Current Affairs Quiz- November, 2019

Notes:
The National Press Day (NPD) is celebrated every year on 16th of November as symbolic of free and responsible press in India.This was the day on which the Press Council of India (PCI) started functioning as a moral watchdog to ensure that not only did the press maintain the high standards expected from this powerful medium but also that it was not fettered by the influence or threats of any extraneous factors.

Notes:
The book “The Daughter from a Wishing Tree Unusual Tales about Women in Mythology” has been authored by acclaimed author and Infosys Foundation chairman Sudha Murty. The book will tell numerous untold tales of women in mythology. It will talk about the magic spell that can make a dead person come alive, and the wishing tree that gives the wonderful gift of daughters. It will also answer some very curiosity invoking questions like who the gods turn to for support when they are helpless.

Notes:
The Jayakwadi Dam  is located on Godavari river at the site of Jayakwadi village in Paithan taluka of Aurangabad district in Maharashtra. It is in news because the seismometer , piezometer, earth pressure cell, slope meter and several other key instruments installed at the dam have stopped functioning properly. The seismometer was installed at the Jayakwadi dam after the devastating earthquake in Killari in Latur district in 1993. This instrument is powerful as it has a range of 10,000 kms. In the past, it has recorded the epicentres of earthquakes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia, Nepal, etc. 

Notes:
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has recently released its latest World Energy Outlook (WEO) report. In the 2019 edition, IEA projected a rapid increase in installed installed solar capacity by 2040, from 495 GW now to 3,142 GW. Though, it expects (CO2) emissions to continue rising for decades unless polices reflect greater ambition on climate change. This is primarily due to the longevity of the existing stock of coal-based plants, which account for 30% of all energy-related emissions. IEA is an inter-governmental organisation established in the framework of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). 

Notes:
Nilkanth Khadilkar (85) , the noted editor of Marathi newspaper Navakal, has passed away in Mumbai, Maharashtra on 22nd November 2019. He was the editor of the newspaper for 27 years and had gained popularity for his hard-hitting editorials which became the daily’s popular feature. He was also author of a few books, including “Practical Socialism: musings from a tour of Russia”.

Notes:
Shaukat Kaifi (93), the veteran Bollywood actor and Shabana Azmi’s mother, has passed away  in Mumbai on 23rd November 2019. Kaifi’s husband “Kaifi Azmi” was the celebrated Urdu poet and film lyricist. She and her husband were leading lights of the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA) and the Progressive Writers Association (IWA), which were the cultural platforms of the Communist Party of India (CPI). Also credited as Shaukat Azmi, Kaifi’s acting credits include ‘Bazaar’, ‘Umrao Jaan’ and Mira Nair’s Oscar-nominated film ‘Salaam Bombay’. Her last film was Shaadi Ali’s ‘Saathiya’.

Notes:
The people of Bougainville have started casting vote in a referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG). If the vote for independence passes, the autonomous province with 206,000 people could become the world’s newest independent nation. The referendum is part of a peace deal in 2001 that ended a bloody civil war between Bougainville and PNG. The referendum presents two options, either greater autonomy from PNG, or complete independence. However, the referendum is nonbinding and a vote for independence would require ratification from the Papuan Parliament. Bougainville  is the small archipelago of Pacific islands.  Its history includes colonial exploitation, attempts at independence, a 9-year war and a gradual peace process.

Notes:
The Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) has launched a special winter-grade diesel for high altitude regions such as Ladakh, Kargil, Kaza and Keylong. This unique winter-grade fuel has been engineered to perform in extremely cold weather conditions. It will help provide year-round access to grueling regions and will work as a catalyst in the country’s efforts to speed up strategic road connectivity. This special fuel produced by Panipat refinery is capable of remaining unfrozen up to minus 33 degree Celsius. It also meets BIS specification of BS-VI grade diesel.

Notes:
The book “RN Kao: Gentle Spymaster” has been authored by  security expert Nitin A Gokhale. It is on the life and times of legendary spymaster Rameshwar Nath Kao, founding father of India’s external intelligence agency Research & Analysis Wing (RAW). Kao’s legendary exploits include conducting ‘Kashmir Princess’ probe in the mid-1950s, his contributions in the liberation of Bangladesh in 1971 and role in ensuring Sikkim’s merger with India.

Notes:
On 23rd November 2019, Indian Army celebrated the historic  Poonch Link-up Day with traditional gaiety & fervour to mark the Operation Easy conducted by them in 1948 to defend the border district from the invading Pakistani raiders. Poonch withstood a siege by the Pakistanis from November 1947 till relieved by the Indian Army. The day marks the historic link up carried out by Brigadier Pritam Singh’s forces with Brigadier Yadunath’s forces from Rajouri at Danna Ka Pir on 21 November 1948.