Current Affairs Quiz - January 2022

Notes:
Telangana became the country’s first large state to record 100 per cent first-dose vaccinations. The state has vaccinated 2.77 crore citizens with the first dose, as per the Central government’s estimated adult population target.
The state is ahead of the national average by 9 per cent in terms of the first dose and ahead of the national average by 3 per cent in second dose.

Notes:
The newly discovered Begonia gigantic, is claimed to be the world’s largest specimen of a Begonia species.
Begonia is one of the largest plant genera, with over 2050 known species. Though most Begonias are small weeds, this new species grows on slopes along streams at elevation of 450–1400 m. The species are distributed in southern Tibet. The conservation status is ‘Endangered’ as per the IUCN Red List.

Notes:
Indonesia, Southeast Asia’s largest economy, will likely ratify its membership of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
China-backed RCEP, the world’s biggest trade association, entered into force on January 1, 2022. Seven nations in Southeast Asia, as well as Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea ratified the pact earlier this year.

Notes:
The world’s population is projected to be 7.8 billion people, as on New Year’s Day 2022, according to the US Census Bureau.
This represents an increase of 74 million people, or a 0.9% growth rate from New Year’s Day 2021. 4.3 births and two deaths are expected every second worldwide. China remains the world’s most-populous country with 1.4 billion people and India would overtake it by 2025.

Notes:
After the recommendation by the three-member committee, the Centre has decided to continue with the existing annual income limit of ₹8 lakh for identification of economically weaker section (EWS).
The Supreme Court raised doubts over the 10% quota while dealing with NEET-PG admissions and the Centre set up the committee to revisit the income limit of EWS quota. The committee comprised former union finance secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey among others.

Notes:
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has set up Energy Transition Advisory Committee headed by former petroleum secretary Tarun Kapoor.
The panel includes representatives of all public-sector oil and gas companies and it will energy transition roadmap for the oil and gas sector. India has committed for net-zero emissions by the year 2070. The committee will recommend a transition roadmap by middle of 2022.

Notes:
Puducherry Union Territory government is making arrangements to host the 25th National Youth Festival on January 12.
The Day marks the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. Over 7,000 youth from across the country will take part in the events, held in association with the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The Minister also unveiled the festival logo and mascot, “Saksham Yuva-Shashakt Yuva”.

Notes:
North Korea recently fired a “hypersonic missile” that successfully hit a target. The test-fire was detected by several militaries in the region, and drew criticism from the United States, South Korea, and Japan.
North Korea first tested a hypersonic missile in September. Hypersonic weapons can achieve more than five times the speed of sound – or about 6,200 km per hour.

Notes:
A team of Scientists used the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile to observe a newborn star (protostar) in the WB89-789 region.
It is located in the extreme outer Galaxy. Scientists have detected carbon-, oxygen-, nitrogen-, sulfur-, and silicon-bearing molecules were detected. The protostar and the associated cocoon of chemically-rich gas were detected at the edge of our Galaxy, for the first time.

Notes:
Ministry of Tourism is organising ‘Tourism Week’ from 3-15 January, at the India Pavilion in Expo2020 Dubai.
India also announced that it will offer five lakh free e-tourist visas and it is opening up for international travel in a calibrated manner. The Tourism Ministry is in the process of ‘New tourism policy’ to strengthen the tourism sector.