1. Smartworks introduced Smart Mitri, a female AI robot
Smartworks, a leading workspaces player, introduced ‘Smart Mitri’, a female AI robot, which will be Smartworks’ in-house productivity mascot.
It will play an influential role in handling the overall office management for the facility, ranging from the visitor system to being a counsellor eventually.
2. NASA Voyager 2 becomes 2nd human-made object to exit Solar System
Voyager 2 was launched on August 20, 1977, 16 days before the Voyager 1, which had entered interstellar space in 2012.
Voyager 2 now crossed the outer edge of the heliosphere – called the heliopause – on Nov. 5 and was 11 billion miles from Earth.
Voyager 2 explored the solar system’s outer planets, returning stunning photos of Neptune.
3. Indian Railways launched Rail Madad
Indian Railways (IR) launched ‘Rail Madad’, a mobile app which will help the passengers to register complaints through mobile phone/web.
It will also enable them to communicate real-time feedback on the status of redressal of their complaints.
4. Shi Yomi becomes 23rd district of Arunachal Pradesh
The number of districts in Arunachal Pradesh increased to 23 with the formal inauguration of Shi Yomi district by Chief Minister Pema Khandu in presence of Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.
Two more districts would be formally inaugurated in the state within this week taking the total to 25.
The state Assembly on August 29 this year passed a bill for the creation of three new districts – Pakke-Kesang, Lepa Rada and Shi Yomi – in the state.
5. USAF and IAF calls for more joint air exercises
Cope India 2018, the 12-day joint exercise between the U.S. Air Force (USAF) and Indian Air Force (IAF) is being held at the Kalaikunda air station in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district.
As the bilateral military exercise draws close to the climax, the officials of both the countries said that such joint exercises should be held more frequently.
More than 100 personnel of the U.S. Air Force, along with 400 personnel of the Indian Air Force, are participating in the exercise that will conclude on December 14.
The U.S. Air Force has sent a dozen F-15 whereas the IAF is participating with a fleet of 10 Sukhoi 30, six Jaguars and four Mirage 2000.
6. In a first, Indian Air Force conducted Exercise ‘Cross Bow 18’
The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted combined guided weapons firing of Surface-to-Air Missiles from the Air Force Station located at Suryalanka, Andhra Pradesh.
The first-of-its-kind exercise for the Air Force was code-named ‘CROSS BOW-18’. CROSS BOW-18 saw the successful firing of four different classes of missiles like Akash, Spyder, OSA-AK-M and IGLA.
7. December 10 celebrated annually as International Day of Human Rights; UDHR turned 70 in 2018
The theme of the 2018 Human Rights Day is: StandUp4HumanRights.
2018 marked the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), adopted in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights document is the most translated document in the world, available in more than 500 languages.
8. Imran Siddiqui honoured with Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award 2018
Hyderabad-based conservationist Imran Siddiqui has been honoured with this year’s Sanctuary Wildlife Service Award, which is India’s most prestigious award.
9. Padma Shri historian and former Jamia VC, Mushirul Hasan passed away at 71
Renowned historian and former vice-chancellor Jamia Millia of Islamia, Professor Mushirul Hasan, passed away at 71. He was the former director of National Archives of India.
10. Sameer Aggarwal is appointed as CBO of Walmart India
Walmart India, the U.S. retail major, appointed Sameer Aggarwal as its Chief Business Officer.
Mr.Sameer has been elevated from his position as EVP, chief strategy and administrative officer to the Chief Business Officer with immediate effect.
11. RBI may introduce live video KYC for customer verification
The Reserve Bank of India may reportedly introduce new modes of customer e-verification, including live video, in financial institutions.
This comes after Supreme Court struck down Section 57 of Aadhaar Act in September, thereby nullifying biometric e-KYC.
RBI may introduce a digital method that would use XML internet format to extract limited information on customers from the Aadhaar database.
12. Virat Kohli becomes first Asian skipper to win a Test in South Africa, England and Australia
Indian Skipper Virat Kohli became the first Indian skipper to win a Test in South Africa, England and Australia after defeating Australia by 31 runs in the First Test Match of the Four Match Test Series at Adelaide.
13. Shyam Sundar Besra conferred with Sahitya Akademi Award 2018
Shyam Sundar Besra, Chief Inspector of Ticket, working in Asansol Division of Eastern Railway of Indian Railways has been conferred with the Sahitya Akademi Award 2018 for his novel ‘Marom’.
Written in Santali language, “Marom” is primarily based upon natural, social, economic and political conditions of Santhal Pargana, one of the divisions of Jharkhand headquartered at Dumka.
Sahitya Akademi announced its annual Awards in 24 languages on December 5, 2018.
14. Arundhati Bhattacharya appointed as the new chairman of SWIFT India Board
Arundhati Bhattacharya, the ex-SBI chief, is . Ms.Bhattacharya will succeed former banker M.V. Nair, who is stepping down after completing five years with the company. S
WIFT India is a joint venture of top Indian public and private sector banks and SWIFT (Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication).
The company was created to deliver high quality domestic financial messaging services to the Indian financial community.
Ms.Bhattacharya said the venture has a huge potential to contribute significantly to the financial community in many domains.
SWIFT India CEO Kiran Shetty hoped to work closely with the former SBI head.
15. DMK MP Kanimozhi gets the best woman Parliamentarian Award
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Member of Parliament (MP), Kanimozhi will be awarded as “Best Woman Parliamentarian – Rajya Sabha” by the Vice-President of India, M. Venkaiah Naidu at Dr. Ambedkar International Center in New Delhi.
A 10-member board of Jury of eminent personalities headed by Murali Manohar Joshi selected Kanimozhi for the award presented by Lokmat Group of Newspaper.
16. Tamil Nadu Government launches 24-hour helpline 181 for women
Tamil Nadu Government launched a 24-hour toll-free helpline number 181 for women facing domestic violence and sexual harassment to get assistance ranging from police help, legal aid or medical services including an ambulance.
18. Khelo India Youth Games To Be Held In Pune
In its second edition, the games which is an initiative of the Central Government expanded in its scope, and will allow participants to compete in two categories, (Under 17) and (Under 21), this year.
In its new form, the games, which will be known as the Khelo India Youth Games, also allows students from colleges and Universities to compete.
The other highlight of this year’s games is that the national-level competition is moving out of the Capital and will be held in Maharashtra, which bid for the games, along with Assam and Jharkhand.
The first official announcement and jersey launch of the KIYG, Maharashtra, 2019, took place in a ceremony in Delhi.
19. India successfully test-fired nuclear-capable Agni-5 missile from Odisha coast
Indigenously-developed surface-to-surface missile Agni-5 has a strike range of 5,000 km. Agni-5 is a three-stage missile and is 17 metre tall and 2 metre wide.
It is capable of carrying 1.5 tonne of nuclear warheads.
The Agni-5 is the latest and most advanced variant in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.
India has in its armoury the Agni missile series — Agni-1 with a range of 700 km, Agni-2 with a range of 2,000 km, Agni-3 and Agni-4 with 2,500 km to more than 3,500 km range.
22. SEBI Renamed ITP as Innovators Growth Platform
Securities and Exchange Board of India SEBI lined up a slew of relaxations for new-age ventures.
The proposed changes include renaming the Institutional Trading Platform (ITP) that the regulator had created for such listings as Innovators Growth Platform (IGP).
23. First International Conference on Sustainable Water Management Held in Mohali
The first International Conference on ‘Sustainable Water Management’ was held at Indian School of Business (ISB) in Mohali, Punjab.
The theme of the international conference is ‘Sustainable Water Management’.
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