Major Legal and Current Affairs

2021
November-December

The Sahitya Akademi has announced its awards for 2021 in 20 languages
The Sahitya Akademi has announced its awards for 2021 in 20 languages. 7 books of poetry, 2 novels, 5
short stories, 2 plays, 1 biography, 1 autobiography, 1 critique and 1 epic poetry have won bagged the
awards. Awards in Gujarati, Maithili, Manipuri and Urdu languages will be announced at a later
date.Assamese writers Anuradha Sarma Pujari and Namita Gokhale have won the award in the novel
category. Awardees for Poetry category include Mwdai Gahai in Bodo, Sanjiv Verenkar in Konkani,
Hrushikesh Mallick in Odia and Vindeshwari Prasad in Telugu.The awards, recommended by
distinguished jury members in 20 Indian languages, were approved by the Executive Board of the
Sahitya A+kademi which met today under Chairmanship of Dr Chandrashekhar Kambar, President of
Sahitya Akademi.
Q - Eminent author Namita Gokhale won Sahitya Akademi Award for her novel-
a. Plans for Departure
b. Things to Leave Behind
c. A Burning
d. The Day in Shadow
A - (b) Things to Leave Behind
Egypt added as 4th member of BRICS New Development Bank
India has welcomed Egypt as the fourth new member of BRICS New Development Bank. The
External Affairs Ministry Spokesman Arindam Bagchi said, Bangladesh, UAE, and Uruguay joined in
September this year. Mr. Bagchi said membership expansion enables New Development Bank to
position itself as a premier development institution for emerging economies.
The New Development Bank aims to mobilize resources for development projects in BRICS,
emerging economies, and developing countries.
Q - Which of the following countries are set to become the newest member of the New Development
Bank (NDB) (BRICS Bank)?
a. Egypt
b. Turkey
c. Saudi Arabia
d. Iran
A - (a) Egypt
DRDO successfully conducted flight test of HEAT Abhyas
DRDO successfully conducted the flight test of Indigenously developed HEAT 'Abhyas' from
Integrated Test Range at Chandipur off the coast of Odisha yesterday. During the flight trial, high
subsonic speed trajectory at a very low altitude with high endurance was demonstrated.Two boosters
provided initial acceleration during launch and a small turbojet engine was used to sustain high
subsonic speed with long endurance.The indigenous data link designed by Bengaluru based Industry
partner has been successfully flown and tested during the flight. The performance of the system during
the entire flight duration has been confirmed from the data captured by various Range instruments
deployed.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the successful test is noteworthy testimony of
synergy between scientists and industry.
Q - The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the flight
test of indigenously developed HEAT Abhyas. What is the full form of HEAT?
a. High-speed Expendable Aerial Target
b. Highly Secured Expendable Aerial Target
c. Highly Secured Expendable Advanced Target
d. None of the above
A - (a) High-speed Expendable Aerial Target
Good Governance Week 2021 being celebrated from 20th-25th December
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Tuesday held a meeting with chief ministers of BJP-ruled states
to discuss good governance initiatives taken by them.The Centre is all set to launch a nationwide 'Good
Governance Week' from December 20 to December 26, with the motto to redress and dispose of
public grievances and improvise service delivery down to the village level, according to the Department
of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievance (DARP).DARPG in collaboration with the
Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Department of Pension & Pensioners' Welfare,
Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of External Affairs, and Ministry
of Panchayati Raj and Rural Development will be convening the events throughout the week.
Q - Under what theme the Good Governance Week 2021 is being celebrated from 20th-25th
December, 2021?
a. Prashasan from the beneath
b. Prashasan antim Vyakti Tak
c. Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur
d. None of the above
A - (c) Prashasan Gaon Ki Aur
US hosted Summit for Democracy virtually
Since day one, the Biden-Harris Administration has made clear that renewing democracy in the United
States and around the world is essential to meeting the unprecedented challenges of our time.On
December 9-10, 2021, President Biden held the first of two Summits for Democracy, which brought
together leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector in our shared effort to set forth
an affirmative agenda for democratic renewal and to tackle the greatest threats faced by democracies
today through collective action
Q - Which country hosted the Summit for Democracy virtually to renew democracy at home and
confront autocracies abroad?
a. France
b. United States of America
c. India
d. Japan
A - (b) United States of America
Britain health regulators approves World’s first pill to treat COVID-19
Britain's health regulators have approved the world's first pill to treat cases of symptomatic COVID-19.
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said, the antiviral Lagevrio
(molnupiravir) has been found to be safe and effective at reducing the risk of hospitalisation and death
in people with mild to moderate COVID-19, who are at increased risk of developing severe disease.
Molnupiravir, originally created to treat flu, could go on to be prescribed twice a day to vulnerable
patients recently diagnosed with COVID-19 after it proved effective in clinical trials.
Molnupiravir has been authorised for use in people who have mild to moderate COVID-19 and at least
one risk factor for developing severe illness. Such risk factors include obesity, old age over 60, diabetes
mellitus, or heart disease.UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid said, UK has become the first country in the
world to approve an antiviral that can be taken at home for COVID-19. This will be a gamechanger for
the most vulnerable and the immunosuppressed, who will soon be able to receive the ground-breaking
treatment
Q - Which of the following countries have approved the world’s first pill to treat cases of symptomatic
COVID-19?
a. USA
b. New Zealand
c. UAE
d. Britain
A - (d) Britain
DRDO signs MoU with Israel for development of dual use technologies
DRDO has signed a Bilateral Innovation Agreement with the Directorate of Defence Research and
Development (DDR&D), Ministry of Defence, Israel to promote innovation and accelerated R&D in
startups and MSMEs of both countries for the development of dual use technologies.
Under the agreement, startups and industries of both countries will work together to bring out next
generation technologies and products like Drones, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum, etc.
Q - With which country India has signed a pact aimed at spurring innovation and speeding up the
development of dual use technologies by small and medium sized firms in both countries?
a. Israel
b. USA
c. France
d. Japan
A - (a) Israel
Australia wins maiden T20 World Cup title
Australia won their maiden T20 World Cup title, crushing New Zealand in the final at the Dubai
international Stadium. Chasing a stiff target of 173, the Aussies overhauled New Zealand’s score with
seven balls remaining. Davis Warner was chosen as the ‘Player of the Tournament’ for his effort with
the bat.
Q - Who won the ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the previous editions of events in 2014 and 2016?
a. Lasith Malinga
b. Aiden Markram
c. Virat Kohli
d. Yuvraj Singh
A - (c) Virat Kohli
Uttar Pradesh’s first Anti-Air Pollution Tower inaugurated in Noida
The Union Minister of Heavy Industries Mahendra Nath Pandey inaugurated the Air Pollution
Control Tower (APCT) prototype developed by state-run Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (Bhel) in
Noida on November 17. The tower is set up between the DND flyway and the slip road to Noida
Expressway, The indigenously developed APCT would help mitigate the rising air pollution problem
in the city. The tower sucks in polluted air through its base and clean air is released from the top of the
tower. The tower has a system to clean the PM 2.5 filter periodically. Air pollution during the winter
months every year has led the Noida Authority to set up the tower. Its coverage is 1 sq km (247 acres).
Areas that will benefit are Sectors 16, 16A, 17, 17A and 18 as well as DND and Noida-Greater Noida
expressways
Q - According to the data from air quality and pollution city tracking service from IQAir, a
switzerland-based climate group which becomes the most polluted city of the world?
 a. Beijing
b. Jakarta
c. Lahore
d. Delhi
A - (d) Delhi
World Television Day
World Television Day is celebrated globally to highlight the importance of television as something
beyond an electronic tool. Since its invention, it has been one of the most vital sources of
entertainment. It has equally been an important tool to educate and inform people. In the late 80s,
television also helped unite India as many people would gather in front of a single screen to watch
iconic shows such as Hum Log, Buniyaad, Ramayan, and Mahabharat, among others.
According to the UN, “Television represents a symbol for communication and globalisation in the
contemporary world,” and “World Television Day is not so much a celebration of the tool, but rather
the philosophy which it represents.”
Q - When was World Television Day celebrated?
a. 20th November
b. 20th December
c. 21st November
d. 21st December
A - (c) 21st November