Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

Notes:
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin launched the Mananala Nallaadharavu Mandram (Mind Health Support Forum) at government medical colleges to offer counselling and support to school students.
A helpline 14416 was also introduced to reach out to psychiatrists at government medical colleges. In all medical colleges, the forum has been created to offer programmes to improve the mental health of students. The programme will be extended to all colleges and schools.

Notes:
‘Naatu Naatu’ song from the blockbuster Telugu film ‘RRR’ has been shortlisted for the 2023 Oscar Awards in the ‘Best Original Song’ category.
Gujarati film ‘Chhello Show’ was also shortlisted in the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category. ‘RRR’ was nominated in two categories, ‘Best Picture – Non-English Language’ and ‘Original Song – Motion Picture’ in Golden Globe Awards 2023.

Notes:
New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) founders Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy said that they have decided to transfer most of their shares in the company to billionaire Gautam Adani.
With this the control of about 65% of the news broadcaster will be transferred to Adani, while Radhika and Prannoy Roy will retain a combined 5% stake in NDTV.

Notes:
As per a new research, two-thirds of Antarctica’s native species, including emperor penguins, are under threat of extinction or major population declines by 2100.
This is due to current trajectories of global heating. The study was conducted by scientists, conservationists and policymakers from 12 countries.  It has identified emperor penguins as the Antarctic species at greatest risk of extinction, followed by other seabirds and dry soil nematodes.

Notes:
Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports, Anurag Singh Thakur inaugurated the Sports Science Centre in Udupi.
This Sports Science Centre will bring together sports scientists and athletes. The Government has spent 2700 crore rupees to enhance sporting infrastructure as well as 3,136 crore rupees for Khelo India Games, for a period of five years.

Notes:
Indian badminton star PV Sindhu is the only Indian player in the top 25 in Forbes’ annual list of the highest-paid female athletes in the world.
The 27-year-old made 7 million US Dollars of her earnings, after having won a singles gold and doubles silver at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year in Birmingham. Japanese tennis star Naomi Osaka tops the list, for the third straight year.

Notes:
Union Ministry of Power and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) have recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up early warning systems for vulnerable hydro projects or power stations.
Specific tasks will be formulated between DRDO and respective project developer, under this agreement.

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:
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:
Delhi government has recently cleared the draft Delhi Solar Policy 2022. It aims to increase the share of the city’s annual electricity demand met by solar energy from 9% at present to 25% by 2025.
The draft targets a total installed solar capacity of 6,000 megawatt by 2025. It includes benefits such as Generation Based Incentives and subsidy for consumers. The draft has been put in public domain for 30 days after which it will be tabled before Cabinet for final approval.