24th December 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad celebrated with religious gaiety and fervour across the world.
• The United Nations General Assembly has adopted the resolution recognizing 5th November as World Tsunami Awareness Day.
• The proposal regarding the World Tsunami Awareness Day was suggested by Japanese Government after the Third UN Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction held in Sendai in March 2015. 
• The day will be observed in order to reduce human and economic losses due to natural disasters.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin began the 16th India-Russia Annual Summit talks today's evening.
• After the talks, the two sides are expected to sign a number of pacts to expand cooperation in key areas, including defence, nuclear energy, hydrocarbons and trade. 
• The talks between the two countries, bound by special and privileged strategic ties, have been taking place alternately in Moscow and New Delhi since 2000.

National Affairs

• National Consumers Day / National Consumers Right Day is observed today with the objective of providing better protection of consumer’s interest.
  
• This day is being observed since the Consumer Protection Act, 1986 was enacted on this day in 1986.
• Theme of National Consumer Day 2015 : Safe & Healthy Food: Combating Food Adulteration
• Delhi recorded its most polluted day of the year on 23rd December 2015.
• Delhi government has decided to exempt emergency vehicles, CNG cars, vehicles carrying patients, only women drivers, women drivers with child below 12 years of age from the the even-odd scheme in the national capital.
• The even -odd formula will not be applicable on Sunday.
• Note : The Formal notification for Odd-Even Formula will be out on Monday.
• Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today dedicated to the nation, the first cable-stayed bridge of North India constructed at Basohali in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
• The 592-metre bridge constructed over river Ravi on Dunera- Basohli-Bhadharwah road would provide close connectivity between three northern states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
• The Basohli Cable-Bridge is fourth of its kind in India and first in North India and Jammu and Kashmir.

New Appointments

• Gautam H. Bambawale, presently Indian ambassador to Bhutan, was today named India's new high commissioner to Pakistan.
• He will replace T.C.A. Raghavan in Islamabad.

Awards & Honors

• Indian American professor Dr. Rakesh K. Jain has been selected for 2015 National Medal of Science of the United States.
• He will be presented this top award along with 16 other winners by President Barack Obama at a White House ceremony in January 2016.
• A recent survey of the 'International World Leader Index' has ranked Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 7th spot among the popular state heads.
• This list was topped by US President Barack Obama.
• Top 10 Leaders in the List
1. Barack Obama (US President)
2. Angela Merkel (German Chancellor)
3. David Cameron (UK Prime Minister)
4. Francois Hollande (French President)
5. Vladimir Putin (Russian President)
6. Xi Jinping (Chinese President)
7. Narendra Modi (Indian Prime Minsiter)
8. Dilma Rousself (Brazillian President)
9. Salman bin Abdulaziz al saud (Saudi Arabia King)
10. Hassan Rouhani (Iranian President)
• India's former wicket-keeper batsman Syed Kirmani nominated for Col. CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award.

Business & Economy

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) extended the deadline for exchanging pre-2005 currency notes of various denominations, including Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, by another six months to June 30, 2016.
• The Reserve Bank had, in June 2015, set the last date for public to exchange pre-2005 banknotes notes as December 31, 2015.
• How to identify pre-2005 notes ?
• The currency notes issued before 2005 do not have the year of printing on the reverse side. 
• In notes issued post 2005, the year of printing is visible at the bottom on the reverse.
• Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has cleared $140 million (Rs 930 crore) from the $302 million (Rs 2,000 crore) fund-of-funds that was launched in August to support venture capital funds.
• The Indian Railways has hiked its Tatkal ticket charges by up to 33% with an aim to improve passenger revenue collections.
• The hike will be effective from tomorrow.
• The Reserve Bank of India has announced that the banks have opened a whopping 19.52 crore accounts under the government's financial inclusion drive, Jan Dhan Yojana till the first week of December.
• Idea Cellular today became the third mobile operator to launch 4G services.
• First : Bharti Airtel 
• Second : Vodafone India.

Deaths

• Former Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court V.S. Malimath (86) passed away. 
• He also served as Chairman of the Karnataka Border Protection Commission and Chief Justice of Kerala High Courts.

Sports 

• The International Tennis Federation has released ITF world champions' list for the year 2015
• 2015 ITF World Champions List
• Men's Singles - Novak Djokovic (Serbia)
• Women's Singles - Serena Williams (the USA)
• Men's Doubles - Jean-Julien Rojer (Netherlands) & Horia Tecau (Romania)
• Women’s Doubles - Sania Mirza (India) & Martina Hingis (Switzerland)
• Juniors - Dalma Galfi (Hungary) & Taylor Fritz (the USA)
• Wheelchair World Champions - JiskeGriffioen (Netherlands) & Shingo Kunieda (Japan)

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