Current Affairs Today – 12th December | Current Affairs December

Today Current Affairs December 12, 2017

This Day in History – December 12

Quick Read – Today Current Affairs

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Quick Read – Current Affairs Dec 12

National News – Current Affairs Today

All new double-decker Uday express set to roll out next year.

• Railways are all set to roll out the Uday Express, its ambitious new long-distance double-decker train, from January next year.
• The trains will run on three routes-Coimbatore-Bengaluru; Bandra-Jamnagar and Visakhapatnam-Vijayawada.
• The first trial run of the train was conducted on August 10 with just three coaches, and the speed was then limited to just 80km per hour.

India proposes $1 billion credit for connectivity with Asean.

• Union minister Nitin Gadkari said India has proposed $1 billion line of credit to promote sea, air, and road connectivity projects with ASEAN.
• Apart from this, India has set up a project development fund of $77 million to develop manufacturing hubs in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam.
• He is addressing the ASEAN-India Connectivity Summit jointly organized by CII and ASEAN India Centre.

Russia urges India to line up behind China’s Belt.

• Russia suggested that India could benefit by joining China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for the ambitious project to build trade and transport links across Asia.
• India is strongly opposed to the OBOR plan that aims to build railways, ports and power grids in a modern-day recreation of the Silk Road.
• Lavrov noted that India was a member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), whose other others, including Russia, have signed up for the BRI.

Important National News

Sushma Swaraj holds talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi.

• External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj today held talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on key bilateral issues.
• According to sources, Ms. Swaraj and Mr. Wang discussed all issues of mutual interest.
• Ms. Swaraj also held a bilateral meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

Rashtriya Janata Dal calls for Bihar Bandh on December 18

• The leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav announced a Bihar Bandh on December 18.
• He announced it against Nitish Kumar government’s new policies on sand mining and sale of stone chips.
• JD (U), on the other hand, mocked protests by RJD, stating that Jungle Raj is no longer there in Bihar.

International News from Current Affairs Today

Donald Trump tells NASA to send Americans to the moon.

• US President Donald Trump directed NASA to send Americans to the moon for the first time since 1972, in order to prepare for future trips to Mars.
• The last time US astronauts visited the Moon was during the Apollo missions of the 1960s and 1970s.
• On July 20, 1969, US astronaut Neil Armstrong became the first man to walk on the Moon.

Saudi Arabia to cut oil exports to Asia in January.

• Saudi Arabia said it will trim crude exports to Asian customers in January to help accelerate the rebalancing of the international oil market.
• The agreement was last month extended until the end of 2018 in a bid to remove a supply glut from the market that has sent oil prices crashing.

Mount Hope new tallest mountain in British Antarctic territory.

• Cartographers surveying Antarctica have discovered that Mt Hope is the tallest mountain in the British Antarctic Territory (BAT) at 3,239 meters above sea level.
• Until now, maps showed Mt Jackson as the tallest mountain in the territory at 3,184 meters.
• Mt Vinson remains the highest mountain in Antarctica standing at 4,892 meters.

Business News – Current Affairs Dec 12, 2017

Novo Nordisk, Torrent to expand Gujarat facility, to launch new drugs.

• Leading diabetes care pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk in partnership with Torrent Pharma inaugurated an enhanced facility in Gujarat and looking at launching more new products in India.
• India has 73 million patients suffering from diabetes and Novo Nordisk claims it holds 60 percent market share.
• The partner, Torrent Pharmaceuticals said it has already invested Rs 60 crore in this facility.

BSE launches five new market cap-based indices

• Asia Index, the equal joint venture between BSE and S&P Dow Jones Indices, launched five size-based indices to measure the performance of the large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies.
• The new indices comprise stocks from the constituents of the BSE 500 Index and are weighted on the basis of their float-adjusted market capitalization.
• Asia Index is a 50-50 partnership between S&P Dow Jones Indices and BSE.

News on Agreements

Airtel to provide mobile services in 2,100 uncovered villages in North East.

• Bharti Airtel announced that it has entered into an agreement with the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF).
• The agreement is to provide mobile services in 2,100 uncovered villages and national highways in the northeastern states over the coming 18 months.
• Airtel says it will set up telecom infrastructure in deep rural pockets and provide mobile services across uncovered villages in North East.

Appointments News

Pradeep Singh Kharola takes over as Air India CMD.

• Senior IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola on Monday took charge as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India.
• Kharola took charge from Rajiv Bansal.
• He was the managing director of Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd since February 2015.

Sports Updates

Afghanistan to play their first ever Test in India.

• Cricket country Afghanistan earned their Test status alongside Ireland this June.
• Afghanistan hosted their home games in India, most recently the series against Ireland in Greater Noida.
• BCCI has extended a helping hand to Afghanistan on a number of occasions.

Real Madrid to face PSG in Champions league last 16

• Real Madrid will have to overcome a sizeable obstacle when the Champions League resumes in February after Monday’s draw pitted the 12-time winners against Paris St Germain.
• Five-time champions Barcelona will face English champions Chelsea, one of five Premier League clubs in the draw.
• Chelsea and Barcelona will renew a regular Champions league rivalry that last surfaced in the 2012 semi-final.

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