CivilServiceArticle: 27 AUGUST 2015 CURRENT AFFAIRS

GSLV Successfully Launches India’s Latest Communication Satellite GSAT-6

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) D6 which carried India's latest communication satellite GSAT-6
In its ninth flight (GSLV-D6) India's Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, equipped with the indigenous Cryogenic Upper Stage (CUS), successfully launched GSAT-6, the country's latest communication satellite, into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO);
The achieved orbit is very close to the intended one.
The launch took place from the Second Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre SHAR (SDSC SHAR), Sriharikota, the spaceport of India
This was the fifth developmental flight of GSLV and the third to carry the indigenous CUS.
GSLV-D6 was intended to further test and qualify the CUS developed by ISRO.
GSAT-6 satellite is now orbiting the Earth with a perigee (nearest point to Earth) of 168 km and an apogee (farthest point to Earth) of 35,939 km with an orbital inclination of 20.01 deg with respect to the equator

The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, gave its approval for amendments to the Arbitration and Conciliation Bill,
The Government of India has decided to amend the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996 by introducing the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Bill, 2015 in the Parliament
In order to ensure neutrality of arbitrators, it is proposed to amend Section 12 to the effect that when a person is approached in connection with possible appointment of arbitrator, he shall disclose in writing about existence of any relationship or interest of any kind, which is likely to give rise to justifiable doubts
Insertion of a new provision that the Arbitral Tribunal shall make its award within a period of 12 months
It is proposed to insert a provision for fast track procedure for conducting arbitration
A new provision to provide that application to challenge the award is to be disposed of by the Court within one year

Features of Bill : Click here

Relief and rescue efforts in quake-hit Nepal that was named ‘Operation Maitri’, India on Sunday deployed two dozen military aircraft and choppers and was also undertaking a “big evacuation” through the road route
Nearly 1,000 trained personnel of the National Disaster Response Force(NDRF) were also pressed into service
An inter-ministerial team, headed by a top Home Ministry official, will also leave for Nepal soon to coordinate the rescue and relief efforts as part of ‘Operation Maitri’ or friendship
India has deployed more military planes and in all there were 13 aircraft, six Mi-17 helicopters, two Advanced Light Helicopters while two more Mi-17 choppers were kept in standby
Ten tonnes of blankets, 50 tonnes of water, 22 tonnes of food items and two tonnes of medicines have been despatched to Kathmandu

An Indian-origin scientist at MIT, who has developed artificial human microlivers for drug testing, has won a prestigious $2,50,000 Heinz award for her work in tissue engineering and disease detection
Sangeeta Bhatia at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has been named the recipient of the 2015 Heinz Award for Technology, the Economy, and Employment
The Heinz Awards annually recognise individuals for their extraordinary contributions to arts and humanities; environment; human condition; public policy; and technology, the economy, and employment
Ms. Bhatia’s team has pioneered the fabrication of artificial human microlivers, which are being used by many biopharmaceutical companies to test the toxicity of drug candidates

Shamjetsabam Sarjubala and Pinki Jangra clinched gold medals at the 22nd President's Cup Open International Boxing Tournament at Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia
Pinki, a Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist, defeated Mongolia's Nandintsetseg 2-1 to notch up the yellow metal
World Championships silver-medallist Sarjubala, on the other hand, got the better of Russian pugilist Iseva Joya in the final as India ended with two gold medals at the event
The other Indians who participated in the tournament were Priya Dayal, Bilao Basumatary and Preeti Beniwal but none of them could make the medal rounds