GK & Current Affairs Quiz: November 17, 2017

Notes:
The UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) has concluded on November 17, 2017 after two weeks of talks in Boon, Germany. Envoys from nearly 200 countries, including delegates from Washington, negotiated on implementing the Paris climate change agreement including a rulebook to be adopted next year and for enacting the global deal reached to cheers and champagne in 2015. The Paris pact commits countries to limiting average global warming to under two degrees Celsius over Industrial Revolution levels, and 1.5 Celcius if possible, to avert worst-case-scenario climate change. The November 6-17 conference is the first of the UN’s climate body since US President Donald Trump announced in June that the US will withdraw from the agreement. Meanwhile, United States again expressed its desire to withdraw from the Paris Agreement.

Notes:
International rating agency Moody’s Investors Service has recently upgraded the Government of India (GoI)’s local and foreign currency issuer ratings to Baa2 from its lowest investment grade (Baa3) and changed the outlook on the rating to stable from positive. Moody’s has also upgraded India’s local currency senior unsecured rating to Baa2 from Baa3 and its short-term local currency rating to P-2 from P-3. The decision to upgrade the ratings is underpinned by Moody’s expectation that continued progress on economic and institutional reforms will enhance India’s high growth potential. Though, the global ratings agency cautioned that high debt burden remains a constraint on the country’s credit profile. Moody’s has revised the sovereign rating of India a notch above investment grade after a long gap of 14 years. Interestingly, the last time the global rating has revised the rating was when the BJP government led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in power.

Notes:
The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will set up Next Gen-Bioscope Village at Panaji in Goa on 21st November 2017, as part of the IFFI Next Gen side bar program aimed at involving greater participation from the local Goan audience. It will be inaugurated by actress Shraddha Kapoor. The Bioscope Village is open to all with a entry fee of Rs. 50 from 21st to 27th of November. The Village is a concept based on the theme New Age Cinema for allowing non-delegates to watch films at the IFFI. The Bioscope Village will screen new and classic films including Children movies. In addition, ‘Katta’ talk session will also be held with some noted celebrities like Nana Patekar, Sachin Khedekar, Sonali Kulkarni, Dilip Prabhavalkar and Sushant Singh Rajput. The village will also host a skill studio aimed at honing cinematic skills through special sessions on a diverse range of topics. It will also host a short film competition for all delegates who are participating in the Festival. The theme for the short film festival is ‘IFFI as never seen before’. The winners will be announced on 27th of November.

Notes:
Pandit Jagdish Mohan (87), the renowned Hindustani vocalist of Kirana Gharana, has passed away in New Delhi on November 14, 2017. He hailed from Uttarakhand’s Haridwar and was born on March 4, 1930. Pt Mohan was honoured with the Sangeet Sartaj award by Pracheen Kala Kendra, Chandigarh for his vast contribution to Indian classical music. He was a regular performer at the All India Radio (AIR) and Doordarshan.

Notes:
Sethurathnam Ravi, the noted chartered accountant, has been appointed as the new Chairman of the Bombay Stock Exchange with effect from November 13, 2017. Ravi succeeded Dhirendra Swarup. Presently, Ravi serves as a Director on boards of various companies such as UTI Trustee Company, S Ravi Financial Management Services, SMERA Ratings, SBI-SG Global Securities, IDBI Bank, STCI Finance, Tourism Finance Corporation of India and BOI Merchant Bankers. Besides, he is member of the working group, constituted by Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, for suggesting possible modalities for creation of an institutional structure on corporate social responsibilities matters. Also, he is a member of SEBI’s takeover panel, as well as mutual funds advisory committee.

Notes:
The Vice President, M. Venkaiah Naidu has inaugurated ‘Aadi Mahotsav’ – a fortnight long Tribal Festival with the theme of ‘A Celebration of the Spirit of Tribal Culture, Cuisine and Commerce’ on 16 Nov 2017 at Dilli Haat in New Delhi. Over 750 tribal artisans from over 25 States are participating in the festival. The 15-day festival will feature exhibition-cum-sale of tribal handicrafts, art, paintings, fabric, jewellery and much more through about 200 stalls. A special feature of the festival is Tribal India cuisine, recreated and presented in delectable forms to suit urban tastes by special tribal chefs.

Notes:
The Navegaon National Park (NNP) is located in the Gondia district of Maharashtra and covers an area of 133.78 km2. It is an important conservation unit in Central India in general and Vidarbha in particular. It acts a “Green-lung” for the adjoining human settlements and helps in maintaining the environmental balance. It is a home to number of fishes, 209 species of birds, 9 species of reptiles and 26 species of mammals which includes Tiger, Panther, Jungle cat, Small India Civet, Palm Civet, Wolf, Jackals, Bisons, Sambars, etc. The one of the unique features of this sanctuary is the existence of diverse vegetation type ranging from dry mixed forests to moist forests. Its forests belong to the category of “Southern Tropical Dry Deciduous Forests” – 5A/C3 as per the revised classification of the forests by Champion and Seth.

Notes:
Shagun Chowdhary from Rajasthan has bagged a national champion crown on winning the women’s trap event at the 61st National Shooting Championship in New Delhi on November 16, 2017. In the final, she overcame the challenge from Punjab’s Rajeshwari Kumari to prevail 41-38. Chowdhary is the first Indian woman to qualify for the Olympic trap shooting event. She finished in 20th place in the trap shooting event at the 2012 London Summer Olympics. She is supported by the Olympic Gold Quest.

Notes:
The 4th Global Conference on Sustained Eradication of Child Labour was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from November 14-16, 2017. The conference has been organized jointly by Government of Argentina and International Labour Organization (ILO). The Conference was a call to action to redouble efforts in the fight against child labor and modern slavery, in line with Target 8.7 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). More than 1,500 delegates from 193 countries attended the Conference.

Notes:
The Maharashtra government has constituted a 7-member committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sudhir Shrivastava to recommend ways to stop the custodial deaths. The formation of the panel comes in the wake of the custodial death of Aniket Kothale in Sangli city earlier in November 2017. The committee will also recommend measures so that people get proper treatment at police stations. It will also take into account the government circulars issued in the past as well as the judgments of the high court and Supreme Court.