17 December 2024 Daily Current Affairs

Mikheil Kavelashvili Elected President of Georgia

• Mikheil Kavelashvili has been elected as the new president of Georgia.
• He was elected due to discontent because of the government’s decision to postpone the country’s European Union accession until 2028. 
• He was the sole candidate for the presidency.
• He was elected by a parliamentary vote conducted by a 300-member electoral college.
• He received overwhelming support from parliament.
• He secured 224 votes out of a possible 225.

About Mikheil Kavelashvili

• Kavelashvili is a former footballer.
• He is a member of the ruling Georgian Dream party

About Georgia

• Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia
• Bordered by Russia (north), Turkey and Armenia (south), Azerbaijan (southeast), and the Black Sea (west).
• Capital: Tbilisi

On December 18,INS Nirdeshak is set to be commissioned at the Naval Dockyard, Visakhapatnam

• The Indian Navy will commission INS Nirdeshak in Visakhapatnam. 
• The name ‘Nirdeshak’ stands for ‘Pathfinder’.
• It is built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• It is the second ship under the Survey Vessel Project of the Indian Navy.
• It reflects India's commitment to Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Features of INS Nirdeshak

• Its length is 110 meters.
• It is capable of achieving speeds exceeding 18 knots.
• It can remain at sea for over 25 days.
• It is driven by two marine diesel engines.
• Built using ‘Integrated Construction’ technology.

About INS Vikrant

• It is India’s first indigenously designed and manufactured aircraft carrier 
• It has been designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited.

Exercise SLINEX started

• Exercise SLINEX 2024  will be conducted from 17 to 20 Dec 24 at Visakhapatnam.
•  It will be under the aegis of the Eastern Naval Command.
• Indian Naval Ship INS Sumitra from India and SLNS Sayura, form Sri Lanka will participate in it.

About Exercise SLINEX

• It is a bilateral naval exercise conducted between India and Sri Lanka.
• It was initiated in 2005
• Its aim is to promote a safe, secure, and rules-based maritime environment.

Maritime exercise with other countries

India's first diabetes biobank in Chennai

• The country's first diabetes biobank has been established in Chennai
• It is being established by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) in collaboration with the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation (MDRF).

About diabetes biobank

• The diabetes biobank is a repository of biological samples collected from different populations 
• It is being done to aid scientific research.
• It will store blood samples for various forms of diabetes, including Type 1 diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.

About Diabetes

• Diabetes is a chronic disease.
•  It occurs when the pancreas is unable to produce insulin or when the body cannot use insulin effectively. 
• Insulin is a hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels.
• It results in high blood glucose levels, a condition known as hyperglycemia

News Headlines for Today

• Ustad Zakir Hussain, 73, passes away in the USA.
• Russia to launch visa-free travel for Indian tourists in 2025
• In Norway Chess 2025,,  Gukesh will face Magnus Carlsen and Arjun Erigaisi in elite field
• WPL Auction 2025: Dottin returns to Gujarat Giants
• Bangladesh beats West Indies by 7 runs in 1st T20
• India beat Japan 3-1 to enter the Women's Junior Asia Cup hockey final
• The 10th International Forest Fair in Bhopal.
• India clinched Women Junior Asia cup 2024 in Muscat, Oman