Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2020

Notes:
The Chinese technology major Alibaba has developed a face-recognition software, which enables the users to identify ethnic minorities like Uighurs.
It is said that the company’s cloud-computing technology uses pre-defined facial features to detect ethnic minorities within images and video. The technology could be used to identify videos filmed by Uighurs and other ethnic minorities.

Notes:
As a part of SAGAR (Security And Growth for All in the Region) – India’s doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region, India and Indonesia have engaged in the IND-INDO CORPAT exercise.
This is the 35th edition of Naval exercises between the two countries. From the Indian side, Naval Ship INS Kulish, along with P8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) has participated in the exercise.

Notes:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh handed over three indigenously developed systems developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) laboratories, to Army, Navy and Air Force.
Indian Maritime Situational Awareness System (IMSAS) was handed over to the Navy, ASTRA Mk-I Missile to the Air Force and Border Surveillance System (BOSS) to the Army, which was already deployed in in Ladakh.

Notes:
Union External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar recently launched a book titled ‘Reporting India’ in Delhi. It describes the history of India since independence.
The book is written by Prem Prakash, Chairman of the Leading news agency, the Asian News International (ANI). He established the agency in the year 1971 and it was the first agency in India to syndicate video news.

Notes:
‘B.1.1.7’, a new powerful mutation of the coronavirus, has been found in the United Kingdom. This lineage has unusually large number of genetic changes.
The variant carries 14 defining mutations including seven in the spike protein, which is often responsible for how the virus interacts with a human cell. This is a relatively large number of changes compared to various variants found in circulation globally.

Notes:
The Indian Government has decided to constitute a High-Level Committee to commemorate the 125th Birth Anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
The Committee headed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah will work on the activities for a yearlong commemoration starting 23rd January, 2021. Other members of the Committee will include historians, authors, family members of Netaji, as well as persons associated with Azad Hind Fauj-INA.

Notes:
Visva-Bharati University, the oldest central university in the country, was founded by Rabindranath Tagore in 1921.
In 1951, the institution was declared as a Central University and an “Institution of national importance” by an Act of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is to address the centenary celebrations of the Visva-Bharati University, Shantiniketan.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) along with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) India has launched a unique initiative named a “firefly bird diverter”, to save Great Indian Bustard.
The diverter is a flap installed on overhead power lines in areas where GIB populations are found in the forests. They look like fire flies and act as reflectors for bird species like the GIB, which can spot them from distance and change their path of flight without colliding on power lines.

Notes:
The UNICEF has recently launched a Covid-19 vaccine market dashboard. It is an interactive tool to display the developments of the coronavirus vaccine market.
It also showcases the global research and development overview, the projected production capacity and supply agreements. It will also provide details on status of procurement by the UNICEF and others participating in the COVAX Facility, in 2021.

Notes:
National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is a Central Public Sector Undertaking, based at Mumbai. It was incorporated in the year 1975.
The objective of the agency is to promote the integrated development of Indian Film industry. Recently, the Union Cabinet has approved to merge four of its film media units, namely Films Division, Directorate of Film. Festivals, National Film Archives of India, and Children’s Film Society, India with NDFC.