National

Oct 28: The tehsils of Duki and Surab in Balochistan were upgraded to the level of districts.

Oct 28: The Pakistan Council of Research on Water Resources (PCRWR) declared 11 brands of mineral water unsafe for drinking due to chemical contamination.

Highlights

1. Well Care, Siiz Cool, Pacific Pure and Aqua National have comparatively high levels of Arsenic ranging from 15-60 ppb.
2. These are higher Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) water quality standard for arsenic (10 ppb).
3. Premier Fresh, Well Care, National, Blue Plus, New ARBO, Reliable, Pacific Pure and OAS Water, were found unsafe due to the presence of higher levels of Sodium ranging from 60-115 ppb
4. These levels are higher than the PSQCA water quality standard for sodium (50 ppb).
5. The PCRWR quarterly monitors bottled/mineral water brands and publicize the results.

Names of Brands

1.	Premier Fresh	2	Well Care	3	National	4.	Siiz Cool
5.	Blue Plus	6	New ARBO	7.	Cottage Foods Drink Water
8.	Reliable	9	Pacific Pure	10	OAS Water	11.	Aqua National

 International

Oct 28: Yemeni rebels fired a ballistic missile — ‘Burkan 1’ which, according to Saudi Arabia, was shot down near the holy city of Mecca.

What Happened?

1. It is the second time this month that the rebels have fired a missile of that range.
2. This was Houthis’ longest-range missile strike against Saudi Arabia.
3. The Saudi air defence was able intercepted and destroyed the missile about 65 kilometres (40 miles) from Mecca.
4. The rebels insisted that the missile had targeted Jeddah, the Red Sea city in the sprawling Mecca region.
5. Saudi Arabia has deployed Patriot missiles to intercept the rebel fire.

Oct 28: Belgium’s Wallonia region approved the EU-Canada free trade agreement named Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).

Quick Facts on CETA

1. It is a comprehensive EU-Canada economic agreement to boost trade, strengthen economic relations and create jobs.
2. CETA will link the EU’s single market of 500 million people — the world’s biggest — with Canada’s 10th largest global economy.
3. It will do this by removing 99% of customs duties & many other obstacles for business.
4. The agreed text is available for the public and presented for EU democratic approval.
5. The European Commission has formally proposed to the Council of the EU the signature and conclusion of CETA.
6. CETA took seven years to negotiate to 2014 and another two years to go through the EU’s institutions.
7. CETA requires all 28 EU member states to endorse it before it can be signed and then ratified by their parliaments.

Oct 28: Russia lost its bid to be re-elected as a member of the UN’s Human Rights Council.

About UNHRC

1. The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system.
2. The Council was created by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 March 2006 by resolution 60/251.
3. It replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.
4. Its first session took place from 19 to 30 June 2006.
5. It is the most prestigious panel in the UN system designed to examine global human rights.
6. It is made up of 47 States responsible for the promotion and protection of all human rights around the globe.
7. Its members are elected directly and individually by secret ballot by the majority of the members of the General Assembly.
8. The members of the Council serve for a period of three years and are not eligible for immediate re-election after two consecutive terms.

Distribution of Seats

Group of African States (13)

Group of Asia-Pacific States (13)

Group of Eastern European States (6)

Group of Latin American and Caribbean States (8)

Group of Western European and other States (7)

Leadership

1. The High Commissioner for Human Rights is the principal human rights official of the United Nations.
2. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein (Jordan) is the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights since 1 September 2014
3. Ambassador CHOI Kyonglim (Republic of Korea) is the President of the Human Rights Council, Tenth Cycle (2015-2016).

Oct 28: India and Russia agreed to double the range of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from 290 km to over 600 km.

Oct 28: Antartica’s Ross Sea was declared world’s largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) to protect the Earth’s most pristine marine ecosystem.

Highlights

1. The agreement to create MPA was reached among 24 countries and European Union in Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR) in Hobart, Australia.
2. The Ross Sea is one of the last intact marine ecosystems in the world.
3. It covers 1.6 million square kilometers.
4. MPA status to Ross Sea will bring blanket ban on commercial fishing across about three quarters of its area for 35 years.
5. Ross Sea in the Southern Ocean is home to 38% of the world’s Adelie penguins, 30% of world’s Antarctic petrels and around 6% of world’s population of Antarctic minke whales.
6. It is also home to huge numbers of krill, a staple food for species including whales and seals.

About CCAMLR

1. The CCAMLR was established by international convention in 1982 with the objective of conserving Antarctic marine life.
2. It is part of the Antarctic Treaty System.
3. It was signed by 14 states and has been ratified by 35 states (including India) and the European Community.

Headquarters: Tasmania, Australia.

Oct 28: International Animation Day was observed.

About IAD

It was proclaimed in 2002 by the International Animated Film Association.

This day commemorates the first public performance of Charles-Émile Reynaud’s Théâtre Optique at the Grevin Museum in Paris, 1892.

The winners from the QMobile Hum Style Awards 2016

Best Model (Female): Amna Babar

Best Model (Male): Shahzad Noor

Most Stylish Actress – Film: Mahira Khan

Most Stylish Actor – Film: Humayun Saeed

Most Stylish Actress – TV: Syra Shahroz

Most Stylish Actor – TV: Hamza Ali Abbasi

Most Stylish Performer (Male): Ali Zafar

Most Stylish Performer (Female): Meesha Shafi

Style Icon of the Year: Wasim Akram

Most Stylish Sports Personality: Shahid Afridi

Most Stylish TV Host: HSY

Best Hair & Makeup Artist: Hannan Siddiqui

Best Fashion Photographer: Shahbaz Shazi

Best Designer – Demi-Couture: Shehla Chatoor

Best Designer – Bridal: Faraz Manan

Best Designer – Lawn: Khadija Shah

Best Designer – Fashion Jewellery: Amber Sami

Best Designer – Menswear: Amir Adnan

Best Retail Brand of the Year – Apparel: Sapphire’s

Best Fashion Publication: DIVA Magazine

Excellence Award in Styling: Nabila

Excellence Award in Fashion Design: Bunto Kazmi

QMobile Rising Star: Photographer Ashan Shah