Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Oct 06, 2016

ANSWER: GSAT-18

Explanation:
India has launched its latest communication satellite GSAT-18 on Oct 6th, 2016. The satellite was successfully launched by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana.

• Launch was deferred by 24 hour owing to unfavourable wind conditions
• Kourou is a French territory located in NE coast of South America
• GSAT-18 was built by ISRO and aims to strengthen its current fleet of 14 operational telecommunication satellites.
• European rocket launcher Ariane-5 VA-231 operated at 2 am IST, injecting the GSAT-18 after orbiting the co-passenger Sky Muster II satellite for Australian National Broadband Network
• GSAT-18 will work towards providing telecommunication services for the country by strengthening the current fleet of 14 operational telecom satellites launched into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit
• GSAT is the 20th ISRO satellite launched by ESA
• It is the 280th for the Arianespace launcher family
• ISRO has been dependant on Ariane-5 rocket for carrying heavier satellites
• It has developed GSLV Mk III for this purpose.
• Weighing 3404 kg at lift off, GSAT-18 has carried 48 communication transponders to provide services in Normal C band, Upper Extended C-band and Ku-Bands of the frequency spectrum

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
Scientists have discovered a new species of the green tree frog in Australia

• It has a distinctive set of purple inner things and orange hands and feet
• Called Liotria Bella or Cape York Graceful Tree Frog, this amazing animal was earlier mistaken for Litoria gracilenta or Graceful Tree Frog.
• The species is thought to occur all the way from NE New South Wales to Northern Cape New York Peninsula in Queensland
• Subtle differences between Cape York frogs and their southern counterparts were however noted
• Through examination and comparison of the frog’s colour, body measurements, DNA sequences and calls, the scientists discovered that the frogs on the northern Cape York Peninsula were a distinct species and acquired the name of the Cape York Graceful Tree frog on this account
• The new species of frogs is more closely related to similar frogs in the New Guinea region
• This tree frog is known to exist from Moa Island in the Torres Strait in the north to 20 km south of Coen on the Cape York Peninsula in the south
• Southernmost location of the new species is separated by 220 km from the most northern record of the Graceful Tree frog in the Endeavour Valley near Cooktown
• The frogs have a near-immaculate green dorsum, bright orange digits, bluish purple thighs and white bones and measure 4 cm in length
• Scientific name of the species means beautiful (Bella)
• 31 percent of the frogs are currently threatened with extinction

ANSWER: 50%

Explanation:
France has imposed a total ban on use of plastic bags and cups at supermarket checkouts. A law has been passed by the country in Sept 2016 which will go into effect in January 2020 which also calls for disposable tableware to be made from 50 percent biologically sourced materials that can be composted at home

• Number will rise to 60 percent by January 2025
• Measure is an addition to the French Energy Transition for Green Growth Act
• This wide ranging law was adopted in 2015 with the aim of mitigating impact of climate change
• In July 2016, a total ban on lightweight plastic bags was imposed at supermarket checkouts
• According to the French Association of Health and Environment, 150 single use cups are thrown everyday in France
• This amounts to over 4.70 billion cups in a year
• Only 1 percent of the cups are currently recycled because they are made of polypropylene and polystyrene mix
• France has enacted the Energy Transition for Green Growth Bill on 17th Aug 2015
• Act lays out a map for transforming France’s energy model without disrupting growth
• There are six objectives of the act focused on reducing GHG emissions, energy consumption, waste management increase and development of nuclear energy power.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Union Cabinet, GoI approved the amendment to the HIV-AIDS prevention and control Bill on Oct 5, 2016. HIV and AIDS Bill was drafted to safeguard the rights of people living and affected by the disease

• It seeks to end discrimination and strengthen existing programmes by bringing in legal accountability and establishing formal mechanisms for redressing complaints
• The amendment also provides for informed consent and confidentiality with regard to treatment and protection of the rights of those with HIV-AIDS
• Listing various grounds of discrimination, the amendment also enhances access to health care by ensuring informed consent and confidentiality for HIV related testing, clinical research and treatment
• It prevents people from publishing information or inciting hate against HIV-AIDS patients and their families
• It also seeks to ensure no person should be compelled to disclose the disease unless by his/her own consent or court order
• Guardianship of minors and Central and State government measures to contain the disease and provide anti-retroviral therapy are also stressed
• Appointment of an ombudsman to moderate any complaint regarding violation of the act.
• There is no financial implication of this bill

ANSWER: Molecular

Explanation:
The three were awarded for their design and synthesis of molecular machines.

• Jean-Pierre Sauvage is a French coordination chemist
• Sir James Fraser Stoddart is a Scottish chemist working in the area of supramolecular chemistry and nanotechnology
• Bernard L Feringa was a synthetic organic chemist who specialises in molecular nanotechnology and is also well known in the field of homogenous catalysis.
• Developing the world’s smallest machines, the trio have worked on molecules with controllable movement which can perform the task when energy is added
• First step towards a molecular machine was taken by Sauvage in 1983 when he succeeded in linking two ring shaped molecules together to form a chain called cayenne
• Stoddart in 1991 took another step when he developed a roxatane which threaded the molecular ring onto the thin molecular able and demonstrated that the ring was able to move along the axle.
• Feringa was the first person to develop a molecular motor when he got the molecular rotor blade to spin continually in the same direction
• Using these motors, he rotated a class cylinder 10000 times larger than the motor
• He also developed a nano car
• Nobel laureates in Chemistry this year therefore took molecular systems out of the equilibrium’s stalemate and into energy filled states when movements can be controlled.
• Nobel Prize in Chemistry was first awarded in 1901 to J van’Hoff for his discovery of laws of chemical dynamics and osmotic pressure in solutions
• The 2015 award was won by Lindahl, Modrich and Sancar for mechanistic studies of DNA.

ANSWER: Nayanjot Lahiri

Explanation:
History professor at Ashoka University Nayanjot Lahiri won the 2016 John F Richards Prize for her book Ashoka in Ancient India.

• The book has given an interesting account of the manner in which the emperor spoke to others through edicts
• The book focuses on archaeological, textual and geographical evidence regarding the ancient world and the deep history of Indian society
• Lahiri is an eminent historian and archeologist of the ancient Indian period
• She researchers and conducts heritage studies and archeological theories on ancient India
• She has also won the 2013 Infosys Prize for Humanities
• American Historical Association bestows the John F Richards Prize annually to the best South Asian historical work
• Award has been named after eminent historian John F Richards

ANSWER: CV Chandrashekhar

Explanation:
CV Chandrashekhar, a well known personality in performing arts was conferred the Akademi Ratna , the most prestigious and rare honour, which is restricted to 40 numbers at any given time. Presently there are only 40 Fellows of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.

The award winners are listed below

2015 Akademi Award in field of Music was conferred on 11 artists and they are

• Krishna Bisht and Mashkoor Ali Khan for Hindustani Vocal Music
• Kartik Kumar for Hindustani Instrumental Music–Sitar
• Brij Narayan for Hindustani Instrumental Music–Sarod
• R N Thyagarajan and R N Tharanathan (joint award) for Carnatic Vocal Music
• Suguna Varadhachari for Carnatic Vocal Music,
• Lalgudi G J R Krishnan for Carnatic Instrumental Music–Violin,
• Mambalam M K S Siva for Carnatic Instrumental Music-
• Nagaswaram, Bhupinder Singh, Hridyanath Mangeshkar and Prafulla Kar for Other Major Traditions of Music–Sugam Sangeet.
  
  2015 Akademi Award in field of Dance was conferred on 9 artists and they are
  
  
• Ranganayaki Jayaraman for Bharatanatyam
• K Kunhiraman Nair for Kathakali
• G Padmaja Reddy for Kuchipudi
• Aloka Kanungo for Odissi
• Sharodi Saikia for Sattriya Dance
• Mandakini Trivedi for Mohiniattam
• Sadashiva Pradhan for Chhau Dance
• W Lokendrajit Singh for Contemporary/Experimental Dance
• Rajkumar Bharathi for Music for Dance


2015 Akademi Award in field of Theatre was conferred on 9 artists and they are

Nand Kishore Acharya and Shafaat Khan for Playwriting
• Parvez Akhtar and Mushtaq Kak for Direction
• Manoj N Joshi and Himani Shivpuri for Acting
• Pradeep Mulye for Allied Theatre Arts–Scenic Design
• Sarojini Nangiar for Other Major Traditions of Theatre–Kutiyattam
• Rani Balbir Kaur for Overall Contribution in Theatre


2015 Akademi Award in field of Theatre was conferred on 10 artists and they are


• Khuman Lal Sao for Folk Music of Chhattisgarh
• Ramchandra Singh for Folk Theatre of Bihar
• Khem Raj for Folk Music of Jammu and Kashmir
• S R D Prasad for Martial Art of Kerala
• Chhaya and Maya Khutegaonkar joint award for Folk Dance of Maharashtra-Lavani
• Gangmei Aluna Kabuini for Traditional Dance and Music of Manipur
• Paramjit Singh Sidhu for Folk Music of Punjab
• Sayeed Sabri Jaipuri for Qawwali, Rajasthan
• K K Ramachandra Pulavar and T N Sankaranathan for Puppetry

Shanta Gokhale and Chaman Ahuja were conferred with the 2015 Akademi Award


• Akademi Fellow has been conferred since 1954 and Akademi Award since 1952.

ANSWER: 7.7

Explanation:
Following the MPC, the World Bank has indicated that the GDP growth of India will remain robust in 2016 at 7.6 percent and 2017 at 7.7. percent

• As per the World Bank, Indian economic growth will remain robust and poverty eradication will top the agenda
• South Asia remains a global growth hotspot and resilient to headwinds such as slowdown in China
• Even in South Asian countries like Pakistan growth is expected to reach 5.4 percent in 2018 and Bangladesh will sustain growth at 6.8 percent
• The main challenges remain domestic, and include policy uncertainty as well as fiscal and fiscal vulnerabilities.

ANSWER: UR Rao

Explanation:
Former Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) chairman Udupi Ramachandra Rao,well known as U. R. Rao, was inducted into the 2016 IAF Hall of Fame on 30 Sept 2016 by the International Aeronautical Federation (IAF).

• Rao became the first Indian to be inducted into IAF Hall of Fame.
• Currently he is the Chairman of the Governing Council of the Physical Research Laboratory at Ahmedabad and chancellor of IIST at Thiruvananthapuram
• He was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1976
  He was also inducted into the International Astronautical Federation in Paris becoming the first Indian to do so. He is also the first from the nation to be inducted into the Satellite Hall of Fame at Washington
• IAF was founded in 1951 and has over 300 members from 66 countries across the globe
• The hall of game honours personalities in the field of astronomy and science