reimagining Healthcare in India through Blended Finance’. As per the report, about 65 per cent of hospital beds in the country cater to almost 50 per cent of the population concentrated in some states.
The report also stressed that the number of beds must be increased by at least 30 per cent to ensure equitable access to healthcare facilities for people.

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:
The seventh round of India-EU consultations on disarmament and non-proliferation matters was held in a virtual format.
The consultations are part of dialogue mechanisms under the ‘Roadmap to 2025’ for further strengthening the India-EU Strategic Partnership.

Notes:
DigitalSky is a single window Platform through which a DGCA-approved drone school provides Remote Pilot Certificate (RPC).
Recently, the Civil Aviation ministry scrapped the requirement of drone pilot licence for operating drones in the country. The RPC is sufficient to operate drones in India