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• North Korea has hit out at the US for stepping up sanctions against its regime, warning that it could force a return to “exchanges of fire” and block the path to nuclear disarmament forever.


• Washington said it put the sanctions on three top officials, after a report threw up a raft of human rights abuses.

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• India announced financial assistance of USD 1.4 billion to the Maldives as the island nation’s President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih undertook his maiden visit, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi said would enhance “trust and friend” between the two nations.


• Looking forward to securing the societal and economic development of Maldives, India also promised to provide budget support, and currency swap.


• The two countries also exchanged the documents of agreement in the presence of Prime Minister and Maldives President Solih for bilateral co-operation in the field of agri-business, culture, and visa arrangements.

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• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said that his government was looking for a way out of a $13-billion arms deal with Saudi Arabia.


• This comes as the kingdom faces criticism over the war it is waging in neighbouring Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Earlier, Trudeau said there would be huge penalties for scrapping the deal.

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• Karnataka government has revealed that the 'prasad' served to people at the temple in Chamarajanagar, that claimed the lives of 14 people, had a "dangerous substance".


• Karnataka Deputy CM G Parameshwara said that the 'prasad' was laced with monocrotophos, an organophosphate that is dangerous to humans.

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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Rae Bareli for the first time where he launched various development projects and Allahabad which is recently renamed to Prayagraj to review the preparation of Kumbh Mela.


• Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath also visited Rae Bareli on 13th December to oversee preparations of Prime Minister’s one day visit.


• Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited traditional seat of Former Congress Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and laid foundation stone for various projects.


• Shri Narendra Modi Visited Modern Coach Factory in Uttar Pradesh where he flagged off the 900th Coach and a Humsafar Rake.


• Prime Minister said that the Projects that were dedicated, inaugurated or for which foundation stone has been laid are comulatively worth Rs. 1000 crore.


• As per Prime Minister, Government is trying to make Rae Bareli a Global Hub of Rail Coach manufacturing.

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• Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik sent a report to the central government recommending imposition of President’s rule in the State.


• This is because the six month of governor’s rule is close to expiry on December 19. The Union Cabinet has cleared the proposal to impose President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir from December 19. Now, President Ram Nath Kovind will issue a proclamation declaring that the powers of the Legislature of the State shall be exercisable by or under the authority of Parliament.


• The State plunged into a political crisis in June this year after the Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition government was reduced to a minority following withdrawal of support by the 25-member BJP in the State.

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• Cyclone Phethai made a landfall at Katrenikona in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, with a wind speed of 80 kmph.


• The cyclone caused huge damage to standing crops, especially paddy in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna and Visakhapatnam districts. Cyclone Phethai has crossed the Kakinada coast.

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• Aadhaar details for bank accounts or mobile phone connections will no longer be mandatory as Union Cabinet on Monday approved an amendment to the existing law, making Aadhaar details optional for these services.


• The cabinet also cleared stringent penalties for hackers, and those responsible for data breaches. The Supreme Court on September 26 had upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar.

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• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is reaching here on a day's visit to Maharashtra in which he will launch infrastructure and housing projects worth about Rs 41,000 crore in the state.


• Soon after landing at Mumbai, Modi will attend an event organised by a TV channel and later release the book 'Timeless Laxman' at Raj Bhavan.

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• The National Association of Software and Services Companies (NASSCOM) Strategic Review 2018, in the Information Technology and Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector in India, said that the Indian e-commerce market grew 17 percent to USD 38.5 billion in the financial year 2018-19.


• It was USD 33 billion in 2017-18. As per the Economic Survey 2017-18, the electronic commerce (e-commerce) market in India is estimated at USD 33 billion, with a 19.1 percent growth rate in 2016-17.

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• Belgium pipped the Netherlands via a penalty shootout to lift their maiden title of the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar.


• With this victory, Belgium took the gold medal, while the Netherlands settled for silver. The nearly sold-out crowd were in for a treat as Master Blaster and former Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar attended the finals of the prestigious tournament.

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• Novak Djokovic and Simona Halep were named as the 2018 ITF world champions by the governing body of global tennis.


• World number one Djokovic receives the honour from the International Tennis Federation for the sixth time, while it is the first year that Romania’s top-ranked Halep has been recognised.


• US pair Mike Bryan and Jack Sock won the men’s doubles award while the women’s doubles world champions are Barbora Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova.

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• The 24-year-old Filipino-Australian beauty Catriona Elisa Gray from Philippines bagged Miss Universe 2018 title.


• Miss Universe 2018 was held at Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret, Thailand. There are totally 93 contestants from various were participated in this contest. She was crowned by Miss Universe 2017 Demi Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa.


• Tamaryn Green, a medical student from South Africa became first runner up and Sthefany Guterrez from Venezuela studying to be a lawyer became second runner-up.


• Spain’s Angela Ponce made history as the first transgender woman to compete with other contestant for the title of Miss Universe.


• India’s Nehal Chudasama failed to enter it to the Top 20 of the Miss Universe 2018.This show hosted by Emmy Award-winning Steve Harvey.

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• National Institution for Transforming India( NITI AAYOG) organized the 3rd edition of the Women Transforming India Awards 2018 and launch the upgraded portal of the Women Entrepreneurship Platform 2.0.The Vice President of India M. Venkaiah Naidu was chief guest of the event where he presented the awards and launched the portal.


• Theme of this year is ‘Women and Entrepreneurship’.


• 15 winners have been chosen through an extensive six-month-long process.


• The primary objective of Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) is to promote and support both established and aspiring Indian women entrepreneurs.


• Many organisations such as Google, UN India Business Forum, CRISIL, SIDBI, NIC, NASSCOM, WEE Foundation, SEWA bank, Mann Deshi Foundation etc. are the partners in the Women Entrepreneurship Platform.

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• The first awards for the year 2018 have been declared and the B-Town celebs graced the red carpet in their stunning and stylish outfits to attend the 25th edition of the Star Screen Awards.
  
• The complete list of winners from the 25th edition of the Star Screen Awards are given below.


• Best Actor: Ranveer Singh for Padmaavat


• Best Actress: Alia Bhatt for Raazi


• Best Director: Sriram Raghavan for Andhadhun


• Best Popular Actor (Male): Rajkummar Rao


• Best Actor (Critics): Gajraj Rao for Badhaai Ho


• Best Actress (Critics): Neena Gupta for Badhaai Ho


• Best Film: Stree


• Best Film (Critics): Mulk


• Best Actor in Supporting Role (Male): Pankaj Tripathi for Stree


• Best Actor in Supporting Role (Female): Surekha Sikri for Badhaai Ho


• Best Debut (Male): Ishaan Khatter for Beyond the Clouds


• Best Debut (Female): Radhika Madan for Pataakha


• Best Action: Ahmed Khan for Baaghi 2


• Best Film Writing: Arijit Biswas, Sriram Raghavan for Andhadhun


• Best Real Star Award on social media: Katrina Kaif


• Lifetime Achievement Award: Shabana Azmi


• Best Music: Amit Trivedi for Manmarziyaan


• Best Male Playback singer: Arijit Singh for Ae Watan from Raazi


• Best Lyrics: Gulzar for Ae Watan from Raazi


• Best Female Singer: Harshdeep Kaur for Dilbaro from Raazi

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• On December 17 2018, Ashok Gehlot took oath as the Rajasthan Chief Minister whereas Sachin Pilot took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister after the successful lead in 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election.


• Governor Kalyan Singh administered the oath at the historic Albert Hall in Jaipur,Rajasthan.


• Congress President Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, outgoing chief minister Vasundhara Raje attended the event.


• Ashok Gehlot was a senior congress leader who has selected for Chief Minister third time. He was a Chief Minister for the first time in 1998 and again in 2008.

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• On December 17 2018, Congress leader Kamal Nath, 72 took oath as 18th Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh after the 2018 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election at Kanpur, Madhya Pradesh. Governor Anandiben Patel administered the oath of office of Kamal Nath.


• The Congress won 114 seats, has secured support of 121 MLAs, including SP (1) and BSP (2) legislators and four independents, to cross the majority mark of 116 seats in the 230-member Assembly. Congress took away the rule from BJP who ruled over 15 years.

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• On 17th December,2018,Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel Sworn in as third Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, at an indoor stadium Raipur, Capital of Chhattisgarh. The Swearing in Ceremony is administered by Governor Anandiben Patel.


• Bhupesh Baghel Succeeds Raman Singh,who was the Chief Minister of Chhatisgarh from 2003 to 2018.


• Two senior Congress leaders T.S. Singhdeo and Tamradwaj Sahu also sworn in as cabinet ministers.


• The Swearning in Ceremony was attended by Senior Congress leaders, including party chief Rahul Gandhi, former prime minister Manmohan Singh and Mallikarjun Kharge attended the oath-taking ceremony of Bhupesh Baghel as the chief minister of Chhattisgarh.

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• Leading industry chamber Ficci announced that it has elected Sandip Somany as the association’s President for 2018-19.


• The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) also announced that the current Joint Managing Director Apollo Hospitals Sangita Reddy has been elevated as Ficci Senior Vice President for next year, while Uday Shankar has joined the chamber as Vice President. Somany takes over as President from Rashesh Shah.

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• World’s oldest plant virus dating back 1,000 years has been discovered by scientist at a Native American archeological site. The previous oldest dating was found as 750 years.


• This new plant virus has discovered when research team examined ancient plant material from Antelope House, an Ancestral Puebloan ruin located at Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Arizona. Using carbon 14 dating, researchers confirmed that the age of the ancient samples was about 1,000 years old.


• The Ancestral Puebloans who lived in the canyon planted crops such as maize, beans and squash. It’s clear from these remains that maize was a major food source for the inhabitants.


• The maize remnants recovered at Antelope House consisted of cobs, ears with kernels, individual kernels, husks, leaves, shanks, stem portions and tassels.

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• Renowned classical singer Pandit Arun Bhaduri passed away at a city hospital in Kolkata after a prolonged illness. He was 75. Pandit Bhaduri, considered to be one of the masters of Bengali songs and bhajans.


• The veteran singer had served as a guru (teacher) at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy, and was a top radio and television artiste.