Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Jan 15, 2017

ANSWER: 63

Explanation:
Electronic waste or e-waste is rising sharply across Asia. Higher incomes allow millions of people to buy smartphones and other gadgets with serious problems for human health and the environment.

The UN study has found e-waste in Asia has jumped 63 percent in 5 years. A report by the United Nations University also warned of the need to improving recycling and disposal methods.

Many countries lack infrastructure for eco-friendly e-waste management. Increasing volumes are a cause for concern, according to the UN University's Sustainable Cycles Programme.

China and other nations in Asia are dumping grounds for e-waste from developed nations. The Asian nations recycle the waste in unsafe but ultra cheap backyard factories.

Asia has emerged as a source of increasing e-waste with affluent customers also buying items such as phones, tablets, personal computers and TVs.

China alone has doubled its generation of e-waste between 2010 and 2015 according to the report.

Per capita, the worst economy in the region is Hong Kong. Each person in this Chinese region generates 21.7 kg or 47.8 pounds of e-waste in 2015.

Singapore and Taiwan are also leading in e-waste, with 19 kg per person generated in 2015.

The lowest e-waste generators were Vietnam, Philippines and Cambodia. These nations averaged 1 kg of electronic waste per person.

Fighting illegal dumping is a must. Improper e-waste generates toxic chemicals which cause severe health and environmental consequences.

Acids to separate metals in e-waste are dangerous and this exposure can lead to serious health problems.

For example, a Chinese town Guiyu which build its economy on overseas e-waste recycling is facing toxic water and air contamination. High lead levels are found in the blood of the residents.

Electronic remnants were also strewn in the stream and led to danger in terms of contaminating the water supply.

People's Republic of China's Government: Know More

• Government: Unitary Communist state
• Party General Secretary and President: Xi Jinping
• Premier: Li Keqiang
• Congress Chairman: Zhang Dejiang
• Conference Chairman: Yu Zhengsheng
• First-ranked Secretary of the Secretariat: Liu Yunshan
• Secretary of Discipline Inspection Commission: Wang Qishan
• First Vice Premier: Zhang Gaoli

ANSWER: Hyper Spectral Phasor

Explanation:
Scientists have developed a new 5D technique for analysing images.

This an advance that may make it easier to quickly find signs of diseases from pictures using cell phones.

It is known as "Hyper-Spectral Phasor" analysis, or HySP.

Through this, fluorescent imaging is used to locate proteins and other molecules in cells and tissues.

The technique works on using molecules with dyes that glow under certain kinds of light, the principle behind so-called "black light" images.

Fluorescent imaging can assist scientists to understand which molecules are produced in large amounts in cancer or other diseases.

The information that may be useful in diagnosis or in identifying possible targets for therapeutic drugs.

Biological research is now moving to complex systems like these, which track multiple targets.

HySP can look at many different molecules in one pass.

Additionally, the algorithm effectively filters through interference to discern the true signal, even if that signal is extremely weak.

Clinicians may be able to use HySP to analyze cell phone pictures of skin lesions to detect cancer and diagnose it.

Advantages

• It is much faster and far less expensive than current techniques.
• It may be useful for diagnosing.
• It also helps in monitoring diseases.
• It is convenient to use through cell phone images.

ANSWER: Qi Zhala

Explanation:
A new governor of Tibet was appointed by the Chinese government. Tibet is one of the most politically sensitive regions of PrC.

35 year veteran of the Communist Party, Qi Zhala has been appointed as the new Tibet Governor, in place of Luosang Jiangcun who was named secretary of the region's National People's Congress.

Zhala hs also served as the region's Community Party vice secretary and party boss of regional capital Lhasa.

Understanding the remote region of Tibet is difficult for China. Violent unrest in protest against Chinese rule commenced when Chinese troops marched to Tibet in the 1950s.

China has indicated the rule has brought prosperity and rejected charges of widespread repression from Tibetan exiles and rights groups.

Zhala is of Tibetan ethnicity and from the neighbouring province of Yunnan. He was holding official posts in the province before being transferred to Tibet in 2010.

He is currently the second most powerful leader in the region after the regional Communist party head.

Know More About Tibet:

• Tibet is an autonomous region of China.
• It's nicknamed the “Roof of the World” for its high peaks.
• It shares Mt. Everest with Nepal.
• Its capital, Lhasa, is site of hilltop Potala Palace, once the Dalai Lama’s winter home.
• Jokhang Temple, Tibet’s spiritual symbol,is revered for its golden statue of Buddha.
• Currency: Renminbi
• Capital: Lhasa

ANSWER: US Library of Congress

Explanation:
A 4 year old Daliyah Arana from Gainesville Georgia became the first ever librarian for the day at US Library of Congress.

The US Library of Congress is the world's largest library and is located in the United States.

Arana was librarian on Jan 11, 2017.

She has read more than 1,000 books. She joined Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden.

Hayden made history in 2016, being the first female and the first African-American to hold the position.

Arana has taken part in 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Programme –a programme that promotes reading for young kids.

The Library of Congress now plans to invite other young book-lovers as 'Librarians For The Day' in the future.

US Library of Congress: Know More

• Address: 101 Independence Ave SE, Washington, DC 20540, USA
• Founded: 1800, Washington, D.C., United States
• Director: Carla Hayden (Librarian of Congress)

ANSWER: Sard Hawa

Explanation:
To keep vigil on instances of infiltration due to dense fog in the western international border of Rajasthan, BSF on 15^th Jan 2017 launched Sard Hawa, an operation.

The operation will continue till January 28.

The purpose of the operation is to keep a hawk's eye on the international border, where vigil has been beefed-up and officers have also been asked to be part of operation to motivate jawans.

About BSF

• Headquarters New Delhi, India
• Minister responsible: Rajnath Singh, Minister of Home Affairs
• Agency executive: K.K Sharma Director General, BSF
• Parent agency: Ministry of Home Affairs

ANSWER: Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad

Explanation:
Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad, who was dubbed miracle man for surviving 6 days under huge ice and snow debris after an avalanche hit won the Sena medal.

The soldier lost his life to multiple organ failure following the miraculous survival, and was posthumously awarded the medal.

His wife Mahadevi Ashok Bilebal received the medal from Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat at Army Day parade.

A resident of village Betadur in Dharwad district of Karnataka, the Madras regiment soldier was pulled out alive from under 30 ft of ice-and-snow debris.

He lay buried for six days on the Siachen glacier.

He managed to stay alive for six days in minus 45 degree C temperature buried under ice and snow.

10 Army personnel, including Koppad, were were buried alive on February 3 in an avalanche. Siachen is the world's highest battlefield.

His death was deeply condoled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while the whole nation paid glowing tributes to the 33-year-old soldier.

He had served for 10 years in difficult and challenging areas out of his 13 years of service.

He had also served in the north-east in 2010-2012 where he participated in operations against NDFB and ULFA.

About the Siachen Avalanche 2016

• On 3 February 2016, an avalanche hit an Indian military base in northern Siachen Glacier.
• It trapped 10 soldiers, highlighting risks that soldiers face in manning the inhospitable terrain at heights of 21,000 feet.
• Indians soldiers battle extreme weather conditions on the world’s highest battlefield.
• On an average, India spends INR. 5 crore a day for maintaining troops on the glacier.

ANSWER: Eduardo Faleiro

Explanation:
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa on 13^th Jan 2017 honoured former Union Minister of State for External Affairs Eduardo Faleiro.

Faleiro was honoured with the 'Grande Oficial da Ordem do Infante da Henrique', the Portuguese national order of knighthood.

The order was bestowed on Mr. Faleiro (76), a veteran Congress leader, by Mr. Costa.

Bestowed on individuals for services in the expansion of Portuguese culture, the order honours those who promote Portugal history and its values.

Faleiro studied in Portugal. He was an MLA in Goa and the MP of Both Houses of Parliament.

He established good diplomatic relations as Union Minister of MEA with Portugal.

Paulo Varela Gomes, a historian and ex director of the Fundacao Oriente, an institution for cultural activities in Goa, was posthumously awarded a Cultural Merit Medal.

His wife Patricia Vieira accepted the medal.

ANSWER: Indigo

Explanation:
DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh on 14^th Jan 2017 lauded the Indigo airlines’ decision to be part of "Aakhri Aahuti" initiative.

The initiative is to fly “mortal remains” of people from the Northeast free of cost to their native places.

The Vice President of Indigo Airlines, Vikram Chona personally called on Dr Jitendra Singh here and formally handed over a letter from the President of Indigo, Aditya Ghosh

From Delhi, Indigo is currently operating to Guwahati, Agartala, Dibrugarh, Dimapur and Imphal.

When Indigo starts operations to other destinations in North East, the same facility, free of cost, shall be provided on those routes as well.

The first such, free of charge, facility was provided to a Manipur native living in Delhi who passed away and his mortal remains were flown to Imphal.

Those from NE States residing in Delhi often faced a very unfortunate situation whenever there was a death in the family.

Due to financial restrictions, the relatives of the deceased were often unable to take the dead body to their native place in North East.

As a result, he said the last rites of several such deceased persons had to be carried out in Delhi itself by compulsion.

Indigo was lauded for its role in PPP (Public Private Partnership) model with the Government and private sectors jointly offering services to citizens at different levels and in different situations.

ANSWER: Pinaka

Explanation:
Pinaka rocket converted to a Guided Pinaka was successfully test-fired from launch complex-III, ITR, Chandipur on Jan 13, 2017.

Research Center Imarat of DRDO developed the navigation system for the Guided Pinaka.

The Pinaka rocket Mark-II, which developed from Pinaka Mark-I is equipped with a navigation, guidance and control kit has been transformed to a Guided Pinaka.

This conversion has bettered the range and accuracy of Pinaka.

The radars, electro-optical and telemetry systems at Chandipur tracked and monitored the vehicle all through the flight-path.

The Guided Pinaka is developed jointly by:

• ARDE Pune,
• RCI Hyderabad and
• DRDL Hyderabad.

ITR Chandipur gave the range and launch support.

The army has two Pinaka regiments currently.

The range of the Pinaka multiple launch rocket System by DRDO has a range of 40km for Mark-1.

The Mark-11 Pinaka has a range of 65km.

The ministry of defence will spend INR 3,306 cr on adding two more Pinaka regiments.

The Pinaka rocket are manufactured by Tata Group and L & T.

The Pinaka system is mounted on a truck.

From this system, 12 rockets with extremely explosive material can be fired in a span of only 44 seconds.

The rocket was fired from a multi-barrel rocket launcher (MBRL).

Instant reaction time and high rate of fire of the system gives an edge to the Army during a low-intensity conflict situation.

The weapon's capability for several types of warheads makes it deadly for the enemy. It can even destroy solid structures.

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
First edition of Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) International Television Dance Festival was held in Hyderabad.

The capital of Telangana, Hyderabad hosted the event sponsored by the Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster.

It highlighted the traditional and contemporary dance performances by artistes from over 10 counties across the Asia-Pacific region.

Participating countries

The countries that participated in the event include:

• Maldives,
• Afghanistan,
• Sri Lanka, Uzbekistan,
• Philippines,
• Vietnam,
• Cambodia,
• Fiji and
• Indonesia.

ABU: Know More

• The ABU was established in 1964.
• It is a non-profit, non-government, professional association.
• It aims to assist the development of broadcasting in the region.
• It currently has over 280 members in 57 countries and regions.
• It is reaching a potential audience of about 3 billion people.
• It is headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.