Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2022

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:
The minimum support prices are announced by the Government of India at the beginning of the sowing season for 22 crops on the basis of the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
The Union Cabinet approved minimum support prices (MSPs) for copra for 2023 season, based on recommendations of CACP and prices and views of major coconut-growing states. MSP is fixed at Rs 10,860 per quintal for milling copra and at Rs 11,750 per quintal for ball copra.

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:
The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has constituted Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax Settlement Commission.
It aims to resolve and settle the show-cause notices issued under the Customs Act, Central Excise Act and Service Tax regime. This move would ensure speedy disposal of cases under the old indirect tax regime.

Notes:
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has detected large-scale anomalies in the updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) for Assam.
It also flagged the risk of data tampering due to improper software development for the exercise. The updation process of the 1951 NRC for Assam was done under the supervision of the Supreme Court. The updated final NRC was released on August 31, 2019 and it left out 1.9 million of the 33 million applicants on suspicion of their claims as Indian citizens.

Notes:
Capital markets regulator SEBI said that it has initiated a detailed study of fees and expenses charged by mutual funds.
The study would seek to encourage new participants, encourage adoption of technology, discourage cross subsidisation across schemes, close arbitrage opportunities, and curbing malpractices if any in the practice.

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:
Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) announced to set up a wholly-owned subsidiary, International Carbon Exchange Private Ltd (ICX).
ICX will enable participants to buy and sell voluntary carbon credits at competitive prices through its platform and facilitate reduction of global green house gases emission by 45% by 2030.

Notes:
Afghanistan’s supreme leader has ordered judges to fully enforce aspects of the Sharia system. It is the Islamic law that include public executions, stonings, floggings and the amputation of limbs for thieves among others.
‘Hudud’ refers to offences for which certain types of punishment are mandated under Islamic Law, while ‘Qisas’ is translated as retaliation in kind.

Notes:
The US Census Bureau said the world’s population is projected to be at 7.9 billion on New Year’s Day 2023.
This is an increase of 73.7 million since January 2022 and an increase in global population of 0.9 percent over the previous year. The Census Bureau projected that there will be 4.3 births and two deaths globally every second in January 2023.