Current Affairs Questions & Answers - June 07, 2017

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
India has been ranked 45th, down four notches from last year, in terms of competitiveness in the annual rankings compiled by IMD which saw Hong Kong topping the list.

US was “pushed out” of the top three slots while Hong Kong consolidated its dominance of the annual rankings for the second year.

The list is compiled by the International Institute for Management Development’s (IMD) World Competitiveness Centre. Switzerland and Singapore were ranked second and third respectively, with the USA at the fourth spot - its lowest position in five years and down from third last year.

The Netherlands completed the top five, jumping up from eighth last year.

Others in the top 10 list include Ireland at 6th, Denmark 7th, Luxembourg (8th), Sweden (9th) and UAE at 10th.

As India slid, China improved its position by seven places to 18th, thanks to its dedication to international trade. “If you look at China, its improvement of seven places to 18th can be traced to its dedication to international trade. This continues to drive the economy and the improvement in government and business efficiency,”

Professor Arturo Bris, Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Centre said. The bottom of the table, meanwhile, is largely occupied by countries experiencing political and economic upheaval.

Ukraine was ranked 60th, while Brazil was placed at the 61st position and Venezuela at 63rd.

IMD: Know More

• The IMD World Competitiveness Centre is a research group at IMD business school in Switzerland.
• It has been publishing the rankings every year since 1989.
  This year’s list comprises 63 countries with Cyprus and Saudi Arabia making their first appearance. Meanwhile, for the first time this year, the IMD World Competitiveness Centre also published a separate report ranking countries’ digital competitiveness.
• At the top of the digital ranking is Singapore, followed by Sweden, the USA, Finland and Denmark, while the bottom five are Indonesia, Ukraine, Mongolia, Peru and Venezuela.

ANSWER: Budhigandaki

Explanation:
Nepal on 5 June 2017 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with China for construction of 1200-megawatt Budhigandaki Hydropower Project.

The agreement was signed at Kathmandu, Nepal by Nepal Energy Minister Janardan Sharma and Lv Zexiang, President of China Gezhouba Water & Power (Group) Co Ltd (CGGC).

Budhigandaki Hydropower Project will be developed on Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Finance (EPCF) model.

Under this model, CGGC will help arrange funds required to develop the project.

As per the MoU, CGGC has one year time to conduct assessment of the hydropower project and arrange necessary funds for its development.

The funds will be mobilised in the form of soft loan or commercial loan from Chinese financial institutions on terms and conditions acceptable to the Nepal government.

CGGC will also undertake the overall responsibility of executing the project. It will also conduct additional studies on and investigations into the project, if required.

Budhihgandaki Project: Know More

• The Budhigandaki Hydropower Project is expected to resolve the perennial power crisis in Nepal.
• The Nepal Government has allocated a budget of Rs 5.33 billion for the project’s development in the current fiscal year.
• These funds have been procured by the Nepal Government by raising infrastructure tax of Rs 5 from sale of every litre of petrol, diesel and aviation fuel.
• The project is presently in the phase of acquisition of land from locals of Dhading and Gorkha districts of Nepal.

ANSWER: China

Explanation:
The world’s fastest elevator that can operate at a record breaking speed of 1260 metres per minute is set to been installed in a skyscraper complex building in China.

The record-breaking speed was recorded during a test of the elevator at the CTF Finance Center, a 530-meter tall skyscraper in the city of Guangzhou, China.

The test was conducted for technology development of Hitachi elevators. However, the elevator in Guangzhou will only run at its rated speed of 72 kilometres per hour when it is in service.

The elevator has been developed by the Japanese tech company Hitachi.

In May 2016, the ultra-high-speed elevator had reached 1200 metres per minute as its rated speed.

The achievement was recorded by China’s National Elevator Quality Supervision and Inspection Centre, a public accreditation body of elevators.

The elevator has various safety features including brake equipment using materials with outstanding heat resistance. An air pressure adjustment technology eases ear blockage by reducing the changes in air pressure inside elevator car.

Active guide rollers installed in the elevator absorbs vibration during high speed operation, making the ride comfortable.

ANSWER: Citizen Centric Service Delivery Project

Explanation:
India on 5 June 2017 signed a USD 39.2 million loan agreement with the World Bank for the Assam Citizen Centric Service Delivery project.

The loan will be provided by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), an international financial institution under the World Bank that offers loans to middle-income developing countries.

The loan agreement was signed by Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary under Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance on behalf of India and Hisham Abdo, Manager Operations (India) on behalf of the World Bank.

The Implementing Entity Agreement was signed by the Additional Chief Secretary, Assam Government and the Country Director (India) on behalf of the World Bank.

The total estimated cost of the Citizen Centric Service Delivery project is USD 49 million, out of which USD 39.2 million will be financed by the World Bank.

The remaining funds will be utilised from the Assam Budget. The objective of the project is to improve access in the delivery of selected public services in Assam.

The Project seeks to enable citizens to access services under the Assam Right To Public Services Act, 2012 in a timely, efficient, and accountable manner.

The Project adopts an integrated approach to improve access and accountability. The programme duration is of 5 years.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
The 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly in the last week of May 2017 elected Sweden, Bolivia, Ethiopia and Kazakhstan.

The countries will serve on the world body’s Security Council for a period of two years, starting from 1 January 2017.

After rounds of voting at the United Nation Headquarters in New York, only one non-permanent Council seat remains to be filled.

Italy and the Netherlands had been vying for the remaining seat. However, the voting yielded no clear winner. The two countries then suggested sharing the two-year term, each with a one-year period.

At the election, the General Assembly members voted by secret ballot for five seats divided by geographical grouping: two from Africa and the Asia-Pacific region, two from the Western Europe and Others Group, and one from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Bolivia and Ethiopia were chosen by their regional groups and had no competitors. Kazakhstan won the seat reserved for Asia Pacific against Thailand, while Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden had competed for two seats for Western Europe.

The newly-elected countries will replace Spain, Malaysia, New Zealand, Angola and Venezuela.

UNSC: Know More

• The United Nations Security Council is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
• It is charged with the maintenance of international peace and security as well as accepting new members to the United Nations and approving any changes to its United Nations Charter.
• Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, the establishment of international sanctions, and the authorization of military action through Security Council resolutions.
• The Security Council held its first session on 17 January 1946.
• The 5 permanent members, each with the power of veto, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Six countries of the Arab region, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Yemen, Libya and Egypt have cut off their diplomatic ties with Qatar.

The countries have all accused Doha for destabilising the region and have declared that they would not be maintaining any diplomatic relations with the nation with immediate effect.

Saudi Arabia’s capital city, Riyadh has closed its borders, severed land, sea and air contact with Doha. This step has been taken to protect the national security of the Kingdom from the dangers of terrorism and extremism.

UAE has given Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the country. Abu Dhabi accused Doha of supporting, funding and embracing terrorism, extremism and sectarian organisations.

Bahrain also announced cutting diplomatic ties citing ongoing attempts to destabilize security in the kingdom. It blamed Qatar’s support for armed terrorist activities and funding linked to Iranian groups to carry out sabotage, for its decision.

Egypt has also closed its airspace and ports for all Qatari transportation. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry in a statement said that it is severing diplomatic relations with Doha because of the continued hostility of its authorities towards Egypt.

The Yemen government also announced snapping ties with Qatar accusing it of working with its enemies of the Iran-aligned Houthi militia.

The Tobruk-based internationally recognized government of Libya also broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar. Foreign Minister Mohammed Dairi stated that Doha has been the main source of supplying weapons to the Libyan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and other armed Islamist groups since 2012 and poses a threat to the national security of the Arab world.


The Saudi-led Arab coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels have also expelled Qatar from its alliance. Qatar Foreign Ministry on the hand has expressed regret on the decision of the Arab countries to cut off diplomatic ties.

Qatar: Know More

• Capital: Doha
• Dialing code: +974
• Currency: Qatari riyal
• Drives on the: right
• Ethnic groups (2010): 40% Arab; 18% Indian; 10% Iranian; 8.5% Pakistani; 14% Other
• GDP (PPP): 2017 estimate

ANSWER: Sichuan

Explanation:
Chinese archaeologists have discovered the Fugan Temple, which had been lost for almost 1000 years in China’s south-western Sichuan province.

The Temple, located in downtown Chengdu, was a famous one that lasted from the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317- 420) to the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).

The archaeologists have unearthed more than 1,000 tablets inscribed with Buddhist scriptures and over 500 pieces of stone sculpture along with glazed tiles with inscriptions.

Besides this, the archaeologists have also discovered around 80 ancient tombs scattered near the temple, dating back to Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600-256 BC).

In the temple’s surroundings, they have unearthed large amounts of household tools and utensils and building materials dating back to various periods from the Song to Ming dynasties.

Chengdu became an economic and cultural centre in western China during the Sui and Tang dynasties.

A famous Tang Dynasty monk, Daoxuan, once wrote that an official rite to pray for rain to end a persistent drought was held in front of the temple and it rained as if the prayers had been heard in heaven.

The Story Behind Fugan Temple: Know More

• The story is how the Fugan Temple got its name Fugan, as it means ‘perceive the blessing’.
• The popular Tang Dynasty poet Liu Yuxi left a poem to commemorate the temple’s renovation, describing its heavenly appearance.
• The poem further noted the temple’s significant role at that time. The building was, however, worn down during the later period of the Tang and Song dynasties, with all traces of the temple disappearing during wars.

ANSWER: 334

Explanation:
Danish lawmakers in the first week of June 2017 repealed a 334-year-old blasphemy law that forbids public insults of a religion, such as the burning of holy books.

Denmark was the only Scandinavian country with a blasphemy law, which called for up to four months in prison upon conviction, although most people were fined instead.

Only a handful of blasphemy trials have taken place in the past 80 years in the country, and several high-profile cases have been dropped, including one involving a caricature of the prophet Muhammad published in the Jyllands-Posten newspaper in 2005.

The Danish Parliament stated that politicians, who wanted to repeal the law introduced in 1683 “do not believe that there should be special rules protecting religions against expressions.”

ANSWER: Only a and c

Explanation:
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on 5 June 2017 successfully launched the communication satellite GSAT-19 into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).

The communication satellite was lifted by an indigenously developed launch vehicle named Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk- III) D-1 from the second launch pad of the spaceport at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota at 5.28 pm.

The GSLV Mk-III is referred as FAT Boy of ISRO or India is ISRO’s its most powerful rocket.

The countdown to ISRO’s historic launch of GSLV Mark III D-1 was started on 4 June 2017 at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

In a further advance of its space programme with this successful launch, India has managed to win a bigger share of the $300 billion global space industry.

This is the first ever developmental flight for the 4-ton class vehicle, powered by the indigenous cryogenic upper stage of 20 tonnes thrust.

In this test flight, the ISRO’s most powerful ever rocket is set to carry the satellite of 3136 kg lift off mass into space, the heaviest ever to be launched from Indian soil.

GSAT-19: Know More

• At 3136 kgs (6914 lb) the GSAT-19 satellite will be the heaviest India has attempted to put in orbit.
• The United States, Russia, China, Japan and European Space Agency have launched satellites weighing over three tonne.
  Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has been promoting the home-grown space programme as a demonstration of low-cost technology and in February it launched 104 satellites in a single mission, most of them for foreign customers.
• ISRO hopes that the launch will help it in attracting more foreign business in the heavier segment of the satellite business.
• GSAT-19 satellite with a lift-off mass of 3136 kg is the communication satellite of India, configured around the ISRO’s standard I-3K bus.
• The satellite carries Ka/Ku-band high throughput communication transponders. Besides, it carries a Geostationary Radiation Spectrometer (GRASP) payload to monitor and study the nature of charged particles and the influence of space radiation on satellites and their electronic components.
• GSAT-19 also features certain advanced spacecraft technologies including miniaturised heat pipe, fibre optic gyro, Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS) accelerometer, Ku-band TTC transponder, as well an indigenous Lithium-ion Battery.
• GSAT-19 was powered by indigenously-made Lithium-ion batteries.
• This was the first time when ISRO has powered a satellite for the first time with Lithium-ion batteries. Similar batteries will be used in future to power electric vehicles like cars and buses.

ANSWER: Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile

Explanation:
India on 4 June 2017 effectively test-fired indigenous first all weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM).

The QR-SAM was test-fired from a mobile launcher at Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur in Odisha at around 12:39 p.m. local time.

This test of the QR-SAM was the first test of the indigenously developed sophisticated high-speed missile that is capable of destroying aerial targets, tanks, bunkers and short range missiles.

Official sources said the test was carried out for validating various parameters of the sophisticated weapon system to further strengthen its air defence system.

QR-SAM: Know More

• The QR-SAM was jointly developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) and Bharat Electronics Limited.
• Reports suggest that this missile system has the potential to engage multiple targets within a range of approximate 30 kilometres, with the configuration of two vehicles for area air defence.
• It is equipped for quick reaction and the system is all weather enabled, a network-centric one, which is also capable of search-on-the-move.
• It is a truck-mounted missile and is 360 degree rotatable, electronic-mechanically operated, turret-based launch unit.
• The missile, which is a highly mobile air defence system, can also deceive enemy radars making it to be detected.
• It can also be used as an anti-sea skimmer from a ship against low flying attacking missiles.
• It employs dual thrust propulsion stage using high-energy solid propellant.