• National

Divya Patidar Joshi Crowned Mrs. India 2018 Title

• Divya Patidar Joshi of Madhya Pradesh was crowned with the prestigious India 2018 Title.
• The Mrs. India My Identity Beauty Pageant 2018 finale was held in Delhi on 25th Dec 2018.
• Divya won the crown of Mrs India this year from among 24 promising contestants.
• She won all the rounds of Beauty with Brain contest along with Best Cat Walk title.
• Now, in the year 2019, she would be representing for Mrs. Universe title.

• National

Triple Talaq Bill passed in Lok Sabha

• The Lok Sabha on 27th Dec 2018 passed The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, after a heated debate.
• Before the start of the voting, Congress and AIADMK staged a walkout from the House opposing certain provisions of the bill that makes instant triple talaq or talaq-e-biddat a criminal offense, with a jail term of up to three years with a fine.
• The Bill will replace the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Ordinance-2018.
• 245 members voted in favor while 11 voted against the bill.

• National

Central Railway introduces ATE System

• The Central Railways introduced a new state-of-the-art technology called Automated Train Examination System (ATES).
• ATES has been developed by Konkan Railways.
• It measures axle box temperature, wheel disc temperature, and records the under-gear of rolling stock of running trains through infrared and other cameras.
• ATES also immediately warns about hot axle and brake binding cases.

• International

Govt bans Khalistan Liberation Force

• The government has banned Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) for its involvement in several killings, bombings, and other terror activities during its violent campaign for “secession of Punjab”.
• The decision to ban the outfit under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) comes in the backdrop of agencies unearthing several KLF modules in recent months which has led to apprehensions that it is attempting to revive militancy in the state.
• The Khalistan Liberation Force and all its manifestations have been declared outlawed under the under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a Home Ministry order said on Wednesday, adding it will be the 40th organization to be prescribed under this law.
• According to officials, during the height of militancy in Punjab in the 1980s and 1990s, the group was involved in a series of unlawful activities.

• International

Pakistan to issue ‘Panda bonds’

• Pakistan’s cabinet has approved the issuance of first-ever renminbi-denominated ‘Panda Bonds’.
• It will issue the bonds to raise loans from China’s capital markets.
• It expects to raise $500 million to $1 billion in different tranches.
• The interest rate may be over 5.5% but the final price will be determined at the time of launching the bond.

• Appointments

Ambika Prasad Panda appointed CMD of SECL

• Ambika Prasad Panda was appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of South Eastern Coalfields Limited (SECL).
• She is at present Director of finance in SECL.
• She has been appointed the CMD of SECL for a period of five years.
• SECL is the subsidiary of Coal India Limited and its headquarters is in Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh.

• Appointments

Rajesh appointed as CEO FedEx Express

• Indian-American Rajesh Subramaniam was named as the President and Chief Executive Officer of U.S. multinational courier delivery giant FedEx Express.
• He is currently the Executive Vice- President and Chief Marketing and Communications Officer of FedEx Corporation
• He will assume his new role on January 1, 2019.
• He will replace the CEO David L Cunningham.

• Science and Tech

Cabinet approves 10,000 cr Gaganyaan project

• The Union Cabinet approved the Gaganyaan project under which a three-member crew will be sent to space for at least seven days.
• The project will cost Rs 10,000 crore.
• India has already inked agreements with Russia and France for assistance in the ambitious project.
• Gaganyaan will help India become the fourth nation to send humans to space.
• The mission will be undertaken by 2022.

• Defence

Russia ‘successfully’ tests hypersonic missile

• According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia has become the first country to complete the development of hypersonic weapons.
• The Intercontinental, nuclear-capable hypersonic missile system will enter service in Russia’s military next year, President Vladimir Putin added.
• The weapon, dubbed “Avangard,” successfully hit a target 6,000 kilometers from launch, according to a separate statement from the Kremlin.
• The Avangard is invulnerable to intercept by any existing and prospective missile-defense means of the potential adversary.

• Miscellaneous

Indian Social Science Congress inaugurated

• The 42nd Indian Social Science Congress was inaugurated by Manipur Governor Dr. Najma Heptulla in Bhubaneswar on 27 December 2018.
• The theme of the congress is ‘Human Future in Digital Era’.
• Indian Social Science Congress is the annual meet of social scientists organized by Indian Social Science Academy (ISSA).