Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - October, 2017

Notes:
The Union Ministry of AYUSH hosted the first-ever meeting of BIMSTEC Task Force on Traditional Medicine (BITFM) on October 24-25, 2017 at Parvasi Bhartiya Kendra in New Delhi. India being a major stake holder in the field of Traditional Medicine plays an important role in influencing the policies and strategies related to the Traditional Medicine in the BIMSTEC Forum. The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is an International Organisation involving a group of countries in the South Asia and South East Asia namely, Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan and Nepal.

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Odisha will be the ‘Focus State’ in the mega international food event “World Food India (WFI) 2017”, which is scheduled to be held at New Delhi on November 3-5. In the WFI 2017, Japan, Denmark and Germany are partner countries, and Italy & Netherlands are ‘Focus Countries’. More than 200 global companies and 41 global CEOs from 30 countries will participate and will also see 21 ministerial and business delegations. Besides, 450 domestic companies and leading Research and Development (R&D) institutes along with 95 Indian industry captains are likely to participate in WFI.

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The global conference on consumer protection has inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on October 26, 2017 with theme “Empowering Consumers in New Markets”. This is the first time that an international conference on consumer protection is being organised by India for countries of the region which account for a majority of the global consumers and share common challenges and experiences. The 2-day conference will deliberate upon steps taken by Asian countries to implement the United Nations guidelines on consumer protection as well as challenges faced by consumers of financial services and e-commerce. Experts from different countries and India will present their papers and views. Twenty two countries from East, South and South-East Asia are participating in the conference. These include China, South Korea, Singapore, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.

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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:
Punathil Kunjabdulla (77), the renowned writer and Malayalam novelist, has passed away in Kozhikode, Kerala. His works includes more than 45 books, including 7 novels, 15 short story collections, memoirs, an autobiography and travelogues. His masterpiece ‘Smarakashilakal’ published in 1977, is one of the most significant novels of all time in Malayalam. It won the both the Kerala and Central Sahitya Akademi Awards.

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Jacinda Ardern, the leader of the Labour Party, has officially been sworn in as the prime minister of New Zealand on October 26, 2017. She promised to tackle climate change, eradicate child poverty and improve the lives of the country’s most vulnerable people.

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Pakistan will host the 2018 Asian Cricket Council (ACC) Emerging Nations Cup in April 2018. The decision to have the Emerging Cup in Pakistan was taken during the meeting of the ACC held in Lahore on October 30, 2017. In it, six ACC teams including five full members will play in the tournament.

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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:
The 13th session of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) of Wild Animals (CMS COP13) will be hosted by India in 2020. The CMS COP is also known as a Global Wildlife Conference & is held once in three years. It was officially announced at the CMS COP 12, which is held in Manila, Philippines from 23 to 28 October 2017 and was attended by delegates from over 120 countries. The slogan for the CMS COP 12 was “Their Future is Our Future – Sustainable Development for Wildlife & People”. It is first time that the COP was held in Asia. The CMS is the only global and UN-based intergovernmental organization established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range.

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.