Current Affairs December 24, 2017

NATIONAL

Ministry of External Affairs Launched SAMEEP:

Indian Affairs With an aim to bring the foreign policy to the masses the External Affairs Ministry has come up with an initiative called SAMEEP – ‘Students and MEA Engagement Programme’.

Under this MEA official will talk to students to help them better understand foreign policy.

The main objective of SAMEEP is to take Indian foreign policy and its global engagements to students across the country.

 Govt Mint launches first home-grown high purity gold reference standard:

 India’s first home-grown high purity gold reference standard – the Bharatiya Nirdeshak Dravya (BND-4201) – was launched at the India Government Mint, Mumbai. BND-4201, which is the reference material for gold of ‘9999’ fineness (gold that is 99.99 per cent pure), will be beneficial to the consumers and public at large to ensure purity of gold.

 INTERNATIONAL

Trump Signs $1.5 Trillion Tax Cut in First Major Legislative Win:

 U.S. President Donald Trump signed Republicans’ massive $1.5 trillion tax overhaul into law, cementing the biggest legislative victory of his first year in office, and also approved a short-term spending bill that averts a possible government shutdown.

 USA

• President of the United States: Donald Trump
• Currency: United States Dollar
• Capital: Washington, D.C.

World’s largest amphibious aircraft makes maiden flight in China:

 China’s domestically developed AG600, the world’s largest amphibious aircraft, performed its maiden flight. It took off from the Jinwan Civil Aviation Airport at Zhuhai in Guangdong Province.

 China

• Currency: Renminbi
• Capital: Beijing
• Prime minister: Li Keqiang
• President: Xi Jinping

 APPOINTMENTS

Jai Ram Thakur to be new Himachal Pradesh chief minister:
Five-time legislator Jairam Thakur will be the new Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh, BJP lawmakers decided after a meeting to pick their chief, attended by the party’s Central observers Nirmala Sitharaman and Narendra Singh Tomar. He will take oath on December 27, the BJP has announced.

Himachal Pradesh

• Capital: Shimla
• Governor:Acharya Dev Vrat

Lt Gen B S Sahrawat takes over as DG, NCC:        

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 alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun.

 NAAC director Prof Dhirendra Pal Singh is new UGC chairman:
National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) director and former Banaras Hindu University (BHU) vice chancellor Prof Dhirendra Pal Singh has been appointed the new chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC).

Singh has been appointed the UGC chairman for a period of five years, according to the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

BCCI appoint Saba Karim as General Manager
BCCI has appointed former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim as General Manager, Cricket Operations. As per the BCCI release, Karim wll be responsible for implementing operational plans, budgeting, monitoring the match playing conditions and administration of Domestic program. He will take on the role from January 1, 2018.

 SPORTS

Vijender Singh beats Ernest Amuzu to retain WBO Oriental & Asia Pacific pro boxing titles:

 Vijender Singh defended his WBO Oriental and Asia Pacific super middleweight titles against Ghana’s Ernest Amuzu at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The 32-year-old Haryana pugilist, who is currently sixth in WBO rankings, fought in the mega show called ‘Rajasthan Rumble’.

 IOC bans 11 Russians for life over alleged Sochi Games doping violations:

 Sochi luge silver medallists Albert Demchenko and Tatyana Ivanova are among a group of 11 Russians disqualified for doping and handed lifetime bans by the International Olympic Committee.

Russia

• Russian President: Vladimir Putin.
• Currency: Russian ruble
• Capital: Moscow

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