Daily Current Affairs and GK | 03 December 2019

1. 3 agreements signed between India and Sweden

• Three agreements were signed between India and Sweden in the fields of polar research, science and technology, and sea-faring.
• Indian PM Narendra Modi and King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden held bilateral talks and agreed to enhance bilateral cooperation on the issues of common interests.
• The leaders of both the nations also chaired the India-Sweden High-Level Innovation Policy Dialogue which is a platform for exchange of ideas.
• On the occasion, a bilateral project was announced that will convert agricultural waste like paddy straw into clean bio-coal.
• The project will be instituted at National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute, Mohali, by the office of Principal Scientific Advisor to the Indian govt in collaboration with Bioendev, Sweden.

2. NHRC issues notice to Centre, States and UTs

• National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has sought reports from Centre, States and UTs on Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) to deal with sexual harassment cases and use of Nirbhaya Fund.
• The notices have been issued after the NHRC took suo moto cognizance of media reports on sexual harassment cases.
• National Human Rights Commission:
  • It is a statutory body that was established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
  • Current Chairperson-Shri Justice H.L. Dattu
• Nirbhaya Fund:
  • It is a non-lapsable corpus fund created for the safety and security of women.
  • The fund was announced in 2013 and is administered by the Department of Economic Affairs.

3. First woman pilot of Indian Navy

• Sub Lieutenant Shivangi has become the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy.
• She was inducted into the Navy under Short Services Commission Pilot entry scheme. While in June 2018, she was commissioned into the Indian Navy.
• She is among the three trainee officers of the 7th Dornier Conversion Course who qualified as Dornier Pilots.

4. Prohibition of E-cigarettes Bill 2019 passed in Parliament

• The Prohibition of E-cigarettes Bill 2019 has been passed in Parliament with the approval of Rajya Sabha.
• The bill has been already passed by Lok Sabha.
• The bill will replace the ordinance promulgated on 18^th September 2019.
• The bill aims to protect the youth from harmful effects of e-cigarettes by prohibiting production, sale, distribution, manufacture, storage, etc. of e-cigarettes.

5. Global Migration Film Festival 2019

• The Global Migration Film Festival 2019 was organised in Dhaka, where 15 films were screened on the theme of migration and its different aspects.
• Global Migration Film Festival is a worldwide initiative that is organized simultaneously in different countries to divert the attention towards the issues of migration.
• GMFF started in 2016, and in 2019, it is being organised at different cities between 28^th November to 18^th December.

6. Saudi Arabia takes over G20 Presidency from Japan

• Saudi Arabia took over the G20 Presidency from Japan and will host the G20 Summit in Riyadh on 21-22 November 2020.
• Saudi Arabia is the first Arab Country to chair G20.
• G-20 or Group of twenty
  • It is the global forum for the governments and central bank governors that was found in 1999.
  • G20 includes 19 countries and the European Union.
  • There is no Permanent Secretariat of G20.

7. International Day of Persons with Disabilities: 3rd December

• In 1992, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 47/3 to annually observe December 3 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. 
• 2019 Theme: "Promoting the participation of persons with disabilities and their leadership: Taking action on the 2030 Development Agenda."
• This year the focus is on the empowerment of persons with disabilities for inclusive, equitable, and sustainable development to ‘leave no one behind'. 
• UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities that was adopted in 2006, aims to secure the rights and well-being of persons with disabilities. 

8. NASA finds Vikram Lander’s Debris

• The US Space Agency NASA released the image taken by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) that indicated that the Vikram Lander crashed on the lunar surface with parts scattered over several kilometers.
• Vikram Lander was part of the Chandrayaan-2 mission with which contact was lost, and the aim of India to soft-land on the lunar surface could not be achieved.  
• ISRO is planning to launch the Chandrayaan-3 mission soon.

9. India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue

• The first-ever India-Japan 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue was held in New Delhi.
• The two nations expressed concern over regional peace and security, which is subjected to threat caused by the terrorist network operating out of Pakistan.
• The two countries reiterated their vision of free, open, inclusive, and rules-based Indo-Pacific Region.
• India and USA also have similar 2+2 bilateral dialogue mechanism.

10. India clinches 3 gold medals on Day-1 of the 13th South Asian Games

• India won 14 medals on Day-1, including 3 gold, 8 silver, and 3 bronze at the 13^th South Asian Games.
• Nepal is on the top with 15 gold, 3 silver, and 6 bronze.
• Indian men’s and women’s volleyball teams have won gold each at the Games, with this, India now has a total of 5 gold medals.  

Multiple Choice Questions

1. Recently, India and Sweden signed three agreements in different fields, which of the following is not one of them?

1. Polar Research
2. Combating Terrorism
3. Science and Technology
4. Sea-faring

Correct Answer: (b)

2. Who is the current chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)?

1. Ranjan Gogoi
2. H L Dattu
3. J S Khehar
4. Dipak Mishra

Correct Answer: (b)

3. Who has become the first woman pilot of the Indian Navy?

1. Vijaya Devi
2. Payal Gupta
3. Shivangi
4. B Aishwarya

Correct Answer: (c)

4. The Electronic Cigarettes Prohibition Bill 2019 prohibits which of the following with respect to e-cigarettes?

1. Manufacture
2. Storage
3. Sale
4. All of the above

Correct Answer: (d)

5. The Global Migration Film Festival was launched in-

1. 2016
2. 2017
3. 2018
4. 2019

Correct Answer: (a)

6. Who among the following will chair G-20 for the year 2020?

1. Japan
2. Germany
3. Saudi Arabia
4. Italy

Correct Answer: (c)

7. The International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed every year on- 

1. 3^rd March
2. 1^st July
3. 3^rd December
4. 1^st September

Correct Answer: (c)

8. Recently, India and Japan conducted a 2+2 dialogue meeting in which the two ministers from both the countries held talks. These ministers were-

1. Foreign Minister and Defence Minister
2. Foreign Minister and Minister of Commerce and Industry
3. Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Defence
4. Finance Minister and Home Affairs Minister

Correct Answer: (a)