GK and Current Affairs Updates

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) developed a high-tech electroactive bandage. 
●    The bandage creates an electric charge to help promote the healing process of wounds.
●    Electroactive material is so sensitive that a push or even a blow on it can create an electric charge.
●    The fibres of the guaze are made of electroactive material Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF).
●    The bandage is stimulated by the heat of the body and the pressure of cell growth. 
●    Therefore, no external power source is required in order for the bandage to promote wound healing.
●    The device uses electrical activity to facilitate the wound healing process while protecting the wound.
●    The bandage also minimises infection and related complications such as illness or amputation.

The Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) appointed committee has submitted its recommendations. 
●    It was headed by power system expert Mata Prasad. The committee has suggested an overhaul in transmission planning to facilitate transfer of power on economic principles. 
●    Transmission planning: It must be aligned to meet customer aspirations as opposed to existing system where transmission is associated with long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). 
●    Renewable energy sources transmission system: To be planned by central transmission utility (CTU) based on estimated capacity additions in perspective plan and renewable purchase obligations of each state. 
●    Promote of power market: Transmission corridor allocation must be done suitably made. 5% of each flow gate may be reserved for day-ahead collective transactions. 
●    System studies: They must be carried out for various generation and load scenarios during peak and off-peak hours.

In a demonstration of India's commitment to its ties with Indonesia and to the maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region, Indian Naval Ship Karmuk, an indigenously built missile corvette, based under the Andaman and Nicobar Command, alongwith a Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft, is participating in the 28th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol and Second Bilateral Maritime Exercise, scheduled from 10-27 Oct 16 in the Andaman Sea.
●    Defence relations between India and Indonesia have been growing steadily with regular joint activities and interactions between the Armed Forces of the two countries. The two navies have been carrying out Coordinated Patrols (CORPAT) on respective sides of the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) twice a year since 2002, with the aim of keeping this vital part of the Indian Ocean Region safe and secure for commercial shipping, International trade and legitimate marine activities. The CORPAT has strengthened understanding and interoperability between the two navies and promoted net maritime security in the region.
●    The bilateral cooperation has increased significantly with the scheduling of the Second Bilateral Maritime Exercise alongwith the 28th edition of the CORPAT. The Opening Ceremony at Belawan, Indonesia from 10-13 Oct 16 is being attended by Commodore Girish Kumar Garg, the Naval Component Commander of the Tri Service Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC) based at Port Blair. The Bilateral Maritime Exercise and the CORPAT would see participation by one warship and one Maritime Patrol Aircraft from each Navy.
●    These interactions would also provide opportunities for extensive operational and training engagements, and contribute substantively to the maintenance of good order at sea. The Exercise seeks to strengthen the existing bonds of friendship between India and Indonesia, and underscore India's partnership and solidarity with friendly countries of the region.

ICICI Bank on Wednesday announced that it has successfully executed transactions in international trade finance and remittances using blockchain technology in partnership with Emirates NBD.
●    ICICI Bank is the first bank in the country and among the first few globally to exchange and authenticate remittance transaction messages as well as original international trade documents related to purchase order, invoice, shipping and insurance, among others, electronically on blockchain in real time.
●    The usage of blockchain technology simplifies the process and makes it almost instant—to only a few minutes. 
●    This is in contrast to the current process which involves a complex and lengthy paper trail that requires international shipping and courier.
●    ICICI Bank executed these pilot transactions via its blockchain network with Emirates NBD on a custom-made blockchain application, co-created with EdgeVerve Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Infosys.

Telangana on 11 October 2016, the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dasami, had redrawn its map by creating 21 new districts. With these, the total number of districts of the youngest state of India went up to 31.
●    Telangana, which came into existence on 2 June 2014 as the 29th State of India, started out with 10 districts. 
●    On an average, each district will have population of two to four lakh families, except Hyderabad where the number is much large.
●    Reorganisation of districts has been taken up for better administration. Chief Minister Chandrasekhar Rao inaugurated Siddipet district, carved out of Medak, his home turf. Other 20 districts were inaugurated by his cabinet colleagues.
●    The new districts are Siddipet, Mancheriyal, Vikarabad, Jagtial, Jangaon, Jayashankar, Warangal (Rural), Mahabubabad, Kamareddy, Medak, Rajanna, Asifabad, Suryapet, Kothagudem, Nirmal, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Yadadri, Peddapally, Jogulamba and Medchal/Malkajgiri.
●    Besides, the state government also created 25 new revenue divisions, 125 new mandals, four new police commissionerates, 23 new police subdivisions, 28 new circles and 91 police stations.

Ace Indian Shooter Jitu Rai has won the 2016 Champion of Champions pistol Award of the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) for pistol shooting. 
●    He won the award consisting cash prize of €5000 in the World Cup Final held in Bologna, Italy. 
●    In the 10 m Air Pistol Champions Trophy final Jitu Rail defeated Damir Mikec of Serbia by 29.6 to 28.3 points. 
●    Olympic champion Anna Korakaki finished third in this event. 
●    It was the mixed knock-out competition meant only for the medallists in the World Cup Final.
●    In this event shooters are eliminated after the first four shots, one each after every successive shot. 
●    The last two compete on a three-shot format. 
●    Other Awards In the rifle event category, the honour went to Sergey Kamenskiy of Russia. 
●    He had defeated two-time Olympian Du Li of China by 31.7 to 31.6 points. 
●    London Olympics champion Yi Siling of China took the third place.

Abdelilah Bekirane, leader of Morocco's Islamic Justice and Development Party (PJD), was appointed as country's Prime Minister on 10 October 2016. 
●    This will be his second term as Prime Minister of Morocco.
●    Mohammed VI, the king of Morocco, made the announcement after Benkirane's PJD party emerged with the most number of seats in the 395-seat lower house of parliament.
●    In the election held on 7 October 2016, the PJD party, which has been running a coalition government since 2011, won 125 seats. 
●    The opposition Authenticity and Modernity Party came second with 102 seats. 
●    The country’s oldest party Istiqlal (Independence) Party stood third with 46 seats.
●    Benkirane has been serving as Prime Minister in a coalition government since November 2011.
●    Of the 395 members of the lower house, 305 are elected in multi-seat constituencies from electoral lists put together by the parties, while 60 seats of the remaining 90 are reserved for a national list of women and the rest 30 seats are set aside for candidates under the age of 35.

Himalayan region has the largest concentration of glaciers outside the polar caps, as this region is aptly called the “Water Tower of Asia” is the source of the 10 major river systems that provide irrigation, power and drinking water for over 700 million people live in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh– nearly 10% of the world’s population. 
●    Understanding the behaviour of these glaciers and their contribution to the sustainable supply of water for mankind and agriculture is one of the grand challenges of Indian scientific community.
●    As part of the Indian government’s initiatives to better study and quantify the Himalayan glacier responses towards the climate change, National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research (NCAOR), Goa, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences has established a high altitude research station in Himalaya called HIMANSH situated above 13,500 ft (> 4000 m) at a remote region in Spiti, Himachal Pradesh.

●    They also have agreed on the need for aid to get to the northern Syrian city of Aleppo.
●    Decision in this regard was taken after meeting between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Russian President Vladimir Putin on sidelines of World Energy Congress in Istanbul.
●    The two countries also have signed a deal to construct two Turk Stream gas pipeline pipelines to send Russian gas under the Black Sea to Turkey.
●    Turkey will use one pipeline for its domestic consumption and the other will supply southeastern Europe, bypassing Ukraine.
●    This was the first time Russian President Putin visited Turkey after their relations were strained after Turkey, a NATO member had downed a Russian war plane in November 2015 alongside the Syrian border.
●    Understanding the behaviour of these glaciers and their contribution to the sustainable supply of water for mankind and agriculture is one of the grand challenges of Indian scientific community.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and banks are discussing a proposal to float a company for independent project appraisal and monitoring of big-ticket infrastructure and industrial projects.
●    This is part of RBI’s efforts to improve risk management, contain delays and reduce risks for projects becoming bad loans.
●    Indian banking system has extended financial and non-financial assistance to large number of infrastructure and core-sector manufacturing projects over the past few decades.
●    The proportion of public-sector banks’ exposure to the infrastructure sector.
●    Such actions are being taken by RBI for the ease of people who do take loan for their various needs.
●    RBI has been doing Such meetings since a very long time.
●     It is part of RBI's effort to improve risk, delay and prevent projects from bad loans.