Important Current affairs of December 26, 2015

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 26, 2015

1. After wrapping up his two-day visit to Russia, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his way back home reached Kabul this morning.
• There, he held a meeting with Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani in Kabul.
• Modi inaugurated the new building of Afghan Parliament which has been constructed by India at a cost of about 90 million US dollars.
• Note : The Parliament building has a block named after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
2. India and Russia yesterday signed 16 agreements, including those relating to cooperation in helicopter engineering and constructing solar plants.
• The agreements were signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia.
• "2nd Good Governance Day" was being observed yesterday.
• India observes this day to celebrate the 91st birthday of former Prime Minister Bharat Ratna Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
3. Yesterday on 25^th December 154th birth anniversary of social reformer (Bharat Ratna) Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya was observed.
4. Great Independence Activist, politician and Statesman Bharat Ratna C Rajagopalachary's Death Anniversary was observed yesterday on December 25, 2015.
5. Health Minister J P Nadda announced 4 new IT-based initiatives for citizen-centric health services.
• Kilkari : 
• This is an audio-based mobile service that delivers weekly audio messages to families about pregnancy, child birth and child care.
• Mobile Academy :  
• This is a mobile-based application.
• This will aid in enhancing their inter-personal skills.
• About 9000,000 ASHAs will be trained using this service.
• Once registered, ASHAs can access the 240-minute course via their mobile phones.
• RNTCP : 
• Mr Nadda informed about making the Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) more patient-centric. 
• A dedicated toll free number, 1 8 0 0 - 1 1 6 6 6 6, with a call centre is being started to provide round the clock support for patient counselling and treatment support services.
• M-Cessation : 
• This will be an IT-enabled tool to help tobacco users to quit tobacco. 
• Built on a helpline concept, it will register beneficiaries on the basis of a missed call. 
• The counselling would be done through a two-way SMS process.
6. For the benefit of farmers, Union Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Minister Radha Mohan Singh has launched two mobile apps namely Crop Insurance and AgriMarket Mobile.
• The apps were launched to celebrate the birth anniversary of former Prime Ministers Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Choudhary Charan Singh.
• Their birthday will be celebrated by organising Kishan Jai Vigyan Week.
7. Direct-selling FMCG firm Amway India yesterday announced Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar as its brand ambassador to promote Nutrilite range of the products.
8. Veteran Actress and Bollywood Style Icon Sadhana Shivdasani (74) passed away.
• Sadhana was known for films like Love in Simla, Parakh, Hum Dono, Waqt, Woh Kaun Thi.
• The actress who famously introduced the fringe hairstyle also known as Sadhana cut.
• She was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by IIFA in 2002.
9. 4,030 People of Chengannur (a villiage in Kerala) have set a new Guinness World Record by forming the Largest Human ‎Christmas Tree.
10. South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) Suzuki Cup
• India defeated Sri Lanka 2-0.
11. Sri Lanka's Kusal Perera faces a four-year ban after the country's sports minister said the wicketkeeper-batsman's 'B' sample has also tested positive for a prohibited substance.
• Note : The International Cricket Council (ICC) provisionally suspended the 25-year-old after he failed an out-of-competition anti-doping test in October.