Current Affairs 17th December 2015

Important Points

• Union Cabinet approved MoU with BRICS for - Energy conservation
• Who will be the Chief Guest at Republic Day in India - French President Francois Hollande
• Which bill reagarding High Courts was passed in Lok Sabha - Commercial Benches in High Courts
• Who took oath as Delhi's Lokayukta - Justice Reva Khetrapal
• RBI liable to disclose information about which entities under RTI Act - Banks
• Federal Reserve of US increased interest rate by 0.25% for the first time since - 2006
• Who is author of "The Bose Brothers and Indian Independence – An Insider's Account" - Madhuri Bose 
• Which state's MLA passed resolution to remove Speaker Nabam Rebia - Arunachal Pradesh

Details : 

Union Cabinet approved MoU with BRICS for - Energy conservation

Among Important National Current Affairs, On 16th December 2015, Union Cabinet gave its approval to MoU between Indian and BRICS countries to give boost to energy efficiency cooperation. This MoU is aimed for joint Scientific and technological research along with knowledge sharing and enery saving approaches.

Do You Know : Member countries of BRICS are Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa.

Who will be the Chief Guest at Republic Day in India - French President Francois Hollande

Among Important National Current Affairs, Mr. Francois Hollande (President of France) will be chief guest of India at 67th Republic Day celebrations to be held in Delhi. Invitation from India was accepted by Mr. Francois Hollande on 16th December 2015. After his visit in 2013 it will be his second visit to India. 

Before him Nicholas Sarkozy was the chief guest of the event in 2008 who was president of France at that time.

Which bill reagarding High Courts was passed in Lok Sabha - Commercial Benches in High Courts

On 16th December 2015, Commercial Courts, Commercial Division and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Bill, 2015 was passed by Lok Sabha as this bill will be helping bring in big foreign investments into the country and improve India's global image on ease of doing business. With it commercial benches in select high courts will be craeated to settle commercial disputes.

Following are the Important Provisions of the Bill :

• It will be enabling the creation of commercial divisions in high courts, and commercial courts at the district levels.
• State govt's will set up Commercial courts after consulting state high courts.
• Chief Justice of the concerned High Court will be appointing Judges to a commercial court.

Who took oath as Delhi's Lokayukta - Justice Reva Khetrapal

On 17th December 2015, Former Delhi High Court judge Reva Khetrapal took oath as new Lokayukta of Delhi as this post was vacant sinf November 2013. Her oath was administered by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung. 

Reva Khetrapal was unanimously chosen for this post by four member panel comprising Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Justice of Delhi High Court G Rohini and Leader of Opposition leader in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta.

RBI liable to disclose information about which entities under RTI Act - Banks

Among Important Banking Current Affairs, On 16th December 2015, Supreme Court said that Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is liable to disclose information about the banks and financial institutions for their action against the loan defaulters including industrialists under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.

This ruling was made by a bench headed by M Y Eqbal and C Nagappan.

Federal Reserve of US increased interest rate by 0.25% for the first time since - 2006

Among Important International and Banking Current Affairs, On 16th December 2015, Central banking system of USA Federal Reserve System increased interest rate by 0.25 percent. It was important news because it was the first rate increase since 2006.

The decision to hike the interest rate was taken against the backdrop of economic recovery in the country.

Who is author of "The Bose Brothers and Indian Independence – An Insider's Account" - Madhuri Bose 

Among Important Book releases, Book titled "The Bose Brothers and Indian Independence – An Insider's Account" was relased in month of November. Author of this book is Madhuri bose who is grand niece of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. This book is based on role of the Bose Brothers in the Indian freedom struggle ie. Sarat and Subash Chandra Bose. It reveals their interactions with contemporary leaders like Chittaranjan Das, Jinnah, Motilal and Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Mahatma Gandhi.

With access to diaries, notes, photographs and private correspondence, this book, written by a member of the Bose family, brings to light previously unpublished material on Netaji and Sarat Chandra Bose.

Which state's MLA passed resolution to remove Speaker Nabam Rebia - Arunachal Pradesh 

On 16th December 2015, 33 out of 60 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) of the Arunachal Pradesh passed a resolution to remove the Speaker Nabam Rebia. 

As per the article 179 (c) of the constitution, to remove the Speaker of the house, a resolution of the Assembly should be passed by a majority of all the then members of the Assembly.