Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sep 11 & 12, 2016

ANSWER: Eye

Explanation:
UK surgeons have carried out the world’s first robotic operation within the eye, potentially revolutionising the manner in which vision conditions are treated. Procedure was carried out by surgeons at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital.

• Robotic eye surgery trial involves 12 patients facing operations with increasing complexity
• This marks innovation in eye surgery in the future
• Current technology with laser scanners and microscopes permits scientists to monitor retinal diseases at microscopic level
• With a robotic system, we cross the physiological limit of what the human hand can operate on and open up a whole new chapter of eye operations that currently cannot be performed
• This marks the first time the device has become available that achieves three dimensional precision required to operate within the human eye.

ANSWER: Bennu

Explanation:
NASA has sent a spacecraft chasing after an unexplored asteroid in hopes that it may prevent humans from being destroyed.

• OSIRIS REx robotic hunter blasted off to asteroid Bennu
• It will scoop up bits of ancient pace rock which can reveal how life originated as well as whether there is life elsewhere
• Bennu goes past Earth once every 6 years and comes so close in 150 years that it hits us eventually
• Odds are one tenth of 1 percent, but this is still considerable
• The rock itself could not destroy earth; but it will cause huge destruction
• Scientists will be able to learn more about mysterious asteroids by studying Bennu
• The spacecraft’s 10 ft (3m) arm which touch down like a pogo stick on the surface for three to give seconds. Nitrogen gas would shoot out to stir up the surface and let loose particles be sucked into the device.
• This is called the gentle high give
• There are just 3 shots at this before nitrogen gas runs out the effort is abandoned
• Team opted for touch and go procedure instead of landing to increase chances of success
• OSIRIS REx was named by 12 year old Mike Puzio of Greensboro, NC

ANSWER: United States

Explanation:
US scientists have discovered a new species of parasitic flatworm that infects turtles in Malaysia.

• It has been named after US President Barack Obama as Baracktrema obamai,
• It is so unusual that it merits not only a new species designation, but its own genus, too.
• This marks the first time such an action has been taken for this group of turtle parasites in 21 years
• New species was discovered by Thomas Platt, an expert on turtle parasites who retired from Saint Mary’s College in Indiana State
• He said he was inspired by the President and named the creature after him because worms face incredible obstacles in completing their journey and must content with the immune system of the host in order to mature and reproduce
• Platt also conducted research that traced the family of his ancestors and that of the US President’s to a common ancestor
• Scientists hope this discovery will improve public health by adding to research on the related flatworm that causes schistomiasis, a disease affecting 10s of millions of people around the world which can be deadly
• The NSF funded research will also create awareness about the plight of freshwater turtles increasingly vulnerable to dwindling habitat and poaching across the world

ANSWER: Dipika Pallikal

Explanation:
Indian squash player Joshna Chinappa rose to 10th rank while Dipika Pallikal remained at the 19th position in the Professional Squash Association rankings

• Chinappa slipped to 12th spot after breaking into the top 10 in July regained the position
• Pallikal held on to the 19th position
• In men’s rankings Saurav Ghoshal fell to 21st spot from previous perch of 17 while Mahesh Mangaonkar regained a position to be on 60th and Vikram Malhotra remained at 73
• Chinappa and Ghoshal reached the quarterfinal stage of USD 100 thousand China Open, a PSA World Tour event

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
China’s high speed railway has completed 20,000 kms of track network in the nation, becoming the world’s longest bullet train network

• A high speed railway linking Zhengzhou in China’s Henan Province and Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu opened on 10th September 2016
• With the operation of the newline, China’s high speed railway lines have exceeded 20,000 kms in total length which is the world’s longest
• 360 km line connects the high speed railways in the west with two major north-south lines cutting travel time between west and east
• Travel time between Shanghai and Xi’an is cut to six hours from nearby 11 hours
• Line has 9 stations and runs at 300 kph in the initial period
• China’s first sky train also came out of the assembly line in Nanjing city on 10th September
• China is the third country to develop this technology after Germany and Japan
• Sky trains are lower in cost and have top climbing and turning ability as well as higher wind resistance
• The elevated railway train was rolled out by Nanjing Puzhen Company Limited affiliated to China’s largest rolling stock manufacturer CRRC Corporation Limited
• Two compartments of this sky train can hold more than 200 passengers and when compared to subways and trams, they have lower costs and better returns
• Construction period of sky trains is hotter than that of subways
• Overhauled railway is driven by batteries which can last 4 hours at a time and recharged in only two minutes

ANSWER: Singapore Stock Exchange

Explanation:
Singapore Exchange along with top BSE shareholders Caldwell India Holdings Inc, Acacia Banyan Partners and GKFF Ventures will sell BSE shares in forthcoming IPO of the exchange.

• While Singapore Exchange, Quantum M Limited and Atticus Mauritius Ltd will sell their entire stake in the bourse, other entities would partly dilute their holdings
• Singapore Exchange holds a 4.7 percent stake in BSE while Quantum M Ltd and Atticus Mauritius have 3.7 percent stake each
• Domestic institutional investors like LIC and SBI have chosen not to sell shares as part of the public issue
• Both entities hold 4.7 percent in BSE
• BSE is the oldest stock exchange in Asia
• It was established in 1875
• Public issue comprises INR 2.99 crores shares on offer.
• Exchange becomes the second in India to be listed after Multi Commodity Exchange of India
• For the financial year closing 31st March 2016, BSE reported a net profit of INR 159.15 crore
• Its biggest rival is the National Stock Exchange which has also initiated the process to get listed

ANSWER: Mariyappan Thangavelu

Explanation:
Mariyappan Thangvelu won the first gold medal for India at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

• He won gold in the men’s high jump T-42 event leaping 1.89 metres
• He also became the first Indian high jumper to win gold at the Paralympics
• This was India’s third gold at the Games and the first after 12 years
• Bronze in the event went to Varun Singh Bhati who jumped 1.86 metres(his personal best) to finish third
• USA’s Sam Grewe bagged the silver medal
• India claimed a gold and bronze in Athens, 2004
• In the last edition of the London Games, India won a silver
• India won its first ever Paralympic Gold at the Heidelberg Games in 1972.

ANSWER: Odisha

Explanation:
Odisha bagged the 9th Global Agriculture Leadership Award 2016 for its efforts towards developing agriculture and creating rural prosperity.

Seed Replacement Rate in paddy (a key contributor to growth and productivity along with technology inputs) has increased to record high of 35.57 percent in 2015-2016 according to government estimates
• For this remarkable achievement in the food grain sector, Odisha has won the Krishi Karman Award 4 times in the past 5 years
• Global Agriculture Leadership Award is instituted by the Indian Council of Food and Agriculture in 2008
• This award is given to individuals and organisations for leadership towards development of agriculture affecting lives of farmers
• Odisha recorded 22.7 percent growth in food grains from 96.36 lakh MT in 2013-2015 to 118.24 MT during 2014-2015.
• State has recorded achievement in increasing the productivity of food grains
• The state has been awarded the Best Agriculture State for 2016
• The National Awards Committee of the ICFA is led by MS Swaminathan
• He is considered the father of the agricultural revolution in India
• Odisha earned the award for launching numerous programs to revive agriculture leading to higher growth rate, increased pace of overall development and improved farm income.

ANSWER: Best Horticulture State

Explanation:
Haryana has bagged the Best Horticulture State award for concerted efforts made by the government of this state to increase farmer’s income in horticulture.

• Award was given at the 9th Agricultural Leadership Summit 2016 organised by ICFA in New Delhi.
• Close to 2.5 lakh ha of land in the state is currently under horticulture
• The decision has been made to increase it to 9 lakh ha
• State has also decided to set up a horticulture university in the state
• It has also decided to set up CoE in horticulture in every district of the state and create 340 horticulture villages in the state
• Haryana is also set to establish the biggest horticulture mandi in the country at Ganaur on the pattern of Rungis Mandi of France and Shenzen Mandi of China

ANSWER: South East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund

Explanation:
India along with 10 other member countries of WHO’s South East Asian Regional Committee on September 9, 2016 decided to set up a dedicated fund for building preparedness for health emergencies in the region.

• Joint funding stream will be established under South East Asia Regional Health Emergency Fund
• Decision was made at Colombo based 69th session of the WHO Regional Committee Meeting
• Member countries also passed a resolution for promoting physical activity and expanding health workforces across the region
• Less physical activity is a major contributor to rising non communicable diseases in the region
• 4/5 of adolescents in the region are not getting enough exercise
• Earthquakes, cyclones and floods have caused health emergencies in SE Asian region
• It has also been threatened by emerging diseases such as SARS, MERS, Zika and Pandemic Influenza
• WHO South East Asia region committee comprises the following 11 states:Bangladesh, Bhutan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

ANSWER: E-nivaran

Explanation:
CBDT on 8th September 2016 launched the electronic resolution facility or e-nivaran facility for online redressal of taxpayer’s grievances.

• Grievances can be related to refunds, Income tax returns, Tax Deducted at Source and Permanent Account Number among others.
• The scheme/facility has been started with the aim to reduce instances of harassment of the public for filing IT department complaints
• It will be available on the e-filing portal (http://incometaxindiaefiling.gov.in) of the department.
• It will help taxpayers in registering complaints through the computer and receive special PIN number on their registered mobile number and email which keeps track on latest issues
• Complainant also tracks the progress of complaint through this
• People can lodge complaints and upload documents in the form of PDF file clubbed as ZIP file
• People who lack a PAN card can access the e-nivaran facility and lodge their complaints in connection with IT case
• The form for e-nivaran will also be available in physical form at the Aaykar Sampark Kendras (ASK) (tax facilitation centre), located in over 300 cities.
• Later, the form will be fed into the system by tax officials.

ANSWER: Angelique Kerber

Explanation:
Germany’s Angelique Kerber won the second career Grand Slam title with her first US Open Trophy
Kerber won the match 6-3, 4-6,6-4 breaking the reign of Pliskova in a 2 hr, 7 min match.

• She became the first German player to win the US Open since childhood idol Steffi Graf did so 20 years ago in 1996
• It was a 10th career title for the 28 year old, who broke through the top level earlier this year with her triumph over Serena Williams in the Australian Open
• She became number 1 at 28, the oldest player to do so for the first time
• Kerber’s win broke the 11 win streak for Pliskova who was winning since Cincinnati opener a month ago
• Pliskova denied Kerber the Number 1 ranking in Cincinnati
• Kerber won the silver medal at Rio Olympics
• Pliskova has the distinction of being the first player to beat both Williams sisters since 2009 US Open when Kim Clijsters did
• She also became the first player since Amelie Mauresmo to make a Grand Slam final despite not having advanced past the third round