Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - September, 2017

Notes:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the annual conference – Rajaswa Gyan Sangam (RGS-2017) in New Delhi on September 1, 2017. The conference is jointly organised by Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) and the Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC). The objective of the Conference is to enable a two-way communication between the policy-makers and the senior officers in the field offices with a view to increase revenue collection and facilitate effective implementation of law and policies in key result areas. Apart from the joint sessions, separate technical sessions of each Board will be held during the two-day Conference. Issues arising in implementation of policies and strategies to achieve targets in core functional areas will also be discussed. Crucial issues like Tax Evasion, GST, Customs Reforms and Modernisation will also come up for discussion. For the first time, senior officers of the Finance Department of the States and Union Territories will attend the event.

Notes:
The Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary (BWS) is located at Ponda taluka in northeastern Goa and covers an area of 8 km2. It is a popular destination for both tourists and schoolchildren. It is home to sambar deer, Indian bison, Malabar giant squirrel, Indian peafowl and many species of snakes. Bondla zoo is known for its successful breeding of gaur. The zoo provides an excellent environment to breed and do research on animals.

Notes:
The 9th edition of BRICS summit-2017 has started at Xiamen in the Fujian Province of east China on September 3, 2017 with theme “BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future”. For this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has embarked on a two nation tour of China and Myanmar. On the first leg of his visit, Mr. Modi will attend the 2017 BRICS Summit. In the 3-day summit, at least four documents, BRICS Action Agenda on Economic and Trade Development, BRICS Action Agenda on the Innovation Cooperation, BRICS Customs Cooperation and an MoU between BRICS Business Council and New Development Bank are expected to be signed. On the second leg of the visit, Prime Minister Modi will pay a State visit to Myanmar from September 5th to 7th. This will be Prime Minister Modi’s first bilateral State visit to Myanmar. During the visit, Prime Minister will hold discussions with State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on matters of mutual interest and also call on President U Htin Kyaw. Apart from his engagements in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, Mr Modi will visit Yangon and Bagan.

Notes:
Arunachal Pradesh Health and Family Welfare Minister Jomde Kena (52) has passed away in Guwahati, Assam on September 4, 2017. Since 2014, Kena, who represented Likabali seat from Lower Siang district in Arunachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly, was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2004. He was re-elected to the House from the same constituency in 2009 and 2014.

Notes:
The biennial Joint Indo-Lanka Maritime Fleet Exercise – SLINEX 2017 is scheduled to be conducted from September 7-to-14. The focus of SLINEX 2017 will be on fleet work, seamanship, communication, replenishment at sea as well as helicopter operations. Approx, a complement of 368 Sri Lanka Navy personnel comprising 43 naval officers and 60 mid-shipmen are taking part in the exercise. Sri Lanka Navy’s offshore patrol vessels, SLNS Sayura and Sagara will arrive at Port of Visakhapatnam soon to participate in the joint maritime naval exercise with the Indian Navy. The joint naval operations enable both Navies to rehearse and improve own capabilities and enhance operational effectiveness required to maintain maritime security in the region.

Notes:
Gauri Lankesh, the noted journalist and activists, was shot dead at her Rajarajeshwari Nagar’s residence in Bengaluru, Karnataka on September 5, 2017. She was the editor of popular Kannada tabloid Lankesh Patrike founded by her father and well-known writer P Lankesh. Lankesh was also part of a panel formed by State government to help surrender Naxals to reform. She was known to be a notable social and political commentator and acclaimed for her lifelong support for free speech and strong journalistic ethics, her works were popular in all quarters, her critics alike. The state government has formed a three team comprising of senior police officer to investigate the crime. AIR correspondent reports that killing of senior journalist known for her out spoken views, is being compared with the murder of rationalist, liberal thinkers, M M Kulburgi, Pansare and Dabholkar in recent years. Several associations of writers and journalists are holding protest in the state demanding immediate arrest of the perpetrators of crime.

Notes:
The Phawngpui Blue Mountain National Park (PBMNP) is located in the state of Mizoram and covers an area of 50 square kilometers. It is the natural home of a wonderful range of birdlife including the rare Blyth’s tragopan, falcon, sunbirds, dark-rumped swift, and Mrs. Hume’s pheasant, which is the Mizoram state bird, and also rare animals like the mountain goat, slow loris, tiger, leopard, leopard cat, serow, goral, Asiatic black bear, stump-tailed macaque and capped langur.

Notes:
The Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) has started at Russky Island, which is part of Russia’s city of Vladivostok, on September 6-7, 2017. The delegates from at least 24 countries including the US, Japan, China, Australia, Canada, Britain and Germany are attending the gathering. From India, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is attending the forum. The EEF is considered as the biggest international communication platform for cooperation between businesses leaders and senior government representatives from Russia, the Pacific Region and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Notes:
The book “How India Sees the World: Kautilya to the 21st Century” has been authored by former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran, which is launched by former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on September 6, 2017. The book records the crucial meeting of the CCS (Cabinet Committee on Security) on the eve of India-Pakistan Defence Secretary-level talks in May 2006.

Notes:
Rafael Nadal, a Spanish professional tennis player, has won the 2017 men’s singles US Open tennis tournament after defeating first time Grand Slam finalist Kevin Anderson by 6–3, 6–3, 6–4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York, United States. It is Nadal’s 16th Grand Slam title and 3rd US Open title of the career.