Current Affair Updates: 16th December 2013

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National Affairs
Now UNAIDS has taken a step while urging India to decriminalise gay sex in India while opposing Supreme Court verdict which has said that homosexuality is a crime and comes under Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code . According to UNAIDS, in order to protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, transgender sexual and bisexual, the verdict should be repealed as its against adult consensual same sex sexual conduct. It’s worth mentioning here that few days back Indian Supreme Court had stroke down Delhi High Court’s verdict that has supported decriminalising gay sex.

Appointments
Harsh Bhanwala has been appointed as new Chairman of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) by the central government. Bhanwala has replaced Prakash Bakshi who got retired as NABARD Chairman way back to three months. Earlier, Bhanwala was serving as an Executive Director in India Infrastructure Finance Company Ltd (IIFCL).

Awards & Honours
Bollywood actor Irrfan Khan has grabbed the best actor award in 10th Dubai International Film Festival for his outstanding performance in bollywood film “The Lunchbox”. He won this award for his film in the Muhr Asia Africa Feature Category. Well-known filmmaker Shekhar Kapur headed the jury at the Dubai International Film Festival. Also in the same category, the Writer-Director of the film Ritesh Batra received a special mention for screenplay for “The Lunchbox”.

Death
Babul Phukan former Indian footballer has passed away after a prolonged illness in Guwahati, Assam. The 49-year-old Phukan had represented Assam 9 times in the Santosh trophy. The former Indian footballer had played several international matches in Italy, Germany and England. He had also represented Assam sub junior, junior and Santosh Trophy teams.

Sis Ram Ola, Union Labour and Employment Minister has died after a prolonged illness in Gurgaon. Padma Shri awardee 86-year-old the Congress and Jat leader Sis Ram Ola was not in a good health for a long time due to various ailments. He has been Union Cabinet Minister of Labour and Employment, Union Cabinet Minister of Mines, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers (Independent Charge), Union Minister of State for Water Resources (Independent Charge) and a member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. He used to represent the Jhunjhunu constituency of Rajasthan.

Joan Fontaine, an Academy Award-winning actress has passed away in her sleep in California. 96 year old Joan had starred in the Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers Suspicion as a naive wife and Rebecca. Joan who also acted in Jane Eyre, The Women and Born to be bad was the only actor to receive an Academy Award for her lead part in a Hitchcock film. Joan de Beauvoir de Havilland was Joan’s real name and fellow actress Olivia de Havilland was her sister.

Sports
Prakash Nanjappa of Karnataka and Malaika Goel of Punjab have clinched Gold at the 57th National Shooting Championship which has been held in Tughlakabad in their respective categories. Prakash grabbed Gold in 50-meter free pistol whereas the 16-year-old Malaika secured the Gold in women’s 10-meter air pistol. Hogging into limelight, Malaika smashed experienced Harveen Srao by 5.3 points in the final to clinch the gold. Prior to this, she had also crushed Olympians Annu Raj Singh and Heena Sidhu to make it to the final.

Germany thrashed France while registering record of sixth world title at Hero Junior Men’s Hockey World Cup held at the floodlit Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in New Delhi. Germany retained its title by defeating France by 5-2 victory in the final. Both the teams performed outstanding to clinch the title. Germany’s five goals was rode by Wellen, Jonas Gomoll and Christopher Ruhr two in a row.

India has defeated Pakistan in the fourth World Cup Kabaddi organised at the Guru Nanak Stadium in Ludhiana. India clinched the match with 48-39 while retaining the title consecutive fourth time. India received Rs two crore award while Pakistan bagged the runners-up trophy and Rs one crore.
 
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