Current Affairs Quiz-December, 2019

Notes:
Lieutenant General Manoj Mukund Naravane will be the 28th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army. The current Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat will be retiring on 31 December after a period of three-years. Bipin Rawat is expected to be appointed as India’s first Chief of Defence Staff.

Notes:
The judiciary of Pakistan recently handed the death sentence to Pervez Musharraf in December. The penalty was handed by a special court against the former military dictator for high treason. Musharraf was a 4 star general of the Pakistani Army and the 10^th president of the country. Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999 and ruled Pakistan as President until 2008.

Notes:
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is a United Nations (UN) agency, with an aim to assist and protect refugees. The first ever Global Refugee Forum is being conducted by the UNHCR on 17 and 18 December 2019 in Geneva, Switzerland. The Ministerial level event will be co-hosted by UNHCR and Switzerland . It is co-convened by the country heads of Turkey, Ethiopia, Germany and Costa Rica. Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan also co-convenes the forum.

Notes:
CECRI (Central Electrochemical Research Institute, Karaikudi) developed a self-powered sensor for glucose. It makes use of an enzyme called glucose oxidase. Unlike conventional sensors, it doesn’t required batteries to power its function. The sensor was developed by coupling a polymer with the catalytic enzyme.

Notes:
A report by the US National Science Foundation ranked India as the 3^rd largest producer of scientific research articles and conference papers. China is at the top position in global research output ranking while USA is at the second spot.

Notes:
The laser fencing of the Indo-Nepal border is being put up by the Sashastra Seema Bal. The project was commenced in December to curb the entry of Third Party nationals into the country without permission. The SSB is involved in guarding the Indian border with Bhutan and Nepal.

Notes:
The Suposhan Abhiyan is a scheme of the Chhattisgarh state government. The state recently conducted information dissemination drives in local languages under this scheme to create awareness about the various government initiatives to the forest dwellers and tribal people of the region.

Notes:
The International Astronomical Union or IAU recently named the star HD 86081 as ‘Bibha’. It is a white yellow star in the constellation Saxtans. The term Bibha means ‘a beam of light’ in Bengali language. The star was named after the Indian scientist Dr. Bibha Choudhury who had discovered the sub-atomic particle called pi-meson.

Notes:
The US house of Representatives has passed a bill to promote the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. It proposes the establishment of Gandhi-King Development Foundation (to be created by USAID under the Indian laws), Gandhi-King Scholarly Exchange Initiative (allocates 2 million USD until 2025) and Gandhi-King global academy (professional training initiative on conflict resolution).

Notes:
The Bar Headed Goose is a rare migratory bird. It breeds in northern countries like China and Mongolia. During the winters they migrate southwards. They are noted for taking the migratory route over the Himalayan ranges. They were recently spotted in Kerala’s wetlands.