Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
The Indian Navy launched ‘Sandhayak’, the first of the four large survey vessels, in Kolkata. The primary role of these survey ships would be to conduct full-scale coastal and deep-water hydrographic survey of ports and harbours.
The ships would be deployed for collecting oceanographic and geophysical data and determination of navigational routes. The contract for building four survey ships was signed between the Defence Ministry and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) in 2018.

Notes:
The Government of India and Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed a $150 million loan to provide access to resilient and sustainable housing for the urban poor in the state of Tamil Nadu.
The Indian government and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have signed a $125 million loan pact to improve access to safe and affordable drinking water and city-wide inclusive sanitation services in Dehradun and Nainital cities of Uttarakhand.

Notes:
World Malaria Report 2021 has been released by the World Health Organization (WHO). As per the report, global efforts to tackle malaria suffered due to COVID-19 in 2020.
There were estimated 627,000 malaria deaths in 2020, which is an increase of 12 per cent over 2019. The report also warns that if expeditious action is not taken, the world is in the danger of seeing an immediate resurgence of the disease, especially in Africa.

Notes:
Olaf Scholz has been sworn in as Germany’s new chancellor, officially taking over from Angela Merkel, who served historic 16 years as the Chancellor.
The 63-year old leader steered the Social Democrats to election victory in September. He has played a key role in the Merkel government as vice-chancellor. All 16 ministers took the oath of office, becoming Germany’s first cabinet to include as many women as men.

Notes:
Assamese poet Nilmani Phookan Jr has won the 56th Jnanpith Award.  He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1990 and received the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship in 2002.
Konkani novelist Damodar Mauzo has won the 57th Jnanpith Award. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award in 1983 for his novel Karmelin. He worked towards the inclusion of Konkani as a language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India, in a movement called Konkani Porjecho Avaz.

Notes:
New Zealand will ban the sale of tobacco to its next generation, with an aim of eventually phasing out smoking in the country.
As per the law expected to be enacted next year, anyone born after 2008 will not be able to buy cigarettes or tobacco products in their lifetime. New Zealand’s health ministry recently announced a crackdown on smoking.

Notes:
In the United States, the House voted to pass the Protect Our Democracy Act, which addresses presidential abuses of power. The bill faces an uncertain future in the Senate, at present.
The Act also stresses the checks and balances between the branches of government. It aims to strengthen limitation on presidential pardons, requirement for candidates for president and vice president to submit their personal tax returns for 10 years, and acceptance of any foreign or domestic emoluments.

Notes:
India’s Harnaaz Sandhu won the new Miss Universe title. The 21-year-old contestant from Punjab won the title 21 years after Lara Dutta won the title in 2000.
Harnaaz Sandhu represented India today at the 70th Miss Universe 2021, held in Eilat, Israel. Ms Sandhu claimed the crown edging out Paraguay’s Nadia Ferreira and South Africa’s Lalela Mswane. Only two Indians have won the title of Miss Universe – Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.

Notes:
All 5 central Asian countries- Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan have been invited by India as the Republic day guest.
This is the first time that all central Asian countries will be present as the guest. In 2018, countries of ASEAN bloc were invited. Prime Minister Modi had visited all Central Asian countries in 2015, a first by any Indian Prime Minister.

Notes:
“Q-Commerce” stands for “Quick commerce”, which essentially involves delivering customer orders faster than it does currently, by setting up micro-warehouses located closer to the point of delivery.
Online grocer Grofers has rebranded itself “Blinkit”, with a focus on “quick commerce”. Grofers decided to change its business model from the conventional grocer model to the quick-commerce model.