17th December 2018 Current Affairs
Shree Saini crowned ‘Miss India Worldwide’
- Indian-American Shree Saini won the ‘Miss India Worldwide 2018’ title at the 27th annual global pageant competition held in New Jersey.
- Sakshi Sinha from Australia and Anusha Sareen from United Kingdom were respectively declared first and second runner-ups.
- The competition was organised by the New York-based India Festival Committee.
Indonesia’s Soputan volcano erupts
- Mount Soputan in central Indonesia has erupted, ejecting columns of thick ash as high as 7,500 metres into the sky on 16 December 2018.
- It is located on the northern part of Sulawesi island.
- Soputan is one among Indonesia’s more than 120 active volcanoes.
- Indonesia is prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’.
Virat: 2nd fastest to score 25th Test century
- Virat Kohli became the second fastest batsman to score 25 Test centuries.
- He reached the milestone in 127 innings on Day 3 of the Perth Test between India and Australia on 16 December 2018.
- Sachin Tendulkar took 130 innings to score 25 Test centuries and is behind Virat Kohli.
- Don Bradman took just a mere 68 innings to score 25 Test hundreds.
French govt. honours producer Ashok Amritraj
- Film producer Ashok Amritraj was honoured with the ‘French Knight of the National Order of Merit’ on 14 December 2018.
- Mr Amritraj has been the producer of Hollywood films such as Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance with Nicholas Cage and 99 Homes starring Andrew Garfield.
- He was awarded for his contribution to the world of cinema and Indo-French film industry.
Wickremesinghe reappointed as PM of Sri lanka
- Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was reinstated by President Maithripala Sirisena on 16 December 2018.
- President Sirisena administered the oath that restored Wickremesinghe to the office of Prime Minister.
- In October 2018, President Sirisena dismissed the cabinet and replaced Wickremesinghe with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Centre appoints Madhavi Divan as ASG in Supreme Court
- The Central government has appointed advocate Madhavi Divan as the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) to represent it in the Supreme Court.
- Divan is the third woman to be appointed as ASG in the top court.
- She has represented two state governments, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh, in the apex court.
- She will hold the office till June 30, 2020.
Star India CEO Uday Shankar elected Vice President of FICCI
- 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.
- He was recently appointed Star and Disney India’s Chairman and President of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific.
- Shankar is the first-ever Indian media and entertainment executive to assume leadership position in a national industry chamber.
India Sets World Record In Nuclear Plant Operation
- The indigenously developed Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Karnataka has set a new world record, with one of its units operating uninterrupted for more than 940 days.
- This is a record for all kinds of nuclear power-generating units, including advanced gas-based reactors in the world.
- The record was earlier held by Unit 2 of Heysham of the United Kingdom, which operated non-stop for 940 days.
- The same unit had set a world record in October 2018, by operating uninterrupted for 894 days among Pressurized Heavy Water Reactors.
Navy to inaugurate ‘Information Fusion Centre’
- The Navy will inaugurate the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Through this Centre, information on ‘white shipping’, or commercial shipping, will be exchanged with countries in the region to improve maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean.
- The IFC has been established at the Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, Haryana.
MP CM waives farm loans of up to ₹2 lakh 2 hours after taking oath
- Congress leader Kamal Nath waived farm loans of up to ₹2 lakh, two hours after taking over as CM of Madhya Pradesh today.
- Congress President Rahul Gandhi had announced that farm loans of up to ₹2 lakh will be waived within 10 days of the new government.
- “CM, Madhya Pradesh, waives farm loans. 1 done. 2 to go,” Rahul tweeted.
India Announces $1.4 billion Package for Maldives, Agreements Signed
- India announced a $1.4 billion package for the Maldives to meet its immediate budgetary as well as some medium-term requirements.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the package that includes soft loans after talks with visiting Maldives President Ibrahim Solih in New Delhi.
- The Maldives is weighed down by some $3 billion in debt to China and the country is looking to India and Saudi Arabia, besides others, for help.
- In November 2018, New Delhi had offered an immediate loan of $25 million to the Maldives during a visit by its new foreign minister Abdullah Shahid.
Try out the quiz ?
1. Who has won the ‘Miss India Worldwide 2018’?
Indian-American Shree Saini won the ‘Miss India Worldwide 2018’ title at the 27th annual global pageant competition held in New Jersey.
2. Soputan volcano has erupted recently, in which country this volcano is situated?
Mount Soputan in central Indonesia has erupted, ejecting columns of thick ash as high as 7,500 metres into the sky on 16 December 2018.
3. Virat Kohli became the second fastest batsman to score 25 Test centuries in which inning he reached this milestone?
Virat Kohli became the second fastest batsman to score 25 Test centuries. He reached the milestone in 127 innings on Day 3 of the Perth Test between India and Australia on 16 December 2018.
4. Ashok Amritraj was honoured with the ‘French Knight of the National Order of Merit’ on 14 December 2018. Ashok Amitraj realted with which field?
Film producer Ashok Amritraj was honoured with the ‘French Knight of the National Order of Merit’ on 14 December 2018.
5. Who is the current President of Srilanka?
Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe was reinstated by President Maithripala Sirisena on 16 December 2018. President Sirisena administered the oath that restored Wickremesinghe to the office of Prime Minister.
6. Who has been appointed as Additional Solicitor General (ASG) of India?
The Central government has appointed advocate Madhavi Divan as the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) to represent it in the Supreme Court.
7. Who has been elected as Vice President of FICCI?
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.
8. Kaiga Atomic Power Station situated in which sate?
The indigenously developed Kaiga Atomic Power Station in Karnataka has set a new world record, with one of its units operating uninterrupted for more than 940 days.
9. The Information Fusion Centre (IFC) has been established the Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC). In which city this centre has been established?
The Navy will inaugurate the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The IFC has been established at the Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, Haryana.
10. CM of Madhya Pradesh has waived farm loans up to which limit?
Congress leader Kamal Nath waived farm loans of up to ₹2 lakh, two hours after taking over as CM of Madhya Pradesh today.
Q.11 Read the sentences Carefully
1. India announced a $1.4 billion package for the Maldives to meet its immediate budgetary as well as some medium-term requirements.
2. President Ramnath Kovind announced the package that includes soft loans after talks with visiting Maldives President Ibrahim Solih in New Delhi.
3. The Maldives is weighed down by some $3 billion in debt to China and the country is looking to India and Saudi Arabia, besides others, for help.
Which of the above sentences is /are correct?
India announced a $1.4 billion package for the Maldives to meet its immediate budgetary as well as some medium-term requirements. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the package that includes soft loans after talks with visiting Maldives President Ibrahim Solih in New Delhi. The Maldives is weighed down by some $3 billion in debt to China and the country is looking to India and Saudi Arabia, besides others, for help.
