Current Affairs Quiz-December, 2019

Notes:
A powerful typhoon is blowing through the central Philippines, damaging homes and heading toward the capital, Manila. Typhoon Kammuri hit the eastern coast overnight and was moving west through Quezon province ripping off roofs, toppling trees and knocking out power. It had maximum sustained winds of 155 km per hour and gusts of up to 190 kmph. Nearly 90,000 residents were evacuating coastal and low-lying areas prone to flash floods and landslides.

Notes:
Ursula von der Leyen took charge as the President of the European Commission. She replaced Jean-Claude Juncker. She is the first woman to become the President of the European Commission. Ms.Ursula, the 60-year-old gynecologist, started her political career at her early age of 40. In 1990 she joined Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) and worked for 14 years. Leyen moved to the Labor Ministry in 2009. She became the first female defense minister in 2014.

Notes:
The world’s best loved species are being slaughtered by widespread and dangerous criminal networks. On December 4, 2012, the first time that World Wildlife Conservation Day was officially recognized around the world and calls on individuals around the globe to sign its Wildlife Pledge to respect and protect wild animals.

Notes:
Government launched the Operation Clean Art across India. The operation aimed to crackdown illegal trade in the mongoose hair. This is the first time such an operation is happening in India. It was initiated by the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB).The mongoose is a small carnivoran found in southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. It is listed in Schedule II (Part II) of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. As per the act, smuggling Mongoose or possession of its body part is a non-bailable offence. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed Mongoose on the Least Concern category in the Red List.

Notes:
The government launched the fourth phase of the Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS) to stimulate air connectivity in an affordable way. Ministry of Civil Aviation has invited bids for the 4th round of Regional Connectivity Scheme UDAN. The scheme was launched by the Ministry of civil aviation (MoCA). The scheme is a part of the government’s vision to operationalize over 100 airports in smaller towns and cities over the next five years.
The scheme focuses to introduce connectivity to priority areas like North East India, UT Jammu and Kashmir, UT Ladakh, hilly states in other parts of the country, and islands.The scheme was launched in April, 2017. The Regional Connectivity Scheme is also known as UDAN or Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik.

Notes:
In 1996 the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed that 7 December was to be the International Civil Aviation Day. The day has been celebrated by the International Civil Aviation Organization since 7 December 1994, the 50th anniversary of the signing the Convention on International Civil Aviation. The purpose of the day is to recognize the importance of aviation, especially international air travel, to the social and economic development of the world.

Notes:
K Vijay Kumar is appointed as a Senior Security Advisor in the Union Home Ministry. He will be advising the Home Ministry headed by Amit Shah on security-related matters of Union Territory of JK and Left Wing Extremism (LWE). K Vijay Kumar, 67, is a 1975-batch officer of the Indian Police Service (IPS). He served as the Director-General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Director of the National Police Academy in Hyderabad.

Notes:
Jharkhand’s Mahuamilan railway station has become the latest among these to get the facility. Mahuamilan station becomes the country’s 5500th station to get free wifi facility. Free Wi-Fi service to passengers are being provided under RailWire. The Railways began the service of providing free WiFi at their stations from January 2016 from the Mumbai Central station.

Notes:
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met the Prime Minister of Mauritius H.E. Mr. Pravind Jugnauth in New Delhi on December 6,2019. Prime Minister Jugnauth accompanied by his spouse, Mrs Kobita Jugnauth is on a private visit to India. Prime Minister Modi extended his warm felicitations to Prime Minister Jugnauth on his re-election with a resounding mandate. Prime Minister Jugnauth thanked Prime Minister and reiterated his commitment to further strengthen and deepen the fraternal and enduring bilateral ties between the two countries.

Notes:
Former India cricketer GS Lakshmi has become the first woman match referee to oversee a men’s One Day International (ODI). She officiated the opening match of the third series of the World Cup League 2 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Lakshmi will oversee the match between the UAE and the US at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium. The competition aimed to provide development opportunities for sports officials. This is the second significant achievement for Lakshmi in 2019. The first achievement of Lakshmi was her appointment as the first woman onto the ICC International Panel of Match Referees in May.