Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
According to the International Debt Report 2022 by the World Bank, debt of low and middle-income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) rose to a record high of 789 billion USD in 2021.
This is the region’s highest debt burden since 2010 and the region’s current debt burden is beyond its repayment capacity.

Notes:
US scientists announced a major scientific breakthrough in the research to harness nuclear fusion energy.
Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California for the first time produced more energy in a fusion reaction that was used to ignite it, which is also called net energy gain. This achievement will pave the way for developments in defence and future of clean power.

Notes:
The Group of Seven economies have created an open, international climate club for countries to cooperate in the fight against global warming,
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who holds the presidency of the G-7 until the end of the year, announced the decision. Germany will pass the Presidency to Japan. The club will work to help accelerate the industrial transition to cleaner forms of energy and to further develop emission-reduction measures

Notes:
Kerala Assembly recently passed a Bill to remove the Governor as the ex-officio Chancellor of 14 universities in the state.
The CPI(M) government introduced the University Laws (Amendments) Bill in the Assembly after repeated issues with Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on administration and appointments at these universities. The Bill will now be sent for the governor’s consent before it becomes a law.

Notes:
NTPC has commissioned capacities of 150 MW & 90 MW Devikot Solar PV Projects at Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. They are declared on Commercial Operation.
With this, standalone installed and commercial capacity of NTPC has become 58041 MW, while group installed and commercial capacity of NTPC has reached 70656 MW.

Notes:
The 5th edition of Youth Co:Lab, Asia Pacific’s largest youth innovation movement was recently launched by Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog and UNDP India.
It is an initiative launched in 2019 by UNDP India in partnership with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog . It aims to establish a common agenda for Asia-Pacific countries to empower youth to accelerate implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through leadership, social innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Notes:
Information and Broadcasting Ministry said that Government has spent a total of Rs 3,723.38 crore on advertisements of its policies and programmes over the past five years through the Central Bureau of Communication, Rajya Sabha.
₹ 1,220.89 crore was spent on advertisements in 2017-18 while an expenditure of ₹ 1,106.88 crore was incurred in 2018-19; ₹ 627.67 crore in 2019-20; ₹ 349.09 crore in 2020-21 and ₹ 264.78 crore in 2021-22. In the current financial year, the government has spent ₹ 154.07 crore on advertisements till December 9.

Notes:
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank has collaborated with Kotak Mahindra General Insurance Company for marketing the products of the insurance arm of Kotak Mahindra Bank.
Tamilnad Mercantile Bank had earlier tied-up with Cholamandalam General Insurance and Max Life Insurance Company to offer their insurance products.

Notes:
Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya inaugurated ICMR-NARFBR (National Animal Resource Facility for Biomedical Research) at Genome Valley in Hyderabad.
NARFBR is an apex facility which will provide ethical care and use and welfare of laboratory animals during research. The Centre will create processes for pre-clinical testing of new drugs, vaccines and diagnostics along with quality assurance checks.

Notes:
Leo Varadkar takes over for the second time as Ireland’s Prime Minister. He is still one of Ireland’s youngest ever leaders even in his second stint in the role.
Varadkar’s Fine Gael and current premier Micheal Martin’s Fianna Fail parties is unprecedented in Irish history, agreed to the rotating premiership as part of a coalition with Ireland’s Greens following 2020 elections.