Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sep 24, 2016

ANSWER: OGLE-2007-BLG-249

Explanation:
OGLE-2007-BLG-349 which is located 8000 light years away was found to be orbiting two stars in the system.

• This planet is located at the centre of our galaxy. Planet orbits 483 million km from the stellar duo about the distance from the asteroid belt to the sun, according to a statement issued by NASA
• This planet completes an orbit around the stars roughly every seven years.
• Two red dwarf stars are 11 million miles apart or 14 times the diameter of the moon’s orbit around the earth
• Hubble observations represent the first time a three body system has been confirmed through gravitational microlensing technique
• Gravitational microlensing is when the gravity of the foreground star bends and amplifies the light of the background star that momentarily aligns with it
• Particular character of the light magnification can show clues about the manner of the foreground star and associated planets
• Objects were discovered in 2007 by an international collaboration of 5 different groups- group based observations uncovered a star and a planet but detailed analysis also found a third body astronomers could not identify
• Group based observations suggested a Saturn mass planet orbiting a close binary star pair or Saturn and earth mass planet orbiting a single star
• Sharpness of Hubble images provided evidence for the former.
• Hubble observations revealed that starlight from the foreground lens system was too faint to be a single star. It has brightness expected for closely orbiting red dwarf stars
• These stars are fainter and less massive than the sun.
• While NASA’s kepler probe discovered 10 other planets orbiting tight binary stars, these are all much closer to the stars than the one studied by Hubble.

ANSWER: 20

Explanation:
In a landmark SC trial, NDA government has decided to tell the SC that the practice of triple talk is in conformity with the Sharia is misplaced, because around 20 Islamic countries including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan regulate matrimonial laws.

• Government is set to argue that the plea advanced by the All-India Muslim Personal law Board that triple talaq is sanctified by the Sharia is wrong
• It will also challenge the practice as a violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution in a secular state like India
• Centre will articulate its position in the ongoing case challenging the practice while avoiding the aim to impose personal laws on minorities
• Government has also referred the UCC issue to the Law Commission of India holding wild consultations with personal law boards and stakeholders
• AIMPLB has questioned the court’s authority to adjudicate on this religious matter derived from Koran and Sharia law
• Issue of triple talaq has to do with gender justice and it should be non discriminatory to women and protect dignity of individuals.
• Government sees practices like triple talaq discriminatory and believes it should be regulated under law
• 20 Islamic countries have regulated marital laws including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia as well as Muslim majority Bangladesh
• In case regulating these laws are not against Sharia in other countries, India too should follow suit

ANSWER: Both a and c

Explanation:
The tenth Sikh preceptor Guru Gobind Singh is known to the world as the warrior saint

• He also wrote 17 verse collections part of the Dasam Granth- a separate religious text from Guru Granth Sahib
• He was born in 1666 in Patna
• He wrote 17 verse collections of which only one is in Punjabi- the remaining are in Hindi, braj, Bhojpuri, Persian and other languages
• Versatility of the Poet Guru is notable.
• 50 poets be patronised translated the Bhagwad Gita and and other religious texts from Sanskrit to Hindi
• Guruji was the true poet of veer ras.
• Zafarnama written by Guruji in Persian is a literary piece which is rare
• Guruji selected three Dalits among the 'panj pyaras' for creating the 'Khalsa' panth. The poor and the downtrodden were always in his mind.

ANSWER: France

Explanation:
16 years after the IAF mooted the need for replacement fighter jets, India inked a INR 59,000 crore (approx.) deal with France on 22nd September.

• Inter-government agreement was the historic Rafale deal which will ensure the first fighter jet will be inducted into the IAF within 36 months.
• Rafale is a potent aircraft for deep strike capabilities and can move at high altitudes
• It has potential weapons with the most modern technology.
• Induction of 36 fighter jets- 28 single seaters and 8 twin seaters- will benefit fighter squadrons in the IAF
• French fighter jets will be equipped with meteor air-to-air and Mica air-to-land missiles
• 74 percent of the offsets are mandated to be exported from India. Close to 6 percent of the offsets are for technological sharing
• Export worth Euro 3 billion will happen to India due from offsets as part of the deal
• Indian version of the fighter jet will also have 14 Indian specific enhancements
• These include helmet mounted display, Doppler beam radar, IR search and track and towed decoy
• French are also guaranteeing performance based logistics support which means 75 percent of the fleet will be airworthy at any given time
• Deal also provides free training to 10 IAF personnels estimated to be worth Euro 100 million
• As per the agreement,15 percent of the total amount will be paid in advance while 25 percent in 12-18 months and the rest on schedule as per delivery with 5 percent of the amount being retained till the deal is completed
• Sources also indicated that base price of single seat fighter is Euro 91.07 billion while for a two seater it is Euro 94 billion
• Deal comes with a saving of 750 million Euros
• 50 percent offset means big and small Indian businesses will gain work to the tune of 3 billion Euros
• With state-of-the-art missiles like Meteor and Scalp, IAF will have the capability in including this in its selection of the BVR or Beyond Visual Range Meteor air-to-air missile with range in excess of 150 km
• Integration on the Rafale jets means IAF can hit targets in Pakistan and across northern and eastern borders
• Pakistan has a BVR range of 80 km right now
• Scalp a long range air-to ground cruise missile in excess range of 300km along with meteor gives IAF the edge
• Vannilla price of the 36 aircrafts is 3.42 billion Euros. Armaments cost 710 million Euros with Israeli Head mounted displays. These Indian specific changes will cost 1,700 million Euros.

ANSWER: Citizen and Society

Explanation:
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee released a book written by Vice President Shri Mohd Hamid Ansari on September 23, 2016

• This was at a function held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on 23rd Sept 2016
• The book is entitled Citizen and Society
• It brings out a collection of the Vice President’s lectures on diverse themes
• Diplomat, scholar and now author, the Vice President takes active interest in public affairs
• Book reminds Indian citizens of their responsibilities and says Indian democracy needs to be constantly nurtured by citizens
• Volume is a collection of lectures on diverse themes like polity, security and empowerment. Further efforts are being made to probe the diversity of challenges confronting India

ANSWER: Tamil Nadu

Explanation:
Adani Green Energy (Tamil Nadu) Ltd, as part of the Adani Group has dedicated the world’s largest solar power plant of 648 MW to to the nation.

• It has been set up at Kamuthi in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu.
• The plant has been set up with an investment of around Rs 4,550 crore, a company.

It is part of the state government’s target to generate 3,000 MW in line with its new solar energy policy unveiled in 2012.

• The company sourced equipment and machinery from various parts of the world to set up the 648 MW capacity within a record time of 8 months.
  
  The massive plant comprises of
  
  

i. 3,80, 000 foundations,
ii. 25,00,000 solar modules, 2
iii. 7,000 metric tonnes of structure,
iv. 576 inverters,
v. 154 transformers and
vi. 6,000 km of cables.

• The entire 648 MW is now connected to the Kamuthi 400 KV substation of Tantransco, becoming the world’s largest solar power plant in a single location.