CURRENT AFFAIRS 12/12/2017

CURRENT AFFAIRS 12/12/2017

1. Electronics and IT Ministry Launched First NIC-CERT

i. Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has launched first NIC-CERT, a setup of National Informatics Centre to prevent and predict cyber attacks on government utilities. It was launched in New Delhi.

ii. NIC-CERT has been set up with the objective of creating a comprehensive framework that integrates world-class security components and inbuilt threat intelligence for detection, prevention and incident response.

2. Finance Minister Holds 5th Pre-Budget Consultation Meeting

i. The Finance Minister of India Arun Jaitley holds his 5th Pre-Budget Consultation Meeting with the leading Economists in New Delhi. According to the Finance Minister, India has recorded an average growth of 7.5% from 2014-15 to 2016-17.

ii. The fiscal deficit as a ratio of GDP stood at 3.9% in 2015-16 and 3.5% in 2016-17 and is budgeted to be 3.2% for the Current Financial Year 2017-18.

3. Mount Hope Becomes UK's New Highest Mountain

i. Britain has a new highest mountain after new satellite data revealed the peak was almost 400 metres taller than previously thought. Mount Hope, in the British Atlantic Territory, was recently re-measured and found to be 377 metres taller than previous calculations.

ii. This takes it to 3,239 metres, meaning it knocks Mount Jackson, the current title holder at 3,184 metres, off the top spot.

 4. Government Fixes Sovereign Gold Bond Rate at Rs 2890/gram

i. The government has fixed Rs 2,890 per gram as the price of new series of sovereign gold bonds (SGBs). The government, in consultation with the Reserve Bank, has decided to offer a discount of Rs 50 per gram to investors applying online and making payments digitally. 

ii. Earlier, Government had floated Series III of Sovereign Gold Bonds 2017-18, for the period from October 09, 2017 to December 27, 2017.

iii. Under the scheme, the bonds are denominated in units of one gram of gold and multiples thereof. Minimum investment in the bonds is one gram, with a maximum limit of 500 grams per person, per financial year.

5. Saudi Arabia Lifts Ban on Movie Theatres After 35 Years

i. Saudi Arabia will have its first public cinemas in more than 35 years after the government announced the lifting of the ban on movie theatres.

ii. Minister of Culture and Information Awwad bin Saleh Alawwad stated that opening cinemas will act as a catalyst for economic growth and diversification.

6.  Indian Economy Likely to Grow by 7.2% in 2018, 7.4% in 2019: UN Report

i. Indian economy is likely to grow by 7.2 percent in 2018 and go up further to 7.4 percent in 2019 on the back of strong private consumption, public investment and the ongoing structural reforms, according to a UN report.

ii. The ‘World Economic Situation and Prospects 2018’ report was unveiled by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA). The UN DESA report said the GDP growth is projected to be 6.7 percent in 2017.

7. Vice President Confers 'Yeraringan' Award to M.S. Swaminathan

i. The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has conferred 'Yeraringan' Award to Prof. M.S. Swaminathan, in Chennai. 

ii. Prof. M.S. Swaminathan was a transformative leader who has inspired many scientists to focus on the problem of Indian agriculture.

8. Nakul Chopra Elected as BARC India Chairman

i. Nakul Chopra, President of AAAI and Senior Advisor, Publicis Communications, has been elected as the next Chairman of BARC India. Nakul succeeds Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats.

ii. Nakul will be the third Chairman of BARC India. He had joined the BARC India Board in September 2016.

9. Australia Beat Argentina to Win Gold in Hockey World League Final

i. Australia beat Argentina 2-1 in the final of the Hockey World League Final (HWLF) to win gold at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Argentina beat India (who won bronze earlier) in the semifinals.

ii. Blake Govers scored the winner from a penalty corner with just three minutes left in the game. Earlier, Australia scored first through Jeremy Hayward in the 17th minute.

iii. Australia thus became champions for the second time in a row and will go down in international hockey history as the last team ever to win Hockey World League Final.

10. India to Host 2021 Champions Trophy, 2023 World Cup

i. India is all set to host the 2023 World Cup, the global cricketing event’s 13th edition after the BCCI confirmed the host nation. India will also host the upcoming Champions Trophy in 2021.

ii. The ICC World Cup 2019 will be held in England and Wales. This will be the first time that the event will be held entirely in India: the nation has, on three occasions previously, hosted the World Cup partially (1987, 1996 and 2011).

11. Saurabh Chaudhary Claims Youth Olympics Games Spot with Gold

i. India's Saurabh Chaudhary qualified for the Youth Olympics Games with a gold medal and a junior world record in 10m air pistol at the ongoing Asia Youth Olympics Games qualification tournament in Wako City, Japan.

ii. He became the third Indian to bag quota places for the 2018 Youth Olympic Games at the 10th Asian Airgun Championship.

12. Jitu Rai And Heena Sidhu Win Medals at Asian Championships

i. Pistol aces Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu bagged a bronze each to continue India's medal charge at the 10th Asian Championship 10m Rifle/Pistol in Wako City, Japan.

ii. Jitu won an individual bronze in the men's 10m Air Pistol, which also helped the Indian team comprising Shahzar Rizvi and Omkar Singh besides Jitu, to bag the Team gold in the event.

iii. Heena claimed an individual bronze in the women's 10m Air Pistol. Her effort, along with teammates Shri Nivetha Paramantham and Harveen Srao, helped the Team clinch a silver.