Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - December, 2017

Notes:
India’s top-ranked junior shuttler Aakarshi Kashyap from Bhilai won U-17 and U-19 singles titles at Badminton junior Nationals in Guwahati, Assam on December 18, 2017. In Under-17 category, shei defeated Malvika Bansod in the final. In Under 19 category final, Kashyap beaten Vaidehi Choudhari by 22-20, 21-11.

Notes:
Project ‘Mausam’ is the initiative of Ministry of Culture to be implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as the nodal agency with research support of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and National Museum as associate bodies. This project aims to explore the multi-faceted Indian Ocean ‘world’ – collating archaeological and historical research in order to document the diversity of cultural, commercial and religious interactions in the Indian Ocean. The main purpose of the project is to inscribe places and sites identified under Project Mausam as trans-national nomination for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Till date, 39 countries have been identified under Project Mausam viz. Bahrain, Bangladesh, Iran, Pakistan, Somalia, Turkey, Vietnam, Yemen, UAE, Thailand, South Africa, etc.

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The Adichunchanagiri Wildlife Sanctuary (AWS) is located in Mandya district of Karnataka and covers an area of over 0.88 square kilometres. This was created mainly for the conservation of peacocks. It also houses nearly 250 species of birds

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The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) ) has signed an agreement with Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) on December 20, 2017 to execute the Swami Samarth Nagar-Jogeshwari-Vikhroli Metro VI corridor. As per the agreement, DMRC will invite bids and assign contracts for execution of civil work and for procurement of systems and services required for the project. The entire 14.5-kilometer long Metro-6 corridor, costing about 5,490-crore rupees will have 13 stations. The project will provide rail based access to areas such as Lokhandwala, SEEPZ and IIT – Bombay. This Metro corridor is expected to carry 6.5 lakh commuters daily in 2021.

Notes:
The parliament of France has recently approved a law banning all exploration and production of oil and natural gas by 2040 within the country and its overseas territories. Under that law, existing drilling permits will not be renewed and no new exploration licenses will be granted. The French government claims the ban is a world first. However, it is largely symbolic since oil and gas produced in France accounts for just 1% of domestic consumption. The rest is imported. The ban is part of a larger plan to wean the French economy from fossil fuels and to fulfill France’s commitments under the Paris climate agreement to curb global warming.

Notes:
On December 21, 2017, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the women’s ODI and T20I teams of the year with England’s Heather Knight named as captain of the 50-over side and Stafanie Taylor of the West Indies appointed skipper of the 20-over side. The teams were selected taking into consideration player performances from September 21, 2016 to date. In it, India’s left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht is the lone cricketer to feature in both the ODI and T20 Teams of the year announced by the ICC. Bisht is ranked 14th in ODIs and 12th in T20Is, and took 34 wickets in 19 matches and 11 wickets in seven T20Is in the period under consideration. Indian captain Mithali Raj has been named in the ICC Women’s ODI Cricket Team of the Year. Besides the duo, Harmanpreet Kaur has found out a place in the ICC Women’s T20I Team of the Year.

Notes:
The 2017 bilateral naval exercise “Naseem-Al-Bahr” (or known as Sea Breeze) has started between Indian Navy and Oman Navy at Said Bin Sultan Naval Base, Wudam on December 17, 2017. The Indian Navy deployed a submarine, P8I long-range maritime aircraft, two naval ships – INS Trikand and INS Teg – for the bilateral exercise. This exercise was the 11th edition and has been a biennial feature since 1993. India has an ancient maritime tradition and maritime interaction with Oman dates back to over 4000 years B.C. The bilateral relation between India and Oman were formally established with signing of a 1953 Indo-Oman Treaty of friendship, Navigation and Commerce, a first between India and an Arab country. Since then, Naval exercises have contributed to strengthening of bilateral ties between India and Sultanate of Oman. The first exercise Indian Navy with Royal Navy of Oman was conducted in 1993 and this year marks 24 years of Indian Navy -Royal Navy of Oman bilateral exercises.

Notes:
The 32nd Indian Engineering Congress (IEC-2017) was held in Chennai, Tamil Nadu from December 21 to 23, 2017. President Ram Nath Kovind gave valedictory address at the IEC-2017, which was organised by the Institution of Engineers. The congress offered great opportunity to young engineers to benefit from the experience of experts & veterans from industry, research institutions and institutions of higher academic excellence.

Notes:
Lieutenant General B S Sahrawat has taken charge as new Director General (DG) of National Cadet Corps (NCC). He is a third generation army officer and is alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Khadakwasla & Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. The General Officer was commissioned in Dec 1980 in 13th Battalion (REZANG LA), the KUMAON Regiment. The Gen Officer has done all professional courses to include the prestigious NDC Course. He holds a Masters degree in Management Studies from Osmania University, Hyderabad and M. Phil from Madras University. He has been awarded the Sena Medal during the floods of Kosi River in Bihar in 2008.

Notes:
Saba Karim, the former wicketkeeper of India, has been appointed as the new General Manager (GM) of Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He will be responsible for implementing operational plans, budgeting, monitoring the match playing conditions and administration of Domestic program. Karim will take on the role from January 1, 2018 and will report directly to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri. The General Manager’s post has been lying vacant since the resignation of MV Sridhar in September 2017 over the issue of conflict of interest. Sridhar passed away on October 30.