Current Affairs - 2019-20

Notes:
The Hypersonic Flight Experiment, or HEX, was the first test-flight in the RLV Technology Demonstration Programme. The RLV-TD vehicle was launched from the first launchpad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre on 23 May 2016.

Notes:
AB = 10cm
BD = 5 cm
∠ADB = 90°
∴ AD =




Hence option [C] is the right answer.

Notes:
The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed a UN Decade of Action on Nutrition, paving the way for tackling child hunger and ending all forms of malnutrition once and for all. Every country in the world in 2015, agreed to eliminate malnutrition by 2030. Brazil became the first country to make SMART commitments as part of the United Nations (UN) Decade of Action on Nutrition 2016-2025.

Notes:
MESSENGER was the first orbital mission around Mercury. It was a NASA robotic spacecraft that orbited the planet Mercury between 2011 and 2015. BepiColombo is a joint mission planned to be launched in October 2018. It is a joint mission by European Space Agency (ESA) and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the planet Mercury. The mission comprises two satellites to be launched together: the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) and the Mercury Magnetosphere Orbiter (MMO). The mission will perform a comprehensive study on Mercury, including its magnetic field, magnetosphere, interior structure and surface. Mariner 10 was an American robotic space probe launched by NASA on November 3, 1973, to fly by the planets Mercury and Venus. Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN) is a space probe developed by NASA designed to study the atmosphere of Mars. The mission was successfully launched on November 18, 2013. Mission goals include determining how the planet’s atmosphere and water, presumed to have once been substantial, were lost over time. MAVEN has completed four years on 21 september, 2018.

Notes:
Narendra Modi Government reinstalled plaque with the name and quote of Veer Savarkar at Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The plaque was first installed in 2004 in the Atal Behari Vajpayee government. It was removed soon after UPA government came to power at the Centre.

Notes:
The Economic Survey 2017-18 has suggested six key areas that can be taken up as national missions. These are as follows: National Mission on Cyber-Physical Systems; national missions on dark matter; genomics; energy storage systems; mathematics and agriculture. National Mission on Food Processing was launched in 2012 for the 12^th five-year plan.

Notes:
The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS) is a world summit, aimed at preventing nuclear terrorism around the globe. The Nuclear Security Summit (NSS)-2016 was held at Washington, D.C. in United States.

Notes:
The BRICS nations have adopted the “New Delhi Declaration on Education”, resolving to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all. The declaration was adopted at a conference of Education Ministers of the BRICS nations-Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

Notes:
Goals suggested in ICAP are

• Reduce refrigerant demand by 25% to 30% by year 2037-38.
• Reduce cooling demand across sectors by 20% to 25 % by year 2037-38.
• Reduce cooling energy requirements by 25% to 40% by year 2037-38.
• Train and certify 100,000 servicing sector technicians by 2022-23, in synergy with Skill India Mission.
• Recognize cooling and related areas as thrust area of research under national science and technology programme to support development of technological solutions and encourage innovation challenges.

Note: One of the Essay Topics in UPSC Mains General Studies 2018 was “Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India”. –added 28.9.2018.

Notes:
A Benami transaction is an arrangement in which a property (movable or immovable) is transferred to or held in the name of one person (benamidar) but is actually owned and enjoyed by another person (beneficial owner). This is illegal in India.