Current Affairs Questions & Answers - July 17, 2017

ANSWER: Roger Federer

Explanation:
Roger Federer won a record eighth Wimbledon title and became the tournament's oldest champion on 16th July 2017 with a straight-sets victory over injury-hit Marin Cilic.

Federer claimed his 19th Grand Slam title 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 and at 35 is Wimbledon's oldest men's winner of the modern era, succeeding Arthur Ashe, who was almost 32 when he won in 1976.

However, the Swiss superstar's 11th Wimbledon final, and 29th at the majors, will also be remembered.

On 16th July, he broke his tie with Sampras and the 19th-century player William Renshaw by becoming the first man to win eight Wimbledon singles titles. (Martina Navratilova won the women’s event nine times.)

That seventh championship pulled Federer ahead of Pete Sampras and William Renshaw in what's still officially called Gentlemen's Singles.

Sampras won all but one of his in the 1990s.

Renshaw won each of his in the 1880s, back in the days when the previous year's champion advanced automatically to the final and therefore was able to successfully defend a title with one victory.

Roger Federer: Know More

• Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who is currently ranked world No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals.
• Federer turned professional in 1998 and was continuously ranked in the top 10 from October 2002 to November 2016.
• Born: 8 August 1981, Basel, Switzerland
• Height: 1.85 m

ANSWER: Maryam Mirzakhani

Explanation:
Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman to receive the prestigious Fields Medal for mathematics, has died in the US.

The 40-year-old Iranian, a professor at Stanford University, had breast cancer which had spread to her bones.

Nicknamed the “Nobel Prize for Mathematics”, the Fields Medal is only awarded every four years to between two and four mathematicians under 40.

It was given to Prof Mirzakhani in 2014 for her work on complex geometry and dynamical systems.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Prof Mirzakhani's death caused "great sorrow,"
Prof Mirzakhani and her husband, Czech scientist Jan Vondrak, had one daughter.

Maryam Mirzakhani: Know More

• Born in 1977, Prof Mirzakhani was brought up in post-revolutionary Iran and won two gold medals in the International Mathematical Olympiad as a teenager.
• She earned a PhD at Harvard University in 2004, and later worked at Princeton before securing a professorship at Stanford in 2008.
• Her receipt of the Fields Medal three years ago ended a long wait for women in the mathematics community for the prize, first established in 1936.
• Prof Mirzakhani was also the first Iranian to receive it.
• The citation said she had made “striking and highly original contributions to geometry and dynamical systems” and that her most recent work constituted “a major advance”.

ANSWER: July 15

Explanation:
The World Youth Skills Day is observed globally on 15 July every year to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development.

Observance of the day aims to create more awareness on training and the development of skills for the youth of today and also create better employment opportunities for the youth.

2017 Theme is “Skills for All”.

It is aimed at creating awareness that everyone should have the opportunity to discover and develop their talents. It also spreads message of creating a more prosperous future through skills.

On the occasion, United Nations along with WorldSkills.org have organised campaigns #SkillsForAll and #WYSD.

These campaigns aim to raise awareness about the importance of youth developing skills.

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) had established World Youth Skills Day in November 2014 to raise awareness about the importance of investing in youth skills development.

UNGA: Know More

• Abbreviation: GA UNGA AG
• Formation: 1945
• Type: Principal organ
• Legal status: Active
• Head & President: Fiji Peter Thomson
• Parent organization: United Nations (UN)
• Website: www.un.org/ga

ANSWER: Government at a Glance 2017

Explanation:
India has topped in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) Government at a Glance 2017 report.

It states that Narendra Modi led NDA coalition has secured 73% trust of people, highest in the world. OECD’s Government at a Glance report presents an index of countries that trust their governments the most.

It determines government’s trust levels by whether or not people consider their government stable and reliable, if it’s able to protect its citizens from risk and whether it can effectively deliver public services.

The Canadian government headed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was ranked second with confidence of 62% citizens.

Turkey was in third place with 58% of the populace placing its trust in the Reciep Erdogan government.

Russia and Germany were ranked fourth and fifth with confidence levels at 58% and 55% respectively.

US government led by President Donald Trump secured only 30% of the peoples’ confidence.

United Kingdom led by PM Theresa May secured 41% of the peoples’ confidence.

Greece was placed at the bottom of the list with a mere 13% of the people’s confidence.

The report states that government spending averaged 40.9% of GDP in OECD countries in 2015, up from 38.8% in 2007. In 2016, government spending as a share of GDP was highest in France with 56.5% followed by Finland (56.1%) and Denmark (53.6%).

It was lowest Mexico (24.5%), Ireland (29.5%) and South Korea (32.4%).

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)

• OCED is an international economic organisation of 34 countries to stimulate economic progress and world trade Founded: 1961.
• It defines itself as a forum of countries committed to democracy and the market economy.
• It provides common platform for members to compare policy experiences, seek answers to common problems, identify good practices etc.
• Most OECD members are regarded as developed countries i.e. high-income economies with very high Human Development Index (HDI).
• Its headquarter is in Paris, France.

ANSWER: Investment Facilitation Mechanism

Explanation:
India and European Union (EU) have established Investment Facilitation Mechanism (IFM) for EU Investments in India.

The mechanism will allow for a close coordination between EU and India with an aim to promote and facilitate EU investment in India.

Ease of doing business is a fundamental priority of the Indian Government’s Make in India Campaign and the establishment of IFM for facilitating EU investments in India is another step to achieve this goal.

The IFM builds on the Joint Statement of the 13th EU-India Summit held in Brussels in March 2016, where the EU had welcomed India's readiness to establish such a mechanism and leaders from both sides had reaffirmed their shared commitment to oppose protectionism and to work in favour of a fair, transparent and rule-based trade and investment environment.

As part of the IFM, the EU Delegation to India and the DIPP will hold regular high level meetings to assess and facilitate “ease of doing business” for EU investors in India.

This will include identifying and putting in place solutions to procedural impediments faced by EU companies and investors in establishing or running their operations in India. Invest India, the Indian government's official Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency, will also be part of the IFM.

It will create a single-window entry point for EU companies that need assistance for their investments at the central or state level.

The DIPP will also facilitate participation of other relevant ministries and authorities on a case-to-case basis.

The EU is the largest foreign investor in India and this initiative helps ensuring a more robust, effective and predictable business environment for the EU investors."

Trade and Investment are key elements of the EU-India Strategic Partnership launched in 2004.

Along with being the first trade partner in goods and services, EU is one of the biggest provider of foreign investment in India, with a stock exceeding $81.52 billion (more than Rs 4.4 lakh crores) as of March 2017, the statement said.

There are currently more than 6,000 EU companies present in India, providing direct and indirect employment to over 6 million people.

ANSWER: Javelin

Explanation:
India’s Sundar Singh Gurjar (21) won gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event at World Para Athletics Championships held in London, United Kingdom.

In the F46 category, Sundar recorded his personal best effort of 60.36m ahead of Dinesh Priyantha Herath (Sri Lanka) who emerged second with 57.93m, followed by defending champion Guo Chunliang (China) with 56.14m.

Sundar Singh Gurjar: Know More

- Sundar Singh Gurjar hails from the Karauli district in Rajasthan. Till November 2015, he was competing in General Category.

- But he had lost his left hand in an accident.

- After the accident, he started participating in para-athlete competitions.

- Sundar was not able to participate in the F46 javelin throw category at the 2016 Rio Paralympics after he was disqualified.

- But at the same event, India’s Devendra Jhajharia had won the gold medal.

- In February 2017, at 8th Fazza IPC Athletics Grand Prix held in Dubai, Sundar had won three gold medals, one each in javelin throw, shot put and discus throw.

- He set a world record at the 16th Para Athletics National Championship in Panchkula holding three gold medals in three events at one time.

- Country: India

- Sport: Athletics

- Event(s): Javelin /Discus throw /Shot put

- Coached by: R. D. Singh / Mahaveer Prasad Saini

ANSWER: National Defence Authorisation Act 2018

Explanation:
The United States House of Representatives has passed an amendment to National Defence Authorisation Act (NDAA), 2018.

This is a $621.5 billion defence expenditure bill to advance defence cooperation with India.

India related amendment in the bill was adopted by a voice vote in the House by 344-81.

Now, NDAA needs to be passed by the US Senate before it can be sent to US President Donald Trump to sign into law.

The India-related amendment in NDAA 2018, requires the US Secretary of Defence, in consultation with the Secretary of State to develop a strategy for advancing defence cooperation between US and India.

The amendment asks the State Department and Pentagon to develop a strategy to addresses common security challenges, the role of US partners and allies in India-US defence relationship, and role of the defence technology and trade initiative.

It also asks them to address issues to advance communications interoperability and security memorandum of agreement and the basic exchange and cooperation agreement for geospatial cooperation.

NDAA: Know More

• The NDAA is a United States federal law specifying the budget and expenditures of the United States Department of Defence.
• Each year’s NDAA also includes other provisions.
• The US Congress oversees the defence budget primarily through two yearly bills: the NDAA and Defence appropriations bills.
• They are authorization bill that determines the US agencies responsible for defence, establishes funding levels and sets the policies under which money will be spent.
• The NDAA-2017 had designated India as a major defence partner of US.
• This designation had brought India at par with closest partners of US in terms of defence trade and technology transfer.

ANSWER: Soft silicone

Explanation:
Scientists have developed a 3D-printed soft silicone heart that closely resembles and functions like the human organ, and could help save lives of people who suffer from cardiac failure.

About 26 million people worldwide suffer from heart failure.

The soft artificial heart weighs 390 grams and has a volume of 679 cubic centimetres.

It is a silicone monoblock with complex inner structure/

The artificial heart has a right and a left ventricle, though they are not separated by a septum but by an additional chamber.

This chamber is inflated and deflated by pressurised air and is required to pump fluid from the blood chambers.

ANSWER: Both a and c

Explanation:
India has launched a solar project with state-of-the-art technology to electrify a remote village in Egypt.

The Solar Electrification Project, an off-grid system that is ideal for remote locations, has been launched at Agaween village in the Western Desert in Matrouh Governorate, close to the Libyan border.

India provided all the solar panels and sub-systems, machinery, equipment and technical support, as well as training for technicians.

The Egyptian government provided the location for implementation of the project.

The project was inaugurated by India’s Ambassador to Egypt Sanjay Bhattacharyya and Major General Alla Fathi Abou Zeid, Governor of Matrouh.

The project harnesses the sun and enriches the life of the villagers.

The project is a demonstration of India’s technical capabilities, especially in renewable energy, and can be replicated at other locations in Egypt.

The total output of the project is 8.8 kilowatt. The project has the ability to electrify the whole village.

The project will not only provide electricity to Agaween village but also give training to workers on how to maintain and adjust the solar energy systems to help forming groups of well—trained workers in the governorate.

The Solar Electrification Project at Agaween will provide electricity to 40 houses, a school, a mosque and a community centre.

Indo-Egyptian Ties: Know More

• India and Egypt have agreed to collaborate in the field of information and communications technology; agriculture; biotechnology; renewable and non-conventional energy.
• Also on the anvil are skills development and full participation of the private sector enterprises in these endeavors.
• There is cooperation in the field of space utilizing India's expertise in launching satellites and other advances in space technology.
• Also in the offing are joint projects on space application under existing institutional arrangements.
• The completion of two Indian development projects in Egypt is another achievement for bilateral ties as is the establishment of a textile vocational training centre in Shubra el-Kheima, which would benefit the people of Egypt, and the solar electrification of Agaween Village.

ANSWER: Second

Explanation:
Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) here today celebrated the second anniversary of Skill India Mission on the World Youth Skills day.

100 GST training centres, 51 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras and 100 Yoga training centres were inaugurated on the occasion.

SKILL INDIA

This Mission is the brainchild of Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi.

It was during his presence, MSDE had launched the SKILL INDIA Campaign on the occasion of the first ever World Youth Skills Day on 15th July 2015.

Skill India is a hallmark mission for us and it has been a great two-year journey of Skill India. India has always been an artisan-based economy for the last 5000 years that sustained livelihoods.

The event saw prominent Industry captains and key representatives of companies participate and more than 32000 companies pledged support to apprenticeship training for Skill India Mission under the National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS).

MSDE also announced the launched of National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme (NAPS) in BFSI Sector and along with candidates receiving their apprenticeship letters at the gathering.

On the occasion, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) announced a national training Programme to certify GST practitioners under its flagship scheme of Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

This would facilitate the country’s transition to the new tax regime seamless and convenient.

Total 100 GST training centres across the nation were launched along with the training curriculum.

In line with the commitment of opening one Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) in each district, additional 51 PMKK were announced across India counting to 200 in total till date.

Staying true to Shri Narendra Modi’s commitment to promote yoga, MSDE also launched 100 yoga training centres on the occasion.

The event also witnessed the distribution of certificates for short-term/ Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) certificates to candidates trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY).

MSDE also launched Takshashila - a portal for trainers and assessors that would rack their training life-cycle and would function as the central repository of information concerning the development of their quality benchmarks in the Indian skill eco-system Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj,

MoRD is mandated to build 1 crore houses by 2019. This would not be possible without an efficient and skilled workforce.

The Skills Ministry has revolutionized the rural sector and their commendable efforts are visible. The rural workforce is being trained across villages with the support of the skill training machinery.”

Skill India is a national movement bringing together multiple stakeholders on a common platform to maximise the potential of India’s youth.

This day is to celebrate the unified efforts and the convergence in skill training efforts to achieve quality and scale in our ecosystem.

ANSWER: Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives

Explanation:
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee will receive the first copy of the book ‘Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives’ at a function to be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan on July 17, 2017.

He will receive the first copy of this book from Nobel Laureate Professor Amartya Sen who will formally release it.

The book ‘Future of Indian Universities: Comparative and International Perspectives’ is the academic and research work of scholars, educationists and practitioners from India and abroad.

It aims to provide international and comparative perspectives on higher education and highlights issues being faced by Indian Universities.

It has been complied by Professor (Dr.) C. Raj Kumar, Vice Chancellor of JGU University and is published by Oxford University Press.