Daily Current Affairs: 28 December 2014

1) AirAsia flight QZ8501 went missing in Indonesia: An Indonesian AirAsia flight QZ8501, with 162 people aboard, disappeared en route to Singapore from Indonesia.  The last communication between the pilot and air traffic control was at 6-13 a.m. (2313 GMT Saturday), when the pilot “asked to avoid clouds by turning left and going higher to 34,000 feet (10,360 meters).” It was last seen on radar at 6-16 a.m., and a minute later was no longer there, Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia’s acting director general of transportation, told reporters. AirAsia, a regional low-cost carrier founded in 2001 by Malaysian businessman Tony Fernandes, said in a statement that the plane was on the submitted flight plan route. 2014 has been a bad year for Southeast Asia in airlines safety. One was the mysterious disappearance of MH370 en route to Beijing from Kuala Lumpur and another Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine.

2) Raghubar Das sworn-in as Jharkhand Chief Minister: BJP leader Raghubar Das was on 28 December 2014 sworn-in as the new Chief Minister of Jharkhand at the head of a five-member BJP-Ajsu coalition government, becoming the first non-tribal leader to rule the state. Governor Syed Ahmed administered the oath of office and secrecy to 59-year-old Das at the Birsa Munda Football Stadium in Ranchi. Jharkhand has a maximum limit of 12 ministers, including the Chief Minister.

3) One dead, several injured in bomb blast in Bengaluru: One woman was killed and three were injured in a low-intensity blast that was set-off by suspected terrorists using an improvised explosive device (IED) in a crowded street of Bangalore on 28 December 2014 night. This blast was set-off just outside which popular eatery in the city named 'Coconut Grove'. The explosion, in the hub of New Year revelry , prompted police to sound a red alert.

4) NATO ended its 13-year Afghan war: Nato formally ended its war in Afghanistan on 28 December 2014, holding a low-key ceremony in Kabul after 13 years of conflict that have left the country in the grip of worsening insurgent violence. The event was arranged in secret due to the threat of Taliban strikes in the Afghan capital, which has been hit by repeated suicide bombings and gun attacks over recent years.

5) Delhi recorded lowest temp in 5 years: Delhi on 28 December 2014 recorded the lowest temperature in past five years with the mercury dipping to 2.6 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal and dense fog affecting 55 flights and about 70 trains. The minimum temperature recorded at 8.30 AM was 2.6 degrees Celsius. "This is the lowest temperature recorded in Delhi in past five years. It could be the lowest in past decade too but records for the same aren't immediately available," the official said. Delhi's all time low of 1.1 degrees Celsius was recorded on 26 December, 1945.

6) Facebook apologized for grief caused by "Year in Review" feature: Facebook has apologized for the grief its "Year in Review" feature caused some of its users while dishing out good memories along with the bad ones. The social networking site compiled a "Year in Review" for every user, allowing them to reminisce over the highlights of the past year as calculated by Facebook's algorithm. While some people's highlights included a wedding or a trip, others contained more devastating highlights like the death of a loved one. Facebook algorithm chooses default photos and moments that captured the most interaction.

7) Dav Whatmore appointed Zimbabwe coach: Australian Dav Whatmore was appointed on 28 December 2014 as the new Zimbabwe cricket coach ahead of the 2015 World Cup. Zimbabwe Cricket said that the former Sri Lanka and Bangladesh coach will be in charge of the African side at the tournament, which starts mid-February, after Stephen Mangongo was fired on Dec. 18.

8) Congress Celebrated 130th Foundation Day: Congress celebrated its 130th Foundation Day, in the backdrop of the series of electoral losses in the States and its lowest ever tally in the Lok Sabha, on 28 December 2014. While Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had been hospitalised earlier this month, unfurled the party flag at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi, vice-president Rahul Gandhi was conspicuous by his absence.

9) Aviva Life appointed Trevor Bull as CEO for India operations: Aviva Life Insurance on 28 December 2014 said it has appointed Trevor Bull as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director for its operations in India. Bull, who will take charge from January, is replacing TR Ramachandran, who led Aviva India since October 2008.