Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla released a book on occasion of 19th anniversary of the Indian Parliament attack.
The book titled ‘The Shaurya Unbound’ (English Version) and ‘Samundar Samawe Boond Mein’ (Hindi Version) were released on the 2001 incident. As many as 14 people including the five terrorists died during the incident.

Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard ship ‘Sujeet’ has been launched and commissioned to the Indian Coast Guard at Goa recently. It is second in series of 105 meter off-shore patrol vessels. It has been designed and built by the Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL).
The ship is equipped with integrated platform management system, integrated bridge system, power management system and high power external fire-fighting technologies.

Notes:
The United Stated of America (USA) has imposed sanctions on Turkey under the Section 231 of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).
This has been done in response to Turkey’s purchase of S-400 missile defence system from Russia. The sanctions have been imposed on Turkey’s defence procurement agency.

Notes:
Bangladesh marks Martyred Intellectuals Day on December 14 every year, to remember the teachers, journalists and poets killed on this day in 1971.
The Bangladesh Liberation War which began in 1971 grew into the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, and ended with the victory of Bangladesh. After the victory, Bengali intellectuals and professionals were said to have been killed by Pakistani forces and their collaborators.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh government is set to launch a special program named ‘Kisan Kalyan Mission’, to double the income of farmers.
Under the scheme, exhibitions of agriculture and allied sector will be organised. Meetings will be held to explain scientific farming and various schemes of the Government. Various state departments including Horticulture, animal husbandry, fisheries will partner in the scheme.

Notes:
A new feature has been added in the RuPay cards that will allow offline contactless transactions even in areas with limited internet connectivity.
This has been introduced by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). Additionally, the facility of reloadable wallet facility has also be introduced to boost retail transactions.

Notes:
The Government of India has recently offered official recognition to Yoga as a competitive sport, as a push to make it a part of the Olympic Games.
Recently, India established the National Yogasana Sport Federation of India (NYSFI) for the development of yoga as a competitive sport. Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports and Ministry of AYUSH are collaborating in this regard. Sporting Leagues and Competitions are being planned.

Notes:
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is set to launch satellites of private players onboard PSLV C 51.
The first of its kind mission would launch an earth observation satellite ‘ANAND’, fully built by a start-up named Pixel India. Two more satellites named ‘SATISH SAT’’, built by ‘Space Kids India’, and ‘UNIT-SAT’, built by consortium of universities would also be sent.

Notes:
The Prithvi-2 short range ballistic missile, which is a Surface-to-Surface Missile developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has been successfully test fired recently.
Two Prithvi-2 were test fired, off the coast of Odisha in Balasore. Prithvi 2 is the Air Force version of the missile that has a 350 km range and a payload of 500 kg.

Notes:
December 18th of every year is observed as the World Arabic Language Day by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Arabic is a language spoken by more than 290 million people around the world and by observing this day, UNESCO aims to honour the language. It was on this date in 1973, the UN General Assembly adopted Arabic as an official language.