Daily Current Affairs and GK | 25 and 26 December 2022

Topic: Environment and Ecology

1. Antarctica's emperor penguins could get extinct by 2100.

• As per a report published, the populations of up to 97% of land-based Antarctic species could decline by 2100.
• The study found that just USD 23 million per year would be required to implement key strategies to reduce threats to Antarctica’s biodiversity.
• It would benefit around 84% of terrestrial bird, mammal, and plant groups.
• Climate change is the biggest threat to the unique plants and animal species of Antarctica.
• This study was conducted by 29 experts to assess how Antarctica’s species will respond to future threats.
• The emperor penguin relies on ice for breeding and it is one of the most vulnerable species in Antarctica.
• Climate change can also affect other Antarctic species including the nematode worm Scottnema lindsayae.
• However, some Antarctic species such as mosses and the gentoo penguin can get benefit due to climate change.
• “Managing non-native species and disease” and “Managing and protecting species” are the two most beneficial strategies for protecting Antarctic species.
• The current conservation efforts are not sufficient to conserve Antarctic species.
• The Emperor penguin is the largest among all penguins and they live on Antarctic ice and its waters. Its average weight is around 30 kg.

Topic: Sports

2. Geto Sora won the Top Arena Junior International Badminton Championship title in Malaysia on 23 December 2022.

• Geto Sora won the title in the below 9 years category in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• He won the championship title by defeating Malaysia’s Jaryl Teh.
• This is Sora’s second international badminton title in two months.
• In November, Sora won the multinational BTY-Yonex-Singha Championship.
• It was held at the Banthongyord Badminton School in Bangkok, Thailand.
• Geto Sora is a badminton player from the state of Arunachal Pradesh.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: State News / Karnataka

3. Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Anurag Thakur inaugurated Sports Science Centre in Karnataka.

• He inaugurated Sports Science Centre at Mahatma Gandhi District Stadium at Ajjarakadu in Udupi, Karnataka.
• The Sports Science Centre will bring together sports scientists and athletes.
• During the inauguration, the minister said many more sports science centers will come up in near future.
• He said that the Union government will take initiative to open one sports science centre each for Karnataka’s eight districts. 
• He said that the annual budget for sports which used to be ₹864 crores has increased since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014.
• The annual sports budget increased to ₹3,100 crores in 2022-23.
• He also assured of starting FM Station at Brahmavara in this financial year.

Topic: Important Days

4. Good Governance Day 2022: 25 December

• India celebrates Good Governance Day every year on 25 December.
• PM Modi declared 25 December as Good Governance Day in 2014.
• 25 December is the birth anniversary of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
• Good Governance Day aims to increase public access to various government programmes and services via good governance.
• It started with the slogan “Good Governance through e-Governance.”
• Madhya Pradesh government has allotted 4,050 hectares of land for building a memorial of Atal Bihari Vajpayee in the Sirol area, Gwalior. 
• About Atal Bihari Vajpayee:
  • Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on December 25, 1924, in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. 
  • He was the first head of state to address the UN in Hindi. He was awarded Bharat Ratna on March 27, 2015.
  • He served as the 10^th Prime Minister of India for 13 days in 1996, for 13 months from 1998 to 1999 and for a full-term from 1999 to 2004.
  • It was during his tenure that India conducted Pokhran-II nuclear tests in 1998.

Topic: International News

5. Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' became the new PM of Nepal.

• Pushpa Kamal Dahal "Prachanda" of the Communist Party of Nepal joined hands with competitor K P Sharma Oli of the CPN-UML and other smaller parties to become Nepal's new Prime Minister.
• In the 275-member House, Prachanda has claimed the support of 170 MPs, which include six parties and four independents.
• With 89 seats, the Nepali Congress is the single largest party, followed by the CPN-UML with 78 and the CPN-MC with 32.
• According to the President's Office, Prachanda has been appointed Prime Minister of Nepal for the third time under Article 76 (2) of the Constitution.
• He took the oath on 26 December.
• Prachanda led a decade-long armed conflict from 1996 to 2006 that finally ended with the signing of a comprehensive peace accord in November 2006.

Topic: International Appointment

6. Sitwini Rabuka became the new Prime Minister of Fiji.

• Sitiveni Rabuka has been elected Prime Minister of Fiji by a coalition of parties, effectively ending Frank Bainimarama's 16-year reign.
• Rabuka is the leader of the People's Alliance, a political party formed in the year 2021.
• The Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa) of Fiji held the balance of power and voted on December 23 to form a coalition with the National Federation Party and Rabuka's People's Alliance.
• In Fiji's 55-member parliament, any party can form a government by winning 28 seats.
• Prior to this, in 1987, Sitiveni Rabuka overthrew government in Fiji twice while serving as Army Chief.
• At the same time, he also became the Prime Minister (PM) in 1992, after which he was removed in the 1999 elections.
• This is the first time in Fiji in the last 16 years that three parties have come together to form a coalition government.
• Fiji is a country with a population of 9 lakhs. Before the constitutional reform in the year 2013, the military coup has been the history of this country.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Important Days

7. PM Modi took part in the programme marking Veer Bal Diwas at Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi on 26 December 2022.

• On 9th January 2022, PM Modi had announced that 26 December will be celebrated as Veer Bal Diwas.
• Veer Bal Diwas marks the martyrdom of Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s sons Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh.
• During the programme, the Prime Minister attended a Shabad Kirtan performed by about three hundred Baal Kirtanis.
• PM Modi also flagged off a march-past by about three thousand children in Delhi.
• Sri Guru Gobind Singh’s sons Sahibzadas Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh were allegedly killed by the Mughals on the order of then ruler Aurangzeb.
• Fatehgarh Sahib is the name of the location where they were martyred.

Topic: Banking System

8. RBI’s amended bank locker rules will take effect from 1^st January.

• RBI has asked banks in India to renew their locker agreements with existing locker customers by 1st January.
• All the existing locker customers must furnish proof of eligibility for a renewed locker arrangement.
• RBI has advised the banks to install CCTV camera at entry and exit points of the strong room and the common areas of operation.
• As per RBI, the recording of CCTV camera shall be preserved for a period of not less than 180 days.
• RBI has also asked the banks to make sure that any “unfair terms or conditions” are not covered in their locker agreements.
• As per the guidelines, If any customer has complained that his/her locker is opened without his/her knowledge then the bank shall preserve the CCTV recording till the police investigation is completed and the dispute is settled.
• As per the guidelines, this provision of preserving CCTV recording also applies if any theft or security breach is noticed.
• If the valuables stored in the vaults are ransacked or lost due to fire or building collapse, depositors can now get up to 100 times the bank charges.
• However, the bank is not responsible for any loss or damage to the locker's contents resulting from natural disasters or other "Acts of God."

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

9. Consumer Affairs Minister Piyush Goyal inaugurated ‘right to repair’ portal.

• On 24 December, Piyush Goyal launched many new initiatives including the 'right to repair' portal, an NTH mobile app and opened new premises of the National Consumer Helpline centre in Delhi.
• Manufacturers would share the manual of product details with customers on the 'right to repair' portal.
• It will help consumers to either repair the gadgets themselves or to get them repaired by third parties, rather than depend on original manufacturers.
• Mobile phones, electronics, consumer durables, automobiles, and farming equipment would be initially covered under the ‘right to repair’.
• The concept of right to repair originated from the idea that when a consumer brings a product, he has the right to get it repaired from anywhere.
• Earlier, the government had set up a committee under the chairmanship of Nidhi Khare to develop a comprehensive framework for the right to repair.
• The right to repair would promote the growth of repair shops and prevent customers from discarding gadgets due to high repair costs.
• On the occasion, Piyush Goyal praised consumer commissions for disposing of higher number of pending cases in the last six months.
• The Consumer Affairs department and IIT-BHU, Varanasi, signed a memorandum of understanding for capacity building for consumer rights commissions.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

10. Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur launched Khelo India dashboard.

• It is a unique one-stop platform that will provide information regarding various offerings of the Khelo India Scheme.
• It was launched on 23 December in New Delhi.
• All the statistical data related to the Khelo India Scheme and the Khelo India events will be displayed on the dashboard.
• This platform also has a database regarding Khelo India Centres (KICs), Khelo India Academies, SAI Training Centres & National Centre of Excellence (NCOEs).
• It will also help in accessing information regarding progress made regarding the development of sports infrastructures, Fit India & playfield development
• It will be updated in real-time and information regarding play grounds with geotagging will be available on this dashboard.
• Khelo India programme:
  • It was launched during the financial year 2017-18 by the Government of India.
  • It was launched to revive the sports culture in India at the grass-root level by building a strong framework for all sports played in India.
  • Under this programme, talented players identified in priority sports disciplines at various levels by the High-Powered Committee will be provided annual financial assistance of INR 5 lakh per annum for 8 years.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Sports

11. Sam Curran has become the most expensive player in IPL history.

• On 23 December, England's young all-rounder Sam Curran became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League auction (IPL 2023 Auction).
• He has been bought by Punjab Kings with a bid of Rs 18.5 crore.
• Recently, Sam Curran was chosen as the Player of the Tournament award in the T20 World Cup 2022 tournament after taking 13 wickets.
• Earlier, South African all-rounder Chris Morris became the costliest player of IPL in 2021 when Rajasthan Royals bid Rs 16.25 crore for him.
• Australian all-rounder Cameron Green was bought by Mumbai Indians for Rs 17.50 crore in the IPL 2023 auction.
• He became the second most expensive player in the history of this league.
• England's Test captain and veteran all-rounder Ben Stokes was added to his team by Chennai Super Kings with an amount of 16.25 crores.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad made a bid of Rs 13.25 crore for England batsman Harry Brook.

Topic: Important Days

12. National Consumer Rights Day 2022: 24 December

• Every year on December 24, National Consumer Day, or Bharatiya Grahak Diwas, is celebrated.
• The day aims to spread awareness about consumer rights and the power of the consumer.
• The Consumer Protection Bill was passed on 24 December 1986.
• Further amendments were made in 1991, 1993 and 2002 to make the Consumer Protection Act more effective and consumer friendly.
• In August 2019, Parliament passed the Consumer Protection Act 2019, which replaced the Consumer Protection Act of 1986.
• The 2019 Act came into force in July 2020.
• World Consumer Rights Day is celebrated every year on 15 March.
• Consumer Protection Act guarantees six basic rights to consumers:
  • Right to choose the product.
  • Right to be protected from all kinds of hazardous goods.
  • Right to be informed about the performance and quality of all products.
  • Right to be heard in all decision-making processes related to consumer interests.
  • Right to seek redressal, whenever consumer rights have been infringed.
  • Right to complete consumer education.

Topic: Sports

13. PV Sindhu makes her place in the world’s top 25 highest paid female athletes list 2022 released by Forbes.

• Badminton Player PV Sindhu is the only Indian player to find a place in the Forbes’ annual list of highest paid female athletes in the world.
• PV Sindhu is placed on 12^th position among top 25 highest paid female athletes.
• The list has been topped by Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka for the third year consecutively.
• Naomi Osaka is followed by Serena Williams (USA-Tennis) and Elieen Gu (China-Skiing). Emman Raducanu (UK- Tennis) occupies 4^th position on the list.
• Iga Swaitek (Poland- Tennis) has occupied 5^th position on the list followed by US Tennis Player Venus Williams.
• The American gymnast, Simone Biles, occupies 8^th position on the list.
• Golf player Minjee Lee of Australia occupies 10^th position on the list.
• Tennis players occupy the maximum place (12) in the list.

Topic: State News/ Ladakh

14. Ladakh is celebrating Losar Festival on 24 December.

• The festival is observed to mark the Ladakhi new year.
• It is the major socio-religious festival of Ladakh celebrated in winters by the Buddhist community.
• The celebrations of the Losar festival will continue for 9 more days from the new year.
• During the celebrations, people offer prayers in the name of Buddhist God and Goddess, dance and sing in the honour of Ibex.
• People make dough models of Ibex Sun and Moon and flour painted lucky signs on the walls of kitchen.
• “Metho” ceremony is the most important part of this festival.
• On the third day of the festival, people pray for bumper crops in the coming year.
• Losar festival is also celebrated in Arunachal Pradesh by the Monpa tribe.