US activates land-based missile defence station in Romania

United States has activated a land-based missile defence station (Aegis Ashore Missile Defence System) in Deveselu, Romania. 

The missile defence station is part of NATO’s larger European shield to protect member countries from short and medium-range missiles, particularly from the Middle East. 

Key facts 

The Deveselu missile defence station has a battery of SM-2 missile interceptors. 

It uses powerful computer and radar technology to track and guide weapons to destroy enemy targets.

It also allows on-shore sites and warships to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles while they are still in space. 

The interceptor missiles are fired to hit ballistic missiles before they re-enter the atmosphere, stopping them well before there is any danger of causing any damage. 

US has spent 800 million dollars on the site in Romania, where work had began in 2013.

The missile defence station was activated as part of the Article Five commitment by all 28 NATO members. Under this commitment NATO members have decided in 2010 to create a missile shield based on US technology. The next phase of the project will be launched in Poland at Redzikowo, near the Baltic Sea and is due to be completed in 2020

International Current Affairs 2014

Mauritius Parliament Dissolved For Elections
The Mauritius parliament was dissolved on 6 October, paving the way for elections that could lead to changes in the country’s constitution. The ruling Labour party, led by Prime Minister Navinchandra Ramgoolam, wants to split powers between the president, now a largely ceremonial position, and the prime minister. That would require changes to the constitution.

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Bolivian President Evo Morales Re-elected For A Third Term
Bolivian President Evo Morales was re-elected for a third term with more than 60 percent of the vote according to the election results declared on 12 October. As per the results, Evo Morales got 60 percent while his closest competitor Samuel Doria Medina could secure only 25 percent.

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United Nations Elected Five New Non-permanent Members To Security Council
Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Venezuela and Spain on 16 October were elected as the new non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two years term by the UN General Assembly. These five countries replace retiring members Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, South Korea and Rwanda.The newly elected members term will be begining from January 1, 2015.

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Dilma Rousseff  Re-elected As Brazil President
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was re-elected in the Presidential Elections held in the country on 26 October 2014. She belongs to the center-left Workers’ Party and her second term will finish in December 2018. Rousseff took 51.6% of the votes while her centre-right challenger Aecio Neves representing Brazilian Social Democracy Party (BSDP) got 48.4% votes.

International Current Affairs

China and Russia Signed Energy Cooperation Agreements
China and Russia signed energy cooperation agreements on 9 November. The agreements were signed by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin and President of China Xi Jinping at the annual Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Beijing.The deals include a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop a second major supply route to supply Russian natural gas to China along a western route.

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US and China Signed Climate Change Agreement
In a historic climate change deal, U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping on 12 November announced both countries will curb their greenhouse gas emissions over the next two decades. Under the agreement, the United States would cut its 2005 level of carbon emissions by 26-28% before the year 2025. China would peak its carbon emissions by 2030 and will also aim to get 20% of its energy from zero-carbon emission sources by the same year.It is the first time China, the world’s biggest polluter, has set an approximate date for emissions to peak.

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Klaus Iohannis Elected As New President Of Romania
Klaus Iohannis was elected as the fifth President of Romania on 16 November. The Mayor of Sibiu Klaus Werner Iohannis won the Presidential elections in Romania by defeating Prime Minister Victor Ponta of Social Democratic Party. Klaus Iohannis belongs to Christian Liberal Alliance of Romania. He got 54.81 percent of votes and Victor Ponta got 45.18 percent.

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UN General Assembly Adopted Resolution On Child Marriages
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) rights committee on 21 November adopted the first-ever resolution calling on governments to stop child marriages. The resolution was presented by Canada and Zambia.