Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Apr 28, 2016

ANSWER: Afghanistan

Explanation:
The Heart of Asia conference commenced on 26th April 2016 in New Delhi. Conference was headed by 14 nations. Earlier, Pakistan had hosted the fifth Heart of Asia Ministerial Conference on 9th December 2015 in Islamabad.

• Heart of Asia conference is part of the Istanbul process. The Istanbul Process was established on 2nd November 2011 for providing a platform to discuss regional issues especially security, political and economic cooperation
• The HoA ministerial conferences were held in the following cities:
i. First: Istanbul (2011)
ii. Second: Kabul (2012)
iii. Third: Almaty (2013)
iv. Fourth: Beijing (2014)
v. Fifth: December (2015)
• Close to 14 participating countries in the HoA process include India

ANSWER: Divakar Reddy

Explanation:
The Divakar Reddy Parliamentary Standing Committee report on Consumer Bill Protection 2015 was tabled on 26th April 2016 in the Parliament on April 26, 2016

• Committee headed by TDP MP JC Divakar Reddy reported that celebs for misleading ads for the second time should be made to undergo jail term of 5 years and penalty up to INR 50 lakhs.
• Legal teeth will also be given to ASCI to curb such ads and advocates empowered Department of Consumer Affairs to regulate e-commerce, direct selling and multi-level marketing with consumer complaints increasing
• Offender may be penalised with fine of INR 10 lakh or imprisonment of two years or both

ANSWER: Cricket Association of Nepal

Explanation:
International Cricket Council in the board meeting on 26th April 2016 suspended Cricket Association of Nepal in view of government interference on board

• Suspension will stay in place till CAN becomes free of government interference
• NSC or Nepal National Sports Council formed an adhoc committee to run CAN in December 2015 after Chand Bahadur Chand was elected CAN President after a meeting held without NSC permission
• Chand led CAN faction then filled a court cause challenging NSC’s decision

ANSWER: Shyam Benegal

Explanation:
Shyam Benegal Committee constituted to revamp CBFC on 26th April 2016 submitted to the report to information and broadcasting ministry

• It recommended that CBFC should be film certification body whose scope will be restricted for categorisation for the suitability of the film to audience groups on basis of age and maturity
• The guidelines seek to protect children from unsuitable content and empower parents to make informed viewing decisions

ANSWER: Lakshadweep

Explanation:
A Naval Detachment was inaugurated on 26th April 2016 at the Androth Islands of Lakshadweep by Vice Admiral Luthra, the Commanding in Chief Flag Officer of the Southern Naval Command. This detachment will extend naval presence and provide communication network connectivity with the mainland. It will permit Sea Lanes of Communication monitoring.

ANSWER: Gopal Subramaniam

Explanation:
SC on 25th April 2016 appointed appointed senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam as the amicus curiae and requested assistance to explore recommendations of the Lodha committee report. Recommendations pertain to massive structural responses BCCI has been resisting

• He will examine the main matter in which state associations have argued that Lodha committee recommendations would violate their fundamental rights
• Court will also be assisted in establishing legal standing of Lodha Committee report recommendations

ANSWER: 11

Explanation:
India plans to launch GSAT 11 spacecraft during 2016 end or the beginning of 2017. This is the first generation high throughput communication satellite with a lift off mass of 5600 kgs operating in Ka-Ku bands

• It is a multi beam satellite with 32 user beams and 8 hub beams over India
• in Orbit testing of the satellite will be conducted from MCF in Hassan and other suitable locations
• GSAT-11 will be released to announce procured launch services- currently the indigenous capability to launch weight class of satellite is not present.

ANSWER: Thirty Meter Telescope

Explanation:
According to the BRICS Cooperation, space agencies of respective nations such as India are pursuing technical discussions for realising the virtual constellation in a manner which is phased. Space agencies can provide data from existing remote sensing satellites. This virtual constellation will deal with challenges from mankind such as global climate change, environmental protection and natural disasters.

• Thirty meter Telescope is a joint responsibility of DST and DAE
• TMT is an international project funded by scientific organisations of India, USA, Canada China and Japan.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
ASI or Archaeological Survey of India has received approval for the following sites for UNESCO World Heritage status:

• Ajanta Caves (1983)
• Ellora Caves (1983)
• Agra Fort (1983)
• Taj Mahal (1983)
• Sun Temple, Konarak (1984)
• Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)
• Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)
• Group of Temples, Khajuraho (1986)
• Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)
• Group of Monuments, FatehpurSikri (1986)
• Group of Temples, Pattadakal (1987)
• Elephanta Caves ( 1987)
• Great Living Chola temples at Thanjavur, Gangaikondacholapuram and Darasuram (1987 & 2004)
• Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)
• Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi (1993)
• Qutb Minar Complex, Delhi (1993)
• Prehistoric Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)
• Champaner-Pavagarh Archaeological Park (2004)
• Red Fort Complex, Delhi (2007)
• Hill Forts of Rajasthan
• Rani ki Vav (2014)
• Mountain Railway of India ( Darjeeling,1999), Nilgiri (2005), Kalka-Shimla(2008)
• Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)
• Under Protection of Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee
• Mahabodhi Temple, Bodhgaya (2002)
• Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
• Under Protection of Ministry of Environment & Forest
• Kaziranga National Park (1985)
• Manas Wild Life Sanctuary (1985)
• Keoladeo National Park (1985)
• Sunderban National Park (1987)
• Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988, 2005)
• Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra,Tamil Nadu
• Great Himalayan National Park (2014)

ANSWER: Arabidopsis

Explanation:
Prions are proteins that are usually referred to in relation to the spread of neuro diseases. But a study authored by an Indian scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) suggests prion-like proteins could hold the key to understanding what gives plants memory and aids in their decision-making.

• Sohini Chakrabortee, a researcher at MIT's Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research (WIBR), conducted studies that identified three proteins that played a role in the flowering of a plant of the Arabidopsis family.
• Prions have so far been identified primarily for their role in the spread of some neurodegenerative diseases.
• The role of the prion-like protein - Luminidependence - is being studied as plants decide each spring whether to bloom or not.

ANSWER: Grauer’s gorilla

Explanation:
Grauer’s gorilla, the world’s largest primate has worried conservationists given their dwindling number

• DRC left experts worried after the gorilla population plummeted 77% over past 20 yeas with less than 3800 of animals remaining
• Grauer gorrila is named after Rudolf Grauer, an Austrian explorer who first recognized the apes as a separate subspecies
• They resemble the mountain gorilla, save for their longer limbs and shorter hair. The gorillas survive on bushmeat and can weigh up to 400 pounds.
• In 1994, the Wildlife Conservation Society conducted surveys in and around eastern Zaire and had estimated that 17,000 Grauer's gorillas remained.
• But the Rwandan genocide that year led to the gorillas' precipitous decline.

ANSWER: Infosys

Explanation:
Infosys has invested in Trifacta, a leading provider of data wrangling software that enables non-technical users to easily transform data for analysis.Infosys Q4 net profit at Rs 3,597 crore, beats estimates for fourth straight quarter

ANSWER: KUKA Aktiengesellschaft

Explanation:
The partnership aims to develop a software platform that will allow customers to collect, evaluate and utilize data for improving their own processes. Germany-based KUKA will work to extend the connection of machines with the Cloud by establishing an Industry 4.0 Cloud Platform. These software and services will be developed by a new subsidiary of Kuka, connyun.

ANSWER: Titan

Explanation:
Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, orbiting Saturn and its moons since 2004, has confirmed that a huge sea on Saturn's moon Titan is composed mostly of pure liquid methane.

• The sea, called Ligeia Mare, has a surface area of about 126,000 sq. kms.
• Cassini also found that the seabed may be covered in a sludge of carbon- and nitrogen-rich material, and its shores may be surrounded by wetlands.

ANSWER: 20,000

Explanation:
Scientists have created the world’s tiniest thermometer that is 20,000 times smaller than a human hair, using DNA structures that can fold and unfold at specifically defined temperatures.

• “Inspired by those natural nanothermometers, which are typically 20,000 times smaller than a human hair, we have created various DNA structures that can fold and unfold at specifically defined temperatures,” said the scientists
• One of the main advantages of using DNA to engineer molecular thermometers is that DNA chemistry is relatively simple and programmable.
• DNA is made from four different monomer molecules called nucleotides - nucleotide A binds weakly to nucleotide T, whereas nucleotide C binds strongly to nucleotide G and scientists created DNA structures that fold and unfold at a specifically desired temperature

ANSWER: Nandu Natekar

Explanation:
Badminton ace Nandu Natekar in April 2016 became the first non-Cricketer to be inducted into the Legends Club founded by the late Cricket Club of India (CCI) president Raj Singh Dungarpur.

• Natekar was inducted into the club along with 1983 World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev, who became the sixth cricketer to be inducted in the club.
• The two, Nandu and Kapil were inducted into the Club’s legend group after consultation with the Cricket Club of India (CCI) president, Kekoo Nicholson.
• Others in the club include Vijay Merchant, Vijay Hazare, Vinoo Mankad, Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.