Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
The United States witnessed over 30 tornadoes ripped through at least six states (Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Mississippi, Missouri and Tennessee).
As per the officials, the death toll could exceed 80 due to the tornadoes that hit across parts of the central and southern United States. More damages were found in the state of Kentucky, where over 70 people died and several buildings, factories and warehouses were damaged.

Notes:
Chief Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose inaugurated the digital platform named LokpalOnline, which enables people to file corruption complaints with the Lokpal.
At present, complaints are being sent by post, e-mail or hand-delivered. The new portal can be accessed by the citizens of the country and complaints can be filed from anywhere, anytime at lokpalonline.gov.in. In 2019, Justice Ghose was appointed as the country’s first Lokpal.

Notes:
Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar has launched a National Helpline against Atrocities (NHAA).
The Helpline is available on toll-free number “14566” across the country in Hindi, English and regional language of the State/UTs. It aims to ensure proper implementation of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) [PoA] Act, 1989.

Notes:
The Seine is a 777-kilometre-long river situated in northern France. The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, 2024, will be held on the River Seine.
Athletes and officials from more than 200 countries will sail almost 6 kilometres (4 miles) between the Pont d’Austerlitz and Pont d’Iena bridges in Paris.

Notes:
India’s External Affairs Ministry, along with the Indian Council of World Affairs hosted the eighth Indian Ocean Dialogue.
The theme for this year’s edition was “Leveraging Digital Technologies for Health, Education, Development, and Trade in Indian Ocean Rim Association Member States”. The representatives discussed on the potential for IORA cooperation in health, education, trade, and development.

Notes:
Malini Parthasarathy, the chairperson of The Hindu Group Publishing, is among four veteran journalists who are named by US-based Columbia Journalism School as the 2022 alumni award winners.
The other winners include Eric Marcus, founder and host of “Making Gay History” podcast, Stuart Schear, American Jewish World Service, and Thomas Maier, investigative journalist. Wendy Lu (HuffPost) and Mukhtar Ibrahim (Sahan Journal), jointly bagged the First Decade Award.

Notes:
For the first time in European Union, Malta has become the first country to legalise cannabis at home and for personal use.
Under the new law of Malta, people aged 18 and above will be allowed to have up to seven grams of cannabis and grow up to four plants at home. But consuming cannabis in public remains illegal and punishable by a fine. The new law is set to go to the President for approval.

Notes:
As per a new study published, Bubbler is a breathalyzer, which performs viral RNA detection to diagnose SARS-CoV-2, just by making the patient exhale into the device.
Its name is derived from the bubbling sound that occurs when the patient exhales. The Bubbler reverse transcribes RNA from airborne virus particles into DNA to be tested via PCR. It can also barcode that DNA, allowing samples to be linked directly to the patient they have come from and be used for sequencing.

Notes:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will install new surveillance cameras at Iran’s Karaj nuclear facility under an agreement between the two sides.
The cameras will replace those that were removed from the Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop earlier this year. Iran and the agency will exchange information and assessments in this regard.

Notes:
International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is observed every year on December 17. It seeks to highlights the hate crimes committed against sex workers all over the globe.
‘Red umbrella’ is an important symbol for sex worker rights and is used for events which are held on December 17. The red umbrella symbol was first used by sex workers in Venice, Italy, in the year 2001.