Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2017

Notes:
The Sai Yok National Park (SYNP) is located in in Sai Yok district of Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand and covers an area of 500 Sq. Km. The park is home to mountains, waterfalls and caves. Animal species include elephants, tiger, barking deer, sambar deer, wild pig, gibbon, Malayan porcupine, slow loris and serow. It is home to Kitti’s hog-nosed bat, a rare bat species considered to be the world’s smallest mammal (weighing around 2 grams).

Notes:
The 14th South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation in Law (SAARCLAW) Conference has started in Colombo, Sri Lanka along with the 11th SAARC Chief Justices Conference on October 27, 2017. The three-day conference was inaugurated by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and will see participation from South Asia’s top Judges, legal practitioners and academics. The conference provides a platform for legal professionals to meet and discuss issues of mutual interests and emerging legal trends in the South Asian countries. The conference will deal with issues like artificial intelligence, human trafficking, FDIs and environmental protection concerns. The 11th Chief Justices conference will be held tomorrow with a closed-door session attended only by the Chief Justices or their representatives.

Notes:
The Infantry Day is celebrated every year in India on October 27 to commemorate the first Infantry action post independence. On this day 70 years ago, in response to the threat posed to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation, the leading elements of the Indian Army from the 1st Battalion of the SIKH Regiment, air landed at Srinagar. This bold action by Indian Army and resolute fighting by the Infantrymen reversed the tide of events and thwarted the nefarious designs of Pakistani Raiders aided by Pakistan Army.

Notes:
Burundi has become the first country to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) with effect from October 27, 2017. According to ICC officials , a preliminary investigation launched by the prosecutor in April 2016 into possible crimes against humanity in the central African nation would continue. Burundi’s withdrawal does not affect the jurisdiction of the court with respect to crimes alleged to have been committed during the time it was a state party. It must be noted that Burundi has faced deadly political turmoil since April 2015, when President Pierre Nkurunziza announced plans to seek a disputed third term that he ultimately won. In 2002, the ICC was established in The Hague, Netherlands to prosecute those behind the world’s worst atrocities.

Notes:
The National Unity Day (NUD), also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (RED), is celebrated every year across India on October 31 to commemorate birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel, one of the founding leaders of Republic of India. The day is observed to foster and reinforce the government’s dedication to preserve and strengthen unity of the nation. This year, in 2017, Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the ‘Run For Unity’ in New Delhi to mark the 142nd birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. A large number of people, including sports personalities like Sardar Singh, Deepa Karmakar, Suresh Raina and Karnam Malleswari participated in the Run.

Notes:
The Government of India (GoI) and the World Bank (WB) has signed a $200 million Loan Agreement for the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project. The Project will support the Government of Assam to facilitate agri-business investments, increase agriculture productivity and market access, and enable small farm holders produce crops that are resilient to recurrent floods or droughts in the state. The $200 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), has a 7-year grace period, and a maturity of 16.5 years.

Notes:
Giriraj Singh, the Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), has launched MSME Delayed Payment Portal – MSME Samadhaan (http://msefc.msme.gov.in) on October 30. The purpose of the portal is to empower Micro and Small Entrepreneurs (MSEs) across the country to directly register their cases relating to delayed payments by Central Ministries/Departments/CPSEs/State Governments. The information on the portal will be available in public domain, thus exerting moral pressure on the defaulting organisations. The CEO of PSEs and the Secretary of the Ministries concerned will also be able to monitor the cases of delayed payment under their jurisdiction and issue necessary instructions to resolve the issues. The MSEs will also be empowered to access the portal and monitor their cases.

Notes:
Vice Admiral Ajit Kumar P, AVSM, VSM has taken charge as the new Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS) at a formal ceremony held in New Delhi on October 30, 2017. He succeeded Vice Admiral Karambir Singh, who has taken charge as the new Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command (ENC) on 31 Oct 17. Kumar is an alumni of the National Defence Academy. The VCNS is second in command of the Indian Navy. The office is held by a Three Star Officer in the rank of Vice Admiral. He is responsible for operation of naval related tasks.

Notes:
Heena Sidhu clinched the 10-metre air pistol gold medal at the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in Brisbane, Australia on October 31, 2017. She gave a perfect start at the Championships, which is held from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6. Sidhu shot a combined score of 626.2 to claim the top honours. This was Sidhu’s second successive international gold after she along with Jitu Rai, claimed the top position in the 10-metre air pistol mixed team event in the ISSF World Cup Finals in Delhi earlier this month. Among other Indians, Deepak Kumar won a bronze medal in the 10-metre air rifle event. London Olympic bronze-medallist Gagan Narang finished fourth, while Ravikumar ended fifth.

Notes:
The United Nations’s World Cities Day (WCD) is observed on October 31 to promote the international community’s interest in global urbanization, push forward cooperation among countries in meeting opportunities and addressing challenges of urbanization, and contributing to sustainable urban development around the world. This year, in 2017, the United Nations has selected the theme “Innovative Governance, Open Cities” to highlight the important role of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion. The general theme of World Cities Day (WCD) is ‘Better City, Better Life’, while each year a different sub-theme is selected, to either promote successes of urbanization, or address specific challenges resulting from urbanization.