Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Examinations: October 17, 2022

A part of the question paper for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, IAS, Railway-RRB, UPPSC, UGC NET, SBI, MPPSC, etc., is devoted to the Current Affairs section. Moreover, scoring well in this portion is not difficult if we have a sound preparation plan. Candidates can ace the current affairs section of any exam by using the right tools and daily news analysis.

The most recent events from around the globe have been selected by our specialists at Embibe and are included in this post. We analysed the most recent news of the day, from The Hindu to the BBC, to give students the latest current affairs.

Current Affairs: Environment and Ecology

First-ever World Sloth Bear Day celebrated.

The first-ever World Sloth Bear Day celebrations were held on the 12th of October by Wildlife SOS in Agra in collaboration with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the UP Forest Department.

What is a Sloth Bear?

• The Sloth Bear is a unique bear species found in India. 
• It is the least researched bear species listed as ‘vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List. 
• Wildlife SOS India, involved in Sloth Bear protection, rescue and rehabilitation for over two decades, in collaboration with IUCN, has declared 12th October as ‘World Sloth Bear Day’ to promote the conservation and protection of this unique bear species.

What is Wildlife SOS India?

• Wildlife SOS (WSOS) is a conservation non-profit in India, established in 1995 with the primary objective of rescuing and rehabilitating wildlife in distress and preserving India’s natural heritage. 
• It is currently one of the largest wildlife organisations in South Asia.
• Although internationally known for groundbreaking work of resolving the cruel and barbaric practice of dancing bears from the streets of India while creating alternative livelihoods for the nomadic communities that depended on the exploitation of the bears, WSOS is also known for their efforts at rescue and rehabilitation of sloth bears and more recently elephants.

Importance for Ecology:

• They cannot eat meat and, by foraging on fruits, are the biggest seed dispersals. 
• Sloth bears are found in all parts of the country except Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeastern States. 

Question: 

When was the first-ever World Sloth Bear Day celebrated?

1. 10th October
2. 9th September
3. 19th August
4. 12th October

Answer: D

Current Affairs: Ecology

India’s first Slender Loris Sanctuary.

• In a first in the country, the Tamil Nadu government recently notified Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary covering 11,806 hectares in Karur and Dindigul districts.
• A total of 11,806 hectares in the forest areas of the Karur and Dindigul districts will be merged to form the Kadavur Slender Loris Sanctuary, the first of its kind in India. 
• These mammals are also protected under the Wild Life (Protection) Act of 1972, Schedule I.

What is Slender Loris, and its role in Ecology?

• Slender Loris is listed as an endangered species according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). 
• The survival of the species depends on its habitat improvement, conservation efforts and mitigation of threats.
• Slender Loris is a small nocturnal mammal that spends most of its life on trees. 
• They act as biological predators of pests that harm agricultural crops and help farmers. 
• The species has a wide range of ecological roles and importance in the terrestrial ecosystem.

Interesting Facts about Slender Loris:

• Slender lorises roll up in a ball to rest.
• Slender lorises are incapable of jumping even short distances, but they can bridge significant gaps in the trees with their long limbs.
• Female slender lorises have two pairs of mammary glands.
• Female slender lorises hang upside-down during mating.
• Slender lorises are often referred to as “bananas on stilts”.
• Slender lorises’ main form of defence is toze until the danger passes.

Other steps by the TN government to conserve Ecology:

• In significant steps towards wildlife conservation, the Tamil Nadu government notified India’s first Dugong Conservation Reserve in Palk Bay.
• Kazhuveli bird sanctuary in Villupuram.
• Nanjarayan Tank birds sanctuary in Tiruppur.
• State’s fifth elephant reserve at Agasthyamalai in Tirunelveli. 
• Further, 13 wetlands across the State were declared as Ramsar sites.

Question: 

Which state has recently notified India’s first Slender Loris Sanctuary?

1. Odisha
2. Tamil Nadu
3. Assam
4. Kerala

Answer: B

Current Affairs: Defence

INS Tarkash reaches South Africa to participate in IBSAMAR.

• INS Tarkash recently reached Port Grequhrea, also known as Port Elizabeth in South Africa, to participate in the seventh edition of IBSAMAR, a joint multinational maritime exercise among Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies.

About the Exercise:

• The harbour phase of IBSAMAR VII includes professional exchanges such as damage control and fire-fighting drills, VBSS/cross-boarding lectures and interaction among special forces.
• The Indian Navy is represented by the Teg class guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and the personnel from the Marine Commando Force (MARCOS).
• The previous edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR VI) was conducted in Simons Town, South Africa, from 1 to 13 October 2018.

The objective of the exercise:

• The Joint Maritime Exercise will strengthen maritime security, joint operational training, sharing of best practices and building interoperability to address common maritime threats.

What is INS Tarkash?

• INS Tarkash is a state-of-the-art stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, built by Yantar Shipyard at Kaliningrad, Russia.
• It is equipped with a versatile range of weapons and sensors capable of addressing threats in all three dimensions.
• The ship incorporates the latest stealth features such as reduced radar, infrared, acoustic, and magnetic signatures, thus making it difficult to detect at sea. 
• The ship is part of the Indian Navy’s Western Fleet based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.

Question: 

Which Indian Naval ship recently participated in the seventh edition of IBSAMAR at Port Grequhrea, South Africa?

1. INS Trishul
2. INS Satpura
3. INS Tarkash 
4. INS Talwar

Answer: C

Current Affairs: Defence

Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund.

• Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will launch a website enabling citizens to contribute to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund (AFBCWF).

What is AFBCWF?

• AFBCWF is a Tri-service fund utilised for the grant of immediate financial assistance of ex-gratia to the Next of Kin and dependents of Battle Casualties. 
• While the Government of India has initiated a large number of Welfare Schemes for the soldiers killed or disabled during active military operations in the line of duty, there has been a strong public sentiment and requests from patriotic citizens, corporate heads/ industry captains to contribute to the cause of welfare of the soldiers and their families. 
• This website is being launched to facilitate patriotic Indians to partner in this noble cause.

Brand Ambassador:

• Website on “Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot” to have film icon Amitabh Bachchan as Goodwill Ambassador.

Question: 

Which actor has recently been declared a Goodwill Ambassador for the Website “Maa Bharati Ke Sapoot”, which enables citizens to contribute to the Armed Forces Battle Casualties Welfare Fund?

1. Ranveer Singh
2. Vickey Kaushal  
3. Amitabh Bachchan
4. Pankaj Tripathi

Answer: C

Current Affairs: Technology

Cyber Security Exercise PowerEX-2022.

• Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), in collaboration with Power-CSIRTs (Computer Security Incident Response Teams in the Power sector), successfully designed and conducted the Cyber Security Exercise “PowerEX” for 193 invited Power Sector Utilities recently. 

Objective: 

• The Exercise Planner Team of Power-CSIRTs’ officials worked along with the CERT-In team on the exercise day as Exercise Coordinators. The objective of the exercise was to “Recognize, Analyse & Respond to Cyber Incidents in IT & OT Systems”.

Theme:

• The theme of the exercise was “Defending Cyber induced disruption in IT & OT infrastructure”.

Question: 

Recently conducted Exercise-PowerEX-2022 was concerned with which field?

1. Cyber security
2. Financial fraud
3. Defence
4. Terror financing

Answer: A

Current Affairs: National

South Asian Geosciences Conference and Exhibition.

• The three-day 5th South Asian Geoscience Conference, GEO India 2022, will be held at JECC Sitapura, Jaipur, to share the latest research on ‘improved production of natural gas and oil’. 
• Organised by the Association of Petroleum Geologists (APG), over a hundred experts from India and other countries, including the United States, Norway, and the European Central, will participate in discussing the issues and sharing their experiences.

About the Association of Petroleum Geologists (APG):

• The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) is one of the world’s largest professional geological societies, with more than 40,000 members across 129 countries. 

What does it do?

• The AAPG works to advance the science of geology, especially as it relates to: 
  • petroleum
  • natural gas
  • other subsurface fluids
  • mineral resources
• To promote the technology of exploring, finding, and producing these materials in an economically and environmentally sound manner. And also to advance the professional well-being of its members.

About APG India:

• Association of Petroleum Geologists (APG) India is AAPG’s Indian arm. 
• It is a forum that brings together Petroleum Geoscientists and Engineers on one platform to discuss, deliberate, and plan ways and means to support worthwhile geoscience-related educational and scientific projects or programmes.
• It focuses on advancing the science of Petroleum Geology and promoting technology for exploration and production in an economically and environmentally sound manner.

Question: 

In which of the following cities was the 5th South Asian Geoscience Conference, GEO India 2022, held?

1. Ahmedabad
2. Bikaner
3. Jaipur
4. Delhi

Answer: C

Current Affairs: Environment and Ecology

Living Planet Report 2022.

• There has been a 69 per cent decline in the wildlife populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish across the globe in the last 50 years, according to the latest Living Planet Report by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF). 

What is the Living Planet Report?

• The Living Planet Report has been published every two years by the World Wide Fund for Nature since 1998. It is based on the Living Planet Index and ecological footprint calculations. 
• The Living Planet Report is the world’s leading, science-based analysis of the health of our planet and the impact of human activity.

Living Planet Index:

• The Living Planet Index (LPI) – which tracks populations of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians – reveals an average 69% decrease in monitored wildlife populations since 1970. The 2022 LPI analysed almost 32,000 species populations.

Key findings of the report:

• 69% decline in the wildlife populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish across the globe in the last 50 years
• The highest decline was in Latin America and the Caribbean region. Freshwater populations have declined the most, with an average 83% decline between 1970 and 2018
• About 50% of warm water corals have already been lost, and warming of 1.5 degrees celsius will lead to a loss of 70-90% of warm water

WWF identified six key threats to biodiversity: 

1. Agriculture
2. Hunting
3. Logging
4. Pollution
5. Invasive species
6. Climate change

What is the World Wide Fund for Nature?

• The World Wide Fund for Nature Inc. is an international non-governmental organisation founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation and the reduction of human impact on the environment. 
• It was formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States.
• Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
• Founded: 29 April 1961, Morges, Switzerland
• Director: Marco Lambertini (Director General)

Question:

Which of the following organisations recently published the Living Planet Report Index 2022?

1. IUCN
2. WWF 
3. UNEP
4. Green Peace

Answer: B

Current Affairs: Defence.

Exercise Prasthan

• Offshore security exercise ‘Prasthan’ was recently conducted in the Krishna Godavari Basin Offshore Development Area (ODA), under the aegis of Headquarters, Eastern Naval Command.

Details: 

• The exercise, which is conducted every six months, aims to integrate the efforts of all maritime stakeholders involved in offshore defence.
• Led by the Navy, the exercise saw participation from the various oil operators, like ONGC, RIL, Vedanta, and other stakeholders in the domain of maritime security, including AP Marine Police, AP fisheries department and the Coast Guard.

Features:

• The exercise was conducted onboard Drill rigs Platinum Explorer and DDKG- of ONGC and RIL located about 40 nm south of Kakinada.
• Contingencies such as terrorist intrusion, bomb explosion, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, man overboard, major fire, oil spill and mass evacuation were exercised.
• The exercise provided all stakeholders with a realistic opportunity to assess their readiness to respond and combat contingencies in the Eastern ODA, as also to operate together in a coordinated and synergised manner.

Question:

Which of the following naval commands recently conducted the offshore security exercise ‘Prasthan’ in the Krishna Godavari Basin?

1. The Western Naval Command
2. The Eastern Naval Command 
3. The Southern Naval Command 
4. The Training Command

Answer: B

Current Affairs: Important Day and Dates

World Standards Day is celebrated on 14th October.

• Every year on October 14, World Standards Day is observed. This day, also known as International Standards Day, strives to educate consumers, policymakers, and businesses about the value of standardisation.
• October 14 was decided as the World Standards Day to commemorate the first gathering of representatives from 25 nations in London in 1956, which marked the launch of an international body to facilitate standardisation.

Significance

• World Standards Day recognises the contributions of groups like the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), International Ethics Standards Board for Accountants (IESBA), Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), and the ISO, as well as the professionals, who collaborate with them.
• The purpose of the day is to raise awareness of the value of standardisation in today’s globally interconnected world. The standardisation process is a crucial instrument for promoting trade and resolving technical issues.

Theme:

• This year’s World Standards Day is centred on the concept of “Build Back Better”. 
• IEC, ISO, and ITU, the top international standard makers, call on the world community to come together in order to advance this year’s subject as we face an urgent problem brought on by Covid-19.

Question: 

International Standards Day focuses on educating consumers, policymakers, and businesses about the value of standardisation and is celebrated across the world on

1. 11 March
2. 15 September
3. 14 October
4. 5 December

Answer: C

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