VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 17^th&18^th, 2018

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF DECEMBER 17^th&18^th, 2018

1.     17th December is International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.

a.      This day calls attention to hate crimes committed against sex workers worldwide, as well as the need to remove the social stigma and discrimination that have contributed to violence against sex workers and indifference from the communities they are part of. 

2.     18th December is observed as International Migrants Day.

a.      On 18th December 1990, the UN General Assembly adopted the international convention on the protection of the rights of migrant workers and members of their families.

b.      Theme of International Migrants Day 2018 : Migration with Dignity

3.     New Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is on a 3-day state visit to India.

a.      This is Solih's 1st foreign trip after he assumed office. 

b.      During this visit, he held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to strengthen bilateral ties.

c.      After the talks, PM Narendra Modi announced $1.4 billion in financial aid to Maldives.

d.      The two nations signed four pacts, including one on visa facilitation.  

4.     To pay homage to Indian soldiers who were martyred in the 1971 war against Pakistan, the Bangladesh government has announced that it is going to build a war memorial in Brahmanbaria (Chittagong).

5.     With an aim to end the Afghan war, the Pakistan government has organised peace talks between the United States and Afghan Taliban. 

a.      Representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and the UAE are also attending the three-day talks in Abu Dhabi.  

6.     18th December is observed as Minorities Rights Day in India. 

a.      India celebrates Minorities’ rights day on 18th of December every year, as introduced by the United Nations. 

b.      The day is celebrated for promoting the actual and legal rights of Minority communities.

7.     As part of his electoral promise, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao today directed officials to begin the process of forming two new districts (Mulugu and Narayanpet) in the state. 

a.      Note : Telangana was formed in 2014 with 10 districts and later split into 31 districts in 2016.

8.     An All-women political party named 'National Women's Party (NWP)' was launched in Delhi today. 

a.      Announcing the launch, party President Swetha Shetty announced that the party aims to get 50% reservation for women candidates in Parliament and other places. 

9.     PM Narendra Modi today laid the foundation stone of Thane-Bhiwandi-Kalyan Metro and Dahisar-Mira-Bhayander Metro corridors in Maharashtra. 

a.      Modi also launched the City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) of Maharashtra's mass housing scheme, which offers affordable homes under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana. 

10.The Union Cabinet has approved the establishment of two new All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Tamil Nadu (Madurai) and Telangana (Bibinagar). 

11.Philippines' Catriona Gray has been crowned Miss Universe 2018, becoming the 4th woman from the country to win the title. 

a.      Tamaryn Green from South Africa was named the first runner-up while Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutiérrez stood third at the pageant which was held in Bangkok, Thailand. 

b.      India was represented by 22-year-old Nehal Chudasama, who couldn't qualify for top 20.

12.Star Screen Awards 2018 Winners

a.      Ranveer Singh - Best Actor for 'Padmaavat' 

b.      Alia Bhatt - Best Actress award for 'Raazi' 

c.      Sriram Raghavan - Best Director award for 'Andha Dhun' 

d.      'Stree' - Best Film Award

e.      'Mulk' - Best Film [Critics] Award

f.        Shabana Azmi - Lifetime Achievement Award

13.A documentary by Guneet Monga titled 'Period. End of Sentence.', which is based on women in India fighting against stigma of menstruation, has been shortlisted by Oscars in their Documentary Short Subject category.  

14.Assamese film 'Village Rockstars', India's official entry to Oscars 2019, has failed to make it to the Best Foreign Language Film category's new shortlist for the 91st Academy Awards. 

15.Congress leader Sajjan Kumar has been sentenced to life imprisonment in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by the Delhi High Court.  

16.The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has announced that it is going to complete processes for 5G spectrum auction by August 2019 and the services will be rolled out by 2020. 

17.US-based rocket propulsion company Rocket Lab today launched 13 cube satellites on its Electron rocket from New Zealand into low Earth orbit for NASA’s ELaNa-19 mission. 

a.      The rocket lifted off from the world’s only private orbital launch pad on the Mahia Peninsula. 

b.      The satellites will collect data on phenomena such as radiation belts and autonomous movement in space.

18.The government is going to launch Broadband Services Readiness Index of states based on parameters like infrastructure, approval processes and utilisation of high-speed Internet. 

19.Colin Kroll (35), the Co-founder of HQ Trivia and Vine, died today. 

a.      He had also worked with Twitter as an advisor.

20.The government today announced that the Public Sector Banks don't have any plans to shut down their ATMs. 

a.      This comes amidst a report by Confederation of ATM industry (CATMi) that half of 2.38 lakh machines may close down by March 2019 due to regulatory compliance changes making the business unviable.  

21.Aadhaar details for bank accounts or mobile phone connections will no longer be mandatory as Union Cabinet today approved an amendment to the existing law, making Aadhaar details optional for these services. 

a.      The Supreme Court on September 26 had upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar.

22.As per a new proposal by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), Patent applications filed by female innovators will get examined faster.

a.      This move would help in promoting women entrepreneurship in the country.

23.With earnings of $22.5 million, American model and television personality Kendall Jenner has been named the highest-paid model of 2018 by Forbes.

a.      She was followed by Karlie Kloss, who has $13 million in earnings and Chrissy Teigen who earned $11.5 million. 

24.Bhupesh Baghel took oath as Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh at Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium in Raipur.  

25.Kamal Nath has been sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh at the Jamboree Maidan in the state's capital Bhopal.  

26.Ashok Gehlot was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Rajasthan for the third time at the Albert Hall Museum in Jaipur.  

27.Star India's Chairman and CEO Uday Shankar has been elected Vice President of Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) for 2018-19.

a.      He was recently appointed Star and Disney India's Chairman and President of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific. 

b.      Note : Shankar is the first-ever Indian media and entertainment executive to assume leadership position in a national industry chamber.

28.Advocate Madhavi Divan has been appointed as the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) by the central government to represent it in the Supreme Court.

a.      With this, she became only the 3rd woman to be appointed as ASG in the top court. 

29.Belgium defeated Netherlands in the final in Bhubaneswar to clinch the Men's Hockey World Cup 2018 for the first time. 

a.      This is the second consecutive time that Netherlands finished second in the tournament.

30.Indian Premier League franchise Mumbai Indians has appointed former India fast bowler Zaheer Khan as its Director of Cricket Operations.