Top 10 Weekly Current Affairs: 22 February to 27 February 2021

1)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Uttar Pradesh presents first paperless budget

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Uttar Pradesh on February 22, 2021, became the first state of India to present a paperless budget. The members of the state legislature were provided iPads for viewing the budget highlights. An app �Uttar Pradesh Sarkar ka Budget� can also be downloaded from the Google Play Store to view the state�s budget.

2)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Saudi Arabia allows women to join armed forces

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Saudi Arabia has permitted the women of the country to join the armed forces. They can now be appointed as staff sergeants, soldiers, lance corporals, and sergeants. The decision by Saudi Arabia can be seen as a major reform for the women of the country as till now there were very limited options of employment for them.

3)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Government launched BRICS 2021 website

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>S. Jaishankar, the Union External Affairs Minister of India, launched BRICS 2021 website. It aims at providing all forms of relevant information regarding the summit which is to be hosted by India. The Chairmanship of BRICS this year is undertaken by India under which it will be strengthening the collaboration between 5 economies.

4)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Narendra Modi stadium inaugurated by President in Gujarat

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the world�s largest Narendra Modi Cricket Stadium in Motera, Gujarat. The new stadium has been renamed and has surpassed the Melbourne Cricket ground by being the world�s largest. On the day of the inauguration, a pink ball test match between England and India was also played in the stadium.

5)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Russia reports the first human case of the H5N8 virus

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>The first case of H5N8, which is a bird flu virus strain, has been reported in humans in Russia and was reported to the World Health Organization. Seven workers at the poultry farm were infected after the flu outbreak in birds in December 2020. The virus results in flu-type symptoms in birds and poultry and is fatal for them but it poses a low risk for humans.

 

6)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>New guidelines to regulate social media

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>The Government of India on February 25, 2021, released new guidelines to regulate social media and OTT platforms. The Cabinet ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Prakash Javadekar informed about the latest decision. During the press briefing, they also appreciated social media platforms for empowering Indian citizens.

7)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Mumbai Undersea Tunnel

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>The undersea tunnel in Mumbai city will be India�s first and is set to be completed by the year 2023. The undersea tunnel is an ambitious project and is a part of the Mumbai Coastal Road Project. The two tunnels will take about 8 to 9 months each to complete and will take in total around 2 years to complete in entirety.

 

8)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Indian Social Activist honoured with US anti-corruption award

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Anjali Bharadwaj, an Indian Social Activist, has been honoured with the anti-corruption award by the United States of America. She had been awarded for her active participation in India�s Right to Information movement for over 2 decades. 12 individuals, in total, have been conferred with the honour by the United States.

9)

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>Election dates announced for five states by Election Commission

<![if !supportLists]>�      <![endif]>The Election Commission of India on February 26, 2021, announced the dates for the assembly elections to be held in 5 states and UT- Puducherry, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam, and West Bengal. The results will be announced on May 2. West Bengal will have the polls in 8 phases and Assam in 3 phases while Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry will have the elections in a single phase.