Current Affairs Daily Digest – December 17 & 18 2017

Latest Current Affairs


  1. Satheesh Reddy conferred with a national design award

Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Adviser to Raksha Mantri and Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems, has been conferred with the prestigious National Design Award.

He has bagged this award for his significant national contribution towards indigenous design and development of diversified missile systems, guided weapons, avionics technologies and for his sustained efforts leading to the advancement of aerospace technologies and industries in India.

  1. Educationist Dr. Gaurav Nigam awarded ‘National Gaurav Award 2017’

Dr. Gaurav Nigam, a well-known educationist, paediatrician, founder and CEO of iCare, an organization working in the area of new-age child health care; and intelligentsia, research-based playschool has been awarded ‘National Gaurav Award 2017’ for his contribution in the field of education and childcare.

This award is a recognition for those who are doing exceedingly well in their fields. The award is aimed at motivating and recognizing these stars at a national platform who are contributing towards building a foundation for new India.

  1. Mo Farah wins BBC Sports Personality of the Year award

Sir Mo Farah was named the winner of the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year award.  He is 34-year-old, a four-time Olympic champion, won his third successive world 10,000m gold medal in London in August.

  1. IT-ITeS SSC NASSCOM inks MoU to launch employability enhancement programs

In a bid to enhance skills and employment in the IT sector in India, IT-ITeS Sector Skills Council NASSCOM (SSC NASSCOM) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam University (AKTU) to launch Employability Enhancement Programs (EEP).

The strategic alliance with Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam University aims to offer programs to undergraduate students either as an elective course to existing courses or as add-on programs with the goal to enhance their employability skills.

  1. Meghalaya launches India’s first social audit law

Meghalaya was become the first state in India to operationalize a law that makes a social audit of government programmes and schemes a part of government practice.

Chief Minister Mukul Sangma launched ‘The Meghalaya Community Participation and Public Services Social Audit Act, 2017’, at a national convention in Shillong.

  1. Andhra Cabinet approves pension, house plot for transgenders

The Andhra Pradesh Cabinet has approved a scheme to provide a pension of Rs 1500 to transgenders above 18 years of age in the state.

Under this scheme, the transgenders will be provided with ration cards, plots, and scholarships, also skill development for financial stability.

After Kerala and Odisha, Andhra Pradesh becomes the next state to sanction pension scheme for the transgender community.

  7. Institute to study ‘Bhagavad Gita’ to be set up in UP

A research institute for the study of the ‘Bhagavad Gita’ will be soon set up by the Uttar Pradesh government in this temple town.

The Gita Research Institute has been proposed by the Yogi Adityanath government. For research on Gayan (singing), Vadan (the art of music) and Nratya (dance) of the Krishna age, the government is setting up the institute.

  1. Bill to amend Payment of Gratuity Act provisions

The government has introduced a bill in the Lok Sabha that will allow it to notify the period of maternity leave and gratuity that can be availed by employees under a central law.

The Payment of Gratuity Act 1972 was enacted to provide for gratuity payment to employees engaged in factories, mines, oilfields, plantations, ports, railway companies, shops or other establishments.

It is applicable to employees who have completed at least five years of continuous service in an establishment that has ten or more persons.

  1. Global Hunger Index 2017

As per 2017 Global Hunger Index (GHI) Report, published by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), India ranks 100 out of 119 countries.

The Global Hunger Index is a tool designed to comprehensively measure and track hunger at the global, regional, and national levels. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) calculates GHI scores each year to assess progress and setbacks in combating hunger.

  1. WHO Certifies Gabon as Polio-Free

The World Health Organisation has declared Gabon a “polio-free country”, given the lack of new reported or suspected cases in the central African country.

According to a WHO statement obtained by AFP, the UN health agency nonetheless recommended taking the necessary steps to continue monitoring for possible signs of the disease.

Gabon
Capital Libreville
Currency Central African CFA franc
  1. Sebastian Pinera Wins Chile’s Presidential Election

Sebastián Piñera won Chile’s presidency, with his center-left opponent Alejandro Guillier conceding the election as Chile followed other South American nations in a political turn to the right.

Chile
Capital Santiago
Currency Chilean peso
  1. Sindhu wins silver at year-ending World Superseries Finals

PV Sindhu finished with the silver medal in the BWF World Super Series Finals after going down to Akane Yamaguchi in the women’s singles final.

She won the first game 21-15. But, Yamaguchi took advantage of a tiring Sindhu and made sure her smashes were far from Sindhu’s defense. She won the second game 21-12.

  1. 2002 World Cup Winner Kaka Retires from Football

Former AC Milan and Real Madrid midfielder Kaka announced that he is retiring from football.

Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite commonly known as Kaká or Ricardo Kaká is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as an attacking midfielder. Kaká made his professional club debut at age 18 at São Paulo FC in Brazil in 2001.

  1. Sushil Kumar, Sakshi Malik strike gold at Commonwealth Wrestling C’ship

Sushil Kumar and Sakshi Malik won gold in Commonwealth Wrestling Championships held in Johannesburg South Africa.

Double Olympic medallist Sushil defeated New Zealand’s Akash Khullar’s in the final of the men’s 74-kilogram freestyle category to win his first medal in international wrestling since his gold medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

  1. India win 10 medals in Wushu Sanda Asian Cup

India bagged as many as 10 medals in the first Wushu Sanda Asian Cup that concluded in Guangzhou, China.

Praveen (48kg), Mukesh Chaudhary (70kg), Rajender Singh (90kg), Arunpama Devi (60kg) and Vishakhapatnam Malik (70kg) won five silver medals for India.

Besides, India also bagged five bronze medals through Uchit Sharma (52kg), L Budhdhachandra Singh (56kg), Rajani Deori (75kg), Y Sanathoi Devi (52kg), and Pooja Kadian (65kg).

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