Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The United States of America (USA) has lifted Sudan off the list named “State sponsor of terrorism”. Earlier the two countries in October 2020 reached an agreement to lift Sudan’s name from the list.
As per the agreement, Sudan is required to pay a sum of USD 335 million to the victims of 1998 twin bombings on the US embassies in Tanzania and Kenya.

Notes:
The Ministry of External Affairs has recently launched an Economic diplomacy website, to project ‘Brand India’ to global investors.
It is managed by the Economic Diplomacy Division of the Ministry. The website will also showcase India’s economic, regional and state-wise trends, the economic and policy profiles of state/ UTs. It connects the Indian businesses and the interested investors through agencies like APEDA.

Notes:
International Development Association (IDA) is member of the World Bank Group, headquartered in Washington, D.C. It offers concessional loans and grants to the poorest developing countries.
The IDA has signed a USD 400 million agreement with India, to support India’s efforts to provide social assistance to the poor and vulnerable households, affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier, the World Bank group had approved a USD 750 million loan to India.

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:
Every year, 18th of December is observed as the International Day of Migrants by the United Nations.
This decision was made by the United Nation General Assembly in the year 2000, taking into consideration large and increasing number of migrants around the world. The theme for this year’s Migration day is “Reimagining Human Mobility”.

Notes:
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has launched ‘One Stop Shop’ (OSS) facility, to make available over 100 types of clearances and services, required by investors.
The Chief Minister also launched Public Welfare Portal (PWP) or Jan Kalyan Portal, to consolidate the information of eligibility, benefits of the state schemes, useful circulars and orders etc. It also highlights the efforts of the Government in two years.

Notes:
Technology Major Google has recently launched a dedicated website that provides demand trends to various players of travel sector including hotels, travel start-up companies and booking agents.
The website, which is named as ‘Travel Insights with Google’, it aims to help the travel sector to better understand the demand, based on the user search data on the Google search engine. It includes various tools like ‘Destination Insights’ and Travel Analytics Center.

Notes:
Anthropological Survey of India (AnSI) is the apex organisation, functioning under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It is headquartered in Kolkata.
It is involved in anthropological studies and field data research for human and cultural aspects, with main focus on physical anthropology and cultural anthropology. Recently AnSI in a policy document warned that any commercial activity in North Sentinel islands would be a threat to the tribals.

Notes:
‘District Development Council (DDC)’ is a local government body of the Jammu and Kashmir Union territory.
It was first introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in October 2020. It is facilitated by the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989 and created under Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Rule, 1996 of the constitution of India. Recently, the first DDC polls of the UT was held successfully.

Notes:
Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli dissolved the country’s House of Representatives, the lower house of Parliament.
Several legal experts and political leaders slammed the move as unconstitutional. This move by the Prime Minister triggered protests and resignations of at least seven Cabinet-rank ministers. As per the President’s office, a general election will be held in two phases, on April 30 and May 10 next year.