Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
The Assam government is set to confer the state’s highest civilian award ‘Assam Baibhav’ on industrialist and philanthropist Ratan Tata.
The state will also confer Assam Baibhav, Assam Saurav and Assam Gaurav Awards. The Assam Saurav award will be conferred on fiver personalities including Olympics medallist Lovlina Borgohain.

Notes:
China has published trial rules for the approval of gene-edited plants. Gene editing involves altering the genes of a plant to change or improve its performance.
It is seen as less risky than genetically-modifying them. This move aims to promote the seed industry of China and ensure food security to its huge population. China has also passed regulations for approval of genetically modified (GM) crops.

Notes:
‘Humid heat’ refers to conditions that are either hot and dry or hot and humid enough to cause decreases in labor productivity.
As per a recent study, India lost around 259 billion hours of labour annually between 2001 and 2020 due to the impacts of humid heat. The loss of these productive hours cost India USD 624 billion (Rs 46 lakh crore). Globally, humid heat caused 677 billion hours of lost labour each year, worth USD 2.1 trillion (Rs 156 lakh crore).

Notes:
India has paid USD 29.9 million in United Nations regular budget assessments for the year 2022. India is a non-permanent member of the 15-nation Security Council and its two-year term will end on December 31, 2022.
As of January 21, 2022, 24 Member States have paid their regular budget assessments in full. Iran, Guinea and Vanuatu paid sufficient dues to the UN regular budget to regain their voting rights. Only Venezuela and Papua New Guinea don’t have the right to vote in the 193 member body.

Notes:
The National Conference on Agriculture for Summer Campaign 2021-22 was held through video conference. It is also called as Zaid Conference. Zaid crops are grown between Kharif and Rabi Seasons
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Kumar Tomar attended the conference. The objective is to review the crop performance during the preceding crop seasons and fix crop-wise targets for the next summer season in consultation with State Governments.

Notes:
The European Union launched a case against China at the World Trade Organization over its forced practices against Lithuania and some exporters from other member states.
China, the EU’s main trade partner, started blocking Lithuanian products and some other European goods that contained Lithuanian components last December. This was done after Taiwan opened a representative office in Vilnius (capital of Lithuania) under the country’s name instead of Taipei.

Notes:
Ministry of Culture released the pictorial book titled ‘India’s Women Unsung Heroes of Freedom Struggle’. This is launched as a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.
The Ministry will release three pictorial books on 75 unsung heroes of the freedom struggle in partnership with Amar Chitra Katha. The first among them which was released, depicts 20 women leaders whose contributions remain unknown.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day or International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust.
It is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. It is an annual day of commemoration of six million Jewish Holocaust victims and millions of other victims of Nazism. On this day, the UN urges every member state to develop educational programs to help prevent future genocides.

Notes:
Telineelapuram International Bird Sanctuary is located in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district. Recently, mass deaths of migratory spot-billed pelicans happened at the Bird Sanctuary.
According to government data, about 113 species of exotic birds come to these areas each year from Siberia, Russia, Malaysia, Hungary, Singapore and Germany for breeding. This year, over 100 birds that prey on nearby water bodies have died.

Notes:
‘Great Barrier Reef’ is the world’s largest coral reef system located in Australia. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has recently announced a further one billion Australian dollars ( USD 703m) to protect the Great Barrier Reef.
The reef is under threat from global warming and the government is criticised for supporting fossil fuels.