Today Current Affairs for Competitive Exams - Daily Current Affairs 2018-2019 Online
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 26th December 2018. You can also attempt yesterday's current affairs quiz:
Current Affairs Quiz 25th December 2018
Important Current Affairs 26th December 2018
Haryana to rename CCIs as 'Jagannath Ashrams'
o Haryana's Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar announced to name all the Child Care Institutes (CCIs) being run in the state as 'Jagannath Ashrams.'
o The Chief Minister made the announcement during an event in Karnal.
o A child care institution as defined under the JJ Act,2015, is a facility recognized under the Act for providing care and protection to children, who are in need of such services.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ani/haryana-to- rename-childcare-institutes-as-jagannath-ashrams-118122500468_1.html
Italy's Mount Etna erupts
o Italy's Mount Etna erupted on 24 December 2018, causing a magnitude 3.3 earthquake and the closure of Sicily's Catania Airport.
o The Mount Etna observatory said lava had spewed from a new fracture near its south-eastern crater.
o Mount Etna is Europe's highest and most active volcano.
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o In June 2013, it was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Source Link: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46675110
Weightlifters banned after 2012 Olympic tests
o The International Weightlifting Federation announced that five weightlifters have been provisionally suspended after reanalysis of their urine samples provided during the 2012 London Olympics.
o They include two Olympic champions, Ukrainian Oleksiy Torokhtiy, and Uzbekistan's' Ruslan Nurudinov.
o The other weightlifters are from Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Belarus.
Source Link: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/5-weightlifters-banned- after-2012-olympic-tests-reanalysed-11060174
Photography Awards to be held in Feb 2019
o The photo division of the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will organise the 7th National Photography Awards in February 2019.
o The photographers will be awarded in mainly three categories - lifetime achievement award, awards for professional photographers, and the awards for the amateur photographers.
o The Life Time Achievement award carries a cash prize of three lakh rupees.
Source Link: http://www.newsonair.com/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=357163
Youngest woman to have 50 World Cup wins
o America's Mikaela Shiffrin became the youngest woman to win 50 World Cup ski races with victory in the slalom in the French Alps on 22 December 2018.
o Slovakia's Petra Vlhova got the second position while Sweden's Frida Hansdotter was in third place in slalom championship.
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o Slalom is an alpine skiing and alpine snowboarding discipline, involving skiing between poles or gates.
Source Link: https://sports.ndtv.com/othersports/mikaela-shiffrin-first-woman-to- reach-50-world-cup-wins-with-courchevel-victory-1966742
Sulagitti Narasamma passed away
o Padma Shri award winner Sulagitti Narasamma passed away in Bengaluru on 25 December 2018.
o She conducted thousands of deliveries for free as a midwife at a time when medical help was hard to come by in rural areas.
o Recognising her service to the society, she was awarded the 'Devaraja Urs' award in 2012 and 'Kittur Rani Chennamma' award in 2013.
Source Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/karnataka/sulagitti- narasamma-passes-away/article25828799.ece
Rajnath lays foundation stones of 576 projects
o Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stones of 576 projects worth Rs 161 crore in Lucknow on 25 December 2018.
o On this occasion, Rajnath Singh also inaugurated 17 projects worth Rs 2 crore undertaken by CSR fund of Gas Authority of India Limited.
o He also inaugurated 'Vishram Sadan' having 210 beds at King George’s Medical University from CSR fund of Power Grid Corporation.
Source Link: https://www.dailypioneer.com/2018/state-editions/rajnath-lays- foundation-stones-of-576-projects.html
Train launched on Patalpani-Kalakund route
o The Western Railway (WR) launched the special heritage train on the Patalpani-Kalakund section in Madhya Pradesh's Ratlam district on 25 December 2018.
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o The heritage train will depart from Dr. Ambedkar Nagar station and will reach Kalakund.
o Patalpani-Kalkund is a British era meter gauge rail line and is the part of Western Railway's Ratlam division.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/wr-launches- heritage-train-on-patalpani-kalakund-route-in-mp-118122600328_1.html
Kuttappa new chief coach for men's boxing
o CA Kuttappa has taken over as India's Chief boxing coach on 26 December 2018.
o He took over from veteran coach SR Singh, who has now retired.
o His first major assignment would be the second edition of the India Open scheduled in January 2019 in Guwahati.
o He is credited with shaping some of the country's most successful boxers such as Vijender Singh, M Suranjoy Singh, among others.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/indian-boxing- kuttappa-new-chief-coach-for-men-vikas-out-of-camp-after-pro-plunge- 118122600319_1.html
Sitarist Manju Mehta gets 'Tansen Samman'
o Sitar player Manju Mehta was conferred with the 'Tansen Samman' for 2018 by the Madhya Pradesh government
o The award was given for her contribution in the field of music.
o She was given a cash award of Rs 2 lakh and a memento.
o She was presented with the award at the inaugural ceremony of the Tansen Music Festival on 25 December 2018.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/sitarist-manju- mehta-gets-tansen-samman-118122600321_1.html
Maha launches Vajpayee international schools 4 | P a g e
o Maharashtra government launched Atal Bihari Vajpayee International Schools in Mumbai on 25 December 2018.
o The schools are affiliated to the newly formed Maharashtra International Education Board (MIEB).
o The State aims to introduce international curriculum in 100 schools run by civic bodies, the tribal development department, the social justice department, and the education department.
Source Link: https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/cm-launches- international-schools-named-after-vajpayee/article25829170.ece
485 schemes launched under 'Digital Haryana'
o Haryana government launched 485 schemes under the 'Digital Haryana' initiative on 25 December 2018.
o Haryana became the first state in India, where 4000 'Atal Seva Kendras' in rural areas, 22 at district headquarters, 51 at the sub-divisional level, & 20 'Antyodya Saral Kendras' at Tehsil level, has been launched simultaneously.
o A toll-free Antyodaya Helpline number was also inaugurated.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/khattar-launches- 485-schemes-of-37-depts-under-digital-haryana-initiative-118122500499_1.html
List of top 10 police stations released
o Home Minister Rajnath Singh released the list of top 10 police stations in India during the DGPs and IGPs conference in Gujarat.
o The list was prepared by the Intelligence Bureau (IB).
o The Kalu police station in Rajasthan's Bikaner bagged the first rank.
o Andaman and Nicobar's Campbell Bay secured the second spot and West Bengal's Farakka was in third place.
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Source Link: http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2018/dec/21/tamil-nadu- puducherry-find-place-among-top-10-police-stations-in-india-1914616.html
Tata Coffee appoints Chacko Thomas as MD & CEO
o Tata Coffee appointed Chacko Purackal Thomas as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
o At present he is the Executive Director and Deputy CEO of Tata Coffee.
o He will take over from Sanjiv Sarin, whose term ends on March 31, 2019.
o Before joining Tata Coffee, he was the Managing Director of Kannan Devan Hills Plantations Company, Munnar, Kerala.
Source Link: https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/tata- coffee-appoints-chacko-thomas-as-md-ceo/article25821576.ece
Bengali poet Nirendranath passed away
o Veteran Bengali poet Nirendranath Chakraborty passed away on 25 December 2018.
o Alongside poetry, Nirendranath Chakraborty was well known for his short stories and novels.
o He also gained critical acclaim for his poetry book Ulongo Raja (The naked king).
o He won the prestigious Sahitya Academy prize for Ulongo Raja.
Source Link: https://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-eminent-bengali-poet- nirendranath-chakraborty-passes-away-2700133
Govt. to rename 3 Andaman and Nicobar Islands
o The government of India has decided to rename three islands in Andaman and Nicobar.
o The government has decided to rename Ross Island as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Island, Neil Island as Shaheed Dweep, and Havelock Island as Swaraj Dweep as a tribute to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. 6 | P a g e
o Bose hoisted the national flag in Port Blair on December 30, 1943.
Source Link: https://www.news18.com/news/india/narendra-modi-govt-set-to- rename-3-andaman-and-nicobar-islands-before-years-end-1983237.html
Japan announces withdrawal from IWC
o Japan has announced its withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission (IWC)in 2019.
o It will resume commercial hunting of whales in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone from July 2019.
o Japan will not be able to continue hunting of whale for the scientific research in the Antarctic.
o Japan joins Iceland and Norway which defies the IWC's ban on commercial whale hunting.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/japan-announces- iwc-withdrawal-will-resume-commercial-whaling-118122600102_1.html
Thailand approves medical use of marijuana
o On 25 December 2018, Thailand approved the licensed use of marijuana for medical use and research.
o The changes will legalize the production, import, export, possession, and use of marijuana products for medical purposes.
o Thailand became the first country in Southeast Asia to allow the use of medical marijuana.
o Recreational use of the drugs remains still illegal in Thailand.
Source Link: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/25/health/thailand-medical-marijuana- bn/index.html
'Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana' launched
o 'Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana' was launched in Uttarakhand on 25 December 2018. 7 | P a g e
o Under the scheme, each household in the state will be able to avail medical treatment of up to Rs 5 lakh annually.
o The scheme will benefit 23 lakh households and cover 1,350 critical diseases.
o A total of 99 government and 66 private hospitals have been selected under the scheme.
Source Link: https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/u-khand-cm- launches-universal-health-coverage-scheme-118122500547_1.html
'Rafi Award' conferred to Laxmikant & Usha
o The 'Mohammed Rafi Award 2018' was given to late music composer Laxmikant Shantaram Kudalkar and playback singer Usha Timothy.
o Laxmikant was given the Mohammed Rafi Lifetime Achievement Award consisting of 1 lakh rupees and a trophy.
o Usha Timothy was honoured with the award and 51,000 rupees.
o The awards were instituted by the NGO Spandan Arts.
Source Link: http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/laxmikant-kuldakar-usha-timothy-get- mohammed-rafi-award/
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