Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
Scientists have recently discovered Mercury-like exo-planet ‘GJ 367 b’ where a year is only eight hours long.
It’s believed to be a rocky planet like Mercury and has half the mass of Earth. GJ 367 b also belongs to the ‘ultra-short period’ (USP) group of exo-planets that orbit their star in less than 24 hours. Planet GJ 367b was discovered by scientists at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) Institute of Planetary Research.

Notes:
The Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the One Belt One Road initiative is an infrastructure development strategy of China, adopted in the year 2013.
Recently, China has launched the first cross-border train as a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, connecting China and the land-locked South East Nation Laos.

Notes:
The first ‘2+2’ ministerial dialogue scheduled to take place in Delhi. It will be held at the level of the foreign and defence ministers, will cover “political and defence issues of mutual interest”.
Until now, India held 2+2 format of meetings with member nations of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) — the US, Japan and Australia. Earlier, the 21st India Russia Annual Summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin was held at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on December 6, 2021.

Notes:
The 11th edition of Exercise EKUVERIN between India and Maldives will be conducted at Kadhdhoo Island, Maldives.
The exercise will enhance synergy and inter-operability between the Armed Forces of both countries. It helps in understanding transnational terrorism both on land and at sea, conducting Counter-Terrorism and Counter-Insurgency Operations.

Notes:
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is set to find new buyers and operators for 21,700 km of operational highway stretches valued at over ₹2 lakh crore over the next three year starting 2022.
NHAI will use the funds to build new highways and cut its debt, which remained at Rs 3.17 lakh crore at the end of 2020-21.

Notes:
The ‘Union Ministry of Minority affairs’ is implementing various skill development schemes including ‘Nai Manzil’, ‘Seekho aur Kamao’ and USTTAD.
As per the Ministry, over 6.5 lakh youths have so far received training under Centre’s schemes for skill development of minorities

Notes:
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship has launched Aatmanirbhar Skilled Employees Employer Mapping (ASEEM) portal.
The portal acts as a platform that matches supply of skilled workforce with the market demand. ASEEM portal is being managed by National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC). As of July, 1.3 crore candidates have been registered on ASEEM portal.

Notes:
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) is implementing the PM-KUSUM (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan).
Under the scheme, subsidy is given for setting up standalone solar pumps and for the solarization of agricultural pumps. MNRE has recently issued advisory for public on PM Kusum Scheme, providing cautions against fraudulent links.

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:
Telangana is currently witnessing cases of Covidengue, which occurs when a COVID-19 patient is infected with the Dengue virus.
Over 8 cases of Covidengue cases have been recorded in Telangana. The symptoms of this syndemic disease include “distress, shortness of breathing, chills, body pains and joint pains. COVID-19 and Dengue have similar kinds of symptoms.