Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The Government of Denmark has made a land mark decision to phase out all its oil & gas exploration activities by the year 2025.
This decision has been seen as significant step by the nation to combat climate change. The country is presently is a major oil producer carrying out oil exploration in the North Sea.

Notes:
The 6th edition of IISF – India International Science Festival 202 will be held from 22nd to 25th December.
This year’s IISF would take place in a virtual mode. IISF is an annual event jointly organised by various science & technology related Ministries and Departments in association with Vijnana Bharati.

Notes:
The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) works under the UN to mobilise the global efforts in SDGs. It is headquartered in New York.
UN SDSN and the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) published the Europe Sustainable Development Report 2020. It reports the progress of the European Union, its member states, and other European countries towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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:
The NASA is implementing a program for “Data sonification”, which involves the use of non-speech data to be translated into sound.
Recently, the Researchers at the Chandra X-ray center have used three important phenomenon of the universe and translated the frequencies of light into different pitches of sound. Crab Nebula, Bullet Cluster and Super nova are the three iconic images.

Notes:
Google launched a new health research app called the ‘Google Health Studies’. It enables the research institutions to connect with potential study participants.
Through this app, android users can take part in health studies by answering survey questions and providing relevant data. Its first study will focus on respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.

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:
The Asia Pacific Vaccine Access Facility (APVAX) has been launched by the Asian Development Bank. This initiative is set to support to its developing member economies to procure and deliver COVID-19 vaccines.
The total cost of this project is USD 9 billion. The aim of the scheme is to help ADB’s member countries to vaccinate their people and tide away from the ongoing COVID crisis.

Notes:
Gujarat is set to launch the country’s first online mechanism for approval and renewal of fire safety certifications for buildings.
A portal named ‘Fire Safety COP’ will be launched for implementing the process. Under the system, the state will train and empanel private ‘Fire safety officers (FSOs)’ to carry out periodic inspection and maintenance of fire safety systems.

Notes:
Vigyan Yatra is the name of the promotional activity of the India International Science Festival. Mobile science exhibition vans were flagged off from many cities as a part of the activity, to promote the culture of science among the people.
The sixth edition of the India International Science Festival to be organised from December 22 to 25 on a virtual platform due to the COVID-19 pandemic.