1. Killa, a Marathi film bagged Crystal Bear award at 64th Berlin International Film Festival
i. Killa, a Marathi film on 17 February 2014 won the Crystal Bear (Glasernen Bar) for the best film award by the Children’s jury in Generation Kplus section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. The film has been directed by Avinash Arun.
ii. The jury in its citation for the award to the film said that the film deals with the universal conflict of migration and how it impacts the lives of people, especially children made them want to discover India. The film Killa convinced the jury in all respects with good camera work and the great actors.
iii. In the entire history in Berlinale, Killa is the third Marathi film to be selected and is the first Indian film to win this award.
Note: Killa is a film that deals with the universal conflict of migration and the process, how this migration impacts the lives of people, mainly children. The story of the film revolves around a young boy named Chinu who finds it difficult to adjust to the new surroundings after he migrated following death of his father.
2. OPECC freezes oil output ceiling
i. OPEC agreed on Wednesday to hold its crude production ceiling at 30 million barrels per day despite oversupply concerns and competition from cheaper shale oil.
ii. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which pumps out about one third of the world's oil, failed again to decide on a new secretary-general amid group tensions, instead keeping Libya's Abdullah El-Badri as its administrative head for 2014.
iii. And Libya, where output of crude oil has fallen sharply on unrest in the country, will assume the cartel's rotating presidency for next year, OPEC added in a communique.
iv. OPEC said in its statement that "global economic uncertainty, with the fragility of the eurozone remaining a concern" was the biggest challenge facing world oil markets in 2014.
v. Ahead of the meeting, member nations led by the world's biggest oil producer Saudi Arabia insisted that there was no need to change the ceiling.
3. India to host Under-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017
i. In a landmark development for Indian football, the country was awarded the right to host the 2017 Under-17 FIFA World Cup on Thursday by the world governing body of the game in its executive committee meeting in Brazil.
ii. India was chosen as the host country for the mega event by the FIFA executive committee in its meeting at Salvador de Bahia in Brazil.
iii. South Africa, Ireland and Uzbekistan were the other countries in the running for the right to host the tournament.
iv. By virtue of being the host country, India will take part in the 24-nation tournament for the first time in its history.
v. "India confirmed by the FIFA ExCo as host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017," FIFA said in a tweet after the meeting.
vi. This will the biggest ever football tournament India will be hosting and the first FIFA event in the country's history. India has hosted Asian Football Confederation's Youth Championships (Under-20) in 2006 and then the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 but never has hosted any FIFA tournament.
vii. AIFF and FIFA have agreed to bear the entire expenditure of hosting the tournament. The amounts required are to be raised through sponsorships and other commercial agreements," it had said.
4. Army’s Sikh Light Infantry wins best marching contingent award
i. Army's Sikh Light Infantry has been awarded the best marching contingent among the three Services at the Republic Day parade this year while the CRPF contingent bagged the honours in the paramilitary and auxiliary forces category.
ii. In the Services category, Territorial Army (Sikh LI) has been adjudged the best marching contingent in the Republic Day Parade 2014.
iii. In the category of Para-Military Forces and other auxiliary marching contingents, CRPF contingent has been adjudged the best contingent," a defence ministry release said.
iv. Out of the 18 tableaux, including five from union ministries and departments, the West Bengal tableaux, which depicted the famous Purulia Chhau dance, has bagged the top award.
v. "Tamil Nadu's tableaux on Pongal festival was adjudged the second best, while the third position has gone to the Assam tableaux based on the contribution of legendary folk singer, composer and writer Bhupen Hazarika to Assam's folk culture," the release said.
vi. In the competitive category of performances by school children, the dance presented by Navy Children School, New Delhi has been adjudged the best while a consolation prize was awarded to Govt Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Hastsal, New Delhi, for their beautiful portrayal of traditional folk dance of Chhattisgarh.
i. Killa, a Marathi film on 17 February 2014 won the Crystal Bear (Glasernen Bar) for the best film award by the Children’s jury in Generation Kplus section at the 64th Berlin International Film Festival. The film has been directed by Avinash Arun.
ii. The jury in its citation for the award to the film said that the film deals with the universal conflict of migration and how it impacts the lives of people, especially children made them want to discover India. The film Killa convinced the jury in all respects with good camera work and the great actors.
iii. In the entire history in Berlinale, Killa is the third Marathi film to be selected and is the first Indian film to win this award.
Note: Killa is a film that deals with the universal conflict of migration and the process, how this migration impacts the lives of people, mainly children. The story of the film revolves around a young boy named Chinu who finds it difficult to adjust to the new surroundings after he migrated following death of his father.
2. OPECC freezes oil output ceiling
i. OPEC agreed on Wednesday to hold its crude production ceiling at 30 million barrels per day despite oversupply concerns and competition from cheaper shale oil.
ii. The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, which pumps out about one third of the world's oil, failed again to decide on a new secretary-general amid group tensions, instead keeping Libya's Abdullah El-Badri as its administrative head for 2014.
iii. And Libya, where output of crude oil has fallen sharply on unrest in the country, will assume the cartel's rotating presidency for next year, OPEC added in a communique.
iv. OPEC said in its statement that "global economic uncertainty, with the fragility of the eurozone remaining a concern" was the biggest challenge facing world oil markets in 2014.
v. Ahead of the meeting, member nations led by the world's biggest oil producer Saudi Arabia insisted that there was no need to change the ceiling.
3. India to host Under-17 FIFA World Cup in 2017
i. In a landmark development for Indian football, the country was awarded the right to host the 2017 Under-17 FIFA World Cup on Thursday by the world governing body of the game in its executive committee meeting in Brazil.
ii. India was chosen as the host country for the mega event by the FIFA executive committee in its meeting at Salvador de Bahia in Brazil.
iii. South Africa, Ireland and Uzbekistan were the other countries in the running for the right to host the tournament.
iv. By virtue of being the host country, India will take part in the 24-nation tournament for the first time in its history.
v. "India confirmed by the FIFA ExCo as host of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2017," FIFA said in a tweet after the meeting.
vi. This will the biggest ever football tournament India will be hosting and the first FIFA event in the country's history. India has hosted Asian Football Confederation's Youth Championships (Under-20) in 2006 and then the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 but never has hosted any FIFA tournament.
vii. AIFF and FIFA have agreed to bear the entire expenditure of hosting the tournament. The amounts required are to be raised through sponsorships and other commercial agreements," it had said.
4. Army’s Sikh Light Infantry wins best marching contingent award
i. Army's Sikh Light Infantry has been awarded the best marching contingent among the three Services at the Republic Day parade this year while the CRPF contingent bagged the honours in the paramilitary and auxiliary forces category.
ii. In the Services category, Territorial Army (Sikh LI) has been adjudged the best marching contingent in the Republic Day Parade 2014.
iii. In the category of Para-Military Forces and other auxiliary marching contingents, CRPF contingent has been adjudged the best contingent," a defence ministry release said.
iv. Out of the 18 tableaux, including five from union ministries and departments, the West Bengal tableaux, which depicted the famous Purulia Chhau dance, has bagged the top award.
v. "Tamil Nadu's tableaux on Pongal festival was adjudged the second best, while the third position has gone to the Assam tableaux based on the contribution of legendary folk singer, composer and writer Bhupen Hazarika to Assam's folk culture," the release said.
vi. In the competitive category of performances by school children, the dance presented by Navy Children School, New Delhi has been adjudged the best while a consolation prize was awarded to Govt Sarvodaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Hastsal, New Delhi, for their beautiful portrayal of traditional folk dance of Chhattisgarh.
