Current Affairs - December 24, 2017 Current Affairs

China's world's largest amphibious aircraft "AG600" has performed its maiden flight from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport at Zhuhai in Guangdong Province on December 24, 2017. It's the latest step in China's military modernization program. The 121-feet long AG600 aircraft plane, codenamed "Kunlong", has a 38.8-meter wingspan and 4 turboprop engines. It is around the size of a Boeing 737 and can carry 50 people. The aircraft has military applications but will also be used for firefighting and performing maritime rescues. It can use conventional airports and also land and take-off from the sea.

Maharashtra set to generate 25,000 MW electricity through solar power. Rather Maharashtra as a state tops in generating power through renewable energy around 7,500 MW. The one state in producing power through renewable energy, with 7,500 MW generation capacity. The government wants to take to this capacity to 10,000 MW.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held telephonic talks with Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, and CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Our open border is a reflection of our unique bonding. He reaffirmed India's commitment to strengthen these bonds of friendship and work with the incoming Government on a broad range of development and reconstruction projects. India and China for peace and prosperity, Oli also invited the Indian PM for Nepal visit, and said he would send an official invitation to the Indian PM immediately after the formation of the new government.

The Karnataka government has launched the Bengaluru city logo on December 24, 2017 for branding the city as a tourism destination. With this, Bengaluru has become the first Indian city to get its own logo. The logo was designed by Nammur, a design start-up, which won a contest and received a prize money of Rs 5 lakh from the government. The logo of the city, which is derived out of its own name, highlights the letters b, e, and u of Bengaluru in red and the other letters in white. The logo 'Be U' highlights the cosmopolitan culture of the city and is expected to build the city's image on the global stage.

India's first-ever broad gauge air-conditioned AC EMU suburban train has flagged off from Borivali station on western railway in Mumbai, Maharashtra on December 25, 2017. The AC train was depart from Andheri Station at 14.10 hrs and reached Churchgate at 14.44 hrs. It is decided that on Weekends that is on Saturday and Sunday, the rake of AC train will not be operated for maintenance purpose. The services of AC local train will replace existing 12 Non AC services. RPF constables will be present in each coach to ensure proper security. Out of 12 services of AC Local train 8 will run fast and will only halt at major station like Mumbai Central, Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Borivali, Bhayander and Vasai Road in both direction. Weekly, Fortnightly and monthly season ticket will be charged equivalent to 5, 7.5 and 10 single journey of AC EMU respectively. MUTP surcharges or any other charges if applicable will be levied separately as per applicable rate for the first class coach. Good and Services tax (GST) @5% shall be levied on the total fare as per the existing principle.

The Good Governance Day (GGD) is celebrated every year in India on December 25 to mark the birthday anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The day was established in 2014 to honor Mr Vajpayee by fostering awareness among the people of accountability in government. On December 23, 2014, Mr Vajpayee, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya (posthumously) were announced as recipients of the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.

Jairam Thakur, the 5-time BJP MLA, has been sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh after he was elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party on Sunday. Thakur is a MLA from Seraj in Mandi district. In the recent 2017 election, the BJP ousted the Congress from power by winning 44 out of the 68 seats.

India's first home-grown high purity gold reference standard - the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND-4201) - was launched at the India Government Mint (IGM), Mumbai on December 24, 2017. The BND-4201 is the reference material for gold of '9999' fineness (gold that is 99.99% pure) and will be beneficial to the consumers and public at large to ensure purity of gold. The high purity gold reference standard has been developed through collaboration between IGM, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre - National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials (Hyderabad), and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research-National Physical Laboratory (New Delhi). The gold reference standard is indispensable in gold and jewellery hall marking. This will also be useful for Collection and Purity Testing Centres to certify the purity of gold deposits under the gold monetization scheme.

SBI Card, the credit card issuer and Bharat Petroleum, the leading petroleum company in India announced the launch of the BPCL SBI Card - the most rewarding fuel co-branded credit card in the country. The BPCL SBI Card will offer up to 70 litres of free fuel per year to cardholders. The Cardholders can earn rewards and save on fuel at 14000 Bharat Petroleum fuel stations across the country, making the BPCL SBI Card the only fuel co-brand card with such an extensive reach. It has been launched on the Visa platform.

Saba Karim, the former wicketkeeper of India, has been appointed as the new General Manager (GM) of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He will be responsible for implementing operational plans, budgeting, monitoring the match playing conditions and administration of Domestic program. Karim will take on the role from January 1, 2018 and will report directly to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. The General Manager's post has been lying vacant since the resignation of MV Sridhar in September 2017 over the issue of conflict of interest. Sridhar passed away on October 30.

The International Olympic Committee has banned 11 Russian athletes for life over alleged doping violations at the Sochi Games in 2014. It had banned the athletes based on findings from the Oswald Commission, which is looking into alleged doping violations at the 2014 Winter Games held in Russia. Among those sanctioned are Tatyana Ivanova and Albert Demchenko, who won silver medals in luge events at Sochi, and cross-country skiers Nikita Kryukov and Alexander Bessmertnykh, also silver medalists in Sochi.

Shri M. Subbarayudu presently Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the Republic of Peru. He is expected to take up his assignment shortly.

The annual meeting of World Economic Forum (WEF) 2018 will be held in Davos, Switzerland from January 22. In the 5-day event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the first Indian PM in 20 years to visit the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. It was in 1997 when the then Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had attended the event. More than 100 Indian CEOs along with the hot shots of Indian business diaspora, like Mukesh Ambani,Chanda Kochhar and Uday Kotak is expected to be present at the forum. The WEF is a Swiss non-profit foundation, based in Cologny, Geneva.

The Uttar Pradesh government has legalised death penalty and life imprisonment for those involved in the trade of illegitimate liquor if it leads to the death of the consumers. The Excise (Amendment) Bill 2017, passed in the state Assembly, also imposes a fine of Rs 10 lakh. Further, the bill imposes imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 5 lakhs if consumption of spurious liquor causes disability. It also provides for rigorous imprisonment up to 10 years and not less than six years in case of disability caused by consumption of spurious liquor and fine to the tune of Rs five lakh and not less than Rs three lakh.

Lieutenant General B S Sahrawat took over the reins of National Cadet Corps as its Director General. The General Officer is a third generation army officer. He is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He was commissioned in December 1980 in 13th Battalion (Rezang La), the Kumaon Regiment. He has been awarded the Sena Medal during the floods of Kosi River in Bihar in 2008.