Today's Current Affairs18th December 2022

NATIONAL

Jaishankar declares India's candidature for 2028-29 UNSC term

• India looks forward to being back in the UN Security Council, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, as he declared the country’s candidature as non-permanent member for the 2028-29 term. Jaishankar arrived at UN to preside over two signature events on counter-terrorism and reformed multilateralism held under India’s current Presidency of the UN Security Council, before the curtains come down this month on the country’s two-year tenure as elected member of the 15-nation top organ of the world body.
• The previous eight terms that India has been in the Council are 1950-1951, 1967-1968, 1972-1973, 1977-1978, 1984-1985, 1991-1992 and 2011-2012. On December 1, India assumed the monthly rotating Presidency of the Security Council, the second time after August 2021 that India is presiding over the Council during its two year tenure as elected UNSC member.

 SPORTS

Messi and Argentina’s World Cup wait ends with dramatic final win over France

• FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi’s Argentina clinched their 3rd World Cup trophy from six final appearances in history, seeing off France 4–2 on penalties (3–3 after extra time) to win the biggest prize in men’s football at the at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar. It had won two in 1978 and 1986 under Diego Maradona. Lionel Messi had come close to winning in 2014 but La Albiceleste lost the final 0-1 to Germany. The only similarity from Messi’s 2014 campaign in Qatar was his Golden Ball award for Player of the Tournament award. He became the first player to win two World Cup Golden Balls.
• The 22nd edition of the World Cup just ended and for another 4 years for the next World Cup. Also, The 2026 World Cup will be held across three different countries, the United States, Canada and Mexico.
• Top 4 team Rankings: Argentina (Winner), France (2nd), Croatia (3rd) and Morocco (4th)
• Golden Boot Award: Kylian Mbappe (France); (8 Goals)
• Golden Ball Award: Lionel Messi (Argentina); (7 goals and registering 3 assists)
• Golden Glove Award: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)

Neeraj Chopra pips Usain Bolt to become most written-about athlete in 2022

• According to the World Athletics, Tokyo Olympics gold medalist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra of India was the most written about track and field athlete in 2022, displacing the Jamaican legend Usain Bolt from the top lists. The data collated by media analysis company Unicepta was cited by World Athletics, the global governing body for athletics.
• Neeraj Chopra, the Tokyo Olympics men’s javelin champion, led the way with 812 articles ahead of the Jamaican women’s sprint trio of Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah (751 articles), 100m world champion Shelley-Ann Fraser-Pryce (698 articles) and 200m world champion Shericka Jackson (679 articles). Usain Bolt, the world record holder in 100m and 200m men’s sprint, comes in fourth in the list with 574 mentions. The Jamaican, who is now retired, had previously topped the annual list for most written-about athlete for years.

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Harvard appoints Claudine Gay as first Black president

• Harvard University named Claudine Gay, a dean of the Faculty of Arts and Science, as its new president, the first African American to hold the post at the prestigious university. Gay, 52, is just the second woman to be elected to head the school in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Gay, the daughter of Haitian immigrants, will take over as the university’s 30th president on July 1, 2023.
• The daughter of Haitian immigrants, Gay graduated from Stanford and then earned her Ph.D. in government at Harvard in 1998, winning the Toppan Prize for best dissertation in political science.
• Gay was elected to the presidency by the Harvard Corporation, the university’s principal governing board.

 IMPORTANT DAYS

18 December International Migrants Day 2022: History, Significance  

• International Migrants Day is observed annually on December 18 to bring attention to the social and economic realities of migrants around the world. This day is observed to guarantee that the rights of migrants are equally respected and not violated. The mobility of people is still influenced by a range of factors despite the world’s rapid growth and change.
• Currently, 281 million individuals are international migrants who reside in nations other than their own. International Migrants Day serves as a reminder that the challenges faced by migrants in every country remain unresolved, and policymakers must continue to develop constructive and comprehensive policies to address the issue.
• The day is set aside to honour the health, security, and welfare of all migrants. During the Intergovernmental Conference in December 2018, it was decided to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration.

Minority Rights Day celebrated at the National Commission for Minorities

• National Minorities Rights Day is commemorated on December 18 every year in India. Its aim is to safeguard the individual rights of the religious, ethnic, racial, or linguistic minorities in the country. This day is a reminder about the rights of minorities and to raise awareness about it. Minority Rights Day in India is commemorated by conducting debates and seminars on topic related to minority communities.
• Awareness about their linguistic, national, cultural and religious identity are also a topic of study during this day. The day revolves around understand the issues faced by these communities and how discrimination against them can be stopped.
• The Union Government set up the National Commission for Minorities under the National Commission for Minorities Act 1992. Following this five religious communities have been notified as minority communities in the Gazette of India by the Union Government all around the country.These religious communities are Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Christians, and Zoroastrians.

 AWARDS & RECOGNITION

India's Sargam Koushal wins Mrs World 2022

• Sargam Koushal created history as she finally won the Mrs World 2022 title after 21 years while competing for India in the pageant. The 32-year-old won the competition in Las Vegas after defeating competitors from 63 other nations.
• Sargam Koushal beat Mrs. Polynesia to win the title.
• The Jammu and Kashmir-born beauty queen previously worked as a teacher in Vizag.
• Koushal is shown beaming in photographs from her historic victory that were posted on the Mrs India pageant’s official Instagram account. “The long wait is over; the CROWN is returned after 21 years!” Check out the caption.
• Sargam Koushal, an Indian contestant, won the title of Mrs. World on Sunday at a gala held in Las Vegas.

 RANKING

2022 GFSI Report released by British weekly The Economist

• The 2022 Global Food Security Index (GFSI) report was released by the British weekly The Economist. The 11th Global Food Security Index shows a deterioration in the global food environment for the third year, threatening food security. In this report, South Africa overtook Tunisia to become the most food-secure country in Africa.
• Vulnerability to Shocks: The global food environment is deteriorating, making it vulnerable to shocks. Significant progress was made in global food security from 2012 to 2015, with the overall GFSI score increasing by 6 percent.
• Widening food security gap: In 2022, 8 of the top 10 performing countries are in Europe, with Finland topping the list with a score of 83.7.
• Africa’s Most Food-Secure Country: South Africa, at the 59th position, was recognized as the most food-secure country in Africa. It made a record leap from the 70th rank in 2021.
• India is ranked at 68th position along with Algeria with the overall score of 58.9. China’s position is at 25th with the score of 74.2.

BOOKS & AUTHOR

Book “The Light We Carry: Overcoming In Uncertain Times” by Michelle Obama

• The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times is a nonfiction book written by Michelle Obama and published, by Crown Publishing. The Light We Carry will inspire readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world. The author “shares the contents of her ‘personal toolbox’ – the habits and practices, attitudes and beliefs, and even physical objects that she uses to overcome her feelings of fear, helplessness and self doubt.”
• The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times has generally received positive reviews by book critics for herself on biography. In The Light We Carry, the former First Lady shares her practical wisdom and powerful strategies for staying hopeful and balanced in today’s highly uncertain world.

 BANKING AND ECONOMY

Sitharaman holds 48th GST Council meet, panel agrees to decriminalise certain offences

• The 48th Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council meeting at the national capital Delhi on 17 December has concluded without any decisions on the highly anticipated GST Appellate Tribunals, tax rate applicable on gutkha and pan masala.
• Increase in monetary threshold, from the current ₹5 crore to ₹20 crore, for launching legal proceedings against offenders. Additionally, the fee payable by a taxpayer for compounding of GST offences be lowered to 25% of the tax amount, down from the up to 150% currently.
• A report on tax evasion by the tobacco industry (pan masala, gutka), along with a possible mechanism to curb the evasion.
• As proposed by a Group of Ministers (GoM), increasing the indirect tax on online gaming, casinos, and horse racing, to 28%, from the existing 18%.