Current Affairs Questions & Answers - June 16, 2016

ANSWER: UK

Explanation:
India and the UK have clinched two new key agreements on solar energy and nano technology. This is part of the wider science and technology cooperation

• The fifth Indo-UK Science and Innovation Council meeting established the India-UK networked centre on solar energy
• India will be investing INR 50 crore over 5 years in the network with matching contribution of Research Council UK under the Newton Bhabha programme

ANSWER: US $6.27 billion

Explanation:
Overall trade balance improved in May. Trade deficit for the month came in at USD 6.27 billion against USD 4.84 billion on a month-on-month basis.

• Taking merchandise and services together, trade deficit for April-May in FY17 came in at USD 5392.77 million which is 65.67 percent lower in dollar terms than the level of USD 15710.54 million during April-May 2015-16.
• Exports during May,2016 were valued at USD 22170.62 million or Rs 148336.31 crore) which was 0.79 per cent lower in dollar terms (4.04 per cent higher in rupee terms) than the level of USD 22346.75 million during May,2015.
• Imports during April, 2016 were valued at USD 7183 million (or Rs 47745.04 crore) registering a negative growth of 9.13 percent in dollar terms as compared to positive growth of 9.96 percent during March 2016.

ANSWER: CRISPR

Explanation:
Tweaking just one or two genes, Cornell University researchers altered patterns on their wings and showed how colour patterns and other patterns and shapes evolved. By using the new method of CRISPR genome editing, researchers cut out a gene known as spalt, and produced a butterfly lacking the large round markings known as eyespots. In another experiment, they removed a gene known as distal-less and produced more and larger eyespots.

• The experiments also produced changes in other parts of the wing design.
• The distal-less gene in particular revealed itself as a jack-of-all-trades gene that plays roles in shaping several parts of the body. Deleting it not only caused the butterfly to have extra eyespots, but to have shorter legs and antennae.
• Butterfly wing patterns are of special interest to evolutionary biologists because they provide an easily accessible model of how natural selection chooses from many possible variations.
• The researchers worked with the butterflies Vanessa cardui, known as the "Painted Lady" or "Cosmopolitan" and Junonia coenia, the “Buckeye.”

ANSWER: Black holes

Explanation:
A team of international scientists have identified the merger of two black holes yet again - just three months after their first detection, researchers announced on June 15, 2016.

• Scientists detected the cataclysmic black hole merger -- a phenomenon Albert Einstein predicted in his theory of relativity a century ago - by spotting gravitational waves, using an advanced detector known as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO instrument.
• Black holes form in the final stage of most massive stars' evolution. The space bodies are so dense that neither light nor matter can escape them.
• Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of space time permitting scientists to detect when black holes merge
• The first detection of waves in September 2015 was announced in February 2016, in a landmark discovery for physics and astronomy following decades of efforts
• Researchers announced waves a second time in December produced by black hole collision
• Mysteries which have to be explained include how do such black hole systems form.

ANSWER: Dolphins

Explanation:
After years of research on dolphin behavior and under pressure from animal rights groups, the National Aquarium in Baltimore has decided to move the marine mammals to a sanctuary, officials said on 15th June 2016.

• It will be the first sanctuary for dolphins in North America.
• The transfer from the aquarium in the Atlantic coast port city will not be done before 2020, they said.
• The venue for the dolphins will be a protected coastal habitat, where the animals will continue to live under human care.

ANSWER: Field of View

Explanation:
Scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have developed a method of combating motion sickness-like symptoms experienced by some people when they use popular virtual reality headsets.

• Their approach dynamically, yet subtly, changes the user's field of view (FOV) in response to visually perceived motion, as the user virtually traverses an environment while remaining physically stationary.
• The method can be applied to consumer head-worn virtual reality (VR) displays, such as the Oculus Rift and Google Cardboard.
• The study showed that by strategically and automatically manipulating FOV, the degree of VR sickness experienced by participants can be significantly reduced.

ANSWER: SoundCloud

Explanation:
Twitter Inc has invested about $70 million in Berlin-based music service SoundCloud.Twitter confirmed the investment, but did not provide any financial details.

• Soundcloud , a platform that enables people to upload and share music and other audio files, also confirmed that Twitter had made the investment.
• Twitter's investment was part of a funding round expected to be in the range of $100 million, which would value SoundCloud at about $700 million.

ANSWER: Bharat Singh Malik

Explanation:
Micromax subsidiary YU has said it has made three senior level appointments as part of its efforts to strengthen offline sales network.

• Bharat Singh Malik has been appointed as vice president of Service while Deepak Dahiya will take over as head of sales (South and West region).
• Chandra Kishore has been appointed as head of sales - North and East region, YU said in a statement.

ANSWER: Intel

Explanation:
Reiterating its focus on contributing to the government's vision of 'Digital India', Intel India has inaugurated four 'Unnati Kendra' (UK) at 'Common Service Centres' (CSCs) in Gujarat.

• A part of Intel India's 'Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur' program, these UK at CSC's are part of company's nationwide plan to create a blueprint for the digitisation of non-urban India.
• Intel India, in collaboration with CSC e-Governance Services India Ltd., has set up these facilities across the districts of Banaskantha, Mehsana, Mahuva, and Valsad to drive the relevance of PC adoption at village level.
• With a total of 36 centres already live in Telangana, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and Maharashtra, Intel India has now rolled out its programme in Gujarat, progressing towards its goal of establishing a network of up to a 100 CSCs across 10 states.
• Launched in November 2015, the 'Ek Kadam Unnati Ki Aur' program aims to accelerate access to technology in non-urban India.

ANSWER: Urban Planning

Explanation:
In an attempt to override the acute shortage of urban planners, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has asked all universities and colleges to introduce a course or a subject on urban planning at either the undergraduate or postgraduate level.

• The University Grants Commission has written to all universities and colleges to include a subject on urban planning from the current academic year- 2016-17.
• The UGC directive comes after the implementation of smart city project by the Centre.

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government approved the country’s first National Civil Aviation Policy for increasing air connectivity.

• This is allowing new domestic airlines to fly abroad quickly and opening up the skies for European and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) countries.
• New airlines, such as Vistara and AirAsia, will no longer have to wait for five years before starting operations on international routes.
• Start-up airlines can now fly abroad after operating at least 20 planes or 20 per cent of their total flying capacity, whichever is higher, on domestic routes.
• According to a 2004 norm, which is also known as the ‘5/20 rule’, a domestic airline is allowed to go international only after flying for five years to domestic destinations and operating at least 20 aircraft.
• India will have an open-sky policy for countries beyond the 5,000-km radius from Delhi on a reciprocal basis.
• This means that airlines from European or Saarc countries will have unlimited access, in terms of number of flights and seats, to Indian airports, leading to increased flight frequencies with these countries.

ANSWER: SBI

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet has approved the merger of State Bank of India (SBI), the country’s largest lender, and its associate banks — a move which is expected to bring the state-owned entity on a par with global lenders.

• The merged entity will have an asset base of about Rs.37 lakh crore, with nearly 24,000 branches and about 58,700 ATMs across the country as of March 2016-end .
• SBI and its associates employed 2.85 lakh people in 2014-15.
• The merger of SBI with its associates began eight years ago when SBI merged State Bank of Saurashtra with itself in 2008.
• In 2010, State Bank of Indore was also merged with the larger bank. SBI has since made repeated attempts to merge its units but none came to fruition due to a shortage of capital.
• The shares of SBI associate banks rose sharply after the cabinet approval .
• The Cabinet also gave its ex-post facto approval to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in India and India Taipei Association in Taipei, for cooperation in agriculture and signing of an Air Services Agreement between India-Taipei Association in Taipei (India’s representative office in Taiwan) and Taipei Economic and Cultural Centre in India (Taiwan’s representative office in India) got the nod.
• The Cabinet also gave its approval for the enhancement of the age of superannuation of non-teaching and public health specialists of the Central Health Service (CHS) from 62 years to 65 years and doctors of General Duty Medical Officers sub-cadre of CHS to 65 years of age.
• An ex-post facto approval for a pact on labour cooperation between India and Saudi Arabia and a 10 per cent disinvestment of paid-up equity in Housing and Urban Development Corporation were also cleared.

ANSWER: NS Venkatesh

Explanation:
IDBI Bank’s Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) N.S. Venkatesh, is set to join Lakshmi Vilas Bank as Executive Director and whole-time member of the board.

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved Mr.Venkatesh’s appointment.
• This is the first time the central bank has cleared a second whole-time member’s post in the Karur-based lender board.
• Parthasarathi Mukherjee, the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of the bank, is the other full time member on board.

ANSWER: Kamal Nath

Explanation:
Senior Congress leader Kamal Nath resigned as the party’s general secretary in charge of Punjab on Wednesday, a post he was given just two days ago, after the Aam Aadmi Party, the Shiromani Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party accused him of involvement in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

• In his resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Mr. Nath said “certain elements” were raking up the 1984 riots and pinning charges on him for “political gains.”
• Ms. Gandhi accepted the resignation. Mr. Nath will continue to be general secretary in charge of Haryana.
• Mr. Nath said there was no complaint or FIR against him in the riots case and “this canard is therefore nothing but a cheap political ploy to gain traction ahead of the elections….”

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
The health ministry on June 15 reiterated India continues to be polio free as it has eradicated wild polio virus and no such virus was detected for over five years now.

• This came in the wake of reports about wild polio virus (P2 strain) being found in a Hyderabad drain.
• The ministry said it was a vaccine derived virus and does not change the polio-free status of India.
• However, as a precautionary measure, the ministry will hold a special immunisation drive in the high-risk areas of Telangana.
• Vaccine derived polio virus are rare strain of the polio viruses that have genetically mutated from the strain contained in the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV).

ANSWER: Shashank Shah

Explanation:
Pune based diabetes specialist Shashank S Shah has been conferred with the Vivian Fonseca Scholar Award on June 12, 2016. He was awarded at the ADA’s 76th Scientific Sessions from 10 June to 14 June 2016 in New Orleans.

• The award was given by American Diabetes Association (ADA) for his pioneering research on diabetes in South Asia.
• He was selected for his research titled Gastric Bypass vs. Medical/Lifestyle Care for Type 2 Diabetes in South Asia with BMI 25-40 kg/m2 - The COSMID Randomised.
• It is one of the pioneering bariatric surgeons in India and laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy in Asia.
• The first Vivian Fonseca Scholar Award was awarded to Dr Vijay Viswanathan who was Diabetologist and Director of MV Hospital for Diabetes, Chennai in June 2014

ANSWER: Grand Cross National order (Cote d’Ivoire)

Explanation:
President Pranab Mukherjee on 14 June 2016 was accorded with Grand Cross National Order of the Republic of Cote D'Ivoirie in a simple ceremony at the President's Palace in Abidjan.

• It is the highest civilian award of Ivory Coast.
• He received many honorary degrees but, it is the first such honour accorded to him by a country.
• The President was honoured during his two days visit to the nation from 14 June to 15 June 2016.
• It was the first visit of any Indian President to Ivory Coast. In fact, it is the first ever high level visit from India to Ivory Coast.

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on 13 June 2016 elected Peter Thomson, Permanent Representative of Fiji, as President of its upcoming 71st session.

• Thomson was elected in a rare secret ballot vote.
• He defeated Andreas Mavroyiannis of Cyprus by a secret-ballot vote of 94 to 90, with one abstention.
• The Fiji representative will replace current General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft.

ANSWER: International Continental Scientific Drilling Program

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet on 15 June 2016 gave its approval for Indian membership of the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) consortium. The approval clears the path for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the GFZ - Helmholtz Centre Potsdam (German Research Centre for geosciences).

• The GFZ is a government-funded, Public Law Foundation of the State of Brandenburg, Germany.
• As a part of the membership agreement, India will get a seat on two ICDP panels - Executive Committee (EC) and Assembly of Governors (AOG).
• ICDP will provide technical / operational support, facilitate capacity building in terms of manpower training in key scientific areas, sample and data management

ANSWER: a new world

Explanation:
The Rio 2016 organising committee revealed the official slogan for the first Olympic and Paralympic Games in South America – “A new world” – while also unveiling the medals, 52 days from the start of the quadrennial extravaganza.

• Along with the Olympic torch, the medals and the mascots, the slogan plays a major part in creating the unique identity of each Olympic Games.
• For Rio 2016, the core values of the slogan and the manifesto are unity, respect for diversity and the will for change.
• The Olympic motto of “Citius. Altius. Fortius” – Latin for “faster, higher, stronger” – serves as the starting point for slogans and manifestos for individual Games.

ANSWER: CH₄

Explanation:
Methane emissions from a specific leaking facility on Earth’s surface have been measured by an instrument on board an orbiting spacecraft for the first time.

• The observation has been done by the Hyperion spectrometer on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1).
• This is an important breakthrough in our ability to eventually measure and monitor emissions of this potent greenhouse gas from space.
• Part of NASA’s New Millennium Program, EO-1 is an advanced land-imaging mission designed to demonstrate new instruments and spacecraft systems.
• Launched in 2000, EO-1 has validated technologies for the Operational Land Imager used on the Landsat-8 satellite mission and future imaging spectrometer missions, and supported disaster-response applications.
• The mission is managed by NASA Goddard.

ANSWER: International Seabed Authority

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval for signing of 15 years contract by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the International Seabed Authority (ISA) for undertaking exploration and other developmental activities related to Polymetallic Sulphides in the allotted area of 10,000 sq km.

• It will be done in parts of Central and South - West Indian Ridges (SWIR), located in the Indian Ocean.
• By signing the 15 year contract, India's exclusive rights for exploration of Polymetallic Sulphides in the allotted Area in the Central Indian Ridge, and South West Indian Ridge in Indian Ocean will be formalised.
• Further, it will enhance India's presence in the Indian Ocean where other players like China, Korea and Germany are active. The program will be implemented by the Ministry of Earth Sciences with the participation from various national institutes and research laboratories/ organisations.

ANSWER: Saudi Arabia

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its ex-post facto approval for the Agreement on Labour Co-operation between India and Saudi Arabia. The Agreement was signed in Riyadh on 2-3 April, 2016 during the visit of the Prime Minister to Saudi Arabia. The Agreement would benefit the Indian emigrant workers, especially in the unskilled, semi-skilled and skilled categories of workers who are working in Saudi Arabia without consideration of caste, creed, religion or gender.

ANSWER: Suresh Chandra

Explanation:
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has approved the appointment of Shri Suresh Chandra as Secretary, Department of Legal Affairs.Shri Suresh Chandra, an officer of Indian Legal Service, is currently Additional Secretary in the Department of Legal Affairs in the Ministry of Law & Justice.