Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Oct 23, 2017

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
India is ranked number one globally on the toll taken by pollution, with a staggering 2.51 million deaths in 2015, an international commission has reported.

Of an estimated 9 million premature deaths linked to pollution worldwide, the country accounted for about 28%.

Air pollution, the leading cause, killed 6.5 million people around the world. India and Bangladesh recorded the largest increases in pollution-related deaths among the 10 most populous countries for the year.

The results of the study were published in the journal The Lancet.

Nearly a quarter of all deaths in India in 2015 were attributed to pollution; Pakistan, China, Bangladesh, and Kenya too reported one in four deaths due to the same cause.

Again, air pollution took the heaviest toll in India (1.81 million), followed by water (0.64 million).

Ambient air pollution was the leading cause in the country, while deaths from household air polluted by solid fuels came a close second, at 0.97 million.

Half a million deaths were caused by unsafe water sources, while unsafe sanitation was behind 0.32 million deaths.

China had the second highest mortality from air pollution at 1.58 million, while water pollution in the neighbouring country was linked to about 34,000 deaths, compared with 0.64 million in India.

Particulate matter pollution in the air was severe in several cities in India and China: average annual concentrations of PM 2.5 (particulates less than 2.5 microns in width) were greater than 100 microgrammes per cubic metre.

More than half of all global deaths due to ambient air pollution occurred in India and China during the year of study, the report said.

Diseases Due to Air Pollution: Know More

• Deaths linked to air pollution were a result of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Pollution has been responsible for most non-communicable disease deaths, The Lancet said, pointing to industrialisation, urbanisation and globalisation as the drivers, and calling for remedial measures.
• In 2015, all forms of pollution combined were responsible for 21% of all deaths from cardiovascular disease, 26% due to ischaemic heart disease, 23% due to stroke, 51% due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and 43% due to lung cancer.
• Pollution was also responsible for three times as many deaths as AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria combined.
• The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health is a two-year project that involved over 40 international health and environmental authors.

ANSWER: Only a, c and d

Explanation:
Slow Internet and 'rush hour' - the peak time when data speeds drop by up to 30% - could soon be history, thanks to scientists who have developed new hardware that consistently provides high-speed broadband connectivity.

The new technology enables dedicated data rates at more than 10,000 megabits per second (Mb/s) for a truly superfast, yet low-cost, broadband connection, researchers said.

By 2025, average speeds over 100 times faster will be required to meet increased demands for bandwidth-hungry applications such as ultra-high definition video, online gaming, and the Internet of Things.

The future growth in the number of mobile devices, coupled with the promise of 5G to enable new services via smart devices, means we are likely to experience bandwidth restrictions; the new optical receiver technology will help combat this problem.

Scientists, including those from the University of Cambridge in the U.K., developed a simplified receiver to be used in optical access networks: the links connecting Internet subscribers to their service providers.

To maximise the capacity of optical fibre links, data is transmitted using different wavelengths, or colours, of light. Ideally, scientists dedicate a wavelength to each subscriber to avoid the bandwidth sharing between the users.

Though this is possible using highly sensitive hardware, they are costly.

ANSWER: Kakha Kalazde

Explanation:
Georgia announced on 22 Oct 2017 that former AC Milan football star Kakha Kaladze had been elected mayor of its capital Tbilisi.

The country's election administration said on its website that Kaladze won 51% of the vote in 21st Oct 2017 municipal election.

The 39-year-old played for AC Milan between 2001 and 2010, helping the team to twice win the Champions League.

He previously played for Dynamo Kiev and Dinamo Tbilisi and also captained Georgia's national side.

He quit football in 2012 while playing for Genoa in order to devote himself to politics and campaign alongside billionaire tycoon Bidzina Ivanishvili to challenge then-president Mikheil Saakashvili.

He became energy minister in October 2012 after Ivanishvili's coalition scored a shock parliamentary election victory over Saakashvili's party.

In July this year, he resigned to run as mayor of the capital, a city of 1.2 million.

ANSWER: Russia

Explanation:
Satellite debris, rocket bodies and a collection of other man-made objects which orbit the earth may harm satellites, space stations which are now in operation.

As of today, 24,193 such objects orbiting the earth have been recorded and monitored.

Below is a country or group-wise split to whom those debris belong to

COUNTRY/GROUP	Number of junk objects
Russia	15,117
U.S.	6,144
China	1,307
France	724
India	334
Japan	285
International Space Station	92
European Space Agency	45
China/Brazil	34
Germany	16
U.K.	14
Others	81

Source: The Hindu

ANSWER: Peru

Explanation:
The Peruvian Congress has approved a bill that authorises the medicinal and therapeutic use of cannabis and its derivatives in the country.

The proposal received 67 votes against five as three abstained in a full legislative on Oct 19, 2017 allowing the bill to be enacted by the executive without going through the second voting session as required by law.

The bill will legalise the medicinal use of marijuana and its derivatives, such as cannabis oil, to alleviate the symptoms of diseases such as cancer, epilepsy and Parkinson's disease.

Congressman Alberto de Belaunde, who was the advocate of the proposal, said that once the bill is promulgated the government will have 60 days to work on the regulations.

The legislative approval came following the government's proposal to decriminalise the medical use of marijuana, following a "controversial" raid in February at a clandestine laboratory where marijuana oil was manufactured for sick children.

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
In order to encourage savings, the government has allowed banks, including top three private sector lenders, to accept deposits under various small savings schemes like National Savings Certificate (NSC), recurring deposits and monthly income plan.

According to a recent government notification, banks can also sell National Savings Time Deposit Scheme 1981, National Savings (Monthly Income Account) Scheme 1987, National Savings Recurring Deposit Scheme 1981 and NSC VIII issue.

As per the notification, all public sector banks and top three in the private sector - ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank - to receive subscription from the expanded portfolios.

ANSWER: Only a and c

Explanation:
The Union ministry of electronics and information technology has set up an internal committee to advise the government on a policy on artificial intelligence (AI).

Top sources said that the expert committee will advise the IT ministry on the most apt technologies for India.

The government's main focus is to reduce cyber attacks with AI.

The main policy will be drawn up once the committee gives its report.

Senior sources at the IT ministry pointed out that officials from Union home and finance ministries are also involved in the consultations.

AI is also widely seen as a major challenge in generation of employment as many companies are likely to depend more on it to cut down on human resources.

A subject that has cropped up every time that IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad has met top tech companies.

The artificial intelligence market is estimated to touch $153 billion in 2020 and expected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 45.4% from 2016 to 2022.

The government has recently drawn up a seven-point strategy that would form the framework for India's strategic plan to use AI.

The strategy includes developing methods for human machine interactions; ensuring safety and security of AI systems; creating a competent workforce in line with AI and R&D needs, understanding and addressing the ethical, legal and societal implications of AI, measuring and evaluating AI technologies through standards and benchmarks, among others.

AI can benefit various government agencies in their functioning. But at the same time we have to ensure that an indigenous workforce to develop AI is created.

Globally too, there is a growing interest in AI. In 2016, the White House initiated work on Preparing for the future of artificial intelligence; in the UK, the House of Commons committee on S&T looked at robotics and artificial intelligence while in 2017, the State Council of China started work on the next generation artificial intelligence development plan.

ANSWER: Gujarat

Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's third visit to his home state Gujarat this month saw the announcement of projects worth INR 2000 crore.

The state also had its first "roll-on, roll-off (Ro-Ro)" ferry service-an INR 650-crore initiative which the Prime Minister inaugurated calling it his "dream project" connecting Ghogha and Dahej.

The ro-ro ferry will ply the Gulf of Khambhat between peninsular Saurashtra and South Gujarat. Ghogha situated in Bhavnagar district of Saurashtra lies 17 nautical miles (32 km), across the gulf from Dahej in Bharuch district.

A first of its kind in India, the ferry will be able to carry up to 100 vehicles (cars, buses and trucks) and 250 passengers between the two ports.

The ro-ro ferry services are vessels made to carry wheeled cargo that are driven on and off the ferry on their own wheels or using a platform vehicle. The wheeled cargo includes, cars, trucks, semi-trailer trucks, trailers, and railroad cars.

The term ro-ro is generally reserved for large ocean-going vessels.

The vessels have either built-in or shore-based ramps that allow the cargo to be efficiently rolled on and off the vessel when in port.

This is in opposite to the lift-on and lift-off (lo-lo) vessels, which use a crane to load and unload cargo.
The central government has allocated Rs 117 crore for dredging work at both Ghogha and Dahej under the Sagarmala initiative.

The Gujarat government body in charge of marine and ports affairs along the state's 1,600 km coastline, floated tenders for the project in 2011.

The service shall reduce the travel time between Ghogha in Saurashtra, and Dahej in South Gujarat, from about seven or eight hours, to just over an hour.

The distance between the two places would be reduced to 31 km from the current distance of 360 km. When fully operationalised, it will also enable movement of vehicles.

The ferry service is aimed at boosting the connectivity and infrastructure in Gujarat.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
India on 22 Oct 2017 ended their 10-year wait for continental triumph when they beat a gutsy Malaysia 2-1 in a nail-biting final to clinch their third Asia Cup hockey title.

India, which won the Asia Cup last time in 2007 in Chennai, scored from field efforts.

Malaysia were in summit clash for the first time since tournament's inception.

The Indians are ranked sixth in the world.

Pakistan won the bronze medal after edging out Korea 6-3 in the third-fourth place play-off match earlier in the day.

For India's new chief coach Marijne Sjoerd, it was perfect start to his stint as the Asia Cup was his maiden tournament in charge of the senior national side.

Today's win was India's second victory over Malaysia in the tournament, having beaten them 6-2 in the Super 4s stage.

For Malaysia, it was their best result in the tournament. They had earlier won the bronze in the 2007 edition of the event in Chennai.

Highlights

• India's ten-year wait for the continental title ended on 22nd Oct 2017
• India beat Malaysia 2-1 to win the 10th edition of the Asia Cup–their third title overall
• India won the tournament twice before in 2003 and 2007 editions.

ANSWER: Ram Mukherjee

Explanation:
Bollywood actress Rani Mukerji's father Ram Mukherjee passed away at 5am on 22nd Oct 2017. He was 84.

According to sources close to the family, his blood pressure decreased drastically following which he was taken to a hospital.

The veteran filmmaker has directed several movies such as Raktanadir Dhara, Tomar Rakte Amar Sohag, Raktalekha and Ek Bar Mooskura Do to name a few.

He is survived by wife Krishna Mukherjee, daughter Rani and son Raja.

Ram Mukherjee was one of the founders of Filmalaya Studios in Mumbai.

His most famous works are Hum Hindustani and Leader. In fact, Ram had launched Rani Mukherjee in the Bengali film Biyer Phool (1996).