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IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS 16TH

DECEMBER 2018

If you are appearing for any Government Recruitment Exam, it is important that you are

familiar with the happenings around the world. Current Affairs is an important part of

your syllabus apart from English, Quantitative Aptitude or Logical Reasoning! Thus, we

bring you the Important General Awareness in PDF. Now, Banking, SSC and Insurance

aspirants can read the update containing all the Important Current Affairs 16th

December 2018. You can also attempt yesterday's current affairs quiz:

Current Affairs Quiz – 15th December 2018

Important Current Affairs 16th December 2018

Vijay Diwas celebrated on 16 December

o Vijay Diwas is celebrated every year in India on 16 December.

o The day marks the Indian military's victory over Pakistan in 1971 during

the war for the independence of Bangladesh from Pakistan.

o On this day, 93,000 members of Pakistani troops surrendered to the

Indian Army and Mukti Bahini, calling an end to the Indo-Pak war of 1971.

Source Link: https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/state-editions/cm-greets-indian-

army--ex-servicemen---people-on-vijay-diwas.html

NRTI dedicated to the Nation

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o The Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal dedicated the National Rail and

Transportation Institute (NRTI), India’s first Railway University, to the

nation in Vadodara on 15 December 2018.

o It is third such university in the world after Russia and China.

o The Railway University began its operations on 5th September 2018.

Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/goyal-rupani-to-

dedicate-india-s-first-railway-university-to-nation-tomorrow-118121400421_1.html

Business and Economy (10-15 Dec 2018)

o As per the RBI, the Current Account Deficit (CAD) widened to 2.9% of

GDP for the July-September quarter.

o As per the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

report, FDI inflows to South & South-West Asia decreased by 6% in 2017.

o Inflation based on wholesale prices fell to a three-month low of 4.64% in

November 2018, as prices of food articles, especially vegetables reduced.

Sports News (10-15 Dec 2018)

o The International Cricket Council (ICC) has roped in Royal Stag as the

official sponsor for the next five years.

o Steel Authority of India's Hockey Academy won the 115th 'All India Aga

Khan Gold Cup' hockey tournament 2018 in Delhi on 10 December 2018.

o The 2nd edition of 'Khelo India Youth Games' will be held in Pune in

January 2019.

MoUs and Agreements (10-15 Dec 2018)

o The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) approved a $400-

million loan for a water sanitation project in Andhra Pradesh.

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o The government of India and the Asian Development Bank signed a loan

agreement of $31 million for a tourism project in Tamil Nadu.

o India and Asian Development Bank signed a $60 million loan agreement

for flood management in Assam.

Govt Policies & Schemes- II (10-15 Dec 2018)

o The government of India notified the medical devices like nebulizers,

blood pressure monitors, digital thermometers, and glucometers as 'drugs'

under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

o The government of India raised its contribution from 10% to 14% in the

National Pension Scheme (NPS).

o The government of India has formulated a 'Crisis Management Plan' to

counter cyber attacks and cyber terrorism.

Govt Policies & Schemes- I (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Indian Ports Association under the guidance of the Ministry of Shipping

launched the Port Community System 'PCS1x' on 11 December 2018.

o The Ministry of Power launched 'ECO Niwas Samhita 2018' on 14

December 2018.

o The Agriculture Ministry launched the online portal 'Ensure' to connect

with direct benefit transfer and provide a simple, useful and transparent

system to the beneficiary

Awards and Honours- II (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Manipur Government honored MC Mary Kom with the title

'Meethoileima'in Imphal.

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o India's Manika Batra became the first Indian Table Tennis player to win

the 'Breakthrough Table Tennis Star' award.

o Jharkhand has been selected for the 'Krishi Karman' award 2018.

o Tata Steel Limited won the Prime Minister's Trophy for the 'Best

Performing Integrated Steel Plant' in the country for 2016-17.

Awards and Honours- I (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Conservationist Imran Siddiqui won the 'Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award

2018'.

o DMK MP Kanimozhi has been selected for the 'Best Woman

Parliamentarian Award' (Rajya Sabha) set up by Lokmat newspaper for

2018.

o Tennis coach Sascha Bajin was chosen as the first winner of the Women's

Tennis Association's (WTA) 'Coach of the Year' award on 10 December

2018.

Indexes and Reports (10-15 Dec 2018)

o As per World Bank's Migration and Development Brief, India will retain

its position as the world’s top recipient of remittances in 2018.

o The report titled 'Regulatory Indicators for Sustainable Energy (RISE)

2018' was released by the World Bank.

o The 'Climate Change Performance Index' 2019 was published by

international NGO Germanwatch, the New Climate Institute, and Climate

Action Network.

Appointments - II (10-15 Dec 2018)

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o Justice Tarun Agarwala has been appointed as the presiding officer in the

Securities Appellate Tribunal, Mumbai.

o The Information and Broadcasting Ministry nominated Brijendra Pal

Singh as the new President of Film and Television Institute of India

Society.

o Ashok Gehlot will be the new Chief Minister of Rajasthan while Sachin

Pilot will be Deputy Chief Minister.

Appointments - I (10-15 Dec 2018)

o SWIFT India appointed ex-SBI chief Arundhati Bhattacharya as the new

chairman of its board.

o The government of India appointed Shaktikanta Das as the Governor of

the Reserve Bank of India.

o Comptroller and Auditor General Rajiv Mehrishi became the Vice-Chair of

the United Nation's Panel of Auditors.

o Shri Bharat Bhushan Vyas, IAS became the Member of Union Public

Service Commission.

International News (10-15 Dec 2018)

o The United Nations adopted the 'Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and

Regular Migration' in Morocco on 10 December 2018.

o Israel became a full member of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on

10 December 2018.

o The Nepal government banned the use of Indian currency notes of Rs

2,000, Rs 500 and Rs 200 denominations.

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Miscellaneous News (10-15 Dec 2018)

o The book titled 'Of Counsel: The Challenges of the Modi-Jaitley Economy',

authored by Arvind Subramanian was launched on 7 December 2018.

o India will get its first underwater museum off the Puducherry coast.

o India signed an ascension pact to the 'Trans-Regional Maritime Network'.

o The 1st International Conference on 'Sustainable Water Management' was

held in Mohali on 10-11 December 2018.

Science and Technology (10-15 Dec 2018)

o NASA's 'Voyager 2' probe has become the second human-made object to

enter interstellar space.

o Google has announced a partnership with Polis, the international

journalism think-tank at London School of Economics and Political

Science, to create 'Journalism Artificial Intelligence (AI)' project.

o The ISRO will launch communication satellite 'GSAT-7A' from Sriharikota

on 19 December 2018.

Persons in News (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Mexico’s Vanessa Ponce de Leon won the coveted ‘Miss World 2018’

crown.

o Goa’s Prathamesh Maulingkar has become the first Asian/Indian to win

‘Mister Supranational 2018’ title.

o Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi has been named Time magazine’s

‘Person of the Year’.

Places in News (10-15 Dec 2018)

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o 'Shi Yomi' and Lepa Rada have become the 23rd and 24th district of

Arunachal Pradesh respectively.

o With the commissioning of the Kannur airport, Kerala has become the first

in the country to have four international airports.

o A 'Nishidhi' stone inscription from the 12th century was found at 'Nandi

Basaveshwara temple' in Harakere village in Karnataka.

Defence News -II (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Agni V was successfully launched from a canister on a road-mobile

launcher at the Dr. Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha on 10

December 2018.

o The Indian Coast Guard launched the 'Operation Oliva' exercise at the

Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in Odisha.

Defence News -I (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Indian Navy and Russian Federation Navy held the maritime exercise

'Indra Navy 2018' from 9 to 16 December 2018.

o Indian Air Force and Russian Federation Aerospace Force will hold

exercise 'Aviaindra 2018' at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 10 to 21

December 2018.

o The Indian Air Force conducted the exercise 'Cross Bow 18' in Andhra

Pradesh on 8 December 2018.

Days and Events (10-15 Dec 2018)

o Human Rights Day is observed every year on 10 December.

o International Mountain Day (IMD) is observed every year on 11 December.

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o International Day of Neutrality is observed every year on 12 December.

o International Universal Health Coverage Day is observed on 12 December.

o National energy conservation day is celebrated every year in India on 14

December.

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