Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The Parliament of Iran has passed a bill, called as “The strategic measure for the removal of sanctions”.
It aims to uplift the country’s nuclear activities, following the assassination of Iranian nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. The scientist, who died of gun men attack, was the head of the Iranian Defense Ministry’s innovation center.

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:
Dubbed as the “world’s loneliest elephant”, the 36-year-old bull elephant at Islamabad zoo has been shifted to a Cambodian sanctuary.
This step is taken after years of outcry of public and activists and recent campaigning by American pop star Cher. Kaavan is the only Asian elephant in Pakistan, where the elephants at other zoos are African. Kaavan’s mate Saheli, who arrived from Sri Lanka, died in the year 2012.

Notes:
The first ever SCO Online Exhibition on “Shared Buddhist Heritage” has been launched recently at the 19th Meeting of the SCO Council of Heads of Government. The meeting was held in New Delhi in a virtual mode.
This online exhibition has been developed by National Museum, New Delhi in association with the museums and cultural institutions of SCO member countries.

Notes:
The France’s new security bill makes it an offence to show the face or identity of any Police Officer on duty with the aim of damaging the officer’s integrity. The offence would make the convict liable of one-year imprisonment.
This proposed amendment is protested by many people in France and is seen a curtail of press freedom. It is feared by many that this law would increase police brutality on civilians.

Notes:
The festival named Dev Deepawali is celebrated in Indian city. This is a festival of lights and is celebrated in the Poornima day of the Karthik Month of Hindu calendar.
This year’s celebration is attended by the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. During the event, 11 lakh earthern lamps were lit on both sides of river Ganga.

Notes:
Pune City Police has recently inaugurated the ‘Balsnehi (Child-Friendly) Police Station’, on the premises of Lashkar Police Station in Pune Camp.
The Police Station has a room designated for children, who would come to report cases to the station. It also aims to create a set-up to rehabilitate children in need. Earlier, a Child-friendly Police Station was set up in Krishna District on the premises of Machilipatnam.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recently directed HDFC Bank to temporarily halt all its digital launches and new sourcing of credit card customers.
The country’s largest private sector lender has been asked to stop the digital launches as the bank had faced technical glitches in the past two years. RBI also asked the bank’s board to examine the lapses and fix accountability.

Notes:
Recently, a NGR (negotiating group on rules) meeting on fisheries subsidies was organized by the World Trade Organization.
Indian Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO has stated that member countries should cut down subsidies on unsustainable fishing which leads to the problem of over fishing. India also asked to reduce the role of dispute panels in fisheries management.

Notes:
Microsoft India and the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) have partnered for the India edition of the Microsoft Imagine Cup 2021.
Imagine Cup is an annual innovation challenge held by Microsoft for students and technology enthusiasts. It aims to empower students to apply artificial intelligence and other technologies to solve the sustainability issues of the world.