Current Affairs 13 Dec.2016
Accent Institute Hisar

• IAF organises seminar to increase awareness about organ donation The Indian Air Force (IAF) had organised seminar to increase awareness about organ donation.
• Around 500 air warriors and their families joined hands to strengthen the organ donation movement in the country.
• Customers making digital payment for petrol, diesel to get 0.75% discount Customers making digital payment for purchase of petrol and diesel will get a discount of 0.75% on the sale price of fuel.
• The discount on payments will be available on using credit cards, debit cards, mobile wallets or Prepaid Loyalty Cards. The amount of discount will be credited into customers account by way of cash back within maximum three working days of the transaction.
•  Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approves recommendations of 7th pay commission The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the recommendations of the seventh pay commission.
• The pay hike almost 10 to 15% in the pay of employees will be implemented from January 17, 2017. Decision in this regard was taken based on recommendation committee constituted by state government for the implementation of seventh pay commission.
• This move will benefit almost 25 lakhs employees and pensioners in state. Assam’s Hailakandi district attains 100% in opening up of bank accounts of tea garden workers Assam’s Hailakandi district has attained 100 per cent mark in opening up of bank accounts of tea garden workers.
• All the 17 tea estates in the district have completed the process of opening up of bank accounts of individual tea garden workers.
• 2 Indians in US’ Richest Entrepreneurs Under 40 list:
  Forbes Two Indian-origin men Vivek Ramaswamy and Apoorva Mehta have figured in Forbes magazine’s second annual list of wealthiest entrepreneurs under the age of 40.
• The list was topped by Facebook founder Mark Zuckeberg. Vivek Ramaswamy, a successful biotech entrepreneur was ranked 24th on with a networth of $600 million and Apoorva Mehta (cofounder of Instacart, a grocery delivery service) stands at 31st spot with a $360 million networth. 
• India ranks 4th most vacation deprived country globally:
• Report The Expedia ‘Vacation Deprivation report 2016 has ranked India fourth most vacation deprived country globally.
• In India, 63% take fewer days of the vacations that they get. First three countries are Spain (68%), UAE (68%), Malaysia (67%) and South Korea (64%).
• International EU, Cuba sign deal to normalise ties The European Union (EU) and Cuba have signed a deal to normalise ties between them. Prior to it, Cuba was the only Latin American country not to have a cooperation deal with the 28-nation EU.
• The EU had blocked ties with Cuba for decades over issues such as trade, human rights and migration.
• Donald Trump picks Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State US President-elect Donald Trump has picked ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his Secretary of State, top diplomatic position in US.
• If approved by the Senate, Tillerson will replace John Kerry as the Secretary of State.
• Tillerson is a veteran chief executive who has had extensive overseas business dealings. He has close ties to the Russian government.
• He had driven Exxon’s expansion in Russia for decades and opposed US sanctions imposed on Russia for its seizure of Crimea.
• Syrian Army officially liberated Aleppo Syrian Army has officially liberated Aleppo after ousting rebels from their last bastions in the eastern part of the city.
• The Battle of Aleppo lasted more than four years after fighting broke out in July 2012. Aleppo was Syria’s largest city and commercial capital before the conflict broke out.
• It loss was one of the early setbacks to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad in the civil war. First two US made F-35 stealth fighter jet land in Israel The first two US made F-35 stealth fighters landed at Nevatim air base in Isreal yesterday.
• They are the first two of 50 warplanes bought from the US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. Researchers discover Hot Atomic Hydrogen in Earth’s Thermosphere Researchers have discovered the existence of hot atomic hydrogen atoms in thermosphere, the upper layer of earth’s atmosphere. 
• The discovery changes current understanding of the distribution of hot atomic hydrogen and its interaction with other atmospheric constituents.
• This discovery was based on new numerical techniques and their application of remote sensing measurements acquired by NASA’s TIMED (Thermosphere Ionosphere Mesosphere Energetics and Dynamics satellite) satellite.
• Priyanka Chopra Appointed UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassador Indian Actress Priyanka Chopra was appointed as UNICEF’s Global Goodwill Ambassador.
• It was announced by soccer player David Beckham and British actress Millie Bobby Brown on the eve of UNICEF’s 70th anniversary in New York.
• Earlier in 2016, she was appointed as UNICEF’s National Ambassador in India with responsibility of working on social issues related to children’s rights and adolescence.
• She also has been associated with other causes such as women’s rights, environment, health, education and gender equality,
•  Pankaj Advani wins 11th World Billiards Championship Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani has won his 11th World Billiards (150-Up format) Championships title.
• In the summit clash held in Bengaluru, Karnataka he defeated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore by six games to three.
• It was his overall 16th world title. India’s largest indoor sports arena planned in Kolkata India’s largest indoor sports arena will come up in New Town area of Kolkata, West Bengal.
• It will come up on ten acres of land near the Deer park in Eco Park. It will have capacity to accommodate upto 15,400 people at one time.
• Besides, it will have solar power. It will be larger than Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in new Delhi, which has a capacity to accommodate 14,348 spectators at one time.