Current Affairs Quiz-December, 2019

Notes:
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) transferred its indigenous technology to produce space-grade lithium-ion cells (Li-ion cells) to Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) as per the TTA signed in March 2018. BHEL is setting up the Li-Ion production facility near Bangalore in Karnataka. The announcement was given by the Union Minister of Atomic Energy and Space Dr. Jitendra Singh.
BHEL has procured and commission the various equipments, both indigenous and imported, to establish the facility. After the agreement, ISRO has provided all technical documentation that will be needed to establish the production plant and hands-on training in various production activities for BHEL staff at ISRO’s facilities.

Notes:
US President Donald Trump signed a bill that supports pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong, a move that is bound to anger China. The legislation proposes to impose sanctions on officials committing human rights violations against pro-democracy supporters in Hong Kong. It was passed by both the chambers of the US Congress House of Representatives (417-1) and the Senate unanimously.

Notes:
In shooting, Angad Vir Singh Bajwa unofficially hit a world record score in the men’s skeet final at the 63rd National Shooting Championships for Shotgun events in New Delhi on 29th November 2019. He defeated his senior and fellow Tokyo 2020 quota winner Mairaj Ahmad Khan of Uttar Pradesh. He also equalled a record he jointly holds with skeet legend Vincent Hancock and two others.

Notes:
Eminent Malayalam poet Akkitham Achuthan Namboothiri has been chosen as the recipient of the 55th Jnanpith Award for the year 2019. Born in 1926, Akkitham is one of the most revered names in Malayalam poetry. Apart from poetry, his literary excellence has footprints in genres like drama, reminiscence, critical essays, children literature, short stories and translation. He has authored 55 books out of which 45 are collections of poems including “Khanda Kavyas”, “Katha Kavyas”, “Charitha Kavyas” and songs. His works have also been translated into many Indian and foreign languages.

Notes:
The hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts will be mandatory from January 15, 2020. Hallmarking of gold jewellery and artefacts is being made mandatory in India for which a notification will be issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs and a period of one year will be given for implementation to ensure that new assaying and hallmarking centres will be set up by private entrepreneurs at locations where demand of gold jewellery and artefacts arises.

Notes:
A court in Suriname on November 29,2019 convicted President Desi Bouterse of murder for the execution of 15 opponents in 1982 following a coup to seize power, sentencing the man who has dominated the former Dutch colony’s recent history to 20 years in prison. Opposition parties called for Bouterse, currently in China on an official visit, to step down. The military court that found him guilty has not yet ordered his arrest.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has referred Dewan Housing Finance Corp. Ltd (DHFL) to the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for insolvency proceedings, making it the first financial services player to go NCLT for a possible debt resolution. DHFL has a debt of Rrs.83,873 crore. As per the statutory inspection of DHFL conducted by the National Housing Bank, the DHFL showed a serious deterioration in its finances. It had public deposits of Rs.6,188 crore as on 6 July 2019, down from Rs.10,166.72 crore as on 31 March 2018.
RBI has filed an application for initiation of corporate insolvency resolution process against DHFL under Section 227 of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016 read with Rules 5 and 6 of Insolvency and Bankruptcy Rules, 2019.

Notes:
International Book Fair is the biggest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world. This is the 33rd edition of Guadalajara International Book Fair and will continue till 8 December, 2019. India is the ‘Guest of Honour Country’ in this book fair and it becomes the first Asian country to participate as ‘Guest of Honour’ in the Fair. The National Book Trust (NBT), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) Government of India, is participating as the nodal agency of the Government in this book fair.

Notes:
Senior officer Hari Mohan on December 1 took charge as the chairman of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). He succeeded Saurabh Kumar who superannuated from the services. He is a 1982-batch Indian Ordnance Factories’ Service (IOFS) officer with a post-graduate degree in mechanical engineering. In a career spanning 39 years, Mohan has contributed significantly at various positions in Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) Haridwar, Vehicle Factory Jabalpur, Engine Factory Avadi, Heavy Vehicle Factory Avadi, Ammunition Factory Khadki, Ordnance Factory Bolangir (Odisha), Ordnance Factory Chanda and Ordnance Factory Dehu Road, Maharashtra, OFB New Delhi Office and Ministry of Steel & Mines.

Notes:
UN Climate Change Conference, known as COP25 gets underway in the Spanish capital, Madrid, under the Presidency of Chile from 2-13 December 2019.COP 25 is an important conference as countries prepare to move from pre-2020 period under Kyoto Protocol to post-2020 period under Paris Agreement. India’s approach will be guided by principles and provisions of UNFCCC and Paris Agreement particularly the principles of Equity and Common But Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capability (CBDR-RC).