Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2021

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank trimmed its 2021 growth forecast for India to 9.7% from the earlier estimate of 10.0% made in September. However it left the 2022 growth forecast unchanged at 7.5%.
The growth forecasts for developing Asia for this year and next were also slashed to 7.0% and 5.3%, in order to reflect risks and uncertainty brought by the new Omicron coronavirus variant.

Notes:
As per a new study published, Bubbler is a breathalyzer, which performs viral RNA detection to diagnose SARS-CoV-2, just by making the patient exhale into the device.
Its name is derived from the bubbling sound that occurs when the patient exhales. The Bubbler reverse transcribes RNA from airborne virus particles into DNA to be tested via PCR. It can also barcode that DNA, allowing samples to be linked directly to the patient they have come from and be used for sequencing.

Notes:
The World Health Organization recently released the “Tracking Universal Coverage – 2021 Global Monitoring Report”.
On the occasion of Universal Health Coverage day, World Bank also released the “Global Monitoring Report on Financial Protection in Health 2021”. The report showed that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to halt two decades of global progress towards Universal Health Coverage.

Notes:
India’s leading public sector bank “bob World Wave” has launched a solution for digital banking payments, named bob World Wave.
The bob World Wave is a wearable device, which will allow customers to monitor their Sp02, body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure. BoB has partnered with NPCI to offer the wearable payment solution.

Notes:
Researchers at IIT Delhi’s Kusuma School of Biological Sciences have developed an RT-PCR based kit for detection of the Omicron (B.1.1.529.1) variant of SARS-CoV-2.
The assay is based on detecting specific mutations, which are present in the Omicron variant and absent in other currently present variants of SARS-CoV-2. Globally, the detection of the Omicron variant requires over 3 days.

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently inaugurated the All India Mayors’ Conference at Varanasi via video conferencing.
As many as 120 mayors from various states of the country participated in the conference, which was conducted with the theme of ‘New Urban India’.

Notes:
The new generation nuclear-capable ballistic missile ‘Agni P (Prime)’ was successfully test-fired from Odisha coast.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation said that ‘Agni P’ is a two-stage canisterised solid propellant ballistic missile. This was the second test of the Agni Prime missile, with the first test in June this year. The surface-to-surface ballistic missile has a range of 1,000 to 2,000 km.

Notes:
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh launched Rashtriya Ekta Geet composed by the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in 22 languages.
Rashtriya Ekta Geet is based on the theme of national integration. ‘Sanskritiyon ka Maha Sangam’ event was also conducted, where NCC cadets from across the country congregated in Delhi and showcased their shared cultural heritage.

Notes:
European aerospace major Airbus has selected India-based engineering and product development digital services firm Tata Technologies, as a strategic supplier.
The company is set to become an “engineering, manufacturing engineering and services strategic supplier (EMES3)”. Tata aims to collaborate with Airbus across multiple areas and geographies through the master supply agreement (MSA).

Notes:
The World Economic Forum (WEF) is usually known for its annual meeting at the end of January in Davos, every year.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has postponed its annual meeting in Davos over the rise in Covid-19 cases from the Omicron variant. The annual meeting was originally scheduled to be held in Davos-Klosters, Switzerland between January 17-21, 2022.