Daily Current Affairs Updates: 07 December 2013

Daily Current Affairs Updates: 07 December 2013

1) Light combat aircraft Tejas fires missile on target: Tejas, the Light Combat Aircraft has successfully fired a missile that hit its target. The demonstration was conducted off the coast of Goa in the Arabian Sea. This is yet another milestone for Tejas, the first indigenously designed and developed fighter aircraft. It launched an infrared seeking air to air missile that hit the target in a direct hit with precision and destroyed it, a spokesperson for the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.

2) International Civil Aviation Day observed: International Civil Aviation Day was observed on 7 December 2013 to highlight the importance of civil aviation for social and economic development around the world.

3) Jordan elected to UN Security Council as a Non-Permanent Member: UN General Assembly elected Jordan to the UN Security Council as a non-permanent member on 6 December 2013 to replace Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia was elected in October 2013 to the Security Council as a non permanent member but it has rejected its seat in protest at the UN council's failure to end the war in Syria and act on other Middle East issues.

4) Tarun Tejpal’s police custody extended: Tehelka founder-editor Tarun Tejpal, accused of sexually assaulting a journalist woman colleague, will remain in custody of the Goa Police for four more days.

5) Flights cancelled, power knocked out as ice storm hits US: More than a thousand flights were cancelled and hundreds of thousands of Americans were without power on Friday as an ice storm hit south-central parts of the country.

6) Counting of votes in 4 States on Sunday: The much-awaited counting of votes in four of the five States that went to the polls will begin at 8 a.m. on Sunday. In Mizoram, counting will take place on Monday. Election Commission officials said that initial trends from the counting are expected by 9 a.m. Most of the results should be out by 2 p.m.

7) Air India firms up deal to sell five Boeing 777 to Etihad: Air India has finalised a deal to sell its five wide-body Boeing 777 aircraft to Etihad Airways by signing an agreement with the Abu Dhabi—based carrier, airline sources said.

8) 9th WTO Ministerial Conference concluded at Bali, Indonesia: The 9th WTO Ministerial Conference was concluded on 6 December 2013 at Bali, Indonesia. The Ministerial Conference has agreed on the revised draft of Bali Package.

9) WTO ministers clinch historic trade deal:  World Trade Organisation (WTO) ministers at Bali finally adopted the historic five-draft decision declaration and the 10-document full Bali package that addresses the Doha Development Agenda.

10)   UN designates 31st October as World Cities Day: A United Nations General Assembly committee adopted a resolution on human settlement on Friday, designating Oct 31 as the World Cities Day.

11) Ahmet Uzumcu re-appointed as OPCW Director General: Ambassador Ahmet Uzumcu on 4 December 2013 was re-appointed as the OPCW Director General at the 18th Session of the Conference of State Parties. This will be his second term in the office.

12) Brazil, Croatia to kick off 2014 FIFA World Cup: The much-awaited draw for 2014 FIFA World Cup was completed for next year`s finals in the Brazilian resort of Costa do Sauipe. Brazil will play Croatia in the opening match of the 2014 World Cup on June 12 in Sao Paulo. Brazil, who hosted the tournament last in 1950 would want to make the home fans proud this time with a sixth World Cup title. Mexico and Cameroon are the other two teams in their group.

13) Football World Cup winner’s prize money rises to $35 million: The 2014 World Cup champions will receive $35 million in prize money, world football’s governing body FIFA announced in Salvador on Thursday.