Current Affairs Based on “The Hindu” for BOM/IBPS Exams

S1. Ans.(d)
Sol. India’s latest communication satellite GSAT-18 was successfully launched early by a heavy duty rocket of Arianespace from the spaceport of Kourou in French Guiana. The European launcher Ariane-5 VA-231 blasted off at around 2 AM Indian Time and injected GSAT-18 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit shortly after orbiting co-passenger Sky Muster II satellite for Australian operator, National Broadband Network. 


S2. Ans.(a)
Sol. India and Sri Lanka have shared their concerns at the spread of cross-border terrorism in the region. Sources in the External Affairs Ministry said that during the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his visiting Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe in New Delhi, both sides reaffirmed that there was a need to counter terrorism which is affecting progress in entire South Asia.


S3. Ans.(e)
Sol. Former Prime Minister of Portugal, Antonio Guterres is poised to become the next Secretary General of the United Nations after the Security Council declared him to be the unanimous choice in the sixth straw poll. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin, who is the Council President for October, told reporters in New York that Mr Guterres was the clear favourite. He said, the 15-nation Council will go for a formal vote to confirm Mr Guterres’ name for the post.


S4. Ans.(c)
Sol. The annual India Economic Summit has begun in New Delhi on 06th October 2016. Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has open the two-day meet which will focus on issues like digital transformation and regional economic integration. The inaugural session will be attended by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, among other dignitaries. 


S5. Ans.(b)
Sol. The Union Finance Ministry has set up a Public Debt Management Cell (PDMC) to streamline government borrowings and better cash management with the overall objective of deepening bond markets. The PDMC, to be housed at RBI’s Delhi office, is an interim arrangement and will be upgraded to a statutory Public Debt Management Agency (PDMA) in about two years. In his Budget speech, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had proposed to set up PDMA to deepen Indian Bond market.


S6. Ans.(e)
Sol. This year (2016) World Teachers’ Day celebrated on 05th October 2016 ,marks the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the 1966 ILO/UNESCO Recommendation concerning the Status of Teachers. It is also the first world Teachers’ Day (WTD) to be celebrated within the new Global Education 2030 Agenda adopted by the world community one year ago. This year’s theme, “Valuing Teachers, Improving their Status”, embodies the fundamental principles of the fifty-year-old Recommendation while shining a light on the need to support teachers as reflected in the agenda’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).


S7. Ans.(d)
Sol. Pakistan has been debarred from the kabaddi world cup 2016, which will kick off this week in India. According to media reports, Pakistan has been denied entry because of a spike in tensions between the two nations after the Uri attack.


S8. Ans.(c)
Sol. Giving a “Make in India” a push in the field of medical technology, the Union Cabinet here approved “mini Ratna” public sector undertaking HLL Lifecare to sub-lease its land for setting up the country’s first medical devices manufacturing park, an official statement said. “The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given its approval to HLL Lifecare to sub-lease 330.10 acres of land at Chengalpattu, located in the outskirts of Chennai, to set up a medical devices manufacturing park (Medipark) through a special purpose vehicle.


S9. Ans.(b)
Sol. Google has launched two own-brand smartphones, the Pixel and Pixel XL, in a bid to take on Apple and its iPhone 7 head on. The two Android smartphones are the first to carry Google’s branding without being associated with another manufacturer and are a clear mark in the sand by the Android-maker: the fight with Apple is now on for the top premium smartphone.


S10. Ans.(e)
Sol. Once-Super Typhoon Chaba lashed South Korea and Japan early this week.


S11. Ans.(e)
Sol. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised projections for India’s economic growth by 0.2 percentage points to 7.6 per cent for 2016-17 and 2017-18. The projections came in at a time when the Fund said global economic growth will be subdued this year, following a slowdown in the US and Britain’s vote to exit the European Union. It, however, retained global economic growth at 3.1 per cent for 2016 and 3.4 per cent for 2017.


S12. Ans.(c)
Sol. Aadhaar is a 12-digit unique number which acts as a proof of identity and address anywhere in the country. It is considered as the world’s largest national identi?cation project. Its objective is to collect the biometric and demographic data of residents, store them in a centralised database. The unique number is issued by the Unique Identication Authority of India (UIDAI).


S13. Ans.(d)
Sol. In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, social networking site Facebook is partnering with the Election Commission of India in five states going to polls next year to run a voter registration drive aimed at encouraging youth to participate in the democratic exercise. Facebook is collaborating with the Election Commission and the office of Chief electoral officers in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Goa, Manipur and Uttarakhand for the first time in the country.


S14. Ans.(a)
Sol. The International Astronautical Federation (IAF) renowned space scientist U.R. Rao had been inducted into its Hall of Fame for his contribution to development of India’s space technology. “Rao has been inducted into the 2016 IAF Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions to the development of space technology in India and for his efforts towards sharing the greater benefits of space technology with developing countries and the world at large.


S15. Ans.(c)
Sol. India’s Aakanksha Hagawane has won the girls’ U-16 title at the World Youth Chess Championship in Russia. Aakanksha sealed the title by defeating Alicja Sliwicka of Poland with white pieces in the 11th and final round.