VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 4^th , 2018

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 4^th, 2018

1.     As per the ratings released by Passport Index, the United Arab Emirates has topped the Global Passport Power Rank 2018, emerging as the country with the most powerful passport in world.  

a.      The country moved from 3rd to first place after four more countries granted visa-free access to citizens of the emirate. 

b.     With this, UAE passport holders can now fly to 113 countries without a visa, and 54 others with a visa-on-arrival.

c.      Top 3 Countries in Global Passport Power Rank 2018 : 

i)      UAE

ii)    Singapore

iii) Germany

2.     A Sri Lankan court has issued an order blocking Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as Prime Minister and holding cabinet meetings. 

a.      Rajapaksa was appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena after he sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe as PM.

3.     External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is on a visit to United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

a.      During this visit, she is co-chairing the 12th session of the India-UAE Joint Commission Meeting for Economic and Technical Cooperation with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Foreign Minister of the UAE).

4.     India celebrates 45th Navy Day today

a.      The day is celebrated to commemorate the start of Operation Trident during the 1971 India-Pakistan War.

b.     On December 4, 1971, the Indian Navy sank four Pakistani ships and destroyed Karachi harbour fuel tanks, killing over 500 Pakistani Navy personnel without suffering damages. 

c.      The attack cut off Pakistan's western command from East Pakistan, which later led to the liberation of Bangladesh.

d.     Chief of Naval Staff : Admiral Sunil Lanba

5.     The Punjab Cabinet today cleared a proposal to set up an International Civil Terminal at Air Force Station, Halwara in Ludhiana district. 

a.      The terminal will be jointly developed by the state government and Airports Authority of India (AAI).

6.     Elon Musk-led startup SpaceX today successfully launched 64 satellites aboard its Falcon 9 rocket into Earth's orbit, setting a new US record. 

a.      The rocket carried India's first fully private satellite 'ExseedSat-1', built by Mumbai-based startup Exseed Space for less than ₹2 crore. 

b.     Important Note : The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) holds the record for most satellites launched in one go, at 104 satellites in February 2017.

7.     Russian space agency Roscosmos has announced the spaceflight Soyuz MS-11 carrying 3 crew members, successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS). 

a.      The members including female NASA astronaut Anne McClain will spend over six months on the Earth-orbiting laboratory. 

b.     Soyuz entered target orbit within nine minutes of launch from Kazakhstan. 

c.      Note : This was Soyuz's first manned mission after a mid-air failure in October forced it to make an emergency landing minutes after launch.

8.     A book titled ‘Modiraj Main Kisan, Double Aamad Ya Double afat’ detailing how Modi government’s policies have led to a drop in farmers’ income and caused rural distress across the country was launched in New Delhi. 

a.      Author of the Book : Yogendra Yadav (President of Swaraj India)

9.     The Union Government (Ministry of Finance) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed $85 million loan agreement for Odisha Skill Development Project. 

a.      It aims to improve the skill development eco-system in Odisha and establish World Skill Center (WSC), an advanced skill training center in state capital Bhubaneswar.

10.                       The World Bank Group today announced that it will double its 5-year investments to $200 billion to fight climate change between 2021-2025.

a.      The fund will aid high-quality forecasts, early warning systems and climate information services. 

b.     Note : World Bank will contribute $100 billion and the rest will be raised by International Finance Corporation, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency and private capital.

11.                       1982-batch IAS officer of Manipur Tripura cadre Ajay Narayan Jha has been appointed as new Finance Secretary .

a.      He is going to replace Hasmukh Adhia who retired on November 30.

12. Private sector lender Yes Bank today appointed former IRDAI Chairman T S Vijayan as an Independent Director for a period of five years. 

a.      He is already a member of the search committee set up to identify a successor for Yes Bank CEO Rana Kapoor. 

b.     Vijayan has also served as the Chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).

13.                       Midfielder Luka Modrić, who led Croatia to their first-ever FIFA World Cup final, won this year's Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) 2018 Award. 

a.      The 33-year-old was named 2018 FIFA World Cup's best player and had also won this year's The Best FIFA Men's Player award. 

b.     The Female Ballon d'Or, went to Ada Hegerberg of Norway.

c.      Important Points to Note : 

i)      Ballon d'Or is an annual football award presented by France Football. 

ii)    This is the first time since 2007 that neither Cristiano Ronaldo nor Lionel Messi won the Ballon d'Or.