Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Oct 16, 2016

ANSWER: Shaurya Smarak

Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 14th Oct 2016 inaugurated the Shaurya Smarak, a war memorial in Bhopal, MP.

• The Shaurya Smarak was constructed by the state government in honour of those who laid down their lives for their country
• The smarak has been built over an area of 12.67 acres of land
• It was developed at an expense of INR 41 crore and comprises a 62 foot Shaurya Stambh
• The memorial has a sound-light show which narrates stories of bravery of courageous Indian soldiers, who laid down their lives fighting enemies on the borders
• Through various stages of life, war and death, victory has been displayed here
• The memorial was designed by Mumbai based architecture firm UCJ Architecture and Environment

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
India on 13th Oct 2016 took the decision to eliminate the HCF-23 gas. The decision was made in line with the commitment to combat the threat emanating from climate damaging HFCs or hydrofluorocarbons

• The announcement was made during a meeting of parties to the Montreal Protocol where final negotiations are taking place to lower the use of HFCs by 2030
• HFC-23 gas is a potent greenhouse gas
• It has a global warming potential of 14800
• It is produced during the manufacture of a common refrigerant has HCFC-22
• If vented out in the environment, it is a threat to the environment
• HCFC stands for hydrochlorofluorocarbon
• Companies have taken the decision to internalise the cost of the environmental externality and create sufficient storage facility to ensure downtime and lack of release of HFC-23 in the atmosphere
• This move will check emissions of HFC-23 equivalent to 100 MT of CO₂ over the next 15 years
• The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was designed to reduce production and consumption of ozone depleting sustained to reduce their abundance in the environment and protect the fragile ozone layer of the earth
• The original Montreal protocol was signed on Sept 16, 1987 and entered into force on Jan 1, 1989
• The Montreal Protocol includes a unique adjustment provision enabling parties to protocol to respond quickly to the new scientific information and to adjust the reductions on chemicals covered by the Protocol
• The adjustments are then automatically applicable to nations who ratified the protocol– it has been ratified by 197 parties

ANSWER: UP

Explanation:
In Uttar Pradesh, the Safe Motherhood Week is being observed from 14-21st Oct 2016

• The main aim of the Safe Motherhood Week is to decrease the maternal mortality and infant mortality rates
• Currently, the MMR in the state is 258 per lakh deliveries above the national average of 167
• For this purpose, the state has made the decision to bring down the MMR to 200 till the close of 2016
• During the campaign, the expecting mothers will be provided critical medical aid and assistance to the pregnant women and ensure safe delivery in the state
• High Risk Pregnancies will be identified and provided special care
• As part of this campaign, women with anaemic conditions are provided special care
• According to the state government, nearly 50 percent of the expecting mothers are anaemic, the single largest reason for maternal mortality.

ANSWER: Dario Fo

Explanation:
Italian playwright and actor Dario Fo who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1997, passed away at the age of 90

• Fo was one of the leading figures in the 20th century political and theatrical movement best known for his works Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay.
• The Nobel prize honoured him for his ironical humour and satire which highlighted important issues
• Fo began his career in the 1950s and went on to write 80 plays
• He was best known for his one-man show Mistero Buffo
• He was also a theatre directory who worked on several movie and TV productions

ANSWER: Manipur

Explanation:
Jason Yengkhom from Manipur became the first India to win a gold medal in the World Junior Wushu championships

• Yengkhom won in the boys 52 kg Sanshou event and the 6th edition of the championships in Bulgaria beating China’s Jun Yuang
• India’s Thoudam Malemnganbi and Roshibina Naorem won the silver and bronze respectively
• China ranks no 1 and Iran no.2 generally but India has broken the records this time
• Wushu is an exhibition and full contact sport derived from traditional Chinese martial arts
• It was developed in the 1940s in China after efforts to standardise the practice of traditional martial arts
• Wushu comprises two disciplines- taulo and sanda; while the former involves martial arts patterns and manoeuvres, the latter is a modern fighting method and sport influenced by traditional Chinese boxing
• World Wushu Championships are held every two years and organised by the International Wushu Federation.

ANSWER: 14^th

Explanation:
The BJP in Arunachal Pradesh officially became a part of the People’s Party of Arunachal Pradesh government with the induction of the senior BJP MLA Tamiyo Taga in the council of ministers

• Arunachal Pradesh is currently the 14th state having a coalition government
• PPA government is a constituent partner of the North East Democratic Alliance
• Pema Khandu, the CM of AP terminated Industries, Textiles and Handicrafts and Cooperation Minister Tapang Taloh from the Cabinet to accommodate Taga
• Khandu was sworn in as the CM on July 16 after months of political turmoil replacing Nabam Tuki who was reinstated to the post by the Apex Court
• Khandu excited Congress, and joined the PPA, a NJP ally with 43 MLAs on Sept 16
• This was 65 days after the SC reinstated the Congress government in the state on July 13
• In a house of 60 members, PPA has 44, BJP 11 Congress 3 and independents 2

ANSWER: Gianluigi Buffon

Explanation:
Gianluigi Buffon from Juventus won the 2016 Golden Foot award

• The 38 year old accepted the award in Monaco and admits the honour is one of many he hopes to garner
• The legend was honoured for contributions to the sport on and off the field
• Last year’s award went to Inter Milan star Samuel Eto while Ryan Giggs, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Francesco Totti have all won in the past
• The Golden Foot award is a global football award, given to players who stand out for their athletic achievements as individuals and team players and for their personality
• Award is also given to active players who are 28 or above
• It can only be given once
• Winner of the award leaves a permanent mould of his footprint on the Champions Promenade in the principality of Monaco

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The Centre has worked on a three-pronged approach to revitalise India’s retail and wholesale trade– this includes a regulatory body for internal trade, a comprehensive domestic trade body and a board for internal trade

• The strategy will soon come up for decisions
• Currently, there is no single regulatory body or ministry for domestic trade- comprising non corporate small businesses providing employment to 460 million people
• There are about 6 crore such enterprises across the nation with a yearly turnover of INR 30 lakh crore
• CAIT has conducted 46 conferences across India in the past two months on creating awareness for GST traders
• It has been estimated that 70 percent of the country’s retail trade has not been linked to computers and digitised