Current Affairs Quiz- November, 2019

Notes:
The Odisha government has decided to partner with Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) for targeted intervention in a set of social sectors including poorest of the poor through policy formulation and evaluations based on experimental research. The co-founders of J-PAL are Nobel laureates Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo. The Massachusettes Institute of Technology (MIT)-based J-PAL is known for its experimental research studies or randomized controlled trials. It has worked extensively in Africa as well India and its evaluations have helped improve outcomes of social sector initiatives.  

Notes:
The Spanish capital city of Madrid will host the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 25) from 2nd to 13th December 2019. The decision was taken after Chile withdrew as host for the event due to the ongoing street protests in the South American country. The annual Conference of the Parties (COP) summit is a key event which allows representatives from around 200 nations to monitor and discuss the current situation of the world’s warming climate.   

Notes:
The 14-day long joint Indo-French exercise ‘Shakti-2019’ has started at the Mahajan field firing ranges in Bikaner, Rajasthan. The aim of the exercise is to enhance interoperability between the two armies and further strengthening the military relations between them. The exercise will facilitate both the armies to know each other better, share their operational experience and enhance awareness through information exchange.

Notes:
US based-Indian author Madhuri Vijay has won the JCB Prize for Literature 2019 for her debut novel ‘The Far Field’ at Rambagh Palace in Jaipur. It is the most expensive Indian award for writing. She also received a cash prize of Rs 25 lakh, along with a sculpture by Delhi artist duo Thukral & Tagra entitled ‘Mirror Melting’.

Notes:
Pooja Gehlot (53kg) has won India’s 2nd silver at the 2019 U-23 World Wrestling Championships in Budapest, Hungary. In the final, she defeated by Japan’s Haruna Okuno by  in the finals of championships. India’s first silver was won by Ravinder (61kg).

Notes:
The IIT Madras has launched the newly designed ‘Arise-A Standing Wheelchair’ standing wheelchair for disabled at IIT Madras Research Park. The standing wheelchair is designed by TTK Center for Rehabilitation Research & Device Development (R2D2). The purpose of this wheelchair is that it will help a person in a wheelchair to stand without any help.

Notes:
According to an analysis published in Carbon Brief, India’s Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions growth is expected to slow down by 2% in 2019. The emissions are lower than the annual increase seen in any year since 2001 due to a slower growth in coal-based power generation and rise in renewable power generation.  The Oil demand growth slowed to 2.6% in the first eight months of 2019, compared with 4.6% in 2018, and 5% on average over the past 10 years. Carbon Brief is a site that tracks emission and CO2 trends.

Notes:
To pay tribute to legendary playwright Mohan Rakesh, the 4-day festival titled “Mohan Rakesh Natya evam Samman Samaroh” is being organized by the Delhi government’s art and culture wing “Sahitya Kala Parishad” held at the Kamani Auditorium from November 11, 2019. The purpose of the event is to provide a platform to the upcoming talents in the field of theatre. Rakesh was widely-known as one of the brains behind the ‘Nai Kahani’ (New Short Story) literary movement of Hindi literature in the 1950s & also wrote the first modern Hindi play titled “Ashadh Ka Ek Din” in 1958.

Notes:
The first-ever ‘BIMSTEC Ports’ Conclave’ is has been inaugurated by Union Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya at Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on  7th November 2019. The 2-day Ports’ conclave of BIMSTEC nations is expected to explore the possibility of increasing economic cooperation by furthering EXIM trade and coastal shipping. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an International Organization of 7 nations of South Asia and South East Asia. Its member states are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal. 

Notes:
The 10th edition of Tata Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest will be held from 14-17 November 2019. In it, noted Marathi literature Shanta Gokhale will be conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award for 2019. While, a pioneer of modernism in Malayalam poetry K Satchidanandan will receive the Poet Laureate for 2019. Both the awards will be conferred for their work which has made a significant impact in the Indian literary field.