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:
In Japan, Yasuhiro Nakasone (101) has passed away at Tokyo on 29th November 2019. He was one of the longest-reigning Prime Ministers and known for his friendship with Ronald Reagan. He also broke an unwritten rule on limiting the annual defence budget to 1% of Gross National Product (GNP). In 1983, he became the first Japanese Premier to officially visit South Korea & mended fences with a country that Japan had brutally colonized from 1910 to 1945.

Notes:
H R Khan, former deputy governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been appointed as first chairman of steering committee panel on Code for Responsible Lending (CRL) in Micro-Credit. Members of panel include: P Satish of Sa-Dhan, Sonia Krishnankutty of L&T Finance, Harsh Shrivastava of MFIN and Srinivas Bonam of IndusInd Bank among others.

Notes:
Thailand has been elected as a member of the World Heritage Committee. It was selected during the 22nd session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in Paris. The representatives from 193 countries cast their votes to fill nine vacant seats on the 21-member World Heritage Committee.
With this selection, it will be the fourth time Thailand has served on the World Heritage Committee. The term would end in 2023. Also, the committee will reconsider Bangkok’s proposed listing of the Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex and also Phu Phrabat Historical Park in 2020.

Notes:
India will set up 12 hi-tech parks in Bangladesh at a cost of $193 million.Speaking at a business meeting in Rangpur organised by the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry, High Commissioner of India to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das said that these hi-tech parks will provide training to 30,000 youth of Bangladesh as skilled IT professionals. Responding to the issue of the trade imbalance between the two countries, Riva Ganguly Das said that diversification of the product basket of Bangladesh will help reduce the gap by increasing exports to India.

Notes:
The seventh Indo-Sri Lanka joint military exercise Mitra Shakti was held on December 1, 2019 at Aundh military station. The main objective of the exercise is to build and promote positive relations between the countries. The exercise was scheduled to be conducted at the Foreign Training Node in Pune between December 1 and December 14, 2019.

Notes:
13th South Asian Games have formally begun in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.President of Nepal Bidya Devi Bhandari declared games open in a glittering ceremony at Dasaratha Rangshala in Kathmandu on December 1. Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Chairman of National Assembly Ganesh Timilsina, Deputy Prime Minister Ishwor Pokharel, Ministers from South Asian countries and a large number of other dignitaries also graced the opening ceremony. Over 2700 athletes from seven South Asian Countries participated in the march past.

Notes:
Punjab CM Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh made it clear that devotees applying online to visit Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan were not being charged facilitation fee by ‘sewa kendras’ set up by the state government. In a statement he said, anyone asked to pay any fee should inform his office directly. He asserted the application process was totally free of cost.

Notes:
International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) is an international observance promoted by the United Nations since 1992. It has been observed with varying degrees of success around the planet. The observance of the Day aims to promote an understanding of disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains to be derived from the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic and cultural life. It was originally called “International Day of Disabled Persons” until 2007.Each year the day focuses on a different issue. The theme for 2019 is “The Future is Accessible”

Notes:
The 8th India-China joint training exercise ‘HAND-IN-HAND 2019’ with the theme counter terrorism under United Nations mandate is scheduled to be conduct at Umroi, Meghalaya from 07 to 20 December 2019. The aim of the exercise is to practice joint planning and conduct of counter terrorist operations in semi urban terrain.The exercise schedule is focused upon training on various lectures & drills associated with counter terrorist handling & firing with each others weapons, special heliborne operations and case studies of various operations carried out in counter terrorist environment. Two tactical exercises are scheduled during the training; one on counter terrorism scenario and the other on Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations.