Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The Urban Governance Index (UGI)-2020 has released by the Mumbai-based non-profit organisation Praja Foundation.
As per the index, Odisha tops the list of states in urban governance followed by Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. The study assessed the urban governance reforms across 40 cities in 28 states and NCT of Delhi.

Notes:
The United Kingdom became the first country in the world to start using the COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech was approved by the regulators.
Several hubs across the country are vaccinating the people. The vaccine is given as two injections with 21 days apart. The complete immunity is said to be reached seven days after the second dose.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly designated 9 December as International Anti-Corruption Day, every year. This year, the theme is ‘Recover with Integrity’.
The day aims to raise awareness of corruption and of the role of the UN Convention in fighting and preventing it. In the year 2003, the UNGA adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption.

Notes:
The companies of USA and China have dominated the global arms market in the year 2019, as per a report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
The arms industry of USA accounts for nearly 61% of the sales by top 25 arms manufacturers. Chinese firms account for 15.7% of the sales by top 25 arms manufacturers.

Notes:
NASA has named the 18 astronauts group half of them being women, who will train for its Moon-landing Mission by 2024, named ‘Artemis’.
From this set of astronauts, the first woman to set foot on the moon and the next man on the moon will be picked up. The group includes Christina Koch and Jessica Meir, who performed the world’s first all-female spacewalk.

Notes:
The 9th of December is observed every year as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide, by the United Nations.
This year marks the 72nd anniversary and a convention in this regard was held in the year 1948. It was at this convention the first Human Rights Treaty was adopted by the United Nations.

Notes:
Agharkar Research Institute (ARI), Pune, an autonomous institute of the Department of Science & Technology, has recently spotted a new species of Murainagrass.
Ischaemum is a genus of grass, widespread in tropical and semitropical regions. It is commonly called as Murainagrass. A new and tolerant species has been spotted in Goa in the Western Ghats. It was named Ischaemum janarthanamiiin honour of Goa University’s Botany Professor M. K. Janarthanam.

Notes:
Researchers have discovered an ancient altar in Israel. It has been created to honouring the Greek god Pan who is the deity of flocks and shepherds.
The altar was lying on ground while excavating a Church. The altar dated back to 2nd – 3rd century AD, but has been placed in a Church that was built in the 5th century.

Notes:
Shaheen (Eagle)-IX is the 9th joint Air Force Exercise between Pakistan and China. It conducted at an Air Force Base at Pakistan.
It is designed to deepen the cooperation between the two countries and enhance their combat skills. The first such exercise was conducted in the year 2011 at Pakistan. Every year, this exercise is held alternatively in China and Pakistan.

Notes:
The Swadhinata Sarak, which is a road link between India and Bangladesh, is set to be reopened on 26th March 2021.
Swadhinata Sarak is a road that was formed in the Meherpur district of Bangladesh, that was formed during a provisional government was in charged in 1971. The reopening of the road will be held to mark the 50 years of Bangladesh’s Independence and to enhance Indo-Bangladesh bi lateral ties.