Current Affairs Updates: 29 November 2019

1. Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone passed away. He was 101 years old.

2. Indian archer Deepika Kumari won gold at the Continental Qualification Tournament held on the sidelines of the
21st Asian Archery Championships in Bangkok, China. Also, Ankita Bhakat won silver at the tournament.

3. The Rajya Sabha passed the Chit Funds (Amendment) Bill, 2019 on 28 November 2019. The Bill was passed by the
Lok Sabha on 20 November 2019. The Bill will amend the Chit Funds Act, 1982. The Bill was introduced by the
Union Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Anurag Singh Thakur. Provisions of the Bill: The Bill will
facilitate the orderly growth of the chit fund sector and enable greater financial access to people.

4. The Government has set up the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) at NITI Aayog. It encourages the schools to provide
exposure to science and technology to students so that they can be acquainted with futuristic technology
platforms. It was announced by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal
'Nishank'. Aim: The main objective of establishing AIM is to create scientific character and innovative thoughts
among the young minds of the country.

5. The government of India is to set up a new rocket launch pad near Kulasekarapattinam in the State of Tamil Nadu.
It was announced by the Union Minister of Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh

6. India wins bid to host 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup Kalinga Hockey Stadium in Bhubaneswar and Biju Patnaik
Hockey Stadium in Rourkela to be the venues for the tournament.

7. The European Union’s legislature has declared a climate emergency, in a symbolic move aimed at increasing
pressure on the incoming European Commission to take a stronger stance on climate change.

8. Shiv Sena Chief and Maha Vikas Aghadi nominee Uddhav Thackeray took oath as the Chief Minister of
Maharashtra. He is the 19th Chief Minister of Maharashtra. He was named as the leader of the Shiv Sena-NCP-
Congress alliance called the ‘Maha Vikas Aghadi’.

9. Particles’ directed by Blaise Harrison and produced by Estelle Fialon has won the coveted Golden Peacock Award
at the 50th International Film Festival of India (IFFI), which concluded in Goa.

10. The Indian Army has successfully test-fired 2 Spike long-range anti-tank missiles at Mhow in Madhya Pradesh.
Spike is a 4th-generation missile which can engage any target with precision at ranges up to 4 km. India became
the 33rd country to have the Spike missile as part of its inventory.

11. Minister of State for Home Affairs, inaugurated the 1st International Conference on “Landslides Risk Reduction
and Resilience” in New Delhi. The Conference called for developing technology to anticipate disasters like
landslides and develop infrastructure to quickly respond to minimise the damage.

12. Renowned cartoonist Sudhir Dar whose works graced several newspapers in a career spanning 58 years, passed
away.

13. India’s private news channel NDTV has been awarded International Press Institute India award for excellence in
journalism by the India chapter of the Vienna-based International Press Institute.
14. Odia women weightlifter Jhilli Dalabehera will receive the 27th Ekalabya Award for 2019.

15. Union Cabinet has approved the signing of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) and Protocol between
Republic of India and Republic of Chile. This will help in elimination of double taxation as well as prevention of
fiscal evasion and avoidance with respect to taxes on income.

16. Union Cabinet approved the amendment of the old Arms Act on 27 November 2019. The amendment prohibits
individuals, with few exceptions, from possessing more than one gun, down from three now.

17. Parliament has passed National Institute of Design (Amendment) Bill, 2019, with the Lok Sabha approving it on 26
November 2019. The bill was already passed by Rajya Sabha on 6 August 2019. The Bill will now be placed before
President to seek his assent, before it becomes a law.

18. Parliament has passed the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it
by a voice vote on 26 November 2019. The bill was already passed by the 17th Lok Sabha on 5 August 2019. The
bill now awaits Presidential assent, after which it will become a law.

19. Union Cabinet headed Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved Post Facto the Agreement signed by Prime
Minister for establishment of Strategic Partnership Council between India and Saudi Arabia. The agreement was
signed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on 29 October 2019 during
former’s two-day visit to the Gulf Kingdom.

20. Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated NuGen Mobility Summit-
2019 at International Center of Automotive Technology (ICAT) in Manesar, Haryana. This three-day conference will
be held from 27 to 29 November 2019.

21. The Lok Sabha passed the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Bill, 2019 on
27 November. The Bill awaits Rajya Sabha's approval.

22. Union Cabinet has given ex-post facto approval for Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) between Republic of
India and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in field of combating illicit trafficking and smuggling of Narcotic Drugs,
Psychotropic Substances and Chemical Precursors.

23. Union Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports (MYAS) has constituted a 13-member expert committee to review the
Draft National Code for Good Governance in Sports, 2017. Key Highlights - Members: The committee will be
chaired by Retired SC Justice Mukundakam Sharma and member includes former Indian football team captain
Baichung Bhutia, Pullela Gopichand, Anju Bobby George, Olympic medalist Gagan Narang, among others.
Moreover, Joint Secretary of Sports will act as coordinator in committee.