Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) have commenced India-ITU Joint Cyberdrill 2021.
This Cyberdrill, a four days virtual event, is intended for Indian entities especially Critical Network Infrastructure operators. Experts from organizations, made presentation on best practices and highlighted the policy initiatives of cybersecurity in India as well across globe. India secured 10th rank in the ITU Global Cybersecurity Index (GCI).

Notes:
Minister of State for Civil Aviation VK Singh announced that the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is working on the country’s first facial recognition technology-based biometric boarding system. It is to be piloted for passengers at Varanasi, Pune, Kolkata and Vijayawada airports.
This biometric boarding system is part of the first phase of Digi Yatra scheme. The Digi Yatra initiative seeks to promote paperless air travel. It is a biometrics-based digital processing system for passenger entry and related requirements. The system is set to be launched in early 2022.

Notes:
The Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry is set to launch the Residential Education for Students in High Schools in Targeted Areas (SRESHTA) scheme.
The scheme will focus on the socio-economic upliftment and overall development of the Scheduled Caste students by providing quality residential education to meritorious Scheduled Caste students in reputed private schools, which are having residential facility.

Notes:
Russia won the Davis Cup title in 2021 by defeating Croatia, after a brilliant performance from Daniil Medvedev. The 25-year-old player defeated Marin Cilic in the second singles match, to make the country win its first Davis Cup title since 2006.
It was also the fifth consecutive straight-set victory in the Davis Cup for the No. 2 Medvedev. Russia’s first Davis Cup title was in 2002. Croatia also was seeking its third title after title wins in 2005 and 2018.

Notes:
Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission, is the first satellite dedicated to measuring the polarization of X-rays from a variety of cosmic sources, such as black holes and neutron stars. The project is a collaboration between NASA and the Italian Space Agency.
IXPE is scheduled to launch on December 9, on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The spacecraft includes three space telescopes with detectors capable of measuring the polarization of cosmic X-rays.

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:
The Indian Army is organising a multi-nation disaster management exercise been called PANEX 21. The exercise will involve BIMSTEC countries namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand and India.
The Exercise PANEX 21 is planned to be conducted at Pune from December 20-22, with a special focus on relief in the background of Covid-19 pandemic.

Notes:
The funding and implementation of the Ken-Betwa inter-linking of rivers project were approved by the Union Cabinet with a total cost of Rs 44,605 crore. It is the first project under the National Perspective Plan for interlinking of rivers.
It seeks to transfer water from the Ken river to the Betwa river, both tributaries of the Yamuna.  A Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) called Ken-Betwa Link Project Authority (KBLPA) will be set up.

Notes:
West Bengal government has launched a bridge course of 100 days for the students named ‘Setu Pathakram’
The course to be introduced in the new academic session starting January, will be made available for students of all classes. It is being introduced to help the students understand the subjects to fill the gaps that may have raised during online classes.

Notes:
Lok Sabha has passed the Central Vigilance Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2021 and the Delhi Special Police Establishment (Amendment) Bill, 2021 for consideration and passage.
These Bills intend to provide enabling power to the government to extend tenure of the Chiefs of Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) up to five years. At present, both the officers are given a term of two years.