Current Affairs for SSC CGL Exams - 09 October 2016

:: National ::

The much-awaited northeast monsoon, accounting for about 50 per cent of the annual rainfall of Tamil Nadu, is not likely to set in early. Also, the State is likely to experience around 40 cm rainfall in the next three months.
These aspects have emerged as the authorities, belonging to both the Central and State governments, are making preparations to face any contingency once the monsoon arrives and the State starts feeling the full force of the season.
The normal date of onset of the monsoon is October 20, with a deviation of plus or minus seven days. The withdrawal process of the southwest monsoon is happening only now.
Field officials have been advised to take action against encroachments, which are in the nature of permanent structures, on water courses and bodies.

India is getting ready to deploy an indigenously developed rover on the lunar surface for on-site analysis of various samples and relay them to the earth station.
Chandrayaan-II Mission includes launching of lunar explorations by geosynchronous launch vehicles (GSLV Mk-II) with clinical precision.
The wheeled rover would be useful in using multiple applications by collecting soil and rock sediments for on-site analysis and transmitting the findings to the earth station.
ISRO has also taken up ambitious programme to build vehicles with cryogenic engines with bigger capacity than GSLV, Mr. Ranganathan, who came here to take part along with other scientists in World Space Week celebrations, said.
India was ahead of other countries in space technology by continuously test-firing and deploying satellites of various types and configurations for use for communication and other applications.
LMV3, a full-fledged vehicle will be launched in the first half of 2017. The heavy launch capability launcher would enable ISRO’s self-reliance in launching of satellites. It will send four tonne class geosynchronous satellites into the orbit.

Defence Ministry has issued a Request For Information (RFI) to global aircraft manufacturers, formally starting the process to select yet another fighter to be built in India under technology transfer.
RFI for a single-engine fighter to be manufactured in India with extensive technology transfer was issued this week to countries involved in fighter aircraft manufacture. Based on the responses, a detailed RFP (Request for Proposal) would be issued later.
Last month, India and France concluded a government-to-government deal worth €7.87-billion deal for 36 Rafale multi-role jets in flyaway condition.
The selected aircraft is expected to replace the large number of MiG-21s in service, which will be phased out over the next few years.
Boeing and Lockheed Martin of the U.S. and SAAB of Sweden have already submitted detailed proposals to manufacture their F-18, F-16 and Gripen jets respectively in India under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

Chief of Pakistan’s powerful spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lt. Gen. Rizwan Akhtar, is likely to be replaced within the next few weeks, a media report said.
Lt. Gen. Akhtar was appointed the Director-General of ISI in September 2014 and took office in November 2014, when he replaced the retiring Lt. Gen.Zaheer-ul-Islam.
The appointment is normally for a three-year period unless the ISI chief retires or is replaced by the Army chief.
The Nation , citing a security official privy to the development, reported of the impending change of command and said preparations were under way for the changes.
The corps commander of Karachi, Lt Gen Naveed Mukhtar, is most likely to replace him.

In a bid to boost hydro power sector, the government is planning to formulate a policy to push stalled projects and extend the benefits for renewable sources like wind and solar to hydro projects beyond 25 MW capacity.
According to a proposal of the Power ministry, projects with capacities of up to 25 MW have been categorised as small hydro-power projects and would get the benefits as extended to other renewable energy projects.
Hydro power potential in the country has been estimated at about 150 GW, with 50 GW coming from Arunachal Pradesh alone.
The Power ministry had earlier said that the planned hydro power generation capacity addition of 4,371 MW out of the total target of 10,897 MW in the 12th Plan will not be completed.

A federal appeals court reinstated a $120 million jury award for Apple Inc. against Samsung, marking the latest twist in the fierce patent war between the world's top smartphone manufacturers.
The court said that there was substantial evidence for the jury verdict related to Samsung's infringement of Apple patents on its slide-to-unlock and autocorrect features, as well as quick links.
The three-judge panel did not follow U.S. Supreme Court limits on the scope of its review, because it examined evidence outside the record of the case.
Representatives for Samsung and Apple could not immediately be reached for comment.
Infringement of the quick links feature accounted for nearly $99 million of the damages.