Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
Gulf of Mexico Bryde’s whales have been classified as “endangered” under the Endangered Species Act.  They are the only known resident baleen whales in the Gulf of Mexico, with less than 100 individuals left in the population.
The carcass of an endangered Bryde’s whale was washed ashore near the border of Puri and Ganjam districts of Odisha.

Notes:
Nauru, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia are island countries located in the western Pacific Ocean.
The United States, Australia and Japan have announced that they will jointly fund the construction of an undersea cable to boost internet access in three small Pacific countries. This is regarded as the counter to the rising Chinese influence in the region.

Notes:
Dubai has become the world’s first government to turn completely paperless, the Emirate’s Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
The Government announced that it provided a savings of 1.3 billion Dirham (USD 350 million) and 14-million-man hours. “The Dubai Paperless Strategy” was implemented in five phases. The strategy was implemented across all 45 government entities in the emirate, to provide than 1,800 digital services.

Notes:
Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the India-Poland treaty on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
The treaty will enhance capability of both countries in investigation and prosecution of crimes, including crimes related to terrorism through mutual legal assistance. It will also increase India’s effectiveness in tackling criminal activities involving Poland.

Notes:
The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed by Lok Sabha. It is an unusual amendment and seeks to rectify a drafting “anomaly” created by a 2014 amendment to the parent legislation.
The anomaly is just a sentence that alters numbering of the provisions. The 2021 Bill amends the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. Section 27A of the NDPS Act, 1985, prescribes punishment for financing illicit traffic and harbouring offenders.

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:
The state of the world’s land and water resources for food and agriculture (SOLAW 2021) report was released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
From 8 to 9 December 2021, the Land and Water Days are hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The central theme of SOLAW 2021 is “Systems at breaking point”.

Notes:
The Research Design and Standards Organization (RDSO), Ministry of Railways has been the first organisation to be Bureau of Indian Standards, under the BIS scheme of Standards Development Organizations (SDOs).
As per BIS Act 2016, BIS is empowered recognize or accredit any institution in India or outside which is engaged in standardization.

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:
Rani Abbakka Chowta was the first Tuluva Queen of Ullal who fought the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century.
Ullal is one of the oldest towns, which is now present in the state of Karnataka. Veera Rani Abbakka Utsava is celebrated every year in the state. Veera Rani Abbakka Award and Veera Rani Abbakka Puraskar for 2021 were presented to writers Chandrakala Nandavara and K.A. Rohini respectively.