Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
The Ministry of Coal has set up ‘Mission Coking Coal’ to develop a road map for increasing production and utilization of domestic coking coal.
The recently formed Inter-Ministerial Committee has submitted it recommendations to augment coking coal production in India. The Committee headed by the Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal gave 13 recommendations.

Notes:
Ministry of Civil Aviation launched the ‘Air Suvidha’ portal in August 2020 for seamless air travel during Covid pandemic.
Recently, in the wake of the Omicron threat, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare mandated contactless self-declaration at Air Suvidha portal. It aims to provide hassle-free air travel to all international passengers arriving in India.

Notes:
The eco-activists in Karnataka’s  Mysuru city have decided to intensify the ‘Save Chamindi Hill’ campaign against the development activities being made atop Chamundi Hill.
The activists are planning to launch a protest along with the signature campaign and launch a legal battle against the government to protect the hill. The name of the hill comes from the Chamundeshwari Temple located at the peak.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has granted Observer Status to International Solar Alliance (ISA).
The International Solar Alliance is an alliance of 124 countries initiated by India, headquartered at Gurugram. The fourth general assembly of the International Solar Alliance (ISA), was held earlier in October.

Notes:
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Department of Space, and the government of India signed an MoU with smartphone maker OPPO to strengthen research and development of NavIC messaging service.
NavIC messaging service is the domestic satellite navigation system of India. They will develop indigenous solutions by incorporating the NavIC short messaging feature in the smartphones released by OPPO.

Notes:
Human Rights Day is observed on December 10, every year. This year, the theme is ‘Equality, Reducing inequalities, advancing human rights’.
United Nations General Assembly in 1948 adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This day is celebrated to raise awareness about people’s social, cultural and physical rights and to ensure the welfare of everyone.

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:
Union Minister for Ports Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurated the River Cruise Services at the Marmugao Port in Goa.
Mormugao Port is a 32- year- old port, located in South Goa. As per the Ministry, any entrepreneur can start a new and similar type of Service from this berthing facility, which is available in the Port.

Notes:
Commercial Space Astronaut Wings Program is implemented by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The program comes under the Commercial Space Launch Act of 1984 and was designed to recognize pilots and flight crew. Recently, FAA announced that it will no longer issue Commercial Space Astronaut Wings, the pins given to individuals reaching space but instead recognise on its website.

Notes:
The Log4j vulnerability is a software flaw as reported by cyber-security researchers that could allow attackers to have uncontrolled access to computer systems.
Dubbed CVE-2021-44228, it could impact several products from those of Apple to Microsoft. US government’s cyber-security agency has also issued a warning on the same. The issue was discovered in Microsoft-owned Minecraft.