Current Affairs, February 2021

28th February, Current Affairs:

• India today successfully launched Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle-C51 (PSLV-C51) rocket loaded with 19 satellites from Brazil, USA and India lifted off from the rocket port at Sriharikota.
• National Science Day is being observed today. The day is celebrated every year on 28th of February to commemorate the discovery of the ‘Raman Effect’.

26th February, Current Affairs:

• The Election Commission today announces schedule for Assembly elections in W Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry. Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will be held between 27th March to 29th April. The counting of votes in all the four states and one Union Territory will take place on 2nd May.
• Global money laundering watchdog the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to keep Pakistan on its terrorism financing “grey list”.

25th February, Current Affairs:

• India off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the fastest Indian bowler to 400 Test wickets. Ashwin has achieve this record in his 77th Test. Ashwin is only behind Sri Lanka's Muttiah Muralitharan in the list of fastest players to 400 wickets in Tests. Muralitharan got there in just 72 matches.
• India off-spinner Axar Patel became the first bowler in history to take 11 wickets in a Day-night Test match.

24th February, Current Affairs:

• The Centre has lifted the embargo on grant of government business to private banks, enabling banks to participate in all developmental activities.
• The second phase of the coronavirus vaccination drive will begin from March 1, with priority given to people over 60 and those over 45 with co-morbidities.
• Ishant Sharma becomes the only second Indian fast bowler after the great Kapil Dev to feature in 100 Test matches. Ishant made his Test debut back in 2007 against Bangladesh.
• The Sardar Patel Cricket Stadium in Motera is renamed as Narendra Modi Stadium today. It is the biggest cricket stadium in the world.

22nd February, Current Affairs:

• Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy today tendered his resignation after failing to win the trust motion moved by him.
• Italy's ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo was killed when a UN convoy came under attack.

21st February, Current Affairs:

• Today is International Mother Language Day. In 1999, UNESCO had declared 21st February as International Mother Language Day. The theme for this year is "Fostering multilingualism for inclusion in education and society".
• Novak Djokovic defeated Russia's Daniil Medvedev in straight sets 5, 6-2, 6-2 to win his ninth Australian Open title.

20th February, Current Affairs:

• The American space agency NASA successfully landed its fifth rover 'Perseverance' on Mars in a deep crater near the planet's equator called Jezero.
• Japan's Naomi Osaka defeated Jennifer Brady in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 to win the Australian Open for her fourth Grand Slam title.

18th February, Current Affairs:

• Tamilisai Soundararajan was sworn in as the Lt Governor of the Union Territory. Ms. Soundararajan is the fifth woman to hold the post of Lt. Governor of Puducherry.
• South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris became the most expensive buy in Indian Premier League history as he was sold to Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 16.25 crore.
• The Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) has received the Asia Environmental Enforcement Award-2020 awarded by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

16th February, Current Affairs:

• India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) had opened access to its geospatial data and services, including maps, for all Indian entities.
• At least 37 people, including 16 women, died after the bus they were travelling in fell off a bridge into a canal near Patna village in Madhya Pradesh's Sidhi district.

14th February, Current Affairs:

• The government said it has made FASTags mandatory from February 15 midnight and any vehicle not fitted with it will be charged double the toll at electronic toll plazas across the country.
• The US Senate has acquitted former President Donald Trump for a second time blocking the Democrat’s attempt to punish him for the storming of the Capitol by his supporters.
• In Australian Open Tennis, 35-year-old Hsieh Su-Wei has become the oldest first-time quarterfinalist in a Grand Slam. Taiwanese Hsieh Su-wei defeated Czech Marketa Vondrousova 6-4, 6-2 in straight sets to enter the quarter final.
• Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin became the first bowler to dismiss 200 left-handed batsmen in Test cricket. Ashwin also surpassed Harbhajan Singh with his 350th international wicket at home. Ashwin's milestone wicket arrived in the ongoing 2nd Test match against England side at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

13th February, Current Affairs:

• Rashmi Samant has made history by becoming the first Indian woman to head the Oxford Students' Union.
• World Radio Day (WRD) is being celebrated across the Globe today.
• The ex-head of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, will be sworn in as Italian Prime Minister.

12th February, Current Affairs:

• According to the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) data, India's industrial production grew by 1% in December.
• Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge will be the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, as incumbent Ghulam Nabi Azad’s term ends on February 15.

11th February, Current Affairs:

• Manasa Varanasi, an engineer from Telangana emerged as the winner of VLCC Femina Miss India World 2020. While Haryana’s Manika Sheokand was declared VLCC Femina Miss Grand India 2020, Uttar Pradesh’s Manya Singh was crowned VLCC Femina Miss India 2020 - runner-up.
• In a major breakthrough in the nine month old India-China faceoff in Ladakh, New Delhi and Beijing have agreed to disengage from the Pangong Tso lake area and return to positions held in April last year.

8th February, Current Affairs:

• Rajya Sabha today passed The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021.
• Ishant Sharma became only the third Indian pacer to take 300 Test wickets after dismissing England batsman Daniel Lawrence in the ongoing first Test in Chennai.
• India's wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant won the ICC's inaugural Player of the Month award for his superlative performances in the two Tests against Australia.
• The India-US joint military exercise "Yudh Abhyas 20" commenced today in Mahajan Field Firing Range of Bikaner district in Rajasthan.
• India's first geothermal power project will be established at Puga village of eastern Ladakh.

7th February, Current Affairs:

• Ten people have died and over 100 are missing, and feared dead, after a glacier break at Joshimath in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district triggered massive flooding of the Alaknanda and Dhauliganga rivers.
• Telegram has become the most downloaded non-gaming app across the globe for January 2021. It has more than 63 million installs.

6th February, Current Affairs:

• England skipper Joe Root became the first batsman to score a double hundred in his 100th Test appearance. He scores 218 against India in the ongoing Test match in Chennai.
• The Jammu and Kashmir administration announced that 4G mobile internet services will be restored in the entire Union Territory, nearly one and a half years after they were suspended in view of security concerns after revoking of Article 370.

4th February, Current Affairs:

• The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Bill, 2021 introduced in the Rajya Sabha today. The bill will replace Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Ordinance of 2021 which merged the J & K cadre of the Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, and Indian Forest Service with the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory cadre, also known as AGMUT cadre.
• Ajay Singh has been re-elected as President of the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
• World Cancer Day 2021 observed today.
• CBI Additional Director Praveen Sinha took charge as the acting chief of the agency.

3rd February, Current Affairs:

• India becomes fastest country in world to administer four million COVID-19 vaccines. The country has achieved this feat in 18 days.
• Asia's biggest Aero India show begins in Bengaluru. The show was inaugurated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Bengaluru today.

2nd February, Current Affairs:

• Today is World Wetlands Day. The day is celebrated every year to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and the planet earth.
• New Zealand became the first team to reach the final of the inaugural World Test Championship after Australia's away series against South Africa got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

1st February, Current Affairs:

• Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2021. This was the first paperless budget. This was the third Budget presentation for FM Nirmala Sitharaman since she took over the mantle of Finance Ministry
• Lieutenant General Chandi Prasad Mohanty took over as the Vice Chief of the Army Staff.
• Indian-American Bhavya Lal was appointed by NASA as the acting chief of staff of the US space agency.
• Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup against the democratically elected government of Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
• Tamil Nadu defeated Baroda by 7 wickets to win the second Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 Trophy in the final at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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