DECEMBER 14 CURRENT AFFAIRS: Awards & Honours: 1. Rolene Strauss crowned Miss World 2014 • The 64th edition of the Miss World pageant was held in December at ExCeL London in London. • Megan Young of the Philippines crowned her successor Rolene Strauss of South Africa at the end of the event. This is the second time that South Africa has won the title. • Miss World Organization has been issuing Miss World Prizes since 1951. 2. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was felicitated by Miss World Organistion. • Aishwarya Rai was felicitated by the Miss World Organisation at the 64th edition of the international beauty pageant for her commitment to beauty with a purpose since winning the crown two decades ago. Deaths: 1. Subhash Chougule passes away • Mr. Chougule, founder-president of the Ajanta Film Society, was also responsible for the opening of the new Ajanta Cultural Centre at Visvesvaraya Nagar in the belagaum city last year. • He was a social activist. He belongs to Belgaum in Karnataka. Economy: 1. Reliance MediaWorks Ltd (RMW has a signed definitive agreement with Carnival Cinemas. • Reliance MediaWorks Ltd (RMW), part of Reliance Capital of Anil Ambani-led Reliance group, has a signed definitive agreement with Carnival Cinemas to sell its multiplexes business for an unspecified amount. • Debt to reduce by Rs.700 crore With this move, Reliance Capital’s debt will be reduced by Rs.700 crore through a combination of transfer of debt of RMW and infusion of cash proceeds. International: 1. Japan’s ruling coalition won a resounding victory • Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on 14 December 2014 was re-elected for another four-year term. • He was re-elected after Japans ruling coalition (Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito) won a two thirds majority in the Snap elections held for the Lower House (House of Representatives) of the Bicameral legislature, the National Diet. National: 1. Government calendar may have mobile app version. • For the first time, the new government calendar, brought out every year by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, may come in a mobile phone app avatar also. • The calendar which has Clean Green India as its theme and will highlight the governments flagship schemes and initiatives will be launched in the coming days. 2. Make tax evasion serious crime: SIT chief • Tax evasion needs to be made a serious “criminal offence” to force foreign countries to reveal names and account details of Indians stashing illicit wealth abroad, the Special Investigation Team on black money has said 3. Prize money will be spent on deprived children said Kailash Satyarthi • He had received Noble prize for peace along with Malala Yousufzai in December. Persons in News: 1. Jairam Ramesh joins UNEP’s International Advisory Board • Former Union minister Jairam Ramesh has been appointed as a member of a board which provides strategic policy advice to a key UN agency on environmentally sound technologies for developing nations. • Mr. Ramesh was recently named to chair a global research platform panel on sustainable development instituted by an alliance of organisations such as UNEP, UNESCO and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO). 2. U.S. Congress Woman Tulsi to visit India • Congress Woman Tulsi Gabbard, the first ever Hindu to be elected to the U.S.House of Representatives. • Tulsi Gabbard is an American politician and member of the Democratic Party who has been the United States Representative for Hawaiis second congressional district since 2013. 3. Haitis prime minister has resigned, after violent anti-government protests over delayed elections. • Laurent Lamothe, Haitis prime minister, has announced his resignation along with several ministers in the wake of violent anti-government protests. • Haiti’s President: Michel Martelly • Haiti’s Capital : Port-au-Prince • Haiti’s Currency: Haitian gourde Places in News: 3. TN opposes nod for study on new dam • Four months after the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) granted clearance to Kerala for a study on the construction of a new dam at Mullaperiyar, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam termed it as case of “violation of judgments” of the Supreme Court on the dam issue “in letter and spirit.” Science and Technology: 1. China develops invisible pain beam to disperse crowds • China has developed a long range and non-lethal pain beam weapon that can be used to break up riots or protests from a distance named poly WB-1 • Poly WB-1 is similar to the Active Denial System (ADS) created by Raytheon, which was sent to Afghanistan with the United States military, but was not used in combat and recalled in 2010. ABOUT POLY WB-1: • The Poly WB-1 was unveiled at an air show in China and it uses a millimeter-wave beam that can travel distances of up to One kilometer. Special Days: 1. National Energy Conservation Day was observed on 14 December. • The National Energy Conservation Day was celebrated every year in India by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).The celebrations was marked by giving out of National Energy Conservation Award by the Ministry of Power, Government of India. • The award was given to companies from different industry groups for creating benchmarks in energy conservation. India has an act on Energy conservation, The Energy Conservation Act 2001. Sports: 1. Champions trophy Hockey 2014 won by Germany • Germany beat Pakistan 2-0 to win Champions Trophy Hockey 2014. • Germany emerged victorious in the Hockey Champions Trophy, beating Pakistan 2-0 in a pulsating final at a packed Kalinga stadium, Bhubaneswar on 14 December 2014. • Winner: Germany Runner: Pakistan 3rd: Australia 4th: India • Top Goal Scorer: Jeroen Hertzberger-Netherlands Player of the tournament: Moritz Furste-Germany Goal keeper of the tournament: Sreejesh Ravindran-India Young player of the tournament: Akashdeep singh –India States: 1. U.P. may ban ‘Ghar vapsi’ programme. • The conversion programme scheduled to be organised by the Dharam Jagaran Samiti in Aligarh could be banned by the Uttar Pradesh government. About Ghar vapsi’ programme : • The ghar wapsi programmes is conducted by the Dharam Jagran Samiti (DJS). • The work is distributed between different Hindu outfits, called sahyogi sangathan. While the DJS takes on the task of identifying targets who could be brought back into the Hindu fold, other organizations pitch in with calls for donations. Summits: 1. Lima climate change talks reach global warming agreement: • International negotiators at the Lima climate change talks have agreed on a plan to fight global warming that would for the first time commit all countries to cutting their greenhouse gas emissions. • The plan, agreed at United Nations talks was hailed as an important first step towards a climate change deal due to be finalized in Paris next year. Surveys: 1. No methane exploration survey under way: ONGC. • The Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) has clarified that it is carrying out a geophysical survey in Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga and Pudukottai districts (Tamil Nadu) for oil and gas exploration and dismissed reports of methane exploration as rumours. 2. Survey report puts Cheyyur project in trouble • A rapid survey conducted by a city environmental group has claimed the existence of structures of historical and religious importance near the site of the proposed 4000 Megawatt Ultra Mega Power Project (UMPP) in Cheyyur, contradicting the conclusions of the project proponents. .
Posted on: Thu, 18 Dec 2014 14:50:30 +0000
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