Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2017

Notes:
The International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC) is celebrated every year on October 11 to highlight and address the needs and challenges girls face, while promoting girls’ empowerment and the fulfillment of their human rights. The 2017 theme “ EmPOWER Girls: Before, during and after crises” marks the beginning of a year-long effort to spur global attention and action to the challenges and opportunities girls face before, during, and after crises.

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Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the 1988 batch of IFS officer, has been appointed as the new Ambassador to Principality of Monaco, with residence in Paris. He will take his assignment shortly. Presently, he is Ambassador of India to France.

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The first-ever meeting of the newly-constituted Economic Advisory Council to Prime Minister (EAC-PM) was held at NITI Aayog, in New Delhi on October 11, 2017. It was chaired by Dr. Bibey Debroy. In it, 10 priority areas for reviving growth and employment in the next six months has been identified. The 10 themes are economic growth, employment and job creation, informal sector and integration, fiscal framework, monetary policy, public expenditure, institutions of economic governance, agriculture and animal husbandry, patterns of consumption and production and social sector.

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The Andhra Pradesh government has tied up with financial services company Visa for Vizag Digital Dhan Sankalp (VDDS) project, which is an initiative to develop Visakhapatnam into India’s first ‘less cash’ city as well as a Fintech valley. In collaboration with Visa, the state government will make efforts to enable digital payments to educational institutions, small and micro merchants, street market vendors, etc.

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The 5th India-Sri Lanka joint training exercise “Mitra Shakti 2017” has started at Aundh Military Station in Pune, Maharshtra. The exercise is based on Counter Terrorist Operations (CTO) and an Infantry company from both the countries is participating in the same. It will be conducted for next 14 days upto 26 Oct 17 & will involve sharing and learning from each others experiences.

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All-rounder Shakib Al Hasan has become the first cricketer from Bangladesh to be inducted in the MCC World Cricket Committee under the chairmanship of Mike Gatting. He is regarded as one of Bangladesh’s finest players since they were awarded the Test status in 2000, with the all-rounder having played 51 Test matches and 177 One-day Internationals (ODI). Beside him, other cricketers added to the committee are Suzie Bates, Ian Bishop and Kumar Dharmasena.

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Gautam Bambawale, an Indian foreign service officer of the 1984 batch, has been appointed as the India’s new ambassador to China and is expected to take up the assignment shortly. He will succeed Vijay Keshav Gokhale. After joining the post, one of the first tasks in front of Bambawale will be to stabilise India-China ties rocked by a military face off in the Dokalam area of Bhutan that lasted 73 days. Currently, he is high commissioner to Pakistan.

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The Indian Air Force (IAF) has launched an innovative mobile health App ‘MedWatch’ TO Provide authentic health information to all IAF personnel at New Delhi on 11 Oct 17. The app has been developed in-house with zero financial outlay by the Directorate of Information Technology (DIT). The important component of the App is its ‘Reminder Tool’ that will enable timely immunization for the children of all Air Warriors. It will be available on the IAF’s AFCEL network and will directly enable ‘Mission Indradhanush’ of the Govt of India. It is the first mobile health app in the three Armed Services.

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The Rajasthan assembly has become the first in India to call attention and adjournment motions and proposals online from legislators to send them to the state government. The new system is expected to save time, labour and use of paper in the functioning of the assembly, and also help legislators in bringing attention to urgent public issues. It will also streamline the exchange of information and reports among respective departments.

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Roger Federer, a Swiss professional tennis player, has won the 2017 Shanghai Rolex Masters tennis tournament by defeating his old rival Rafael Nadal in straight sets 6-4, 6-3 at Qizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shanghai, China. It was a 94th title for the Swiss legend, drawing him level with the great Ivan Lendl. Federer is now close to world number one Nadal in terms of rankings points.