Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The 4th Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation between India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives was hosted by Sri Lanka.
It was held in Colombo and India was represented by the National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. The earlier such meetings were held in Maldives (2011), Sri Lanka (2013) and in India (2014).

Notes:
The insurance sector regulator – Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has accorded “in principle” approval for merger of Bharti AXA General Insurance with ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company.
On successful merger, the consolidated entity would have a market share of 8.7% in non-life business. Bharti Enterprises own 51% share in Bharti AXA General Insurance and the remaining 49% is owned by French insurer AXA.

Notes:
The Petrodava Dacian Fortress is the oldest historical monument located in Piatra Neamt city, Romania. The fort was built around 82 BC and AD 106 by the Dacian people in ancient Europe.
Days after the first mysterious metal monolith disappeared in a remote, uninhabited desert in Utah, USA, a second similar structure has been spotted in Romania, a few metres away from the fortress. The monolith which disappeared and appeared again was a triangular, shiny pillar.

Notes:
West Bengal state government has recently launched a massive outreach programme named “Duare Sarkar” or “Government at your doorstep”.
Under the programme, people can avail the benefit of over 11 schemes of the state including Kanyashree, Khadya Sathi and Sikshashree. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced to set up ‘Duare Sarkar’ camps in the state for redressing grievances of people.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has created a new laboratory named Defence Geo Informatics Research Establishment.
It has been formed by merging two existing labs namely Manali-headquartered Snow and Avalanche Studies Establishment (SASE) and the Delhi-based Defence Terrain Research Establishment. The new lab will focus on research on the terrain along the borders with China and Pakistan.

Notes:
The cyclone name “Burevi” was suggested by Maldives. The second cyclone approaching India from Bay of Bengal has been named as “Burevi” as per the guidelines of World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
The storm commenced its course from South West Bay of Bengal and it is the fifth tropical cyclone system that has developed in the Norther Indian Ocean, this year.

Notes:
The Senate of United States of America has passed a bill which envisages to remove the restrictions on number of employment related immigration visas from a particular country.
This bill has been passed unanimously by the Senate. This relaxed legislation is expected to benefit many Indian professionals in America.

Notes:
The Ministry of Home Affairs has released the rank list of best performing police stations in India.
Nongpok Sekmai Police station in Manipur has topped the list which is followed by the All Women Police Station (AWPS) Suramangalam in Salem of Tamil Nadu. Most of the Police stations in the list are located in South India and in North Eastern India.

Notes:
One of the two lesser florican birds that was tagged by the Gujarat forest department has flown all the way to the state of Telangana.
The bird was tagged at the Blackbuck National Park (BBNP), Velavadar, in Bhavnagar. This has confirmed a research finding that lesser florican birds migrate to peninsular India from the western part of India after their breeding season.

Notes:
In response to the August 4 Ammonium Nitrate explosions that occurred in Beirut, the capital city of Lebanon, a new framework named Reform, Recovery and Reconstruction Framework (3RF) has been announced by the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
The plan has been prepared jointly by World Bank, the European Union (EU) and the UN.