Current Affairs August 2022: Most of the competitive exams test candidates on their knowledge of Current Affairs. Exams for government jobs, like RRB ALP, RRB Group D, SSC, IBPS PO, IBPS Clerk, SBI PO, etc. have a section dedicated to General Awareness and Current Affairs. Most of these exams have an overall cutoff and a sectional cutoff. This means, in order to crack these exams, cracking the overall cutoff is not enough. You have to clear the cutoff marks of each of the sections as well. So, skipping the General Awareness and Current Affairs section is out of the question.

At the same time, you must remember that there is a vast amount of information that you need to remember for this section. This cannot be achieved in one or two days. So, you cannot afford to keep this section for the last minute. Current Affairs August 2022 lists out the important events, issues and other affairs that happened in the month of August 2022.

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National Interest

17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2023

The 17th Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 2023 will be held in Indore in January next year. Celebrated every year on 9th January to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India. 

It also commemorates the return of Mahatma Gandhi from South Africa to India on 9th January 1915.

About Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas and its Importance:

On returning,  Gandhi began and headed India’sdom struggle and changed the lives of millions of Indians forever.

The main idea behind this event is to reconnect the Non-Resident Indian community with their original roots.

The Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas holds the event with a vast overseas Diaspora to let them share their knowledge, skills and expertise on a common platform.

Since 2003, the Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas Convention has been organizing these Divas from 7 to 9 January every year in the national capital.

Mandala Art

Residents of Liverpool, UK have been marvelling at a mandala art the size of one and a half football pitches in length, created by artist James Brunt with materials like leaves and rocks.

What is a mandala and its origins?

Meaning “circle” or “centre” in Sanskrit, a mandala is defined by an interconnected geometric configuration that usually incorporates the circular shape in some form. 

Sect Association:

Rooted in Buddhism, appearing in the first century BC in India. 

Over the next couple of centuries, Buddhist missionaries travelling along the silk road took it to other regions. 

By the sixth century, mandalas were recorded in China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Tibet. In Hinduism, the mandala imagery first appeared in Rig Veda (1500 – 500 BCE).

The meaning of this art form:

It is believed that by entering the mandala and moving towards its centre, one is guided through the cosmic process of transforming the universe from suffering to joy.

India’s first electric double-decker bus unveiled in Mumbai

Switch Mobility Ltd (‘Switch’), recently unveiled India’s first and unique electric double-decker air-conditioned bus – Switch EiV 22. Designed, developed and manufactured in Mumbai, India.

Features : 

• The new electric double-decker bus will be the world’s first – semi-low floor, air-conditioned, electric double-decker with a wider door on the rear overhang and a rear staircase.
• Switch EiV 22 is equipped with the latest technology, ultra-modern design, the highest safety and best-in-class comfort features.
• The double-decker has a lightweight aluminium body construction, which offers a higher passenger-to-weight ratio and a competitive cost per km, per passenger.
• Powering Switch EiV 22 is a 231 kWh capacity, 2-string, liquid-cooled, higher density NMC chemistry battery pack with a dual gun charging system. This enables the electric double-decker to have a range of up to 250 km for intra-city applications.

Mudhol hounds to be inducted into SPG

Mudhol hounds, a breed of hunting dogs native to north Karnataka, could become the first indigenous ones to be inducted into the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force protecting the Prime Minister of India.

The dogs already serve with the Indian armed forces and some paramilitary forces.

About Mudhol hound

The hounds get their name from the erstwhile kingdom of Mudhol (in present-day Bagalkot), whose rulers first began to breed them. 

The dogs are fast runners, with excellent stamina and agility, and have a sharp vision and keen sense of smell.

Duty

They’ve been trained for explosives detection only, not guard duties, search and rescue or tracking.

The hounds could play a key role in the detection of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in counter-insurgency operations.

Indian Army Commissioning

This would be the first time the Indian Army has taken in an indigenous breed to train, as opposed to German Shepherds and Labradors.

NIDAAN portal of narcotic offenders by the NCB

The first-of-its-kind database of arrested narcotics offenders has been made operational for use by various central and state prosecution agencies tasked to enforce anti-drug laws.

What is NIDAAN?

The portal, NIDAAN (National Integrated Database on Arrested Narco-offenders), has been developed by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The platform sources its data from the ICJS (inter-operable criminal justice system) and the e-Prisons (a cloud-based application) repository, and it is planned to be integrated in the future with the crime and criminal tracking network system or CCTNS.

What is an interoperable criminal justice system?

The ICJS, an initiative of the Supreme Court e-committee, was created to enable the seamless transfer of data and information among different pillars of the criminal justice system, like courts, police, jails and forensic science laboratories, through a single platform.

The country’s first government-owned online taxi service ‘Kerala Savari’ launched

‘Kerala Savari,’ the country’s first online taxi service owned by the state government, was rolled out in the state recently. 

About Kerala Savaari

An initiative by the Motor Workers Welfare Board under the leadership of the labour department, Kerala Savari ensures safe travel for the public at government-approved fares.

Unlike other online platforms which switch to dynamic pricing during peak hours, there will be no fluctuation in fares on Kerala Savari.

Services

Panic button

Kerala Savari aims to offer a safe and reliable online service for women, children, and senior citizens. A police clearance certificate is mandatory for drivers joining the scheme.

24-hour call centre

It has also been decided to install GPS on vehicles at a subsidised rate. This will be implemented in a phased manner. 

In capital first

Kerala Savari app is available to the public on Playstore now, and the first phase of the project will be implemented in Thiruvananthapuram Corporation. 

NAFIS: Country-wide database of crime-related fingerprint

The union home minister recently inaugurated the National Automated Fingerprint Identification System (NAFIS), at the two-day National Securities Strategies (NSS) Conference 2022 held in New Delhi.

What is NAFIS?

Conceptualised and managed by the NCRB at the Central Fingerprint Bureau (CFPB) in New Delhi, the National Automated Fingerprints Identification System (NAFIS) project is a country-wide searchable database of crime and criminal-related fingerprints, enabling law enforcement to upload, trace, and retrieve data in real-time, 24×7.

How does it work?

NAFIS assigns a unique 10-digit National Fingerprint Number (NFN) to each person arrested for a crime, which is used for the person’s lifetime, and different crimes registered under different FIRs will be linked to the same NFN. 

The first two digits correspond to the state code in which the crime is registered, followed by a sequence number.

Facts: 

• Fingerprinting in fighting crime began in Bengal almost 150 years ago.
• Madhya Pradesh: the first state to identify a deceased person through NAFIS.

Happy Shop retail store by Hindustan Petroleum.

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited unveiled its branded store “Happy Shop” in the national capital recently. 

Retail outlets at Gas stations:

Happy Shop is the latest offering in this series, marking its entry into non-fuel retailing, with the “Harmonised Retail” approach; an amalgamation of online and physical stores to provide a superior shopping experience.

Services: 

The store endeavours to make a significant difference in customer experience, living up to their motto of ‘Delivering Happiness’.

HPCL is set to accelerate the growth of the “Happy Shop” network in the country by creating 20 such stores in the current fiscal.”

Future of PSU’s Retail:

The company decided to set up its own chain of multi-channel retail stores late last year and at present, 10 “Happy Shops” are running in cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru and Coimbatore. 

These shops are creating their own space in the highly competitive organised retailing sector.

Paalan 1000 National Campaign, Parenting App.

Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar, union minister of state, has virtually launched the Early Childhood Development Conclave, ‘Paalan 1000 National Campaign and Parenting App’ recently in Mumbai.

What is Paalan 1000

‘Paalan 1000 – Journey of the First 1000 Days’, focuses on the cognitive development of children in the first 2 years of their life. 

It combines early years coaching for parents, and other caregivers, as the programme is aligned with the mission of Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), emphasising responsive care and focusing interventions on the first 1000 days.

Parenting app:

It will provide caregivers with practical advice for their everyday routine.

The cognitive development of children under 2 years is a major focus area, with the 6 principles: maximise love, talk & engage, explore through movement and play, read and discuss stories, mother’s engagement with the child while breastfeeding, managing stress and staying calm.

Super Vasuki

To mark the beginning of Amrit Kaal, Indian Railways ran Super Vasuki, five loaded train long haul on 15th Aug 2022 as a part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav Celebration. 

What is Super Vasuki?

The Super Vasuki is a 3.5-km-long freight train run by the South East Central Railway with 295 wagons carrying 27,000 tonnes.

The freight train gets its name from Vasuki, the Hindu god of serpents. Shiva’s snake, Vasuki, is portrayed as being around his neck. The snake is said to have a gem on his head called a Nagamani.

Capacity: 

According to officials, the Super Vasuki carries enough coal to operate a 3000 MW power plant for a whole day. This can transport three times as much coal in a single trip as the 90-car, 100-ton rail rakes that are now in use.

Earlier in 2022, a significant power crisis had been caused by a lack of coal throughout the nation.

India’s first saline water LED lamp ‘Roshni’ launched.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh unveiled the lantern during a visit to Sagar Anveshika, a Coastal Research Vessel, operated and used by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), Chennai for coastal research.

About Roshni and its Usage:

It is India’s first saline water lantern, named ‘Roshni’, which uses seawater to power LED lamps.

It is noteworthy that the technology can also be used in hinterlands, where seawater is not available, as any saline water or normal water mixed with common salt can be used to power the Roshni lantern, which makes it cost-effective and feasible to operate.

Usage:

The first-of-its-kind saline lantern would be able to bring ‘ease of living’ to the poor and needy, particularly the fishing community living along the 7,500 km long coastline of India, which is home to 9 coastal states and 1,382 islands.

‘SMILE-75 Initiative’ for rehabilitation of persons engaged in begging

In the spirit of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Government of India, has identified 75 municipal corporations to implement comprehensive rehabilitation of persons engaged in the act of begging, under “SMILE: Support for Marginalised Individuals for Livelihood and Enterprise”, named as the “SMILE-75 Initiative”.

The objective of SMILE- 75: 

To make our cities/towns and municipal areas begging-and make a strategy for comprehensive rehabilitation of the persons engaged in the act of begging through the coordinated action of various stakeholders. 

The Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment understands the important role of local urban bodies and civil society organisations/non-government organisations to address this persisting social issue with concerted efforts.

Programmes included:

• Comprehensive welfare measures for persons who are engaged in the act of begging with a focus extensively on rehabilitation
• Provision of medical facilities
• Counselling
• Awareness
• Education
• Skill development
• Economic linkages and convergence with other government welfare programmes etc.

World Dairy Summit 2022 to be held in India after 48 years

At a time when several milk-producing centres are battling LSD, the country will host the International Dairy Federation’s World Dairy Summit 2022 at the India Expo Centre & Mart in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh (New Delhi-NCR) from September 12 to 15, where stakeholders from 40 countries will participate.

The last WDS was hosted by India in 1974 in New Delhi, 48 years ago. India is now the largest milk producer in the world and we have the highest number of cattle.

Theme: 

“Dairy for Nutrition and Livelihood” being the theme, the sponsors are Amul and Nandini (marketed by Karnataka Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation Ltd). Mother Dairy will be the principal sponsor.

Key features of IDF World Dairy Summit:

• Global exposure for the Indian industry, raising awareness and attracting attention to our smallholder milk production system.
• Forum for industry experts to share knowledge and ideas on how the sector can contribute to nourishing the world with safe and sustainable dairying. 

First robot teacher in India

A school in Hyderabad has introduced robotic teachers, said to be the first of its kind in India for students.

What is ‘Eagle’:

The teaching robot, called Eagle is said to be capable of teaching students of grades 5 to 11, in the classroom along with the human teacher and also in a stand-alone mode. 

Introduced by the Indus Trust, the robots, called Eagle 2.0, were first introduced as teaching assistants in a pilot project at the Indus International School, Bengaluru in 2019.

It was developed by an in-house team comprising engineers from IIT, content developers, and experienced teachers over a period of two years.

Features:

• Imparts education in more than 30 languages, clarifies doubts by answering and asking questions, and conducts an automated assessment at the end of the class using analytics. 
• Teaches all science and humanities subjects, including languages. Children can connect with the assessment and content of the robot through devices like mobile, tab, or laptops.

GI Tag awarded to Mithila Makhana

Bihar’s Mithila Makhana has been awarded the Geographical Indication (GI) Tag by the Union Government, the fifth product from Bihar to be awarded the GI Tag.

What is Mithila Makhana?

This special variety of aquatic fox nuts, rich in protein, fibre and micro-nutrients, are cultivated in the Mithila region of Bihar and adjoining areas of Nepal.

What is a GI Tag?

According to WIPO, a GI Tag is used for products which have specific geographical origins or have qualities that can be attributed specifically to the region. Once a product gets this tag, a person or company cannot sell a similar item under the same name. 

Benefits of GI Tagging 

• Provides legal protection to Indian Geographical Indications.
• Promotes the economic prosperity of producers of goods produced in a geographical territory.
•  GI Tag protection in India leads to recognition of the product in other countries, thus boosting exports.

First Certified ‘Har Ghar Jal’ district in the Country

Madhya Pradesh’s Burhanpur, popularly known as the ‘Darwaza of Dakhin’, became the first Certified ‘Har Ghar Jal’ district in the Country.

 Details:

The only district in the country where people from each of the 254 villages in Burhanpur have declared their villages as ‘Har Ghar Jal’ through a resolution passed by Gram Sabhas. 

Accordingly, it certifies that all people in the villages have access to safe drinking water through taps, ensuring no one is left out.

About Burhanpur district:

Burhanpur, north of the Tapti River, was founded in 1399 by Naṣīr Khan of the Fārūqī dynasty of Khandesh, and was annexed by Akbar in 1601.  

About Jal Jeevan mission:

It has been envisioned to provide safe and adequate drinking water through individual household tap connections by 2024 to all households in rural India. 

HPCL commences its first cow dung-based compressed biogas project

State-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited on Tuesday commenced its ‘Cow Dung to Compressed Biogas Project’ at Sanchore, Rajasthan.

The plant, HPCL’s first such under its Waste-to-Energy portfolio, is proposed to utilise 100 tons of dung per day to produce biogas, which can be utilised as automotive fuel. The project is proposed to be commissioned in a year’s time.

Details: 

The project is being developed under the GOBAR-Dhan scheme, launched by the Government of India in April 2018 as a part of the Biodegradable Waste Management component under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen), to positively impact cleanliness and generate wealth and energy from cattle and organic waste.

The project’s groundbreaking ceremony took place at Shree Godham Mahatirth Pathmeda Lok Punyarth Nyas, Village Pathmeda, Tehsil Sanchore District Jalore in Rajasthan. 

The ceremony was attended by ED Bio-fuel & Renewables Shuvendu Gupta and senior officials from HPCL.

Operation Defence

Ocean sailing expedition on INSV Tarini to Mauritius

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel INSV Tarini has set off from Goa on a sailing voyage to Port Louis, Mauritius. Six crew members, including three female officers, are participating in the expedition aboard the INSV Tarini.

Over the course of 20 to 21 days and a distance of about 2500 nm (around 4500 km) on one trip, the crew will likely experience monsoon-related harsh weather and choppy seas.

About INSV Tarini:

INSV Tarini is one of the six ocean-going Indian Naval Sailing Vessels (INSVs) of the Indian Navy’s fleet that frequently go on expeditionary missions with a small naval crew. 

The INSV Tarini is particularly known for its 2017 Navika Sagar Parikrama, which had an all-female officer crew.

Why Ocean Sailing:

Ocean sailing adventures support fundamental seamanship competencies including navigation, communication, technical engine and aboard machinery operation, use of Inmarsat equipment, logistics planning etc., which also strengthens the Indian Navy’s ability to project a beneficent presence throughout the world.

Indigenously-developed equipment for the Indian Army

Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh handed over indigenously-developed equipment and systems to the Indian Army in New Delhi recently. 

These include 

• Future Infantry Soldier as a System (F-INSAS).
• New generation anti-personnel mine ‘Nipun’.
• Rugged and automatic communication system with enhanced capabilities.
• Upgraded sights system for tanks and advanced thermal imagers. 
• State-of-the-art high mobility Infantry Protected Vehicles.
• Assault boats were virtually handed over.

Rationale

Equipment and systems will enhance the operational preparedness of the Indian Army and increase its efficiency. It is a shining example of the country’s growing self-reliance prowess, in partnership with the private sector and other institutions.

Exercise Garuda Shield 2022

The joint US-Indonesian military exercises Garuda Shield 2022—were hosted in Indonesia’s Sumatra and Riau islands over the past two weeks.

About the Exercise:

The drills — dubbed as “Super Garuda Shield” this year, given the inaugural participation of Japanese, Australian and Singaporean contingents — drew 4,000 US and Indonesian troops, with observers from nine other nations.

It also comes eight months after the diplomatic sparring between Beijing and Jakarta over disputed territorial waters in the South China Sea.

Aim of the Exercise:

For the US, the stated aim was the interoperability of forces to protect the ‘rules-based order’ in the region. This is code for the continuance of international maritime law supported by US military heft, which stands in direct opposition to China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea. China responded to the war games by calling them a threat to regional stability.

Udarashakti Exercise: India & Malaysia

An Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent left for Malaysia recently to participate in a four-day bilateral exercise ‘Udarashakti’ with the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). This continues the recent trend of India’s expanding defence and security cooperation with South East Asian countries.

About the Exercise:

The exercise will witness various aerial combat drills between the two Air Forces, fortifying the long-standing bond of friendship and enhancing the avenues of defence cooperation between the two Air Forces, thereby augmenting security in the region.

IAF is participating in the air exercise with Su-30 MKI and C-17 aircraft, while the RMAF will be flying Su-30 MKM aircraft.

The corporation between two countries.

In recent years, India has offered a range of major military hardware to countries in the region and there has been a positive response.

For instance, India offered the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) ‘Tejas’ to Malaysia, along with a Su-30 support package for the jets in the RMAF’s inventory.

UK Defence Ministry sounds alarmed on Russian ‘Butterfly Mines’

The UK Ministry of Defence, in its intelligence assessment of the ongoing war in Ukraine, has sounded an alarm on the possible use of the PFM-1 series ‘Butterfly Mines’ by the Russian military in Donetsk and Kramatorsk.

Controversial Weapon

PFM-1s were used to devastating effect in the Soviet-Afghan War where they allegedly maimed high numbers of children who mistook them for toys.

What is the Butterfly Mine or Green Parrot?

The PFM-1 and PFM-1S are two kinds of anti-personnel landmines that are commonly referred to as ‘Butterfly mines’ or ‘Green Parrots’, names derived from the shape and colour of the mines.

The main difference between the PFM-1 and PFM-1S is, the latter comes with a self-destruction mechanism which gets activated within 1 to 40 hours.

These mines are also difficult to detect because they are made of plastic and can evade metal detectors.

Kargil war Point 5140 named as ‘Gun Hill’

To commemorate the victory of the Indian armed forces and pay tribute to the supreme sacrifice of the gunners in ‘Operation Vijay’, Point 5140 at Dras in Kargil, has been christened ‘Gun Hill’.

The Regiment of Artillery, with lethal and accurate firepower, was able to have a telling effect on the enemy troops and their defences, including Point 5140, which was the key factor in the early completion of operations in the 1999 Kargil war.

Point 5140:

Point 5240 (also called Point 5245) is a mountain peak situated on the Line of Control, the de facto border dividing the Indian- and Pakistani-administered portions of Ladakh in the Dras sector of the Kargil district.

It lies southeast of Point 5353 at the end of the ridgeline, on the LoC, coming from Point 5105, one kilometre east of a feature known as Rocky Knob, about 800 metres away from the base of Point 5140.

Ulchidom Shield: US & South Korea

The US and South Korea have begun their biggest joint military drills in years – a show of force that is expected to raise tensions with an increasingly hostile North Korea.

About the exercise:

The annual summertime exercises in Korea, renamed Ulchidom Shield, began on Monday and are scheduled to end on September 1st.

The Ulchidom Shield exercises are being seen as a sign of the allies’ determination to restore large-scale training after they cancelled some regular drills and scaled-down others to facilitate nuclear talks, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Aim of the Exercise:

The military and civil exercises are aimed at improving the country’s preparedness to match the changing patterns of war, with evolving cyber threats against key facilities such as chip factories and supply chains.

Ex Vajra Prahar 2022: India & US

The 13th Edition of the Indo-US Joint Special Forces exercises “Ex Vajra Prahar 2022” commenced at the Special Forces Training School (SFTS), Bakloh (HP) recently. 

About the forces on both sides

The US contingent is represented by personnel from the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) and Special Tactics Squadron (STS) of US Special Forces and the Indian Army contingent is formed by drawing Special Forces personnel under the aegis of SFTS.

What is Ex Vajra Prahar?

The Vajra Prahar series of joint exercises aims to share best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics as also to improve interoperability between the Special Forces of both Nations. 

About the Exercise:

During the course of the next 21 days, teams of both armies would jointly train, plan and execute a series of Special Operations, Counter Terrorist Operations, and Air Borne operations in simulated conventional and unconventional scenarios on mountainous terrain.

Skylight Exercise.

To test the operational readiness of satellite systems and the personnel manning them, the Indian Army carried out ‘Exercise Skylight’, validating and showcasing the resilience of its communication capabilities in case terrestrial connectivity is disrupted during future conflicts.

What is Exercise Skylight?

The indigenous multiband satellite with advanced security features will support the tactical communication requirements of not only troops deployed on the ground, but also remotely piloted aircraft, air defence weapons and other mission-critical and fire support platforms.

This exercise, conducted by the Indian Army, was the first of its kind large-scale exercise to boost its space domain capabilities.

The aim of the exercise was to test the operational readiness of satellite communication assets and the training of personnel manning these.

Awards and Recognitions

68th National Film Awards.

The winners of the 68th National Film Awards were announced recently in New Delhi. Owing to Covid-19-related delays, this year’s ceremony honoured films from 2020, across several categories.

About the award:

Established in 1954, the prestigious awards are administered by the Government of India’s Directorate of Film Festivals.

Winners:

• Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru
• Best Director: Sachy, Ayyappanum Koshiyum
• Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment: Tanhaji
• Best Actor: Suriya for Soorarai Pottru and Ajay Devgn for Tanhaji
• Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali, Soorarai Pottru
• Best Hindi Film: Toolsidas Junior
• Best Film on Social Issue: Funeral
• Indira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director: Mandela

India ranks 3rd at the International Astronomy & Astrophysics Olympiad.

India secured the third rank in the medal tally at the 15th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA), 2022 held in Kutaisi, Georgia, from 14 to 21 August 2022.

India held the third position jointly with Singapore with students winning three gold and two silver medals. 

Details of the Individual performance are given below:

About IOAA  and its Mission:

The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics is an international competition for high-school students along the lines of the other International Science Olympiads, covering the fields of Astronomy and Astrophysics.

The main goal of the IOAA is to promote the growing interest in Astronomy and related STEM subjects, especially through the general education of young people, and enhancing the development of international contacts among different countries in promoting Astronomy and Astrophysics in schools. 

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne Awards 2022.

The 13th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) began on August 12, and ended on August 30. The in-person event was done by August 20, post which the festival went on virtually for an additional ten days

The IFFM is held every year in Australia, one of the prominent highlights being its awards night, celebrating the Indian cinematic spirit by showcasing a wide range of shows, films and series from the country.

List of winners:

1. Best Film: 83
2. Best Director: Shoojit Sircar (Sardar Udham) and Aparna Sen (The Rapist)
3. Best Actor: Ranveer Singh (83)
4. Best Actress: Shefali Shah (Jalsa)
5. Best Series: Mumbai Diaries 26/11
6. Best Film from the Subcontinent: Joyland
7. Lifetime Achievement Award: Kapil Dev

Prof Ramadhar Singh becomes 1st Indian Social Psychologist on the US Heritage Wall of Fame.

Ahmedabad University professor Ramadhar Singh becomes the first Indian social psychologist on the Psychology Society’s Heritage Wall of Fame in the United States.

About Prof Ramadhar Singh

Currently, a professor at the Amrut Mody School of Management – Ahmedabad University, professor Singh has been a breakthrough researcher in psychology and management. 

The nomination was supported by nine social psychologists across China, India, Japan, Korea, India, Singapore, and the US.

His Work

During the 1980s, the predominant American view was that humans were cognitive misers, that is, people resort to shortcuts in thoughts and behaviours. 

Through his research, however, Professor Singh has now shown how cognitively affluent and dynamic humans are.

Dalai Lama honoured with Ladakh’s highest civilian award

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama was honoured with the ‘dPal rNgam Duston’ award—the highest civilian honour of Ladakh—for his immense contribution to humanity, especially towards the union territory.

Details of the award

The award was conferred by Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh which celebrated the occasion of its foundation day at Sindhu Ghat.

Ladakh-Tibet Connection

Ladakh and Tibet are connected by the mighty Indus River along with religious and cultural similarities, and the changing climatic condition is a major cause of concern for both parties.

The 14th Dalai Lama

The 14th Dalai Lama, Gyalwa Rinpoche, is the current Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and former Tibetan head of state. Born on 6 July 1935, or in the Tibetan calendar, in the Wood-Pig Year, 5th month, 5th day.

The 87-year-old spiritual leader, who is on a visit to the Union Territory since July 15, appreciated the gesture and stressed maintaining communal harmony in the region.

First woman Director General in CSIR.

The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has, for the first time in its 80-year-old history, appointed a woman Director-General.

About N. Kalaiselvi:

N. Kalaiselvi, currently Director of the Central Electro-Chemical Research Institute (CSIR-CECRI) Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, will now lead the network of 38 laboratories and nearly 4,500 scientists and has been appointed for two years, according to a note from the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet.

Achievements of N. Kalaiselvi:

Dr. Kalaiselvi’s research work spans over 25 years and is focused on electrochemical power systems and developing electrode materials, custom-design synthesis methods, optimising reaction parameters and electrochemical evaluation of in-house prepared electrode materials for making energy storage devices. 

Her research interests include lithium and beyond lithium batteries, supercapacitors and waste-to-wealth driven electrodes and electrolytes for energy storage and electro-catalytic applications.

Churchill Leadership Award to Ukraine’s Zelenskyy.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently presented Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with the Sir Winston Churchill Leadership Award, drawing comparisons between the two leaders in times of crisis.

About Churchill award

The award recognizes extraordinary leadership by individuals in the spirit of wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill. The Churchill leadership award was first presented in 2006. Past recipients include Prince Charles, former British Prime Ministers Margaret Thatcher and John Major, and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

Why Zelenskyy

President Zelenskyy has faced a test of leadership just as severe as Churchill. 

He has, with quintessentially Churchillian composure, showing the world what moral and physical courage really means. His defiance, dignity and serenity under pressure have moved millions.

President’s Colours Award-2022.

Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu recently presented the prestigious President’s Colours to the Tamil Nadu police, stating it is a recognition of the State police’s commendable service and multiple achievements.

What is the President’s Colours Award?

The President’s Colour is the highest honour bestowed upon any Indian military unit, military training organisation, or state/UT Police Force. 

It is given in honour of a military unit’s exemplary service to the country over a period of at least 25 years, in both war and peace. “Rashtrapati ka Nishaan” is another name for it. The President’s Colour award- a special flag, is given by the President of India to a military unit in an organised event.

History of the Award

The President’s Colour award has a long and illustrious history dating back to ancient Indian customs. 

When any military force marched in ancient times, they carried the king’s ‘dhwajas’ or ‘patakas,’ or just a banner, to proclaim their king’s sovereignty.

LIC enters Fortune 500 list.

Government-owned Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) entered the Fortune Global 500 list for the first time. A total of nine Indian companies have entered the list, out of which, five of them were state-owned and four were private-sector firms.

LIC holds the 98th rank in the Fortune Global 500 list for the current year.

Top companies: 

Among the top five companies on the list, two belonged to the United States, and three were from China. Walmart topped the Fortune Global list for the ninth year in a row, with Jeff Bezos’s Amazon taking the second place.

What is the Fortune 500?

The term Fortune 500 refers to a list of 500 of the largest companies in the United States compiled by Fortune magazine every year. Companies are ranked by their annual revenues for their respective fiscal years. This list includes both public and private companies using publicly available revenue data.

Beyond Borders

India, Iran sign MoU for movement of seafarers.

India and Iran recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on recognition of Certificates of Competency in Unlimited Voyages to help seafarers from both countries.

This is signed as per the provisions of the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and WatchKeeping for Seafarers (1978).

What is the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers convention?

STCW convention is a multilateral convention to establish basic requirements on training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers on an international level. It was adopted in 1978 and entered into force in 1984. India notified it in 1984; effective from 1985. Compliance and implementation to the convention is looked after by the International Maritime  Organisation (IMO), established in 1948 (HQ: Geneva) as a specialised UN agency. 

Importance of the agreement:

The seafarer agreement is the first tangible development after years of dormancy owing to the unfulfilled potential of the Chabahar port and Covid-related restrictions.

International Transport Forum.

The Union Cabinet was apprised of the signing of the Contract between the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, France on behalf of the International Transport Forum and the Technology Information, Forecasting and Assessment Council (TIFAC), India to support the International Transport Forum (ITF) activities in the Indian Transport Sector.

The activities to be carried out under this Contract will lead to:

1. New scientific results
2. New policy insights
3. Capacity building through increased scientific interaction
4. Identification of technology options for decarbonization of the transport sector in India.

What is the International Transport Forum?

The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation within the OECD system. It is the only global body with a mandate for all modes of transport. It acts as a think tank for transport policy issues and organises the annual global summit of transport ministers.

‘Porcupine Strategy’ to protect Taiwan

The recent long-range, live-fire drills by China’s Eastern Theatre Command of firing several ballistic missiles near the Taiwan border, raised defence concerns, even though Taiwan said that it was “preparing for war without seeking war”. 

The potential risk of Chinese invasion has hung over Taiwan for over 70 years, long enough for many Taiwanese to believe it will never happen. 

What is The porcupine strategy or asymmetrical warfare?

The “porcupine doctrine” was proposed in 2008 by US Naval War College research professor William S Murray. It focuses on fortifying a weak state’s defences to exploit the enemy’s weaknesses rather than taking on its strengths.

It is about building defences that would ensure that Taiwan “could be attacked and damaged but not defeated, at least without unacceptably high costs and risks”.

 Weapons

It also focuses on weapons that are easily concealed such as portable Javelin and Stinger missiles over expensive and easy-to-hit tanks, warships and naval vessels.

ITU’s Regional Standardisation Forum (RSF) for Asia and Oceania.

As a part of the celebrations during Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, India’s Ministry of Communication is hosting the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) Regional Standardisation Forum (RSF) for Asia and Oceania region on August 8, 2022, in New Delhi. 

The forum will be succeeded by a four-day meeting of ITU-T Study Group 3 Regional Group Asia and Oceania (ITU-T SG3RG-AO).

Theme 

Regulatory and Policy Aspects of Telecommunications/ICTs.

About the Forum

The forum is a platform for the constructive exchange of ideas, discussing standardisation topics including India’s experience in various sectors of technology like sustainable digital transformation and the role of ITU standards; harnessing technologies for digital and financial inclusion in emerging markets; and the evolving data value chain and digital health.

Objective

The objective of this meeting is to contribute towards the standardisation work of ITU-T Study Group 3 and also to secure the interest of the Asia-Oceania region.

World’s first Tobacco endgame law.

New Zealand’s plan to be smoke-by 2025 takes another tangible step forward with the first reading of a new bill in the parliament recently.

What is New Zealand’s Bill on Tobacco Endgame?

The Tobacco Endgame refers to a policy approach that focuses on ending the Tobacco Epidemic, aiming at a ‘tobacco-future’. The Bill seeks three Strategies to reduce Smoking significantly or end it. If implemented, it will be the world-first legislation that will stop the next generation from ever being able to legally buy cigarettes.

Global Initiatives to curb tobacco consumption:

• WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
• World No Tobacco Day.

India’s Initiatives to curb tobacco consumption:

• Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act (COTPA), 2003.
• Promulgation of the Prohibition of Electronic Cigarettes Ordinance, 2019.
• National Tobacco Quitline Services (NTQLS).
• mCessation Programme.

Japan’s Sakurajima volcano eruption.

A volcano on Japan’s major western island of Kyushu erupted recently.

The volcano, called Sakurajima, is located on the southern tip of Kyushu near the city of Kagoshima. There were reports of volcanic stones raining down at a distance of 2.5 km (1.5 miles) from the volcano.

About the Sakurajima volcano

Sakurajima is one of Japan’s most active volcanoes and eruptions of varying levels take place on a regular basis. Previously it erupted in 2019 and spewed ash 5.5 km (3.4 miles) high.

Most of the city of Kagoshima is across the bay from the volcano but several residential areas within about 3 km (1.9 miles) of the crater have been ordered to evacuate. Sakurajima is about 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) southwest of Tokyo.

Global Energy Prize 2022

The Global Energy Association announced the 2022 Prize laureates in Khanty-Mansiysk on 12 July. 

The winners are Viktor Orlov from Russia and two scientists from the USA – Mercouri Kanatzidis and Kaushik Rajashekara.

About the award:

The laureates were selected by the International Committee of scientists, and this year there were 119 nominations received from 43 countries. The winners were chosen by experts, headed by Nobel peace prize winner Rae Kwon Chung. 

The prize has been awarded regularly since 2003, always in a new region, and presented in three categories. This year each winner will receive 13 million rubles as prize money. 

The laureates participated in the awards ceremony virtually, and the organisers of the prize plan to personally congratulate them during Russian energy week.

About Kaushik Rajashekara

He is a distinguished Professor of Engineering, at the University of Houston.

Kaushik Rajashekara has made a unique and significant contribution to transport electrification, especially road and air transport. 

Game Time

Durand Cup

In Football, FC Goa took on Mohammedan Sporting Club in the opening match of the Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. 

About the tournament:

The 131st edition of the Durand Cup will feature 20 teams with all of them divided into four groups of five teams each. 11 are the clubs that play Indian Super League, five from I-League and four from the Armed forces. 

For the first time in its history, the tournament is being held in multiple cities — West Bengal, Assam and Manipur.

About Durand Cup:

The Durand Cup is the oldest football tournament in Asia and was started in 1888, named after its founder Sir Henry Mortimer Durand, who served as the foreign secretary of British India.

It first began as a football tournament for different departments and regiments of the Armed forces of British India and native India. 

Chess: Praggnanandhaa beats World Champion Magnus Carlsen.

For the third time in just six months, 17-year-old Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu defeated world champion, Magnus Carlsen, with his latest victory at the FTX Crypto Cup, the American finale of Champions Chess Tour, in Miami.

About R Praggnanandhaa

R Praggnanandhaa is just 17 years old, hailing from Chennai, having just graduated his 10th grade.

Praggnanandhaa won the World Youth Chess Championship Under-8 title in 2013, earning him the title of FIDE Master at the age of 7 and Under- 10 titles in 2015. He earned the international master title at the age of 10, the youngest at the time to do so, and the grandmaster title at the age of 12, the second-youngest at the time to do so.

He became the third Indian player to win a game against World Champion Magnus Carlsen in any time format, in the online Airthings Masters rapid tournament of the Champions Chess Tour 2022 on 20 February 2022.

Commonwealth Games 2022: Detailed Highlights.

India finished 4th at the Commonwealth Games 2022 with an overall medal tally of 61, including 22 Gold, 16 Silver, and 23 Bronze.

Birmingham 2022 is our 5th best showing being at New Delhi (101) in 2010.

India’s medal winners at CWG 2022: Complete List

Weightlifters won 10 medals, including 3 Gold medals while Table Tennis stars won 7 medals, including 4 Gold.

Sharath Kamal, the 40-year-old table tennis star, emerged as the most successful Indian athlete at Commonwealth Games 2022 with 4 medals, including 3 Gold.

SPORT-WISE SPLIT OF INDIA’S CWG 22 MEDALS

SPORT	GOLD	SILVER	BRONZE	TOTAL
WRESTLING	6	1	5	12
TABLE TENNIS	4	1	2	7
WEIGHTLIFTING	3	3	4	10
BOXING	3	1	3	7
BADMINTON	3	1	2	6
ATHLETICS	1	4	3	8
LAWN BOWLS	1	1	0	2
PARA POWERLIFTING	1	0	0	1
JUDO	0	2	1	3
HOCKEY	0	1	1	2
CRICKET	0	1	0	1
SQUASH	0	0	2	2

What is the Commonwealth?

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 independent and equal countries, with its roots going back to the British Empire.

What are Commonwealth Games?

An international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth Nations. Since 1930, the Games have taken place every four years, except in 1942 and 1946 (due to World War II).

Viswanathan Anand becomes FIDE deputy president.

Indian chess legend Viswanathan Anand was recently elected as deputy president of FIDE, the sport’s world governing body, while incumbent president Arkady Dvorkovich was re-elected for a second term.

Election

The elections to the world chess body were held during the FIDE Congress, conducted alongside the 44th Chess Olympiad.

Viswanathan Anand

Viswanathan Anand, the legendary Indian chess player and five-time world champion, began playing chess at six years old after learning the game from his mother. At the age of 15, he was already an International Master after winning the 1984 Asian Junior Championship for players under 20.

What is FIDE?

FIDE is the French acronym for “International Chess Federation or World Chess Federation”. It is an international organisation, headquartered in Switzerland, with a total of 200 members, currently. It was founded in Paris, France, on July 20, 1924.

Neeraj Chopra, the first Indian to win a Silver medal at WAC  

Tokyo Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra created history by winning a Silver medal in the men’s javelin throw event at World Athletics Championships. 

About the achievement

In the prestigious competition held at Eugene in Oregon, United States, the champ grabbed the second position with his best throw of 88.13 metres this morning. Grenadian javelin thrower Anderson Peters won the gold medal with a throw of 90.54 metres.

The first Indian to achieve this

Neeraj Chopra is the first ever Indian to win a silver medal at World Athletics Championships. He is the second Indian after former long jumper Anju Bobby George, who won a bronze medal in long jump at 2003 in Paris.

 About the World Athletics Championships

A biennial athletics competition organised by World Athletics (formerly IAAF, International Association of Athletics Federations). 

Cricket ground in England  named after Sunil Gavaskar

A cricket ground in Leicester England was named after one of India’s cricket legends – Sunil Gavaskar.

About Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar is an all-time great in world cricket. The former Indian cricket team captain is often considered one of the most skilled batters ever. He was the first cricketer to score 10,000 runs and once held the record for the most number (34) centuries. 

During the 70s and 80s, when West Indies were ruling world cricket, Gavaskar was impressed with his unique technique against the Windies fast bowlers. 

He was also part of the Indian team that won the 1983 World Cup. Now, honouring the legendary cricketer, a ground in Leicester has been named after him.

Tobi Amusan breaks World 100m Hurdles Record At World Championships

Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan has caused a stir after smashing a world record in the women’s 100-metre hurdles in the semifinals at the World Championships recently.

Record break:

Amusan came in with a record time of 12.12 seconds, beating Kendra Harrison’s 2016 record of 12.20 by 0.8 of a second.

About Tobi Amusan’s world record:

It is pertinent to mention that five of the eight women competing in the women’s 100m hurdles set personal best timings with a 0.9 metre/second tailwind. 

For record purposes, the maximum tailwind allowed is two metres/second. Meanwhile, back in 2016, Harrison had broken the previous world record under unusual circumstances, in London. 

An old tweet by Tobi Amusan, winner of the gold medal in 100m hurdles at the World Athletics Championships in the USA, has resurfaced online.

Tech in Focus

Hayabusa-2 probe

Hayabusa-2 probe brought 5.4 grams of rocks and dust from asteroid Ryugu to Earth in December 2020, and its study has suggested that water and organic materials might have been brought to our planet from the outer edges of the solar system.

What was the Hayabusa-2 mission?

The Hayabusa-2 mission was launched in December 2014 when the spacecraft was sent on a six-year voyage to study asteroid Ryugu. 

The spacecraft arrived at the asteroid in mid-2018 after which it deployed two rovers and a small lander onto the surface. 

In 2019, it fired an impactor into the asteroid’s surface to create an artificial crater, which allowed it to collect the samples.

What is an asteroid?

Asteroids are rocky objects that orbit the Sun, much smaller than planets. They are also called minor planets. 

According to NASA, there are 994,383 known asteroids, remnants from the formation of the solar system over 4.6 billion years ago.

Digantara to set up India’s First Observatory in Uttarakhand

India’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) observatory to track objects as small as 10 cm in size orbiting the earth, will be set up in the Garhwal region of Uttarakhand by Digantara, a space sector start-up.

Why was this observatory set up?

SSA observatory will help India track any activity in space including that of space debris and military satellites hovering over the region. The high-quality observations, along with those of its partner ground-based sensor network, would help improve its ability to monitor events occurring in deep space, especially in the geostationary, medium-Earth, and high-Earth orbits.

The observatory will also give India indigenous capabilities to monitor space activity over the subcontinent.

What is Digantara? 

Digantara is the world’s first space-based active orbital surveillance platform building one-stop solutions for space operations, based in Bengaluru, India and founded in December of 2018.

India’s first Hydrogen fuel cell bus

A hydrogen fuel cell bus developed by KPIT-CSIR, Pune was unveiled by Jitendra Singh, Union minister of state for Science and Technology, recently. 

Working of hydrogen fuel cell in the bus

Hydrogen fuel cells like the one present in the bus produce electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen atoms. The two gases react across an electrochemical cell similar to a conventional battery cell to produce electricity, water, and small amounts of heat. This electricity is then used by electric motors to propel the vehicle forward.

Benefits of hydrogen fuel cell

It uses hydrogen and air to generate electricity, producing only heat and water in the process. They function similarly to conventional batteries found in electric vehicles but do not run out of charge and don’t need to be recharged, continuing to produce electricity as long as there is a supply of hydrogen. Just like conventional cells, it consists of an anode and cathode sandwiched around an electrolyte.

Wentian, a Chinese space laboratory 

Recently China launched its space laboratory called Wentian, sending the country’s largest-ever spacecraft into Earth’s orbit to become part of the space station named Tiangong which is currently under construction.

What is Wentian?

The Wentian lab module, 17.9 metres (59 feet) long, will be where astronauts can carry out scientific experiments, along with the other lab module yet to be launched – Mengtian (“Dreaming of the Heavens”).

Wentian features an airlock cabin that is to be the main exit-entry point for extravehicular activities when the station is completed.

It will also serve as short-term living quarters for astronauts during crew rotations on the station, designed for the long-term accommodation of just three astronauts.

What is Tiangong Space Station?

The space station consists of three modules — the core module, Tianhe, and two lab modules, Wentian and Mengtian.

The Tianhe module was launched in 2021 and the Mengtian module is set to be launched in October 2022.

Planet in Focus

Arctic Amplification

Recently Finnish Meteorological Institute researchers published their study in the Communications Earth & Environment journal, concluding that the Arctic is heating four times faster than the rest of the planet.

What is Arctic amplification?

Global warming, the long-term heating of the earth’s surface, has been expedited by anthropogenic forces or human activities since pre-industrial times and has increased the planet’s average temperature by 1.1 degrees Celsius. 

While changes are witnessed across the planet, any change in the surface air temperature and the net radiation balance tends to produce larger changes at the north and south poles. This phenomenon is known as ‘polar amplification’, more pronounced at the northern latitudes known as Arctic amplification. 

What is the impact on India? 

The link between the changing Arctic and the monsoons in the subcontinent is growing in importance due to the extreme weather events the country faces, and the heavy reliance on rainfall for water and food security.

Global Air report 

New Delhi and Kolkata rank first and second, respectively, with Mumbai standing 14th on the list of the top 20 most polluted cities in the world in terms of PM2.5 levels, according to the latest State of Global Air report on air quality and health in cities.

About the study 

The study ranked cities on the basis of two major air pollutants — fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). 

PM2.5 is an atmospheric particulate matter of a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres, around 3% of the diameter of a human hair. It causes respiratory problems and reduces visibility.

List of the top 10 most polluted cities in the world (PM2.5) with the PM2.5 levels in μg/m3:

1. Delhi, India (110)
2. Kolkata, India (84)
3. Kano, Nigeria (83.6)
4. Lima, Peru (73.2)
5. Dhaka, Bangladesh (71.4)
6. Jakarta, Indonesia (67.3)
7. Lagos, Nigeria (66.9)
8. Karachi, Pakistan (63.6)
9. Beijing, China (55)
10. Accra, Ghana (51.9)

India adds 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar Sites.

India adds 11 more wetlands to the list of Ramsar sites to make a total of 75 covering an area of 13,26,677 ha.

The 11 new sites include  

• Four sites in Tamil Nadu.
• Three in Odisha.
• Two in Jammu & Kashmir and One each in Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. 

History of Ramsar sites addition

India is one of the contracting parties to the Ramsar Convention, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971. India signed it on 1st Feb 1982. 

In 2022, a total of 28 sites have been declared as Ramsar sites. Based on the date of designation mentioned on the Ramsar Certificate, the number is 19 for this year (2022) and 14 for the previous year (2021).

Maximum and minimum

Tamil Nadu has the maximum no. of Ramsar sites (14), followed by UP (10).

Brief of 11 wetlands designated as Ramsar sites 

S.No	Name of wetland	State
1.	Tampara Lake	Odisha
2.	Hirakud Reservoir
3.	Ansupa Lake
4.	Yashwant Sagar	Madhya Pradesh
5.	Chitrangudi Bird Sanctuary	Tamil Nadu
6.	Suchindram Theroor Wetland Complex
7.	Vaduvur Bird Sanctuary
8.	Kanjirankulam Bird Sanctuary
9.	Thane Creek	Maharashtra
10.	Hygam Wetland Conservation Reserve	Jammu and Kashmir
11.	Shallabugh Wetland Conservation Reserve

Monarch Butterflies declared endangered

The migratory monarch butterfly, a sub-species of the monarch butterfly that travels around 4,000 kilometres across America each year, has been classified ‘endangered’ in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. 

About the Monarch Butterfly

This is one of the most recognisable butterflies in the world. 

In North America, millions of monarch butterflies undertake the longest migration of any insect species known to science.

Reasons for its threat

• Loss of habitat.
• Increased use of herbicides and pesticides for agriculture.
• Climate change.

How to recover?

Planting milkweed, a plant that the caterpillars depend upon. 

Business & Economics

RBI’s Financial inclusion index

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently said that India’s financial inclusion index (FI-Index) for the year ended March 31, 2022, improved to 56.4 from 53.9 in the previous year, with growth seen across all its sub-indices. The index is published annually in July.

The central bank had in April 2021 announced that it will form the index for measuring ‘financial inclusion’; the focus area for the government, central bank and other regulators.

What is RBI’s Financial inclusion index?

The RBI developed the composite financial inclusion index to capture the extent of financial inclusion across the country by including details of banking, investments, insurance, postal as well as the pension sector.

Parameters

The index comprises three parameters including access, usage and quality. 

The FI-Index is responsive to ease of access, availability and usage of services and quality of services, consisting of 97 indicators.

The quality parameter includes financial literacy, consumer protection, and inequalities and deficiencies in services.

First International Bullion Exchange of India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City) on July 29 to launch India International Bullion Exchange (IIBX) and NSE IFSC-SGX Connect, as well as lay the foundation stone of the headquarters of International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA).

What is IFSCA?

The IFSCA headquarters has been conceptualised as an iconic structure, reflective of the growing prominence and stature of GIFT-IFSC as a leading international financial centre. 

What is IIBX?

The IIBX is India’s first International Bullion Exchange. 

This platform will deepen liquidity in derivative markets at GIFT-IFSC, bringing in more international participants and creating a positive impact on the financial ecosystem in the GIFT-IFSC.

The rationale behind its setup:

This shall empower India to gain its rightful place in the global bullion market and serve the global value chain with integrity and quality. 

Singapore, the highest FDI contributor in India

Singapore (27.01%) and the USA (17.94%) have emerged as the top 2 sourcing nations in FDI equity flows into India in FY2021-22.

Data from UNCTAD

As per the UNCTAD World Investment Report (WIR) 2022, in its analysis of the global trends in FDI inflows, India has improved its position to reach the 7th rank among the top 20 host economies for 2021.

What is FDI?

Foreign direct investment (FDI) is when a company takes controlling ownership of a business entity in another country. 

With FDI, foreign companies are directly involved with day-to-day operations in the other country. This means they aren’t just bringing money with them, but also knowledge, skills and technology.

FDI Stats:

• The top 5 sectors receiving the highest FDI equity inflow during FY 2021-22 are computer software & hardware, the services sector, the automobile industry, trading and construction (infrastructure) activities.
• The top 5 States receiving the highest FDI equity inflow during FY 2021-22 are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Delhi, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.

Tomato Flu, new viral outbreak

Doctors have sounded an alarm over the “emergence of a new non-life-threatening” virus called tomato flu among children below five years of age. The flu was first identified in the Kollam district of Kerala recently.

The Virus

is caused by Coxsackie virus A 16, belonging to the Enterovirus family.

Symptoms

The primary symptoms observed in children with tomato flu are similar to those of chikungunya, which include high fever, rashes, and intense pain in joints. 

As with other viral infections, further symptoms include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dehydration, swelling of joints, body aches, and common influenza-like symptoms, which are similar to those manifested in dengue.

Treatment

Because tomato flu is similar to chikungunya and dengue as well as hand-foot-mouth disease, the treatment is also similar — isolation, rest, plenty of fluids, and a hot water sponge for the relief of irritation and rashes. Supportive therapy of paracetamol for fever and body aches and other symptomatic treatments are required.

Medicine from the sky: Drone-based healthcare services For Arunachal.

Arunachal Pradesh recently launched the first flight of drone service – ‘medicine from the sky’ from Seppa to Chayang Tajo in East Kameng district.

About the Project

This pilot project has been funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and executed by Bengaluru-based startup Redwing Labs.

The project involves the delivery of medicines using multiple drones, to assess alternative logistics routes in providing safe, accurate and reliable pick up and delivery of health care items like medicines,  vaccines, units of blood and other lifesaving equipment from the distribution centre to specific locations and back.

It also ensures healthcare equity for rural areas.

Drone services

A drone is a layman terminology for Unmanned Aircraft (UA). There are three subsets of Unmanned Aircraft – Remotely Piloted Aircraft, Autonomous Aircraft and Model Aircraft.

India will soon witness a higher number of industries embracing drone technology to make the country a global drone hub by 2030. 

UK becomes 1st country to approve Omicron vaccine

Britain recently became the first country in the world to approve a dual Covid-19 vaccine, which tackles both the original virus and the newer omicron variant.

The vaccine targets both the original strain of the virus and Omicron BA.1.

About the Vaccine

It produced 1.75 times more antibodies than the number found in people given a fourth booster of the existing vaccine and was better at tackling the BA.4/5 Omicron variants than the original shot.  

This variant has specific genetic markers that have been associated with changes to receptor binding, reduced neutralization by antibodies generated against previous infection or vaccination, reduced efficacy of treatments, potential diagnostic impact, or predicted increase in transmissibility or disease severity.

ICAR develops vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease

In a major breakthrough, two institutes of Agri research body ICAR have developed an indigenous vaccine for Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle which has spread across many States in the last few months.

Lumpi-ProVacInd, the vaccine, has been developed by two institutes under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – National Equine Research Centre, Hisar (Haryana) in collaboration with the Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izzatnagar (Bareilly).

What is Lumpy Skin Disease?

This Disease is caused by a virus called the Capripoxvirus and is “an emerging threat to livestock worldwide”. It is genetically related to the goatpox and sheeppox virus family. It infects cattle and water buffaloes, mainly through vectors such as blood-feeding insects.

Symptoms

• The appearance of circular, firm nodes on the animal’s hide or skin that look similar to lumps.
• Excessive nasal and salivary secretion.

Langya outbreak in China.

A new virus outbreak is raising concerns in parts of China as 35 new cases have been reported. 

Langya Virus Transmission

The virus is suspected to have jumped from animals to humans in a process called zoonosis and scientists found the LayV viral RNA in over 200 shrews they tested, hinting that they could be the natural reservoir of the virus. 

Symptoms

• Fever, fatigue, cough, nausea, and headache are the common ones
• Others include impaired liver and kidney function, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia.

Treatment

There is currently no vaccine or treatment for Henipavirus and the only treatment is supportive care to manage complications.

What is Zoonosis?

The type of disease originates in animals and can spread to humans. Infections occur through bites or contact with the infected animal’s bodily fluids. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, prions, or parasites cause zoonosis.

Types of Zoonosis diseases

Rabies, Ebola, certain strains of Swine flu, leptospirosis, brucellosis, anthrax, Zika and Ebola viruses.

WHO declares monkeypox as PHEIC

The World Health Organisation has declared the global monkeypox outbreak a ‘public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), one step below a ‘pandemic.’

What is MonkeyPox?

Monkeypox is a zoonotic viral disease with symptoms similar to smallpox, although with less clinical severity.

The infection was first discovered in 1958 in colonies of monkeys kept for research which led to the name ‘monkeypox’.

What is PHEIC?

A PHEIC, according to the WHO, constitutes an extraordinary event, which includes a public health risk to other states through the international spread, and which potentially requires a coordinated international response.

Categories of Health Emergency

Those with no reported cases or where the last case was from 21 days ago, those with recently imported cases and experiencing human-to-human transmission and finally, countries where cases are being reported and have a history of the presence of the virus.

Also, check:

Monthly Current Affairs Blogs	Monthly Current Affairs Blogs
Current Affairs for February 2022	Current Affairs for March 2022
Current Affairs for April 2022	Current Affairs for May 2022
Current Affairs for June 2022	Current Affairs for July 2022

We hope this detailed article on Current Affairs August 2022 helps you. All the best!