Current Affairs

A. PERSONALITIES AND PEOPLE 

A.1. RUKMANI DEVI ARUNDALE 

 She was an theosophist, dancer and choreographer of Bharatnatyam 

 She is considered the most important revivalist in the Indian classical dance form of Bharatnatyam from its original 'sadhir' style, prevalent amongst the temple dancers, Devadasis, she also worked for the re-establishment of traditional Indian arts and crafts.

 She was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1956 and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship in 1967. 

 Also an institution-builder who built a public cultural and educational centre known as Kalakshetra. A.2. SEHJDHARI SIKHS Who are Sehjdhari Sikhs 

 Sehjdharis are those who follow Sikhism but without being Amritdharis, or baptised. 

 They do not adopt baptismal vows of the Khalsa panth initiated by Guru Gobind Singh. 

 They might be born in Hindu, Sikh or other families but follow the Sri Guru Granth Sahib. 

 They perform ceremonies according to Sikh rites. A.3. PANCHTEERTH: B. R. AMBEDKAR

 Government will develop five places as “Panchteerth” in the honour of B R Ambedkar.

 These include Amedbkar’s birthplace in Mhow, the place in London where he stayed while studying, ‘Deeksha Bhoomi’ in Nagpur, where he took education, ‘Mahaparinirvan Sthal’ in Delhi, and ‘Chaitya Bhoomi’ in Mumbai.

B. ART FORMS DANCES 

B.1. KALAMANDALAM SATHYABHAMA 

 She was an Indian classical dancer, teacher and choreographer, known for her performances and scholarship in Mohiniyattam 

 She was awarded the Padma Shri, in 2014, for her contributions to the art and culture.

 She was well versed in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam and Kathakali. 

 She is credited with purifying the Mohiniyattam form by weeding out external influences. She modified the performance techniques so that the emotive aspect of performance strictly sticks to Lasyam. Mohiniyattam 

 Mohiniyattam is the classical solo dance form of Kerala, performed by women.

 It is interpreted as the dance of ‘Mohini’, the female form taken by Vishnu to kill Bhasmasura. 

 The delicate body movements and subtle facial expressions are more feminine in nature and therefore are ideally suited for performance by women.

 The Travancore Kings structured this dance form into the present day classical format. 

 It is characterized by graceful, swaying body movements with no abrupt jerks or sudden leaps.

 Mohiniyattam lays emphasis on acting, where the dancer identifies herself with the character and sentiments existing in compositions and expresses through hand gestures and facial expressions. FOLK AND TRIBAL DANCES B.2. GOTIPUA DANCE (ODISHA) 

 Gotipua, a traditional dance form of Odissi folk in praise of Lord Jagannath. 

 Etymologically, ‘Gotipua’ in Oriya means ‘single boy’. But the dance is performed in groups. 

 This dance form is said to have originated around the beginning of the 16th Century.

 When the Mahari (Female dancers in temples) dance form started declining, the male dancers continued the tradition by dressing up as the female dancers. 

 In Gotipua, the dancers themselves sing.

 The boys are recruited to learn the dance at a very young age, and undergo training until their adolescence, when their androgynous appearances begin to change. 

B.3. PURULIA CHHAU (WEST BENGAL) 

 Chhau Dance is one of the most renowned tribal martial dances of India. The dance is performed with a Mask, which gives it the name Chau (Chhaya means mask). 

 Masks and elaborate headgear are the ornamental apparels of the Chhau dancers. The dance is an essential part of the Gajan Festival that celebrates Lord Shiva.

 The dance is themed on the stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata. 

 The dance is accompanied with loud beats and instruments like drum and marui. 

B.4. CHAAM OF SIKKIM MONASTERIES 

 Chaam is one of the forms of ritual dance of the Lamas, which features colorful masks and are held at various monasteries during the festivals. 

 Costumed Lamas with painted masks, ceremonial swords and sparkling jewels, leap and swing to the rhythm of drums, horns and music. 

 There are several types of Chaams like Singhi Chaam dedicated to the Mythical Lion,the Yak chaam dedicated to the Yaks. 

B.5. BADHAI DANCE (BUNDELKHAND) 

 Badhai is one of the popular folk dance of madhya pradesh, which is very common in bundelkhand region. 

 Badhai is performed to thank Goddess Shitala and seek her blessings. 

 This particular rhythm is known as Badhai from which this folk dance has acquired its name. 

 Animals also take part in Badhai Nritya and in many villages, mares (female horses) are seen at such performances. 

 The musical instruments used are Dhapla, Timki, Lota, Rantula & Algoja. 

B.6. PANTHI DANCE (CHHATTISGARH) 

 This dance form is a ritual of the Satnami community. The dance is very expressive in its depiction and is performed to the accompaniment of melodious songs. 

 It is mainly performed by the male dancers. The performance of this dance requires great flexibility and stamina as it involves various challenging steps. 

 The performers dance around a Jaitk-hamb set up for the occasion, to the songs eulogizing their spiritual head and reflects the Nirvana philosophies like those of Kabir, Dadu etc.

 Traditional folk instruments are used which comprise of Mridanga and Jhaanj, drums are used occasionally. 8 www.visionias.in 

B.7. DOLLU KUNITHA DANCE (KARNATAKA)

 Dollu Kunitha is a popular drum dance of Karnataka. 

 The songs used in this dance usually have religious and battle fervour. 

 Large drums are adorned with coloured clothes and hang around the necks of men.

 The main emphasis is on quick and light movement of the feet and legs. 

 Dollu Kunitha forms a part of the ritualistic dances of the dodavāsīs of Karnataka. 

B.8. PUNGCHOLOM (MANIPUR) 

 It is derived from martial arts and also the traditional Maibi Jagoi dance. It’s a tradition practiced since the seventeenth century. 

 The traditional costume consists of turbans,dhothis and a necklace made of tulsi seeds. 

 It is supposed to represent Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva and is believed to give positive energy to practitioners. 

 It is performed in Manipur during weddings , temple functions and even funerals. 

 A pung, (Manipuri name for Drum) ,hangs around each dancer’s neck. The dancers jump and swirl high in the air once the dance progresses. 

B.9. SINGHI CHAM (THE SNOW LION DANCE’ OF SIKKIM)

 It is a masked dance of Sikkim, depicting snow lion – the cultural symbol of the state. 

 The dancers are attired as snow lions, the guardian deity of the land as decreed by Guru Padamsambhava. 

 He is revered as the teacher who first spread the word of Buddha in Bhutan, Sikkim, Tibet etc. 

 The dance performed in autumn is also a tribute to mount Khan-Chen Dzongpa, or the Kanchenjunga, worshipped in the land. The mountain is believed to resemble the legendary snow lion.

 B.10. CHERAW (BAMBOO DANCE OF MIZORAM) 

 It is believed that the dance had existed way back in the 1st Century A.D., while the Mizos were still somewhere in the Yunan Province of China, before their migration into present Mizoram. 

 Some tribes living in South East Asia have similar dances in one form or other with different names. 

 Men sitting face to face on the ground tap long pairs of horizontal and cross bamboo staves open and close in rhythmic beats. 

 Girls in colorful Mizo costumes of 'Puanchei', 'Kawrchei'. Vakiria' and 'Thihna' dance in and out between the beats of bamboo. 

 This dance is now performed in almost all festive occasions. Gongs and drums are used to accompany the dance. 

B.11. THAPETTA GULLU (ANDHRA PRADESH ) 

 This is the dance form of the Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh. 

 In this dance more than ten persons participate, singing songs in the praise of the local goddess. 

 The dancers use drums, which are hung around their necks to produce varied rhythms. 

 Tinkling bells around the waist form a distinctive part of the dancers’ costumes. 

 Only men perform this dance traditionally 

 The themes and the subjects are taken from the Ramayana and Mahabharata 

B.12. RAUF (J&K)

 It is one of the most popular traditional dances of Kashmir. 

 This beautiful dance form graces all the festive occasions, especially Id and Ramzan days. 

 The dance is performed by a group of women facing each other lined up in two lines and dressed in beautiful costumes. 

 The dance has simple footwork which also called as Chakri in local language.

 The dance is often performed in Spring season to celebrate good weather. 

B.13. MAYUR DANCE (U.P.) 

 It is a dance popular in the Braj region of Uttar Pradesh.

 The Mayur or peacock dance is created from an episode in the love lore of Radha and Krishna.

 Radha, pining for Krishna after a brief separation, decides to console herself by the sight of peacocks.

 He eventually yields to Radha's entreaties and himself appears in the guise of a peacock to dance with his beloved. B.14. RATHWA TRIBAL DANCE (GUJARAT) 

 The Rathwas, who dwell in Rath-Vistar, the hilly area of the southeastern part of Gujarat state, perform the Rathwa ni Gher dance on the occasion of Holi also known as Kavant festival. 

 The Gher (dance with music) performances begin on Dhulendi, which is, literally, 'the day of flying coloured dust'. 

 Both men and women perform the Gher together, in groups of 20 to 25. 

 Of all Rathwa dances performed on various occasions linked with the cycle of seasons, Rathwa ni Gher stands out as exquisite, colourful and spectacular. 10 www.visionias.in 

 B.15. JAGOR FOLK DANCE 

 A dance drama of Goa based on no continuous plot or narrative 

 Performed jointly by the Hindus and Christians

 To offer prayer to deity to protect the village from the river water. It is faith that it averts natural calamities and quarrels among themselves. 

 Literal meaning of Jagor is “jagran”. The strong belief is that the night long performance, awakens the deities once a year and they continue to remain awake throughout the year guarding the village. 

 Perni Jagor is the ancient mask dance – drama of Goa, performed by Perni families, using well crafted and painted wooden masks, depicting various animals, birds, super natural power, deities, demons and social characters. 

 The performance is accompanied by Goan folk instruments like Nagara/Dobe, Ghumat, Madale etc. 

Union Government decides to suspend talks on Indus Waters Treaty

The Union Government has decided to suspend all talks on India-Pakistan Indus Waters Treaty in the wake of the Uri attack. Decision in this regard was taken by meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was attended by National Security Adviser (NSA) Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, tWater Resources Secretary and senior PMO officials.

 Key Highlights

No review or abrogation of the Indus Waters Treaty. Decision to utilise water under India’s share to fullest. Suspend talks on the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC), the dispute redressal mechanism until terrorism stops. Review the 1987 suspension of the Tulbbul navigation project that Pakistan had objected. Build more run-of-the-river hydropower projects on western rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to exploit full potential. Expedite construction of Pakal Dul, Sawalkot, Bursar dams in Jammu and Kashmir. Use 20% of river water allocated under treaty for Jammu and Kashmir farmers.

About Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)

 IWT is a water-distribution treaty between India and Pakistan. It brokered by the World Bank (then the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development). The treaty deals with sharing of water of six rivers — Beas, Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum between the two countries. It was signed by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and President of Pakistan Ayub Khan in Karachi on September 19, 1960. As per treaty, control over three eastern rivers —Ravi, Beas and Sutlej was given to India. While control over three western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab was given to Pakistan. It allows India to use only 20% of the water of Indus river, which flows through it first, for irrigation, power generation and transport. Most disagreements and disputes have been settled via legal procedures, provided for within the framework of the treaty. The treaty has survived India-Pakistan wars of 1965, 1971 and the 1999 Kargil standoff besides Kashmir insurgency since 1990. It is most successful water treaty in world.

Daily Current Affairs for Competitive exams; September 25, 26, 2016

Hello Readers,Here are today's important headlines with key details for UPSC, SSC, IBPS and other competitive examinations.

ISRO launches 8 satellites from Sriharikota

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched eight satellites into two different orbits in a single mission. This was ISRO’s longest and most complex mission. These satellites were launched by the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle C35 (PSLV C35) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikotta.

• Among the eight satellites launched, three satellites were from India, three from Algeria and one each from Canada and United States.
• SCATSAT-1 satellite of India weighing 371 kg was the primary payload and remaining other seven customer satellites were secondary payloads (5 foreign and 2 domestic satellite) weighing 304 kg in total. It will provide weather forecasting services meant for ocean and weather forecasts, cyclone detection and tracking through wind-vector products. It will have a service life of five years.
• Pratham is a 10-kg satellite developed by students from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay. It will be used to study the total electron count in space with a resolution of 1km x 1km location grid.
• PISAT: It is a 5.25-kg satellite made by students of Bengaluru’s PES University. It will take pictures of Earth for remote sensing applications.
• Three Algerian satellites: Alsat-1B (103 kg), Alsat-2B (110 kg) and Alsat Nano (7 kg), will be used for remote sensing, earth observation, and technology demonstration.
• Pathfinder-1 is a satellite owned by BlackSky, USA. It weighs 44 kg and has a high-resolution imaging microsatellite.
• NLS-19 is a Canadian satellite developed by the University of Toronto. It is a nano-satellite weighing 8 kg. It will be used for experiments for reducing space debris.

China builds world's largest telescope

China has built the world’s largest radio telescope, the five-hundred-metre aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST), nicknamed Tianyan (The Eye of Heaven).It is located in the Dawodang depression (vast natural crater), a natural basin in Pingtang County in the Guizhou Province, Southwest China.

• It will take nearly three years to calibrate the instruments of the telescope to become fully operational. The facility is part of China’s drive to become a science powerhouse.
• It is an ambitious project of the National Astronomical Observatories of China.
• It is the world’s largest filled aperture (single dish) radio telescope and the second largest radio telescope after the Russian RATAN-600, which has a sparsely filled aperture.
• It is made up of 4,450 panels and Its reflector is as large as 30 football pitches. Its diameter is 500 meters, giving it more sensitivity.
• It will be used to search for signs of intelligent life and to observe distant pulsars – tiny, rapidly spinning neutron stars believed to be the products of supernova explosions.
• It will be also used to study stellar radio emissions, gravitational waves and potentially signals from extraterrestrial civilizations. China’s best supercomputers the SkyEye-1 will be used to process the massive amounts of data supplied by FAST.

Pinky Balhara wins bronze medal in 5th Asian Beach Games

India’s Pinky Balhara has won the bronze medal in the sporting event of Kurash at the 5th Asian Beach Games held at Da Nang, Vietnam. Kurash is a form of wrestling originated from Uzbekistan.

• She won the medal in women’s 52kg category after she lost to Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy of Vietnam in the semi-finals.
• Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy won the gold medal in this event while another Vietnamese Nguyen Thi Quynh won the silver medal.
• To participate in the 5th Asian Beach Games, India had sent a contingent of 208 members.

First Russia-Pakistan military exercise Druzhba-2016 begins

The first military exercise between Russia and Pakistan named Druzhba-2016 (Friendship-2016) has kicked off in Pakistan. With this, the Pakistani Army and the Russian Ground Forces (RGF) have come together for the first time in military exercises reflecting growing military ties between two former Cold War rivals.

• The military exercise is being conducted at the Army High Altitude School in northern Pakistan’s Rattu and at a special forces training centre in Cherat.
• The two-week-long joint military drills aim to bolster and build military cooperation between the two countries.
• It will involve experience sharing and develop coordination in carrying out practice combat tasks in a mountainous environment, including operations against illegal armed groups. About 200 troops from the two countries will take part in the two-week-long military drills.

Tamil film Visaranai selected as India’s official entry to Oscars 2017

The Tamil film “Visaranai” has been selected as the India’s official entry to Oscars 2017 (89th Academy Awards) in the Foreign Language Film category. The film has been directed by Vetrimaran and is produced by actor Dhanush’s Wunderbar Films. It is based on M.Chandrakumar’s novel Lock Up. 

Key Facts:

 The film is based on true events recorded in novel Lock Up about autorickshaw driver, who shares his experience after he and three of his friends are arrested on false charges. It documents four migrant workers who suffer police brutality and corruption after being jailed on false charges. It starrs Dinesh Ravi, Samuthirakani, Kishore, Ajay Ghosh, Anandhi and Aadukalam Murugadoss. 

Awards and Honours:

 At 72nd Venice Film Festival it had won the Amnesty International Italia Award. At the 63rd National Film Awards, it had won three honours viz. Best Supporting Actor for Samuthirakani, Best Feature Film in Tamil and Best Editing for Kishore Te.

National waterways project threatens Gangetic dolphins

According to the scientists and wildlife conservationists, the National Waterways (NW) project possesses serious environmental threat to Gangetic river dolphins. The development NW1 in the River Ganga is considered as single-largest threat to the survival of the species, whose numbers are declining in most parts of their natural habitat. River dolphins are found in Ganga and Brahmaputra and its tributaries. It has been declared endangered species and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. This fresh water dolphin species are practically blind. They rely on bio-sonar method to move around and catch their prey.  It is the National Aquatic Animal of India. 

Threats to survival of Gangetic river dolphins 

Construction of dams and barrages which hinders the natural flow of the rivers is the main reason considered for decline in the population of Gangetic river dolphin. Besides, pollution and lack of awareness also causes decline in their population. Loss of habitat due to increased developmental work, depletion of prey base, accidental mortality in fishing nets and accidents with vessel propellers are also some anthropogenic threats. The ships’ noise-levels also disrupt the ability to navigate and find prey. 

Importance of National Waterways (NW) projects 

India has a huge untapped potential of inland waterways. To tap this potential the Central Government has planned to develop National Waterway 1, World Bank-aided 1600-km waterway project in River Ganga between Allahabad and Haldia for inland transportation. It has potential to emerge as the logistics artery for northern India and improve navigability of the River Ganga as it passes through Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. 

Solutions 

To tackle threat to dolphins, Union Ministry of Environment and Forest Conservation in 2016 had launched Endangered Species Recovery Plans for four species of global importance. During the development of NWs, some measures will be listed such as safeguards, mentioned issues like minimising dredging. Movement of cargo vessels will be restricted through protected habitat areas through river, monitoring systems and sound mufflers will be installated to reduce underwater noise. Nesting grounds, breeding and spawning grounds of dolphins will be identified and development projects activity will be minimised in those areas.

Arun Goyal appointed Additional Secretary of GST Council

Senior IAS officer Arun Goyal has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council. He will be the first Additional Secretary of GST Council Secretariat. The GST Council headed by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. It is mandated to decide on tax rate exempted goods and the threshold limit. Arun Goyal is IAS officer of 1985 batch of Union Territory cadre. Prior to this appointment he was working as Additional Secretary, Project Monitoring Group in Union Cabinet Secretariat. Background The GST Council was constituted as per the Article 279A of the Constitution after the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016 was notified. The Union Cabinet had recently approved appointment of the Secretary (Revenue) as the ex-officio Secretary to the GST council. Besides, it also had approved inclusion of the chairperson, Central Board of Excise and Customs, as a permanent invitee. The Union Cabinet had also approved creation of one post of Additional Secretary and four posts of Commissioner in the GST Council secretariat.

Union Government and Amar Chitra Katha signs MoU to publish and distribute comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission 

The Union Government has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Amar Chitra Katha to publish and distribute comic book on Swachh Bharat Mission The MoU was signed between Amar Chitra Katha and the Union Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) to focus on Swachh Bharat Mission. Key Facts Under this MoU, Amar Chitra Katha will publish 32-pages comic book carrying messages pertaining to sanitation and solid waste components of Swachh Bharat Mission. It will comprise a series of inspirational stories from the Swachh Bharat mission, cleanliness rankings of cities, public figures, environmental impact and ambassadors. It will also contain stories of individuals and organizations that can inspire children to the concept of Swachhata. Besides, it will also have an interactive workbook of tips and tricks to assist children to clean their own areas. The comic book will be made available in both English and Hindi. It will also include a section about how to organize community cleanliness drives. About Amar Chitra Katha Amar Chitra Katha publishes more than 400 comics in 20 languages. It was founded in 1967. Its comic books mainly highlight Indian stories including epics, mythology, history, literature and folktales. So far, Amar Chitra Katha has sold over 100 million copies Swachh Bharat Mission: It is a pet project of NDA Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was launched in October 2014 with the aim to make India clean and open defecation-free in 2020.

Noy keeps vow of silence on current affairs

MANILA, Philippines – He hasn’t gained much weight but it’s apparent in his face that he is getting his much-desired rest. He has finished reading 16 books, sometimes finishing 800 pages in two days and is enjoying old movies dating back to the 1930s.

He does not go out often, he says, and still does not have anyone to share life with.

But former president Benigno Aquino III said he is doing okay. He is keeping his promise to stay quiet and give President Duterte a sort of a honeymoon for a year, as he, too, enjoys a break from politics.

In an informal forum at St. Theresa’s College in Quezon City on Friday night, Aquino could not be provoked or baited to comment on current developments, even when told about “creeping martial law” or how divided the people had become because of opposing political views.

He chose to keep the conversation positive and light throughout the night.

The only time he mentioned President Duterte was when he talked about the peace talks with the communist rebels. He said the President and communist leader Jose Maria Sison appeared to have a modicum of trust and could see eye-to-eye.

Like most Filipinos, Aquino expressed hope the peace talks with the communists would succeed and that there would be sincerity.

At this time, singer Phil Perry’s version of the song “Just To See Her” is a favorite and music in general is a constant companion, whatever his mood.

He hasn’t taken to Facebook or Twitter, preferring to deal with people “face to face” but enjoyed posts with the #SalamatPNoy hashtag. That night, the former president received some more thank you’s for serving the country and being an inspiration to the young.

Like most Filipinos, he gets stuck in traffic as he travels without much security now. He had just watched a concert of singer and friend Noel Cabangon, who launched his latest album, Traffic Jam.

Stop debating, start helping

But being the country’s former leader, Aquino could not escape questions about the latest developments.

Asked if he had lost faith in the Filipino because of what had been happening, Aquino said he could not fault people for their decisions.

They may just be lacking in information and have gone astray, but Aquino said the people would always go back to whatever was right and think about the best for their fellowmen.

He developed patience while he was a congressman and had always believed that it would be better to engage, and possibly turn people to one side, rather than close doors for a compromise.

“Why debate?” he asked, saying actions could speak louder than words and that there were many ways by which Filipinos could help others.

For journalists under attack, Aquino said there was no point arguing online. He said those who had established themselves as credible media practitioners would always have an audience and people would “look for you” because of their belief in the kind of work they do.

Aquino said while he was president, he enjoyed most talking to the young people, as this always gave him an energy boost in the face of the many things he had to do.

“You can’t please everybody all the time,” he noted, and the hardest thing was that some people would come up to those in government with so much anger as to why things were not happening as fast as they wanted.

Merely absorbing the positive and the negative issues surrounding a powerful office is difficult enough, plus “you’re always conscious that whatever you do gets magnified.”

The former president intends to keep his hiatus from politics going for as long as it is not needed for him to get actively involved again.

Enjoying the break

Since he stepped down, Aquino is facing various cases and gets dragged into current issues every now and then, but these did not seem to cast a heavy burden on him – at least it did not show that night, as he was constantly smiling and joking.

As regards his love life, Aquino said: “I used to ask people who had successful relationships, how do you know (who to marry)? They keep on saying, ‘You’ll know.’ No, that is why I am asking, how will you know? ‘You’ll know.’ At this age, I am quite surprised that those who said ‘you’ll know’ are the ones who have solid relationships, those who try to characterize it are the ones who fell out of it.”

But Aquino said he could not be faulted as he did try as early as 18 years old to find the “one” and that he did propose to a former girlfriend  but it “didn’t work out” and so he would just have to wait.

Giving up, he said, could not be an option because it would be the greatest sin to do so.

Once the right one comes along, Aquino expressed belief it would already be “peace time.” If not, maybe he still has a mission from God.

Somehow, he said, “I let the right one go way, way back” but the person was happy and “I am happy for her, seeing her with a big, natural not fake smile, that is also a blessing.”

As former president, Aquino said “you’re not allowed to be human” and you always have to be in control.

Now that he can choose what to do, he said he would like to devote time to make changes in the country permanent, possibly provide jobs through a business and be a salesman for the Philippines.

He cannot work for year because of the ban on elective officials joining the private sector but after that, he can start moving around and talking about what has been gained and present the Philippines’ “best face” as its father for six years.

India, France ink deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets

India and France has signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets at a cost of 7.87 billion Euros. The deal was signed by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his French counterpart Jean Yves Le Drian. Eric Trappier in New Delhi. This is the first fighter aircraft deal signed by India with other country since the purchase of Sukhoi aircrafts from Russia in the late 1990’s. Key Facts The defence deal includes the aircraft in fly-away condition, simulators, weapons, spares, maintenance, and Performance Based Logistics support for five years. The Rafale is a twin-engine fighter, multi-role fighter aircraft manufactured by French aviation company Dassault. These aircrafts is capable of carrying out all combat missions such as interception, air defence, in-depth strikes, ground support, reconnaissance, anti-ship strikes and nuclear deterrence. They will come with various India- specific modifications including Israeli helmet mounted displays, low band jammers, radar warning receivers, infra-red search and tracking, 10 hour flight data recording, towed decoy systems among others. The weapons package of deal includes Meteor radar guided Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missile which is considered the best in the class with range of over 150 kms. It also includes Scalp long range air to ground missiles. Meteor missile has a superior BVR than any of its competitor in the South Asia region. Comment The Rafale fighter jets are likely to succeed ageing fleet of Indian Air Force (IAF’s) Mirage fighters for nuclear warhead delivery as part of India’s nuclear doctrine. They will be stationed at two IAF bases, Sarsawa in Haryana and Hasimara in West Bengal. Integration of Meteor missile on Rafale jets give IAF air superiority to hit targets inside both Pakistan and across northern and eastern borders while staying within India’s territorial boundary. Background The deal comes after 17 months of tough negotiations since Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the decision for direct purchase of the Rafale fighter jets in fly-away condition in April 2014 citing “critical operational necessity” of the Indian Air Force (IAF).

GK And Current Affairs – 

 1. How much amount has been allotted by the Tamil Nadu government for Thaaliku Thangam scheme under marriage assistance programme?
 [A]Rs. 289 crore [B]Rs. 204 crore [C]Rs. 323 crore [D]Rs. 333 crore 

answer:Rs.204 crore The Tamil Nadu government has allotted Rs. 204 crore for ‘Thaaliku Thangam’ (Gold for Mangalsutra) scheme under a marriage assistance programme scheme for the year 2016-17 to benefit 12,500 women.


2. The world’s largest solar power plant has been installed in which state of India?
 [A]Andhra Pradesh [B]Rajasthan [C]Tamil Nadu [D]Haryana

answer: Tamil Nadu The world’s largest solar power plant with an installed capacity of 648MW has been commissioned at Kamudhi in Ramanathapuram district of Tamil Nadu. The plant was set up by Adani Group on an area of around 5,000 acres at a total cost of Rs 4,550 crore. 

3. The 2016 International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) world conference is hosted by which country? 
[A]Istanbul [B]New Delhi [C]Moscow [D]Berlin

answer:Moscow The 33rd edition of International Association of Science Parks and Areas of Innovation (IASP) World Conference is hosted by Moscow, Russia from September 19-22, 2016. The theme of IASP 2016 is “The Global Mind: Linking Innovation Communities for Internationalization, Sustainability and Growth”. IASP is the largest worldwide network of science parks and areas of innovation, uniting technology parks and institutions and it has a Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The 2017 IASP will be held in Istanbul, Turkey. 

4.Which Indian film has been selected as the official entry to Oscar Awards 2017 in the foreign language film category?
 [A]Visaranai [B]Court [C]Thithi [D]Anjali

answer:Visaranai The Tamil film “Visaranai” has been selected as the official entry to Oscars 2017 in the Foreign Language Film category. The film is directed by Vetrimaran and is based on M.Chandrakumar’s novel Lock Up. It is story about autorickshaw driver, who shares his experience after he and three of his friends are arrested on false charges. 

5. Who has been sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court? 
[A]Jayanta Mitra [B]Manjula Chellur [C]Arun Kumar Mishra [D]Girish Chandra Gupta

answer:Girish Chandra Gupta Justice Girish Chandra Gupta has been sworn-in as the new Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court. Justice Gupta would have a short tenure as Chief Justice of the High Court as he is due to retire in December 2016. He was administered oath by West Bengal Governor Kesari Nath Tripathi. 
6. Who will get the first-ever Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award-2016?
 [A]Paula Radcliffe [B]Muhammad Ali [C]Paavo Nurmi [D]Michael Phelps

answer:Muhammad Ali The first-ever Jesse Owens Olympic Spirit Award-2016 will be posthumously bestowed to Olympic champion Muhammad Ali, who passed away on June 3, 2016. It will be accepted by his wife Lonnie Ali. The annual award will recognize an individual(s) who has served as a powerful force for good in society, inspiring others by contributing to a better world, uniting people or leading a cause.


7. Who will be honoured with the 2016 Lalit Arpan Samman?
 [A]Shubha Mudgal [B]Krishen Khanna [C]Raghu Rai [D]Yamini Krishnamurthy

answer:Shubha Mudgal Shubha Mudgal, the Hindustani classical singer will be honoured with the 2016 Lalit Arpan Samman. She is known for her singing in genres of Khayal, Thumri and Dadra. The 15th edition of Lalit Arpan festival 2016 will also acknowledge artist couple Paramjit and Arpita Singh. The 2016 festival is dedicated to dance. 

8. The book “The Sellout” has been authored by whom? 
[A]Sam Lipsyte [B]Sarah Silverman [C]Kiese Laymon [D]Paul Beatty

answer:Paul Beatty The book “The Sellout” has been authored by Paul Beatty, which is shortlisted for 2016 Man Booker prize.It is a satire on United States constitution, urban life, the civil rights movement, the father-son relationship and the holy grail of racial equality. 

9.Who has been appointed as the new Indian Ambassador to the United States?
 [A]Arun Singh [B]Navtej Sarna [C]Taranjit Singh Sandhu [D]Yash Sinha 

answer:Navtej Sarna Navtej Sarna, an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1980 batch, has been appointed as the new Indian Ambassador to the United States. Prior to this appointment, he was serving as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs before he was posted in London in January 2016. He will succeed Arun Singh, who is due for retirement. Apart from this, the Union Government has also appointed Taranjit Singh Sandhu as the next High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka. Sandhu will replace Yash Sinha.


10. The first meeting of Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council has been held in which of the following cities? [A]Ahmedabad [B]Chennai [C]New Delhi [D]Bengaluru

answer:New Delhi The first meeting of Goods and Service Tax (GST) Council has held in New Delhi and is chaired by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. The two-day meet of the GST Council council will decide on long pending issues of threshold limit for applicability of the tax as well as the limit for dual control between Centre and states. The GST is a single indirect tax which will subsume most of the central and state taxes such as VAT, excise duty, service tax and central sales tax.

Navtej Sarna appointed Ambassador to the US

The Union Government has appointed Navtej Sarna (59) was appointed as Ambassador to the United States. He will take over from Arun Kumar Singh, who has retired from the service. In his new role he will face the task of engaging with the new administration in United States following the November 2016 Presidential poll. About Navtej Sarna He is an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1980 batch. In his career spanning 35 years, he has handled several important assignments at the MEA. Prior to this appointment he was serving as India’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. He was appointed to India’s High Commissioner to UK in January 2016. Prior to it, he was serving as Secretary (West) in the Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). He was among the longest-serving spokespersons of the MEA from 2002 to 2008. He also has authored many fiction and non-fiction books and the most recent being ‘Second Thoughts: On Books, Authors and the Writerly Life’ released in 2016. He was also India’s ambassador to Israel from 2008 to 2012. He had served at various Indian missions including in Warsaw, Moscow, Tehran, Geneva, Thimphu and Washington.

Union Government announces enhanced support under MEIS of Foreign Trade Policy

The Union Government has extended support to certain new products and the rate of incentives for certain other specified products under the Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS). Decision in this regard was taken by Department of Commerce (DoC) under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry in backdrop of the continued decline in growth of Indian goods exports. Key Facts DoC has added 2901 additional products falling under different product categories under the MEIS. With this the total number of items (products) covered under the scheme has been increased from 5,012 to 7,103. The major products added include several items of traditional medicines, dried onion, processed cereal products, marine products and value added items of plastics, leather articles and suitcases. The total government support extended under the scheme has been enhanced to Rs. 23,500 crore per annum from the present Rs. 22,000 crore. Besides, products that will get incentives include engineering goods, garments, fabrics, chemicals, glass products, ceramics, leather goods, periodicals, newspapers, silk items, wool products, made ups, tubes and pipes. What is Merchandise Exports from India Scheme (MEIS)? MEIS was launched under Foreign Trade Policy of India (FTP) 2015-20. It is one of the two schemes introduced in FP 2015-20, as a part of Exports from India Scheme. The other scheme is Service Exports from India Scheme (SEIS). Objective of MEIS is to offset infrastructural inefficiencies and associated costs involved in export of goods and products, which are produced and manufactured in India. It seeks to enhance India’s export competitiveness of these goods and products having high export intensity, employment potential.

Researchers produce carbon from sugarcane waste for use in batteries

Researchers from Pune (Maharashtra) have produced high-quality carbon from sugarcane waste within minutes by using a low power microwave system. They had used a simple, cost-effective and quick process to convert sugarcane bagasse into anode-grade porous, conducting, activated carbon material for use in Li-ion batteries. What they achieved it? They had carried out initial carbonisation overnight at room temperature by mixing bagasse with concentrated sulphuric acid. The acid treatment had dissolved most of the inorganic impurities present in bagasse except silica. This helped in forming robust carbon double bond backbone structure. The solid product obtained from acid treatment was washed thoroughly and was oven-dried at 70 degree C. Later it was mixed with potassium hydroxide to form slurry. The slurry is then heated in a microwave oven for a few minutes. The heating had led to graphitisation and pores were formed when potassium hydroxide reacts with carbon. Significance of Research The process will bring down the time to get anode-grade carbon dramatically. Thus, it will help to reduce electrical energy input substantially. The quality of carbon and battery performance using this carbon is quite good and competitive compared with carbon made through other complicated schemes and processes. The carbon was produced using Simple kitchen microwave used to derive high-quality material in minutes.

India, US, Afghanistan reaffirm shared interest in combating terrorism

India, United States and Afghanistan have reaffirmed their shared interests in combating terrorism and advancing peace and security in the region. In this regard, a trilateral statement was issued after meeting of their delegates in New York on the sidelines of the 71st session of UN General Assembly. Key features of trilateral statement Three countries reaffirm their shared interests in advancing peace and security in the region, as well as countering terrorism. They have exchanged views on the situation in Afghanistan and on regional issues of mutual interest. The meeting provided a forum for the governments of India and the US to explore ways to coordinate and align their assistance with the priorities of the Afghanistan government. They welcomed the discussions focused on political, economic, and development goals in Afghanistan including the regional dimension.

Daily Current Affairs for Competitive Exams: September 22, 2016

Union Cabinet approves Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill, 2016

The Union Cabinet has given its approval to enact the Admiralty (Jurisdiction and Settlement of Maritime Claims) Bill 2016. The proposal to enact this bill was forwarded by the Union Ministry of Shipping in order to repeal five archaic admiralty statutes. Admiralty jurisdiction is related to the powers of the High Courts with respect to the claims associated with transport by sea and navigable waterways. 

• The Bill consolidates the existing laws relating to admiralty proceedings on maritime claims, admiralty jurisdiction of courts, arrest of vessels and related issues. This legislative proposal will also fulfil a long-standing demand of the maritime legal fraternity. It also repeals five obsolete British statues on admiralty jurisdiction in civil matters.

• They are (i) Admiralty Court Act, 1840 (ii) Admiralty Court Act, 1861, (iii) Colonial Courts of Admiralty Act, 1890, (iv) Colonial Courts of Admiralty (India) Act, 1891, and (v) Provisions of the Letters Patent, 1865, Salient Features of Admirability Bill, 2016 Confers admiralty jurisdiction on High Courts located in coastal states of India, thus extending it upto territorial waters. 

• It applies to every vessel irrespective of place of domicile or residence of owner. It does not apply to naval auxiliary, warships and vessels used for non-commercial purposes.

• Inland vessels and vessels under construction are excluded from its application. But it empowers the Union Government to make it applicable to these vessels also by a notification.

• It lists the jurisdiction for adjudicating on a set of maritime claims. A vessel can be arrested in certain circumstances in order to ensure security against a maritime claim.

MS Dhoni named captain of India's all time Test XI by Wisden

• Wisden is one of the most reputed cricket magazines in the world, announced the team to mark India's 500th Test match starting on 22 September 2016 against New Zealand at the Green Park Stadium in Kanpur.

• Wisden Test XI: Sunil Gavaskar, Virender Sehwag, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Kapil Dev, MS Dhoni (captain, wicketkeeper), Anil Kumble, Javagal Srinath, Zaheer Khan, Bishan Singh Bedi, Mohammad Azharuddin (12th man).

Union Cabinet approves submarine optical fibre cable connectivity with Andaman & Nicobar Islands

• The estimated cost for development of the project is 1102.38 crore rupees including operational expenses for 5 years.

• It will equip Andaman & Nicobar Islands with appropriate bandwidth and telecom connectivity for implementation of e-Governance initiatives and establishment of enterprises & e-commerce facilities.

• It will also enable the provision of adequate support to educational institutes for knowledge sharing, availability of job opportunities and fulfill the vision of Digital India.

MIT develops a spectroscopic technique to detect Martian life

• 2020 Mars Rover

Mahendra Singh Dhoni in the third week of September 2016 was named the captain of the all-time India Test XI chosen by cricket magazine Wisden. The other prominent players in the team are Sunil Gavaskar and Virender Sehwag as the openers, followed by Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, all rounder Kapil Dev and Dhoni.

Veteran Indian all-rounder Kapil Dev along with Javagal Srinath and Zaheer Khan have been named as pacers, while legendary Bishen Singh Bedi, Harbhajan Singh and Team India coach Anil Kumble are the spinners. Azharuddin has been named as the 12th man.

The Union Cabinet on September  21, 2016 approved the provision of a direct communication link through a dedicated submarine Optical Fibre Cable (OFC) between Mainland (Chennai) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The project to be completed by December 2018 will connect the mainland Chennai with Port Blair & five other islands viz. Little Andaman, Car Nicobar, Havelock, Kamorta and Great Nicobar.

Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) US, have developed a spectroscopic technique that would help the 2020 Mars Rover to non-invasively identify sediments that are relatively unaltered, and maintain much of their original composition.

Such pristine samples will allow scientists to identify the signs of former life, if they existed, on the red planet.

The new technique is based on an improved way of interpreting the results of Raman spectroscopy, a common, non-destructive process used by geologists to identify the chemical composition of ancient rocks.

NASA has plans to launch a new Mars rover that will be tasked to probe the region on the planet believed to hold remnants of ancient microbial life. The rover will collect samples of rocks and soil, and store them on the Martian surface.

The collected samples would be returned to Earth sometime in the distant future so that scientists can meticulously analyze the samples for signs of present or former extraterrestrial life.