Daily Current Affairs and GK | 18 and 19 December 2022

Topic: Reports and Indices/Ranking

1. India is on the third position in the global ranking in scientific publications.

• According to the National Science Foundation (NSF)'s Science & Engineering Indicators 2022 report, India’s rank has improved from the seventh position in 2010 to the third position in 2020.
• India is on the third position in terms of the number of PhDs in science and engineering.
• During the last three years, the number of patents granted to Indian scientists has increased from 2,511 in 2018-19 to 4,003 in 2019-20 and 5,629 in 2020-21.
• As per the global innovation index, India's rank has improved from 81st in 2014 to 40th in 2022.
• India’s scholarly output has also increased from 60,555 papers in 2010 to 1,49,213 papers in 2020.
• The allocation of funds to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has also increased in the budget.
• The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research received Rs 5,636 crore (40%), while the Department of Biotechnology received Rs 2,581 crore (18%).
• The National Science Foundation is an independent agency of the United States. It is involved in fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering.

Topic: Personality in News

2. Sonakshi Sinha received PETA India 2022 ‘Person of the Year’ title.

• PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) India is an international animal rights non-profit group.
• She got the title for her campaign against leather for PETA India.
• Sonakshi’s action helped in saving the lives of many animals killed for fashion. She is a strong advocacy of dog and cat rights.
• Every year, more than 1.4 billion cows, sheep, goats, dogs, cats and other animals are killed for leather accessories.
• Last year, Alia Bhatt got PETA India's ‘Person of the Year’ title.
• PETA India was founded in 2000.

Topic: Sports

3. Argentina won the FIFA World Cup championship title.

• Argentina beat defending champions France 4-2 in a thrilling encounter to win the FIFA Football World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
• The victory was Argentina's third World Cup victory and its first since 1986.   
• During 30 minutes of extra time, both teams scored one goal each to keep the score tied at 3–3.
• In the penalty shootout, Argentina's goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez made two brilliant saves to give his team the title after 36 years.
• Messi won the Golden Ball award for the best player in the FIFA World Cup 2022.
• Emiliano Martinez of Argentina won the Golden Glove for being the best goalkeeper.
• Mbappe got the Golden Boot for being the top goal scorer. He technically became France's first Golden Boot winner.
• Mbappe became the second man after Geoff Hurst to score a World Cup final hat-trick.
• At the 1958 World Cup, Just Fontaine scored a record 13 goals, but the Golden Boot was not officially introduced until 1982.

(Source: News on Air)

Topic: Personality in News

4. India's Sargam Koushal won Mrs. World 2022 title.

• Sargam Kaushal was named Mrs. World 2022 after beating contestants from 63 countries.
• She brings the title back to India after 21 years.
• On 17 December, America's Mrs. World 2021 Shaylin Ford crowned Mumbai's Mrs. Kaushal at a ceremony held at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino.
• Mrs. Polynesia was declared the first runner-up, followed by Mrs. Canada as the second runner-up.
• The last time an Indian won the Mrs. World title was in 2001.
• Last time in 2001, Dr. Aditi Govitrikar was crowned Mrs. World, and she has served as a judge for Mrs. India Inc 2022-23.
• Mrs. World, the first beauty pageant for married women, was launched in 1984.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. 'Prashasan Gaon ki Ore' campaign inaugurated under Good Governance Week 2022 in New Delhi.

• On 19 December, the nationwide campaign has been inaugurated by Union Minister for Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh.
• He also launched the Good Governance Week portal, www.pgportal.gov.in.
• 3120 new services identified by District Collectors across the country will be included for online service delivery during the 5-day campaign.
• The nationwide campaign for the redressal of public grievances and improvement in service delivery will be organized in all districts, states, and union territories of the country.
• More than 700 district collectors will participate in the campaign and officers will visit tehsil and panchayat samiti headquarters.
• The Preparatory Phase of the Good Governance Week 2022 held from the 10th to the 18th of this month.
• During this, District Collectors have also identified more than 81 lakh applications for Service Delivery to be disposed of, along with over 19 lakh Public Grievances to be redressed in State Grievance Portals.
• The ministry stated that 373 best governance practices were identified for discussion in the district-level workshops. On 23 December, the workshops will be conducted.
• During the 'Sushasan Saptah' of Good Governance Week-2022 from December 19 to December 25, 43 success stories in public grievances will also be shared.

Topic: Important Days

6. Goa Liberation Day 2022: 19 December

• Every year on December 19, Goa Liberation Day is observed.
• The day is celebrated to mark the success of 'Operation Vijay' carried out by the armed forces to liberate the state by defeating the Portuguese in 1961.
• Goa was part of the Portuguese colonies since 1510.
• Indian military had started ‘Operation Vijay’ on 18 December 1961 to liberate Goa from Portuguese rule.
• After 36 hours of operation, Indian troops reclaimed the Goa territory on 19 December.
• Portuguese governor, Manuel Antonio Vassalo e Silva, signed the certificate of surrender, which ended Portuguese rule in Goa.
• Goa was granted 25th statehood on 30 May 1987.

Topic: International Appointments

7. Leo Varadkar is the new Prime Minister of Ireland.

• He is of Indian origin. He has returned for a second term as Ireland’s Prime Minister.
• During a special session of the Dail, lawmakers voted to approve Varadkar's nomination to replace Micheál Martin.
• Dail is the lower house of Ireland’s parliament. Varadkar’s first term as Prime Minister was from 2017 to 2020.
• He received the seal of office from Ireland's President Michael D. Higgins.
• Ireland:
  • It is a country in north-western Europe. Its capital is Dublin. It is a unitary, parliamentary republic.
  • Its Parliament or legislature is known as Oireachtas. Its lower house is Dail Eireann and the upper house is Seanad Eireann.
  • The elected President (Uachtarán) serves as the ceremonial head of state.
  • The head of government is the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), who is elected by the Dail and appointed by the President.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

8. India won T20 World Cup for the Blind.

• India defeated Bangladesh by 120 runs in the final of the T20 World Cup 2022 for Blind in Bangalore.
• India batted first and scored 277 runs in their 20 overs.
• Bangladesh were all out for 157 runs in their 20 overs.
• Captain Ajay Kumar Reddy and Sunil Ramesh scored centuries during final match.
• India was hosting third edition of the competition and Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, South Africa, and Sri Lanka competed in it.
• India had earlier won the title in 2012 and 2017. This (2022) was India’s third successive title victory.
• The first T20 Cricket World Cup for the blind was held at Aditya Academy Ground in Bangalore, India in 2012.

Topic: Sports

9. India wins FIH Women’s Nations Cup 2022 by defeating Spain.

• India defeated Spain by 1-0 in the finals in Valencia, Spain.
• Gurjit Kaur scored the goal from the Indian side in the first quarter of the match.
• Japan ended the tournament in third place.
• India remain undefeated during the tournament and got a place in the 2023-24 FIH Hockey Women’s Pro League.
• It was the inaugural season of the Women’s FIH Nations Cup.
• Hockey India announced Rs 2 Lakh for each player and 1 Lakh rupees for each support staff of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team.
• The Women's FIH Pro League is organised by the International Hockey Federation.
• Terms related to Hockey are Short corner, Hattrick, Goal, Penalty Corner, Penalty stroke, Pushin, Cut, Scoop.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State government/ Madhya Pradesh

10. MP government formed a task force to prevent online gambling in the state.

• As per the order issued, the task force has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary of the state home ministry.
• The task force will submit the recommendations after examining various judicial precedents, legal situations and technical aspects to prevent online gambling and online gaming.
• Earlier, the MP High Court directed the state government to work on curbing illegal gambling activities and regulate online gaming.
• The state government is planning to bring an act to regulate online gaming.
• The state government is also considering forming a regulatory body to control online gaming.
• The state government has taken all these steps after the alleged suicide of an 11-year-old boy while playing the online game.

Topic: Important Days

11. Minority Rights Day 2022: 18 December

• Every year on December 18, Minority Rights Day is observed.
• It was celebrated at the National Commission for Minorities on December 16, 2022.
• Shri John Barla, Minister of State for Minority Affairs, was the Chief Guest of the function.
• The National Commission for Minorities invited various intellectuals from six minority communities – Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.
• On December 18, 1992, the United Nations adopted and circulated the Statement on the Rights of Persons Belonging to Religious or Linguistic National or Ethnic Minorities.
• On 18 December 1992, Minorities Rights Day was first observed by the United Nations.
• NCM was formed on 17 May 1993 under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992.
• The original 1993 notification was for five religious’ communities- Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi, Christian and Muslim. Later, in 2014, the Jain community was also added.

Topic: Space and IT

12. NASA launched an international mission to survey Earth's water.

• On 16 December, the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) launched the latest Earth science satellite to track nearly all the water on Earth's surface.
• The Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft has been launched through SpaceX rocket.
• It was launched from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California with a three-year prime mission.
• The satellite will measure the height of water in freshwater bodies and oceans over 90 percent of the Earth's surface.
• At least once every 21 days, SWOT will cover the whole Earth's surface between 78 degrees south and 78 degrees north latitude.
• The spacecraft's has an innovative instrument called the Ka-band Radar Interferometer (KaRIn), which marks a major technological advance.
• This mission marks the continuation of 30 years of collaboration between NASA and CNES in altimetry.     
• It will provide data on more than 95 percent of the world's lakes larger than 15 acres (62,500 m²) and rivers wider than 330 feet (100 m).

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

13. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in Kolkata on 17 December 2022.

• West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee hosted the meeting. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav and ministers from Odisha also participated.
• Mr. Shah hold a discussion on matters related to the boundaries of the five states and the completion of the eastern freight corridor.
• In addition to the CMs, chiefs of all central armed forces attend the meeting.
• Five Zonal Councils were set up vide Part-III of the States Re-organisation Act, 1956.
• Eastern Zonal Council comprises the States of Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, Sikkim, and West Bengal.

Topic: Personality in News

14. Neeraj Chopra has become the world’s most written-about athlete in 2022.

• In 2022, he displaced Usain Bolt as the world’s most written-about athlete.
• He earlier became the first athlete from India to win the Diamond League final in the javelin.
• Chopra (812 articles) is followed by Elaine Thompson-Herah (751 articles), Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (698 articles), and Shericka Jackson (679 articles).
• Bolt featured in 574 articles. World Athletics, international governing body for the sport of athletics, revealed this citing data from a media analysis company Unicepta.
• As per World Athletics’ president Sebastian Coe, for the first time this year, Usain Bolt has not led the list of the most written-about athletes of the year.
• Neeraj Chopra won the gold medal for India in Tokyo last year. He won silver medal at the World Athletic Championships 2022 in Eugene, Oregon.
• He became second Indian to win a World Championship medal after Anju Bobby George’s bronze in the women’s long jump in 2003.
• He will compete at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August 2023 and the Asian Games in Hangzhou in September 2023.