Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
Pharmaceutical company Hetero received World Health Organization Prequalification of Medicines Programme (WHO PQ) approval for its generic version of Covid-19 oral antiviral treatment candidate Nirmatrelvir.
Nirmatrelvir, which originated in Pfizer laboratories, is co-packaged with ritonavir tablets as Pfizer’s Covid-19 oral antiviral drug Paxlovid.

Notes:
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has appointed senior bureaucrat Santosh Kumar Yadav as Chairman.
Santosh Kumar Yadav, a 1995-batch IAS officer is currently additional secretary in the Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education.

Notes:
As per the Article IV Consultation report is based on International Monetary Fund bilateral discussions with the Indian authorities.
As per the report, for India’s economic growth is expected to moderate to 6.1% in FY24 from 6.8% estimated for the current fiscal because of high oil prices, weaker external demand, and tighter financial conditions. IMF cautioned that the emergence of a more contagious coronavirus variant could impact trade and growth further.

Notes:
As part of India’s G20 presidency, the Minister for Electronics & Information Technology, Ashwini Vaishnaw has launched the ‘G20 Digital Innovation Alliance” (G20-DIA)’.
He also launched the ‘Stay Safe Online’ campaign to increase awareness about the safe practices to be used while being online. MeitY is the Nodal Ministry for the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG). During India’s G20 presidency, MeitY will focus on three priority areas, namely Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), Cyber Security, and Digital Skill Development.

Notes:
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has ranked Indian-PSU company WAPCOS as top amongst consulting services firms in water and other infrastructure sectors.
In another report ‘Fact Sheet – 2022’ released by the ADB, WAPCOS was placed amongst the Top 3 consultants from India involved in consulting services contracts under ADB loan, grant, and technical assistance projects in energy, transport and water, and other urban infrastructure sectors.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu government has issued orders to conserve the Nilgiri tahr, the state animal, at a cost of Rs 25.14 crore.
This is regarded as the first Nilgiri Tahr conservation project in the country. The project would be implemented during a 5-year period from 2022-2027, and follow a strategy including synchronised surveys to estimate numbers of the tahrs. The tahr is an endangered species and is protected under Schedule-I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act of India, 1972.

Notes:
Leaders and people of Meghalaya paid rich tribute to the Freedom Fighter U Kiang Nangbah on his 160th death anniversary.
U Kiang Nangbah had revolted against the British when Khasi-Jaiñtia Hills region were not part of India. He was hanged publicly at in Jowai town on December 30, 1862.

Notes:
According to a report by Save the Children, the number of people facing hunger in Afghanistan increased from 2.25 million people in 2019 to 6.6 million in 2022.
Afghanistan is suffering from a severe hunger crisis and is now counted amongst the top eight countries worst hit by hunger. The eight countries include Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, DRC, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen.

Notes:
Brazil football legend Pele recently passed away due to cancer at the age of 82. His funeral is set to be held at the stadium where Brazilian soccer legend Pele played some of his best matches.
The legendary player led Brazil to World Cup victory in 1958, 1962 and 1970. He remains one of the team’s all-time leading scorers with 77 goals. Brazil’s Neymar tied Pele’s record during this year’s World Cup in Qatar.

Notes:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah recently launched the Mobile App ‘Prahari’ and Manual of Border Security Force in New Delhi.
Through the Prahari app, BSF personnels can get information related to accommodation, Ayushman-CAPF and leaves on their mobiles.