Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Aug 12, 2016

ANSWER: D. Gandhi

Explanation:
Parliamentary panel has asked the government to evolve mechanisms for e-waste management rules to be implemented

• Referring to the CPCB estimate that India generated 16.4 lakh MT of e-waste in 2014, the committee noted that merely notifying rules is not enough without strong and effective implementation
• Committee of Subordinate Legislation chaired by Dilipkumar Mansukhlal Gandhi tabled its 15th report on e-waste management in the LS
• Committee expressed serious concern over handling of environmentally sensitive issue of e-waste management
• As per the provisions of the E-waste (management and handling) Rules 2016 the environment ministry amended the rules by notifying e-waste management rules 2016 in March.
• Committee has notified that there has been an exponential increase in the generation of e-waste across the world including India
• According to CPCB estimates, 1,46,800 MT of e-waste was generated in India in 2005; it rose to 8,00,000 MT in 2012 and 16.4 lakh MT by 2014

ANSWER: The Huffington Post

Explanation:
Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington indicated on 11th August she would leave the company to focus on running her new venture, health and wellness startup Thrive Global

• She has stepped down as HuffPost editor-in-chief to run her new venture
• Thrive Global which offers services to companies to improve the well being of their employees recently closed an A series funding road ahead of a launch in the fall
• Verizon Communications Inc owns the Huffington Post through AOL which bought the liberal American online news aggregator and blog for USD 315 million in February 2011

ANSWER: 3DPhy

Explanation:
News Corp backed realty portal Prop Tiger has acquired a Gurgaon based startup 3DPhy which is a field of virtual and 3D visualisations

• Company did not disclose the deal value
• With this acquisition, PropTIger aims to advance its technological platform to further enhance hi-tech marketing solutions for developers
• PropTiger last acquired Bengaluru based interactive technology firm OoBi.
• The latest acquisition would boost its 3D capabilities
• With its virtual walk throughs, 3DPhy enabled builders and brokers to showcase multiple properties over different kinds of devices
• PropTIger offers a one stop platform to home buyers and is funded by News Corp, SAIF Partners, Accel Partners and Horizon Ventures
• It has acquired makaan.com and Oobi in recent times
• 3DPhy provides 3D models for e-commerce captured automatically from physical objects

ANSWER: Shiv Nadar

Explanation:
Wipro chairman Azim Premji and HCL co-founder Shiv Nadar are the only two billionaires from India in Forbes List of World’s 100 richest people in technology, ranking in the top 20 ahead of Google’s Eric Schmidt and Uber CEO Travis Kalanick.

• The 100 richest tech billionaires in the world has been topped by Microsoft founder Bill Gates with the estimated fortune of USD 78 billion
• Premji ranks 13th on the list with the net worth of USD 16 billion and Nadar was at 17th spot with USD 11.6 billion of net worth
• Two Indian American technology czars Symphony Technology Group CEO Romesh Wadhwani and founder of IT consulting and outsourcing company Syntel Bharat Desai and wife Neerja Sethi are also on the list
• Premji who heads India’s third largest outsource, has been purchasing startups to boost growth
• Nadar co-founded HCL and also owns HCL TalentCare, a skills development firm that provides training to new graduates
• Wadhwani comes in 67th with a USD 3 billion net worth and also won the 2013 Forbes India NRI Philanthropist award
• China has the second highest number of tech tycoons with 19 people combined USD 132.7 billion
• Richest member from China is Alibaba Founder Jack Ma on the 8th spot and estimated net worth of USD 25.8 billion
• Canada has 5 tech billionaires and Germany has 4
• Forbes said the second richest person in tech was Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos ahead of Oracle chairman Larry Ellison

ANSWER: Founder

Explanation:
Bill Maris, the CEO and founder of Alphabet Inc’s venture capital arm GV is leaving the company

• He will be replaced by GV managing partner David Krane
• GV earlier known as Google Ventures was founded in 2009 and has invested in more than 300 companies including Uber and Jet dot com
• Alphabet has seen high profile departures with Chief Technical Officer Chris Urmson leaving and Anthony Levandowski, product manager leaving to co-found a startup.

ANSWER: Joydeep Bose

Explanation:
Joydeep Bose MD of Cisco Investments, Asia Pacific Japan has left the company after a decade long innings with the technology company

• Alok Bardiya, director of Cisco Investments, Cisco India and SAARC will replace bose
• Bose is joining the Singapore based VC firm as the India partner
• Bose has seen Cisco’s strategic investments including the purchase of NetMagic Solutions and other investments like Videonetics, Ineda Systems and more
• Bose was previously a MD of Intel Capital; his exit comes after CISCO MD sales for India and SAARC region, Purushottam Kaushik quit the firm
• Cisco Investments has a portfolio of USD 2 billion with close to 80 investments in companies and holds limited partner positions in over 35 funds globally
• In India, it invested in 25 startups and acquired Bengaluru based IT security firm Pawaa last year

ANSWER: Education

Explanation:
Called Project Vishwajeet which means Conqueror of the Universe, it may suggest itself to be a defense mission, but is not.

• Project aims at boosting Indian Institutes of Technology to the top league of global academic rankings
• The project will back IITs with the greatest potential to climb the ladder and focus on them, backing them with funding to excel on all parameters.
• IIT council is set to discuss the plan with all IITs
• IITs are currently at 200 and below on QS World Rankings

ANSWER: Titan

Explanation:
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has discovered steep sided canyons 100s of meters deep on Saturn’s moon Titan that are flooded with liquid hydrocarbons

• This presents first evidence of liquid filled channels on Titan
• It also represented the first observation of the deep canyons on Titan
• Observations show that channels including the Vid Flumina are narrow. less than a km wide and with steep slopes at 40 degrees and measured 240 to 570 m from top to bottom
• Branching channels appear in radar images much like Titan’s methane rich seas
• Channels might also be filled with liquid but direct detection has not been made till now; earth based examples of canyon caring processes are found along Arizona’s Colorado river

ANSWER: 3

Explanation:
Kristin Armstrong became the third time winner of an Olympic gold medal before her 43rd birthday

• Armstrong crossed the finish line five seconds quicker than the Russian compatriot Olga Zabelinkskya
• Double London medallist Russian player was on an 18 month suspension for use of banned stimulants
• Dutch rider Anna van der Breggen won the bronze medal
• Armstrong retired in 2009 but returned after a 3 year break and 3 hip surgeries
• She broke the record for the oldest female Olympic cycling champion

ANSWER: Pune

Explanation:
Country’s first ever National Teacher’s Congress will be held in Pune from September 23 to 25.

• This is being organised by the National Teachers Congress Foundation Pune whose Chief Patron is CM Devendra Fadnavis
• Event is being organised by MIT School of Government, in association with AICTE, Association of Indian Universities, Maharashtra State Principals Forum, Government of Maharashtra and UNESCO Chair of Human Rights, Democracy, Peace and Tolerance, Pune
• More than 8000 teachers from across the nation will deliberate on numerous issues regarding past, present and future issues pertaining to the Indian education system.

ANSWER: Manjula Chellur

Explanation:
Manual Chellur, the Chief Justice of Calcutta High court has been appointed as CJ of Bombay HC.

• She will assume charge by August 24
• She will replace CJ Dhirendra Hiralal Waghela who retired on August 10
• The new CJ will be only the second lady CJ of the Bombay HC since its inception
• She is the first lady lawyer to practice at Bellary and been to Warwick University in England on a fellowship in 1997

ANSWER: Nijat Rahimov

Explanation:
Nijat Rahimov, from Kazakhstan has broken the world record to win the gold medal of the men’s 77 kg weightlifting class on 10th August 2016

• Lu Xiaojun of China took the silver and Mohamed Ihab of Egypt claimed the bronze.
• Rahimov won by lifting 214 kg and formerly represented Azerbaijan
• He won gold for Azerbaijan at the 2010 Summer Olympics and gold at the 2010 European Junior Weightlifting Championship
• He was served a doping ban between 2013 and 2015
• He won gold for Kazakhstan setting a world record in clean and jerk
• Another gold medal winner from Kazakhstan was Dmitriy Balandin who on 10 August 2016 won gold medal in the men's 200-meter breaststroke final. It is Balandin’s first Olympic medal.
• He won the second gold medal for the country in the 2016 Olympics and the first ever medal for the nation in a swimming event
• Currently, he holds two Kazakh records in the 100 and 200 m breaststroke.
• He set a historic milestone for his nation by striking the breaststroke triple at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.

ANSWER: Mohan Chandra Malakar

Explanation:
Assam Government on 11th August 2016 commenced the verification of rhino horns stored in numerous treasuries since 1980 for which purpose it instituted the Rhino Horn Verification Committee

• 12 member committee is headed by former Assam State Information Commissioner and ex forest service officer Mohan Chandra Malakar who will verify the genuineness of the horns stored in numerous treasuries
• Other members of the committee include 4 wildlife experts, two representatives from media- one RTI activist and one forensic scientist and 4 high officials of the State Forest Department
• According to the directive, committee will assess horns in 12 treasuries of Assam including Golaghat followed by NE states like Nagaon, Guwahati and Tezpur.
• Rhino horns at Golaghat were of the highest number and almost all are from the Kaziranga National Park

ANSWER: Energy Information Administration

Explanation:
National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog has on 10th August 2016 signed an agreement with US Energy Information Administration to set up a web portal on energy data

• The portal will host data pertaining to energy sectors including oil and gas, solar and much more
• The NITI Aayog will be working to map India’s energy data needs as well as agency for meeting the same
• NITI Aayog has signed a Statement of Principle with US Agency for International Development and Department of Energy and Climate Change of the UK as well for the collaboration of energy research
• Aayog aims to host data related to energy sector in India

ANSWER: Synthetic Aperture Radar

Explanation:
China on 10th August 2016 launched the Gaofen-3 satellite, China’s first synthetic aperture radar imaging satellite launched from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in Shanxi province

• Gaofen-3 is a high resolution satellite
• It seeks to resolve maritime disputes simmering in the wake of the South China sea issue
• This is also China’s first low orbit remote sensing satellite
• It has a lifespan of 8 years and will also be used for disaster warning and weather forecasting
• It was developed by China Academy of Space Technology and Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology

ANSWER: Tripura

Explanation:
Along with devolution of funds to state governments, GoI has allocated funds for development of NE region

• For Tripura, Minister of DONER released INR 120 crore under the Non Lapsable Central Pool of Resources
• Border Area Development Programme is also administered by MGA for specific funds for development of the border areas

ANSWER: Civil Aviation Requirement

Explanation:
DGCA (Directorate General Civil Aviation) has issued Civil Aviation Requirements which specify requirement of FDTL or Flight Duty and Time Limitation for cabin crew. Existing CAR has been reviewed and the revised CAR will be effective from September 1, 2016

• Revised CAR lays down provisions for extension of FDTL of cabin crew under unforeseen operational circumstances
• Some of the steps to strengthen security arrangements including time bound deployment of Central Industrial Security Force at major airports and deployment of Quick Reaction Teams at major airports also form part of CAR

ANSWER: Central Railside Warehouse Company Ltd

Explanation:
Central Railside Warehouse Company Ltd, a subsidiary of Central Warehousing Corporation has planned 10 new warehouses with temperature controlled systems at rail heads to facilitate handling and storage bagged commodities.

• Company has also undertaken up gradation of existing 19 railside warehousing complexes across the nation at a cost of INR 200 crore
• For its diversification initiatives, CRWC has entered into a Joint Venture agreement with IFFCO Kisan SEZ (IKSEX), Indian Potash Limited for development of integrated Railside warehouse Complex and Freight terminal at Nellore.
• It has proposed to set up silos for storage of foodgrains for FCI at Jalalabad and New Jalpaiguri with the Railways.

ANSWER: An Open Mind

Explanation:
Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation, GoI launched a short film series called “An Open Mind” in honour of Sanitation Champions spearheading the Swachh Bharat campaign

• The aim is to drive positive behaviour change in communities by eliminating open defecation and adopting safe sanitation practices
• The film series showcases real life stories of individuals who have made the campaign mission their own by adopting innovative ideas to encourage the use of toilets in communities and promote safe waste treatment practices
• The launch films have been created by BBC Media Action

ANSWER: VS Chauhan

Explanation:
University Grants Commission has informed that it has constituted a standing committee under Member UGC Shri VS Chauhan for creating a list of journals under clause 6.0.5(i) of the UGC

• This clause is for minimum qualification for appointment of teachers and other academic staff in universities and colleges and measures for the maintenance standards in higher education(4th Amendment Regulations 2016)
• According to these regulations only those research papers that are published in the journals included in the “List of Journals” are eligible for scoring on the research and academic contribution category of the Academic Performance Indicators (API) for teacher and academic staff.

ANSWER: Thirty Metre Telescope

Explanation:
Hanle in Ladakh has been located as an alternate site for the 30 metre telescope

• Original site was Mauna Kea in the US which got stalled due to an SC order
• India’s participation has been jointly funded in the TMT project by DAE and DST

ANSWER: Coastal Economic Zone

Explanation:
Under the Sagarmala Programme of Ministry of Shipping, five reports have been prepared to provide implementation of roadmap for holistic port-led development in the country and to engage with various stakeholders

• The reports have been posted on the Ministry of Shipping website. The Ministry is reaching out to relevant stakeholders to apprise them of the findings / recommendations in these reports and to obtain relevant feedback on the same.
• The reports include the cargo traffic projections in the ports and related logistics bottlenecks, plans for port capacity enhancement, perspective plans for the Coastal Economic Zones proposed under Sagarmala and the policy level recommendations to make port-led development successful in India.
• The programme will change the way logistics evaluation is carried out in the country and will require active participation of stakeholders including central and state government, industry bodies and agencies

ANSWER: 12 August

Explanation:
Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar has inaugurated the Bharat Parv at Rajpath Laws, India Gate

• It is being organised in India as part of the Independence Day celebrations in 2016
• The objective of the event is to create awareness about the cultural diversity of the country and generate a patriotic mood
• Ministry of Tourism is the nodal ministry for this event which has multi cuisine food courses, crafts mela, performances and a photo exhibition titled “Azadi 70 Saal- Yaad Karo Qurbani.”
• Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Daman & Diu and Dadra – Nagar Haveli, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh are participating in the event.