Current Affairs 14th December 2015

Important points : 

• What is the Mascot and Logo of 2016 South Asian Games - Tikhor (a one horned rhino)
• Which two countries have inked agreements for cooperation in Railway Sector - India and Japan
• Who has won singles titles at World Dubai Superseries Finals - Japan's Nozomi Okuhara & Kento Momota 
• Who has won 2015 South East Asian Write Award for Singapore - Indian-origin writer J M Sali 
• For first time in Municipal council polls Saudi voters elected -  Women candidates 
• Name the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Festival, began in Ladakh region - Losar
• Who has won gold in the 59th National shooting championship - Vijay Kumar 
• Name the Typhoon which has struck the Philippines - Melor

Details : 

What is the Mascot and Logo of 2016 South Asian Games - Tikhor (a one horned rhino)

On 13th December 2015, the Mascot and Logo of 2016 South Asian Games was revealed by Orgnaising committee of 12th South Asian Games (OC-SAG).

The mascot of the game is Tikhor, which is a one horned rhino and carries the message of peace, stability, amity and progress. The logo of the game has eight petals which represents the participating countries.

Which two countries have inked agreements for cooperation in Railway Sector - India and Japan

On 12th December 2015, a MoU on cooperation and assistance in the Mumbai – Ahmedabad High Speed Rail Project (Bullet Train project) was inked between India and Japan.

Apart from this, the two nations also agreed to enter into two complete technological cooperation agreements for upgradation and modernization of railways in India.

MoU for Mumbai – Ahmedabad HSR Project

• The project will be based on Shinkansen Technology.
• Mumbai – Ahmedabad HSR Project is a 508 Kilometer railway with an estimated cost of 97636 crore rupees.
• A fund of 79000 crore rupees has been offered from Japan as an an assistance for the project.
• Implementation of the project will take 7 years. 

Areas of cooperation include:

• Railway Electrification
• Sharing of information for the development of station and capturing land value
• Railway track system and Civil structure
• Train control system
• Rolling stock including train sets/EMUs
• Mitigation of natural disasters
• Railway Safety
• Sharing of information for environment friendly sanitation technology in trains
• Signalling and telecommunication

The areas of technical cooperation include:

• Advanced techniques of maintenance
• Use of environment friendly technologies
• Throughput enhancement measures
• Safety in train operation

Who has won singles titles at World Dubai Superseries Finals - Japan's Nozomi Okuhara & Kento Momota 

On 13th December 2015, Men's singles and Women’s singles title at the BWF World Superseries finals won by Japanese shuttlers Kento Momota and Nozomi Okuhara respectively.

About Kento Momota

• He is known for his unpredictable style of play and movements on court.
• He is also the first player to win a medal in BWF World Championships 2015.
• He is also the first Japanese player to win the Singapore Open.
• In Japan's maiden Thomas Cup victory in 2014 he won all of the matches he competed.

About Nozomi Okuhara

• She became the youngest women's singles champion ever at the Japanese National Badminton Championships in 2011.
• She won BWF Super Series title at the 2015 Japan Super Series.
• She won the 2012 Canada Open Grand Prixher.

Who has won 2015 South East Asian Write Award for Singapore - Indian-origin writer J M Sali 

On 11th December 2015, Indian-origin Tamil writer Jamaludeen Mohamed Sali was declared as the winner of the prestigious South East Asian Write Award for Singapore.

About J M Sali

• At the age of 25, Sali was invited to Singapore by late G Sarangapani, founder of Tamil Murasu to be an assistant editor at the newspaper.
• He had worked as a broadcast journalist for local broadcasting station, Singapore Broadcasting Corporation.
• He had written books on legendary boxer Muhammad Ali and martial art icon Bruce Lee.
• Vellai Kodugal (White Lines) and Alaigal Pesuginrana (The Sound of the Waves) are some of his famous short stories and novels.

Do You Know : 

• The Southeast Asian Write Awards was initiated in 1979, and since then it is presented to poets and writers of Southeast Asia every year.
• The award could also be awarded for lifetime achievement.

For first time in Municipal council polls Saudi voters elected -  Women candidates 

On 13th December 2015, for the first time Saudi Arabian voters voted to elect women in at least 18 municipal council seats. 

The result of the election were declared on 13th December which saw the most women candidates win, with four elected in the conservative capital of Riyadh. Women candidate Salma bint Hizab al-Oteibi was elected to the council of Madrakah.

To ensure the representation of more women are represented an additional 1050 seats are appointed with approval by the king.

In accordance to the royal decree issued in 2011, women are allowed to vote and contest in the municipal election. 

Name the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Festival, began in Ladakh region - Losar

On 12th December 2015, the biggest Tibetan Buddhist Festival named Losar began in Ladakh. The festival is celebrated as this is the beginning of Buddhist's New Year.

The festival initiates with decoration of residential and religious places.

In this festival, ancestors of the family are remembered by the people of Ladakh. 

Who has won gold in the 59th National shooting championship - Vijay Kumar 

On 13th December 2015, the centre fire pistol gold in the 59th National shooting championship was won by Vijay Kumar.

He won gold after defeating Gurpreet Singh. Apart from this, Kumar won the silver medal in the 25m rapid fire pistol event in 2012 Olympics.

Other gold medalists are : 

• Pemba Tamang - Rapid fire pistol
• Achal Pratap Singh Grewal – Air pistol & Standard pistol events
• Gurpreet Singh – 25m standard pistol

Name the Typhoon which has struck the Philippines - Melor

On 14th December 2015, the Philippines was struck by a a Category 3 storm Typhoon Melor. US military’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center which is located at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii categorised it as the 3rd Category.

It is expected that the storm will provoke flooding, landslides and 4 meter storm surges.

750000 people in three provinces of the Central Philippines have been evacuated to protect them from torrential rain and high winds by the authorities.

The wind speeds have hit the coast with a speed of 220 km/h, as per an estimate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.