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• On 12th December 2018, International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) was observed throughout the world. It aims to mobilize diverse stakeholders to call for stronger, more equitable health systems to achieve universal health coverage, leaving no one behind.


• The theme for the 2018 UHC Day is: “Unite for Universal Health Coverage: Now is the Time for Collective Action.”


• Universal health coverage (UHC) ensures all people, everywhere, can access the quality health services they need without suffering financial hardship.


• The United Nations proclaimed 12 December as International Universal Health Coverage Day (UHC Day) by resolution 72/138 in 2017.


• This year 5 pillars to achieve Universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030 were released and they include- Ensuring Political Commitment & Multi-Stakeholder Action, Leaving No One Behind, Engaging Community Voices, Investing More & Smarter and Holding Leaders Accountable.

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• December 12 is seen as International Day of Neutrality after its adoption by United Nations General Assembly in the 69th plenary meeting.


• It is celebrated by United Nations to ensure neutrality among nations and abstention of a state from all participation in a war.


• It is aimed at promoting the use of preventive diplomacy, and enhancing public awareness of the value of neutrality in international relations.


• The resolutions of neutrality was reaffirmed in resolution 71/275 and the United Nations General Assembly declared the Day of December 12 to be seen as International Day of Neutrality on February 2, 2017.

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• The European Parliament approved a free trade deal between Japan and the European Union, which is believed to be the world's largest free trade agreement.


• The deal will create an open trading zone covering 635 million people and almost one-third of the world's total GDP. Japan's Parliament has already approved the agreement.

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• Iranian oil minister Bijan Zanganeh has joined Twitter, which is officially banned in the country.


• "I have come to Twitter for a more dynamic and effective relationship with domestic and foreign audience," Zanganeh's first tweet read. Although banned, Twitter is used by a number of authorities, including President Hassan Rouhani and his foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif.

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• US President Donald Trump's former personal attorney Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison on Wednesday for crimes including hush-money payments to two women who alleged affairs with Trump.


• He was also found guilty of lying to the US Congress. "I felt it was my duty to cover up his dirty deeds," Cohen said.

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• Myanmar will provide visa-on-arrival to Indian tourists entering the country through the international airports of Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Mandalay to further people-to-people interactions, President Ram Nath Kovind said.


• This comes as President Kovind is on an official visit to Myanmar. President Kovind called Myanmar a key partner of India's 'Act East' and 'Neighbourhood First' policies.

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• Lawmakers in British PM Theresa May's Conservative Party on Wednesday triggered a vote of no confidence in her leadership, in protest against her Brexit proposal. May said, "I will contest that vote with everything I have got."


• She added that a new Prime Minister would have to extend or revoke Article 50, delay or even stop Brexit.

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• As many as 36 out of the 40 newly-elected MLAs in Mizoram are crorepatis while the outgoing Assembly had 30 crorepati legislators, according to Association for Democratic Reforms.


• The maximum number of 22 crorepati MLAs are from Mizo National Front, which won the election with 26 seats. The average assets of MLAs rose from ₹3 crore to nearly ₹5 crore.

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• More than 28,500 Indian nationals died in the Gulf countries of UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Saudi Arabia between 2014-2018, Minister of State VK Singh informed the Lok Sabha.


• Singh said that awareness campaigns are being conducted through labour camps in order to prevent workers' death in cases of suicides and road accidents.

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• The government has cancelled passports of 33 non-resident Indians (NRIs) for abandoning their wives, the Women and Child Development Ministry said.


• Eight look-out circulars have been issued for absconding husbands by Integrated Nodal Agency, the Ministry added. Earlier, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said the Centre would bring a Bill on this issue in the Parliament's winter session.

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• Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said that 15,779 Indian websites were reported hacked this year up to November.


• As per the information by Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), 33,147 and 30,067 Indian websites were hacked in 2016 and 2017 respectively, he added.


• He said as a measure to enhance cyber security, CERT-In issues alerts regarding latest cyber threats.

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• Ahead of the general election, the government is likely to announce farm loan waivers worth up to ₹4 lakh crore ($55.5 billion), according to reports.


• The previous Congress party-led coalition government announced farm loan waivers worth nearly ₹72,000 crore in 2008. Notably, BJP has lost power to Congress in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh in the recently concluded Assembly Elections.

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• A Canadian court granted bail to Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou for around $7.5 million. Meng was arrested on December 1 in Vancouver on US' request over alleged trade sanction violations.


• US President Donald Trump has said he would intervene in the Justice Department's case if it would serve national security interests or help close trade deal with China.

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• Indian benchmark index Sensex rallied 629 points after the government appointed Shaktikanta Das as the Governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), just a day after Urjit Patel resigned.


• Sensex closed 1.79% up at 35,779.07 after clocking its best two-day rally since October 15. The broader Nifty 50 Index ended 188 points or 1.79% higher at 10,737.60.

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• Indian hockey team players, including captain Manpreet Singh, were yelled at by a top Hockey India official after being seen at VIP lounge of the Kalinga Stadium during Netherlands-Canada World Cup match.


• As per the rules, players aren't allowed to enter the lounge. The official yelled at them while they were clicking pictures with fans and asked them to leave.

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• Groundsman Chris Scott and his staff were awarded Man of the Match for their efforts to make play happen during a rain-affected Test match between New Zealand and South Africa, which ended on December 12, 2000.


• They had ensured that 190.5 overs of play were possible despite the first, third and fourth days' play being abandoned without a ball bowled.

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• The International Cricket Council (ICC) is constantly persuading governments, including India's, to make fixing a criminal offence, ICC CEO Dave Richardson has said.


• "The Anti-Corruption Unit is trying to be much more pro-active," he added. This comes after former Sri Lankan cricketers Sanath Jayasuriya and Nuwan Zoysa were charged under the ICC Anti-Corruption Code.

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• Indian table tennis player Manika Batra became the first Indian to win the ITTF's 'Breakthrough Table Tennis Star' award.


• "I'm really honoured and happy to have received the award. I feel, 2018 has been the best year of my career so far," said the 23-year-old, who had won four medals at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year.

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• On 12th December 2018, MC Mary Kom , six times World Women Boxing Champion and Olympic Bronze medalist honoured with Meethoileima title by Manipur government.


• She was honoured by Chief minister N. Biren Singh who also handed over a cheque of Ten lakh rupees.


• The Chief Minister also declared that the Imphal West DC Road towards Game Village will be named as MC Mary Kom Road.


• Meethoileima means Outstanding Queen.

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• on 11th December 2018, Shaktikanta Das, former Economics Affairs Secretary appointed as 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). He succeeded Urjit Patel after he resigned from the post on 10th December 2018.


• Das is former Economic Affairs Secretary from 2015 to 2017, worked closely with the central bank. He is currently a member of the Finance Commission of India, and the government’s representative at the Group of 20 summits.


• Urjit Patel resigned as the Governor of India’s central bank citing personal reasons amid tensions between the government and the RBI over issues related to governance and autonomy of the central bank.

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• On December 11, 2018, Comptroller and Auditor General Rajiv Mehrishi became the Vice-Chair of the UN Panel of Auditors for a term of 2 years ending on June 30, 2020.


• The decision was taken in the panel’s annual meeting in New York which was held from 3 to 4 December 2018.


• The panel is currently chaired by the Comptroller and Auditor General of the UK and consists of External Auditors of the United Nations and its agencies.


• Presently, the panel consists of 11 countries — India, Germany, Chile, Canada, France, Italy, Philippines, Ghana, Indonesia, Switzerland and United Kingdom.

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• On December 12, 2018, Indian Navy’s first flyaway Deep Sea Submarine Rescue System was inducted by Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of the Naval Staff, at the Naval Dockyard, Mumbai.


• The new system is a third generation, advanced Submarine Rescue System having a Non-tethered Deep Submergence Rescue Vehicle (DSRV).


• It is capable of undertaking rescue from a disabled Submarine upto 650 m depth.


• It would be operated and deployed by the crew of Indian Navy’s newly formed Submarine Rescue Unit (West) from its base in Mumbai.

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• NASA has given advice to Marvel after fans called on them to help Tony Stark.


• This comes after several fans of the Avengers franchise requested the space agency to help the character, who can be seen isolated in space in the movie's latest trailer.


• NASA also included a photo which featured Thor's nameplate and hammer.