Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The Union Cabinet headed the Prime Minster Narendra Modi has approved a scheme named PM-WANI, which stands for PM – Wi-Fi Access Network Interface.
The proposed scheme provides for free wireless internet in public spaces. It is expected to enhance the Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living in India.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank has announced that the Real Time Gross Settlement System or the RTGS facility will be available round the clock, from December 14.
Last December, the RBI had made the NEFT service available 24×7. As per the RBI, RTGS can be used for both domestic payments in Indian financial markets and cross-border payments.

Notes:
Every year, December 9 is observed as the International Anti-Corruption Day. The day is observed since 2003 after the United Nations passed a resolution in this regard. The theme for this year’s day is ‘United Against Corruption’. ‘
This year’s theme gives a special focus on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and states that corruption as one of the biggest obstacles in achieving it.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently made a successful demonstration of Quantum communications between two of its labs.
The communication was made using Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology which is a highly secure way to share encryption keys. In this method, the encryption keys are communicated in the form of qubits in a fibre optic cable, which is highly secure.

Notes:
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has recently inaugurated the Koilwar bridge over Sone river in Bihar.
This 1.5 km long bridge has been laid in parallel to the 138-year-old two lane rail-road bridge. A six-lane bridge is being constructed with the outlay of Rs 266 crore. The three-lane carriageway has been opened for public.

Notes:
The Chinese Space Agency has launched two satellites for detecting gravitational waves. The two satellites form a part of Gravitational Wave High-energy Electromagnetic Counterpart All-sky Monitor (GECAM) mission. These two satellites were launched using Long March-11 carrier rocket.
These satellites would be used for monitoring and studying high-energy radiation, gamma-rays and gravitational waves.

Notes:
The “Heroes of 2020” is published by the TIMES Magazine. It honours those people who have “went above and beyond the call of duty”.
Rahul Dubey who is an Indian-American has been listed in the Heroes of 2020, who opened the doors of his Washington DC home to over 70 people demonstrating against the killing of George Floyd.

Notes:
Plasmodium Ovale, a malaria causing parasite has been detected in the state of Kerala. This has been detected in a soldier who had come from Sudan.
Malaria is caused by plasmodium parasites, that are transmitted to humans by bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. There are five parasite species that cause malaria and two among them – Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the greatest threats.

Notes:
Nepal has recently spotted the majestic Royal Bengal Tiger (Panthera Tigris), at an altitude of 3,165 m above sea level for the first time.
The largest of all Asian big cats has been spotted by a camera trap set up by the Forest Department. The country is to provide special attention to the Kanchenjunga Landscape in eastern Nepal. It provides connectivity to India’s Singalia National Park and Dooars floodplains.

Notes:
India and Qatar have announced to set up a Task Force on Energy. This move aims to promote investments of Qatar in the Energy sector of India.
Earlier, Prime Minster of India has a discussion with the Qatar’s counterpart regarding FDIs in India. Both the countries have agreed to move beyond a buyer-seller relation to investment partnership.