Pakistan, CERN - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

1)   India became an associate member of CERN w.e.f __________

a. 17th Jan 2017
b. 16th Jan 2017
c. 15th Jan 2017
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 16th Jan 2017

Explanation:
India has become an associate member of CERN w.e.f 16th Jan 2017 with the Indian government completing internal approval procedures. This is based on agreement signed with CERN in Nov 2016.

On Nov 21, 2016, Sekhar Basu, Chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission and DAE secretary signed the agreement. CERN DG Fabiola Gianotti was the other signatory.

As an associate member, India will have total access to all data generated in CERN. Prior to this, India could get data only from experiments it was participating in.

India can participate in all experiments now and choose which ones it wants to participate in.

Indian industry will also be entitled to bid for CERN contracts, which will allow it to work in areas of advanced technology.

“Make in India” will get a boost due to CERN. Indian scientists will become eligible for staff appointments.

It will enhance the participation of young scientists and engineers in operation and maintenance of various CERN projects.

India has to pay about INR 40 crore a year as an Associate member.

India has been actively involved in CERN’s scientific activities for over 50 years.

LHC accelerator and ALICE and CMS experiments, as well as to accelerator R&D projects are some projects where Indians scientists have participated.

In 1991, India and CERN signed a Cooperation Agreement.

It was setting priorities for scientific and technical cooperation.

India and CERN have signed several other protocols since then.

India’s involvement in CERN began in the 1960s with researchers from the TIFR participating in experiments at CERN.

In the 1990s scientists from Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore too got involved in CERN experiment.

India was granted Observer status to the CERN Council in 2002.

CERN: Know More

  • The CERN convention was signed in 1953.
  • It was signed by the 12 founding state.
  • Currently, CERN has 22 member states.
  • Besides India, Turkey, Pakistan, Ukraine are Associate members.
  • Serbia and Cyprus are associate members in the pre-stage to membership.


2)   India on 21st Nov became an associate member of CERN. What is CERN?

a. World’s largest nuclear and particle physics lab
b. European Organisation for Nuclear Research
c. Both of the above
d. Neither of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
India on 21st Nov became an associate member of the European Organisation for Nuclear Research, the world’s largest nuclear and physics particle lab

  • The agreement was signed by DAE Secretary and Chairman of Atomic Energy Commission, Sekhar Basu and CERN DG Dr. Fabiola Gianotti
  • In 2015, the Union Cabinet approved the proposal for India officially entering the Geneva based body following which the CERN Council accepted India has an associate member
  • India has observer status till Sept 2016 when CERN Council adopted the resolution upgrading its position
  • Three major activities in the lab- acceleration, detection and computing are areas where Indian scientists excel
  • An associate membership of CERN will enhance participation of young scientists and engineers in various CERN projects
  • Indian industries will also participate directly in CERN projects; industries can now bag contracts for specified requirement of CERN
  • After becoming an associate member, India also contributes certain money for research activities
  • Annual contribution of 11.5m Swiss Franc from Indian government to CERN involves the associate membership
  • Membership comes at a time when criticism within the scientific community over the delay in India accepting the membership
  • Pakistan was an associate member since 2014
  • The organisation is the world’s largest nuclear and particle physics lab where scientists and engineers have probed the fundamental structure of the Universe using sophisticated scientific instruments and advanced computing systems
  • CERN currently has 22 member states, 4 associate member states and observer status is given to 4 states and 3 International organisations


3)   Which landmark bill was recently approved unanimously by the Pakistani parliamentary panel?

a. Hindu Succession Bill
b. Hindu Property Bill
c. Hindu Marriage Bill
d. Hindu Legal Bill
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Hindu Marriage Bill

Explanation:
For the first time in decades, the Hindu minority community in Pakistan will have a marriage law. The parliamentary panel has approved the Hindu Marriage Bill. National Assembly Standing Committee on Law and Justice approved the final draft of the bill. 5 Hindu lawmakers were specially invited for this draft. After making amendments in that minimum age of marriage is 18 and law is applicable for the whole nation, the bill was unanimously adopted by the committee.


4)   On 2nd Aug’15, which country released 163 Indian fishermen as goodwill gesture?

a. Sri Lanka
b. China
c. Pakistan
d. Iran
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Pakistan

Explanation:
A Sindh government official said the detained fishermen were set free as a goodwill gesture following the last month's meeting between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi in Russia.


5)   In Pakistan, the chief of banned outfit Malik Ishaq has been killed in an encounter with the police in Punjab province. He was the
chief of which group?


a. Jaish-e-Jihaad
b. Lashkar-i-Jhangvi
c. Lashkar-e-Taiba
d. Al-Qaida
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Lashkar-i-Jhangvi

Explanation:
Ishaq was on a US list of global terrorists and the group he founded has claimed responsibility for the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The police said Ishaq's two sons and eleven top members of the group linked to al-Qaeda were also killed in the encounter in Muzaffargarh district. Ishaq has been accused of masterminding dozens of attacks against the minority Shia community.


6)   What new record was made by the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) on 20th May’15 in its run after a two-year upgrade?

a. Protons collided at the record breaking energy of 20 TeV
b. Neutron collided at the record breaking energy of 1 TeV
c. Electrons collided at the record breaking energy of 15 TeV
d. Protons collided at the record breaking energy of 13 TeV
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Protons collided at the record breaking energy of 13 TeV

Explanation:
Scientists at Cern in Switzerland achieved test collisions between protons - the ‘hearts’ of atoms - at 13 tera-electron volts (TeV) for the first time.


7)   Name the award announced by Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to the deceased ambassadors of Norway and Philippines and deceased wives of ambassadors of Malaysia and Indonesia?

a. Shaheed-e-Azam
b. Shaheed-e-Mulk
c. Sitara-e-Pakistan
d. None of these
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Sitara-e-Pakistan

Explanation:
No explanation is available for this question!


8)   In which country 17 prisoners were hanged in various jails on 21st Apr’15 - that became the highest number of executions in the country?

a. Afghanistan
b. Pakistan
c. Saudi Arabia
d. Egypt
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Pakistan

Explanation:
Initially executions were limited to terrorism offences but on March 10 the government decided to implement death penalty in all cases following the Peshawar school massacre on December 17 last year.


9)   Which of the following statements are correct?

1. Pakistan became the associate member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN)
2. It is the second non-European country to achieve the status after Japan


a. Only 1
b. Only 2
c. Both
d. None
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Only 1

Explanation:
Pakistan has become the associate member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), making it the first non-European country to achieve the status. India has observer status in CERN.


10)   Name the political party of Pakistan that decided to join parliament after almost seven months of absence from the National Assembly and provincial assemblies of Punjab and Sindh?

a. Awami National Party
b. Pakistan People's Party
c. Tehreek-e-Insaf
d. Pakistan Awami Tehreek
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Tehreek-e-Insaf

Explanation:
Chairman Imran Khan said, they have decided to attend the joint session of Parliament on 6th Apr’15 to present the party’s point of view on very important Yemen Issue.


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