Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
An international team of scientists has discovered a new drought-resilient semi-dwarf wheat gene named ‘Rht13.’
It can be grown in drier soil conditions. The Reduced height gene seeds can be planted deeper in the soil, giving access to moisture.

Notes:
The mountain bush named ‘Rooibos’, which is endemic to South Africa, is used to prepare a red brew with a unique flavour.
The San and Khoi communities were the first to learn the health benefits of rooibos leaves. Today, Rooibos is widely exported commodity sold to over 30 countries.

Notes:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) announced to help the people working in waste segregation industry in India to move into formal economy.
The United Nations Under-Secretary-General Usha Rao-Monari would distribute the `Jan Dhan’ account kits to waste segregation workers. The programme has been organised through the UNDP’s ‘plastic waste management programme’.

Notes:
Three Indian-origin women are among 60 people who have been selected as Australia’s Superstars of STEM.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The initiative aims to break the society’s gender assumptions about scientists and increase the public visibility of females and non-binary people. The Indian-origin women are Neelima Kadiyala, Dr Ana Baburamani, and Dr Indrani Mukherjee.

Notes:
Two entirely new minerals have been found in a huge meteorite that fell on Somalia. The official names for the new minerals are elaliite and elkinstantonite.
The name ‘elaliite’ marks the fact that the meteorite was unearthed in the district of El Ali in Somalia, and ‘elkinstantonite’ is named after the NASA expert Lindy Elkins-Tanton. A third unidentified mineral, is being analysed by the University of Alberta researchers.

Notes:
The Chhattisgarh Assembly unanimously passed two amendment bills to raise Reservations in government jobs and admission in educational institutions to 76%.
According to the bills, Scheduled Tribes will now get a quota of 32%, Other Backward Classes 27%, and Scheduled Caste 13%, while the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) will get 4% reservation in public employment and admissions in educational institutions.

Notes:
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has extended the deadline for third party apps to comply with UPI Market share guidelines by 2 years.
The earlier deadline to meet the market cap norms was December 31, 2022. With this, UPI payments market leaders, PhonePe and Google Pay have to meet the market cap deadline of 30% to December 31, 2024.

Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) released the ‘Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities’.
As per the report, many people with disabilities have the risk of premature death, even up to 20 years earlier than others, due to systemic and pervasive health disparities. The report recommends 40 steps for governments to implement in the health sector.

Notes:
Semeru Volcano has started erupting in Java Island, Indonesia. The eruption ahs caused huge volcanic ash and over 2,000 residents in East Java province were evacuated.
As per the Indonesia’s disaster management agency (BNPB), no injuries or deaths have so far been reported. Mount Semeru lies around 640 kilometers southeast of the capital Jakarta.

Notes:
The FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023 will be hosted by Odisha at Bhubaneswar-Rourkela from 13 January, 2023.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the trophy tour of the FIH Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023. The trophy will travel across 13 states and one Union territory and then across all districts of the state.