Monthly Current Affairs Quiz - June, 2017

Notes:
Achamkulangare Gopinathan, a top Indian diplomat, has been re-appointed by the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) for a 5-year term beginning from January 1, 2018. Beside him, Sukai Prom-Jackson of Gambia, Jean Wesley Cazeau of Haiti and Nikolay Lozinskiy of Russia are also appointed members of the JIU. The Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) is the only independent external oversight body of the United Nations (UN) system mandated to conduct evaluations, inspections and investigations system-wide. Gopinathan’s re-appointment follows his nomination by India and endorsement as the sole candidate of the Asia-Pacific Group.

Notes:
Dr P Raghu Ram, President of Association of Breast Surgeons of India (ABSI), has been selected for the prestigious 2016 Dr B C Roy National award for outstanding service in the field of socio-medical relief. This is the highest award that is bestowed upon a Medical person practicing in India & would be conferred by Hon’ble President of India on July 1, 2017 on Doctors’ Day. It is claimed that he is the youngest surgeon ever from the Telugu states (Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) to have been selected for this award. The award recognises Dr Ram’s significant contribution towards improving the delivery of breast health care in India and equally creating the much needed awareness about importance of early detection of breast cancer in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh through a number of initiatives.

Notes:
The Union Sports Minister Vijay Goel and All India Foot ball Federation (AIFF) President Praful Patel has launched the official mascot “Kheleo” for FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on February 10, 2017. The clouded leopard “Kheleo” is a vulnerable wild cat whose habitat extends from the Himalayan foothills to mainland Southeast Asia. Kheleo will participate in numerous activities in the run-up to the first-ever FIFA tournament to be hosted by India, which will be played from 6 to 28 October 2017. In it, India will showcase its ability to organize and execute global sporting events.

Notes:
The 3-day International Coin Fair has started at Kanakakunnu Palace in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala from February 13, 2017 and is hosted by District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC). More than 2,500 coins from around 500 regions, including those from the times of empires and princely states will be displayed in this fair. The coins on display will include those from the time of Alexander the Great, to various Mughal, Chera, Chola emperors and Kanishka, besides Persian, Roman and Islamic coins. Additionaly, the coin released by Subhash Chandra Bose during British rule and Somalian guitar-shaped coins, Princess Diana tribute coins, flower-inscribed coins, among other rare pieces, will be the major attractions.

Notes:
India has become the world’s largest arms importer during 2012-16, according to the latest report by Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). As per the report, India accounted for 13% of the total global arms import between 2012–16 which is highest among all the countries. Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), China
and Algeria are the next four biggest global importers. As per the SIPRI report, the five biggest exporters—the United States, Russia, China, France and Germany—together accounted for 74% of the total volume of arms exports.

Notes:
John-John Dohmen of Belgium has won the 2016 FIH Male Player of the Year award by the International Hockey Federation (FIH) at the gala FIH Hockey Stars Awards Ceremony in Chandigarh, India on February 23, 2017. Beside this, Naomi van As of Netherland has been named as 2016 FIH Female Player of the Year award.

Notes:
India’s first hill station bicycle path was inaugurated in Darjeeling, West Bengal that runs through Senchal wildlife sanctuary. It is a 20km cycle only trail at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, with thick pine forest under clear blue skies. The path was opened in response to growing interest from both national and foreign tourists.The route starts from near Jorebunglow, south of Darjeeling and ends to a small local eco-village resort in Chatakpur.

Notes:
Robyn Rihanna Fenty, a Barbadian singer and songwriter, has been conferred with the 2017 Harvard Humanitarian of the Year award in recognition for her work to improve cancer treatment in her home country of Barbados and for setting up a college scholarship to bring Caribbean students to study in the United States. The annual award by the prestigious university is given to an individual whose works and deeds have served to improve the quality of lives and have inspired people to greater heights.

Notes:
The Odisha government has recently signed MoU with Invest India to support startups in the state The MoU will also facilitate networking between Odisha start-ups and global start-up ecosystem. Invest India will also extend knowledge support for development in MSME sector with focus on food processing, agro-processing and spices. Apart from this, the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has officially launched the Start-up Odisha Helpline “18003457100” to offer hands-on assistance to youths aspiring to be entrepreneurs. The purpose of the helpline is to provide a platform to youths, incubators and other stakeholders in the start-up eco-system to get easy redressal of their queries related to policy, fund raising, company incorporation and idea validation.

Notes:
The 2017 International Yoga Fest has started at Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi from March 8, as a Curtain Raiser for International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2017. The 3-day event is organised by Ministry of AYUSH, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) in association with Indian Yoga Association (IYA) and New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC). It is inaugurated by the M. Venkaiah Naidu, the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting and Urban Development and Housing. The main purpose of the Fest is to sensitize the masses regarding celebration of International Day of Yoga (IDY) held every year. More than 3,500 participants including eminent yoga gurus, yoga masters, scholars, policy makers and representatives from 15 to 18 countries will participate in the mega event. It will comprise parallel yoga workshop, lectures, Satsang, cultural programmes and yoga demos.