Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
A team of researchers from Kerala and Brazil have identified a new species of a rare, deep-sea mollusc named ‘Xylophaga nandani’.
The mollusc belonging to the family Xylophagaidae has been identified from the eastern Arabian Sea. The wood-boring, tiny species has been named after Proffessor Bijoy Nandan, Dean, faculty of Marine Sciences, Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT)

Notes:
‘Khoisans’ are the first people to inhabit South Africa. King Khoisan, the leader of the Khoisans, was arrested for growing cannabis near South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s office in Pretoria.
The Khoisans have been protesting near the president’s office for the past three years for recognition of the community and their language ‘Khoekhoe’ among other things. The community has been demanding land rights.

Notes:
A team of scientists recently discovered the world’s largest fish breeding area near the Filchner Ice Shelf in the south of the Antarctic Weddell Sea.
They photographed and filmed several nests of icefish of the species Neopagetopsis, using OFOBS, the Ocean Floor Observation and Bathymetry System. It is a camera system built to explore the seafloor of extreme environments like ice-covered seas.

Notes:
Ministry of Commerce and Industry named the top 46 Indian startups and presented them National Startup Award 2021.
150 entrepreneurs presented their policy recommendations at the virtual gathering presided by PM Narendra Modi. Pune-based Repos won this award in the Energy distribution category, for their door-to-door delivery of fuel.

Notes:
World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) is the flagship publication of United Nations. Recently the 2022 edition was launched.
As per the report, the global output is projected to grow by only 4 per cent in 2022 and 3.5 per cent in 2023. It also highlighted the robust recovery of 5.5 per cent in 2021.

Notes:
The Indian Navy’s long-range maritime reconnaissance aircraft P8I participated in the multinational anti-submarine warfare exercise ‘Sea Dragon-22’.
The exercise recently concluded at Guam, USA. Aircraft from six navies namely the US, India, Japan, Canada, Australia and South Korea participated in Sea Dragon-22 exercise. The exercise was aimed to enhance interoperability among them in response to security challenges in maritime domain.

Notes:
The Peruvian Government declared a 90-day “environmental emergency” in damaged coastal territories, after 6,000 barrels of crude oil spilled into the sea.
The incident occurred at the La Pampilla refinery, where the “Mare Doricum” tanker belonging to the Spanish energy firm Repsol was transporting 965,000 barrels of crude oil. The spill has caused death of marine wildlife and the spill is investigated as an environmental pollution crime.

Notes:
Last year, the Centre decided to celebrate Bose’s birth anniversary as ‘Parakram Diwas’ (the day of valour), West Bengal announced that the day would be observed as ‘Desh Nayak Diwas’ (the day of the national hero).
The Prime Minister unveiled the hologram statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose at India Gate, until a grand statue of the freedom fighter will be installed. This year is 125^th birth anniversary of Netaji.

Notes:
The Australian government has bought the copyright of the Aboriginal flag, to free the symbol of identity from fights over who can use it.
Indigenous artist Harold Thomas created the flag in 1971 as a protest image. It is used as the dominant Aboriginal emblem and an official national flag. Now, the flag can be reproduced by anyone without fear of legal threats.

Notes:
China-Russia-Iran Navies participate in the ‘CHIRU-2Q22’ is a Joint Drill. China announced that it has sent its naval missile destroyer Urumqi to the Gulf of Oman to participate in the drill.
The Chinese regime also sent helicopters and marines for the exercise. Russia sent its Pacific Fleet’s task force which included Nakhimov missile cruiser Varyag and anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Tributs. The exercises are held in the waters of the Mediterranean and Okhotsk seas.