Latest Current Affairs – December 30 & 31 2018
1. 22-year-old Smriti Mandhana named ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year
India Women opener Smriti Mandhana has won Rachael Heyhoe-Flint Award for being the ICC Women’s Cricketer of the Year. The 22-year-old, who scored 669 runs in 12 ODIs at an average of 66.90 in 2018, was also named ICC ODI Player of the Year. In 25 T20Is in 2018, Mandhana scored 622 runs at a strike rate of 130.67.
2. Kohli hits most international runs in a year for 3rd straight time
India captain Virat Kohli scored 2,735 runs across formats in international cricket this year, ending the year as the highest run-scorer. This is the third straight time that Kohli has ended a calendar year as the highest run-scorer in international cricket. In 2017, Kohli had aggregated 2,818 runs, while in 2016, the 30-year-old topped with 2,595 runs.
3. Harmanpreet named captain of ICC women’s T20I team of the year
India’s T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur was named the captain of the ICC women’s T20I team of the year. Meanwhile, New Zealand’s Suzie Bates was named the captain of the ICC women’s ODI team of the year. Smriti Mandhana and Poonam Yadav were the only Indian players to be included in both the ICC ODI and T20I squads.
4. Early internet pioneer Lawrence Roberts passes away aged 81
Early internet pioneer Lawrence Roberts passed away at the age of 81, reportedly due to a heart attack. Roberts had led the designing of the internet’s precursor Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPAnet) in the late 1960s. After leaving ARPA in 1973, he helped commercialize packet switching technology through his company Telenet.
5. Nagaland declared ‘disturbed’ for 6 more months under AFSPA
The Home Ministry has declared Nagaland “disturbed area” for six more months till June-end under Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA). The state is in such a dangerous condition that the use of armed force in aid of civilian power is necessary, the notification said. AFSPA empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice.
6. Sheikh Hasina secures third straight term as Bangladesh PM
Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina has secured her third consecutive term, with her alliance winning 287 of the 298 seats for which results have been declared for the 300-strong parliament, the country’s Election Commission said. The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which boycotted the 2014 poll, has won just six seats in the general election.
7. PM Modi announces renaming of 3 Andaman & Nicobar islands
Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Port Blair announced the renaming of three islands in Andaman & Nicobar. The three islands — Ross Island, Neil Island and Havelock Island — will now be called Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Dweep, Shaheed Dweep and Swaraj Dweep, respectively. He also hoisted a 150-feet-high national flag at Port Blair.
8. Microsoft, Taiwan AI Labs launch genetic analysis platform
Microsoft Taiwan and Taiwan AI Labs have jointly launched an AI-based genetic analysis platform named TaiGenomics. The platform uses artificial intelligence to analyse large amounts of medical and genetic data taken from patients and hospitals. According to Microsoft, the platform could reduce human errors and help medical experts to diagnose or predict diseases more efficiently.
9. Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen passes away at age 95
Bengali filmmaker Mrinal Sen passed away at his home in Bhawanipur, Kolkata, at the age of 95. Sen, a Padma Bhushan and Dada Saheb Phalke awardee is known for Hindi films like ‘Ek Din Achanak’ and ‘Khandhar’ and Bengali films such as ‘Baishey Sravan’, ‘Padatik’, ‘Kharij’ and ‘Mrigayaa’. He also won several National Film Awards.
10. Bumrah becomes top wicket-taker in international cricket in 2018
Indian fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah has become the highest wicket-taker in international cricket in 2018 after picking up 9 wickets in the Melbourne Test against Australia. The 25-year-old has taken 78 wickets this year, overtaking South Africa pacer Kagiso Rabada, who has taken 77 wickets. Bumrah took 48 wickets in Tests, 22 in ODIs and 8 in T20Is in 2018.
11. Gaganyaan: Centre Approves Rs 10,000 Crore For Human Space Mission
The Union Cabinet approved the Gaganyaan project under which a three-member crew will be sent to space for at least seven days, Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad stated. The project will cost INR 10,000 crore. The Gaganyaan project was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his Independence Day speech.
12. Ministry signs MoU to develop mobile audio guide App for 5 iconic sites
K J Alphons, Minister of State (I/C) for Tourism, handed over a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the ‘Adopt a Heritage’ scheme to Resbird Technologies for development of a mobile Audio Guide App for five iconic sites. The five iconic sites for which the mobile Audio Guide App is to be developed are Amer Fort (Rajasthan), Kaziranga (Assam), Colva Beach (Goa), Kumarakom (Kerala) and Mahabodhi Temple (Bihar).
13. ISRO chairman K.Sivan was awarded gold medal by SSI
ISRO chairman K.Sivan was presented the National Systems Gold Medal by the Systems Society of India (SSI) during the 42nd National Systems Conference held in Thiruvananthapuram. The medal acknowledges his outstanding contributions to system science and engineering. B.N. Suresh, the Chancellor, Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), presented the medal at a function held at the VSSC.
14. Cabinet approved the draft National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill
The Union Cabinet approved the draft National Commission for Homoeopathy Bill, 2018. The Bill seeks to replace the existing regulator Central Council of Homoeopathy with a new body to ensure transparency and accountability. The Bill aims to bring reforms in the medical education of Homoeopathy.
The Bill also aims at bringing reforms in the medical education of homoeopathy in line with the National Medical Commission proposed for setting up for allopathy system of medicine. The draft Bill provides for the constitution of a National Commission with three autonomous boards entrusted with the conduct of education of Homoeopathy by Homoeopathy Education Board.
15. Finding Beauty in Garbage won the best short documentary award
The short film Finding Beauty in Garbage won the best short documentary award at Asia South East Short Film Festival recently held at Phnom Penh in Cambodia. The short documentary is based on issues surrounding mountains of garbage in Dibrugarh town of Assam. The film has also been selected for a screening at the Short and Sweet Film Festival to be held in Utah, U.S.
16. Delhi Police becomes first police force in India to digitise all malkhanas
With the launch of ‘E-Malkhana’ in the remaining 10 districts at Chinamaya Mission, the Delhi Police has become first in country to have digitalised malkhana in Police Stations of its all districts. Malkhanas are rooms for keeping seized arms and ammunition. According to the release, around 3,11,600 case properties have been encrypted in digital form across all the police stations in the state.
