Important Current Affairs of December
All the important Current Affairs of December 2018 is compiled here with proper details. Current Affairs and latest happenings of December here is Prelims oriented and helpful in coming exams in 2019.
Qatar is leaving OPEC
Qatar said that it will be leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), the oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia.
Founded in 1960 in Baghdad by the five initial members (Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Venezuela).
It has its headquarter since 1965,in Vienna, Austria, with a membership of 14 countries as of September 2018.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
December 3 is celebrated as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. It is promoted by United Nations since 1992.
Theme of 2017: “Transformation toward sustainable and resilient society for all”
Theme of 2018: “Empowering persons with disabilities and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”
New Finance Secretary of India
New Finance Secretary of India is Ajay Narayan Jha.
One rupee note (₹1) is signed by Finance Secretary of India & it does not have the word ‘I promise to pay the bearer‘.
Latest Coinage act 2011 & it took over Coinage act 1940.
You can read more about the banknotes and coin by clicking here. It is very important for Prelims
Skoch Chief Minister of the Year
Mamata Banerjee of West Bengal is conferred with Skoch Chief Minister of the Year award.
It is the prestigious award on the basis of the state’s performance in the field of governance, culture, finance, urban and rural development.
West Bengal also runs Kanyashree scheme for the girl child which received high acclaim from United Nations. Kanyashree scheme provides measures to improve the socio-economic conditions of the economically disadvantaged families through cash transfers.
Train 18, India’s first engine-less train
Train 18 is the India’s first engine-less train.
Train-18 is seen as a successor to the 30 year old Shatabdi Express & even faster than Shatabdi Express.
Train-18 is fully air-conditioned train.
Train-18 has 16 coach attached.
Train 18 is driven by a self-propulsion module.
Operation Oliva
Operation Oliva exercise is launched by the Coast Guard in Odisha to protect the endangered Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
Pic credit: commons.wikimedia
Olive Ridley Sea Turtles is found in Rushikulya rookery coast in the Ganjam district of Odisha & on the coasts along the Gahirmatha beach and the mouth of the Debi river.
Gahirmatha beach is the largest mass nesting site for olive ridley turtles along the Indian coastline which is followed by the rookery at the mouth of the Rushikulya river.
Also the Mascot of the 2018 hockey World Cup (held in Bhubaneswar) is Olly which is based on Olive ridley turtle.
Tiger reserve in Odisha:
- Simlipal Tiger reserve & it is also a national park.
- Satkosia Tiger reserve
Tembhu Lift Irrigation
Tembhu Lift Irrigation scheme is a scheme launched in Maharashtra.
Tembhu is a small village situated on the eastern bank of the River Krishna, near Karad, in the Satara District of Maharashtra, India.
This project is started to provide water to the drought-stricken Satara district.
Satara has Maharashtra’s first Mega Food Park And Second in Aurangabad.
Mount Soputan Volcano – Indonesia
Mount Soputan Volcano in central Indonesia has erupted on 16th December. It is located on the northern part of Sulawesi island.
Anak Krakatau caused Tsunami – Impact on Indonesia
Anak Krakatau volcano caused a devastating Tsunami after it erupted on December 23, 2018 in Indonesia.
The Tsunami which was triggered by a chunk of the Anak Krakatau volcano slipping into the ocean as confirmed by officials in Indonesia.
Anak Krakatau is thought to have erupted under water and landslides causing the tsunami in the Sunda Strait.
National Medical Devices Promotion Council
National Medical Devices Promotion Council will be set up under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry.
Current Affairs December- Tidbits
India’s First Central Tribal University will be setup in Andhra Pradesh.
India’s First Tribal Atlas launched by Odisha.
Oxytocin Ban
Delhi High Court has rejected the Centre’s decision to ban the manufacture and sale of oxytocin by private firms.
Oxytocin is a form of hormone. It is released from anterior pituitary gland in animals as well as in human beings. The Hormone is protein in Nature.
Oxytocin has its use in medical industry.
Oxytocin is used to induce labor or strengthen labor contractions during childbirth, and to control bleeding after childbirth. It also used in situation like miscarriage.
Bad Practice of Oxytocin
Oxytocin is used in injection form to get more milk in cows. Livestock farmers are using it widely in dairy industry. This is bad practice in the animal as oxytocin causes the uterus of the cattle to contract, causing immense pain.
Also used to inject in plants or vegetables to make it grow larger overnight and enhance their appearance.
Current Affairs December- CYCLONE
Cyclonic storm ‘Phethai’
On December 17, Cyclonic storm ‘Phethai’ hit the Andhra Pradesh coast. Phethai brought moderate rainfall & thunderstorms in many places of South Odisha Districts.
Phethai is the third cyclone that hit Andhra Pradesh within a span of three months.
Previous Cyclone were Cyclone Titli and Cyclone Gaja.
Cyclone Mekanu
In 2018, the strongest cyclone was Cyclone Mekanu.
Mekunu was the most intense tropical cyclone to make landfall in the Arabian Peninsula in recorded history.
Cyclone Mekanu Formed on May 21, 2018.
It was the Category 3 tropical cyclone.
MoU of ISRO and ROSCOSMOS
MoU of ISRO and ROSCOSMOS(the Russian Space agency) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on ‘Joint Activities in the field of Human Spaceflight Programme’.
New RBI Governor
Shri Shaktikanta Das, IAS Retd., former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, has been appointed as the Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), for a period of three years.
Mexico elected its new President
On December 1,2018, the new Mexican president Andrés Manuel López Obrador (known by his initials AMLO) took charge.
Mexico has bicameral legislature of Senate (the Upper House) & Chamber of Deputies (lower house).
National Mathematics Day
The Indian government declared 22 December to be National Mathematics Day. Announced by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on 26 February 2012 at Madras University.
It was announced during the inaugural ceremony of the celebrations to mark the 125th anniversary of the birth of the Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan.
International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champions.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia is named as the 2018 International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champions in Men’s Category. He is also the winner of 2018 US Open & Wimbledon Tennis Tournament.
In the female category Simona Halep of Romania is the 2018 International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champions.