Current Affairs Questions & Answers - June 23, 2016

ANSWER: Textile

Explanation:
Cabinet has approved fiscal incentives for textile sector. Cabinet has approved fiscal incentives for textiles sector aimed at improving exports and boosting jobs.

• Government will also subsidise employers’ social welfare contributions for employees in the textile sector.

ANSWER: Anju Bobby George

Explanation:
Olympian Anju Bobby George has quit as president of the Kerala Sports Council. This is after the star athlete objected to charges of corruption alleged by the Kerala sports minister.

• She also said “sports is beyond the purview of any party or politics.”

ANSWER: 17

Explanation:
India has injected 20 satellites including 17 foreign satellites into orbit in a single mission

• Primary payload of the mission is the Cartosat 2 series which provides remote sensing services
• Mission has also injected satellites from Germant, Canada and US into orbit
• India has also set a new record in space mission by successfully injecting 20 satellites into orbit through workhorse PSLV-C34 which set a new record on Wednesday, 22nd June
• The 320 tonne PSLV C34 took off on its 36th flight from Satish Dhawan Space centre with the satellites
• Cartosat-2 was placed in orbit at 9.44am. With Cartosat-2 weighing 727.5kg, PSLV lifted off a total of 1,288kg in to space and began placing the satellites into orbit about 17minutes later.

ANSWER: Postgraduate

Explanation:
Indian educational institutions enter into academic collaborations with foreign institutes to ensure students who opt for these courses will have at least one semester of study for postgraduate degrees and two semesters for undergraduate degrees abroad.

• UGC has decided to amend the existing guidelines as per decision whereby Indian institutes which get top accreditations will now be able to approach the UGC to seek its nod for entering into academic tie-ups with highly-rated education institutions abroad.
• Under the previous norms, only foreign institutes could seek permission for academic collaborations.
• As per the new norms, the name of the foreign institute will also be mentioned on the degree certificate for such courses.
• A window of one year has been provided for institutes, which already have a global partnership, to get their pacts approved by UGC, the HRD minister said.

ANSWER: Mobile application

Explanation:
US tech giant Microsoft has finally introduced the mobile wallet feature in its mobile app.

• However, for now, the feature is only available for Windows Insiders using build 14360 or higher.
• Calling it a 'cloud-based payment technology,' the company announced the app in its official blog post.
• According to the blog, the service will be initially rolled out in the US and will be compatible with Lumia 950, 950 XL and 650 smartphones .
• It will also be available at more than a million retail locations with the Microsoft Wallet logo at the point of sale.
• As of now, Microsoft has partnered with a few banks for the service. These include Bank of America, Chase, US Bank and a few others

ANSWER: Tumblr

Explanation:
Tumblr, the Yahoo-owned blogging platform, said on 21st June 2016 it was launching live video to help compete against similar offerings from Facebook and Twitter.

The new feature, unlike Facebook Live and Twitter's Periscope, won't have its own underlying technology platform

It will allow users to post from YouTube and other video services.

ANSWER: 7

Explanation:
There will be mega spectrum sale with the Union Cabinet giving a go-ahead to auctions across seven bands.

• The sale will see the government put around 2,300 MHz of spectrum on sale - the highest-ever in a single auction - which is likely to fetch the exchequer at least Rs 5.5 lakh crore if all the mobile airwaves are sold at the reserve price
• Telecom Commission - the inter-ministerial panel that is the supreme body on decisions on telecom matters - had suggested a flat 4.5% rate for spectrum acquired across bands at various points in time, a development that would have seen a hike in Mukesh Ambani's soon-to-be-launched Reliance Jio's charge (against the existing 1% in the 2,300 MHz band)
• The decision was not supported by the Attorney General.

ANSWER: Abdulla Jihad

Explanation:
Following resignation of Maldives’s Home Minister, Umar Naseer, President Abdulla Yameen on Wednesday reshuffled his Cabinet and made Finance Minister Abdulla Jihad the country’s Vice-President.

• Mr. Jihad is the third person to occupy the post in less than a year.
• Mohamed Jameel Ahmed (November 2013-July 2015) and Ahmed Adheeb (July-November 2015) were his predecessors.
• Cabinet reshuffle

ANSWER: Amjad Sabri

Explanation:
Renowned Qawwal Amjad Sabri was shot dead in Karachi on the afternoon of 22nd June 2016.

• Additional Inspector General Mushtaq Mehar told Dawn that two men riding a motorcycle fired shots at Sabri's car. He termed the incident “targeted killing.”
• Additional police surgeon Dr Rohina Hasan confirmed Sabri's demise. He was shot thrice – twice in the head and once on the ear – police sources said.
• Sabri was one of the country’s finest qawwals, known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry.

ANSWER: Imad Khamis

Explanation:
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on 22nd June 2016 named electricity minister Imad Khamis as the new prime minister of the war-ravaged country.

• Mr. Assad tasked Mr. Khamis with forming a new government, according to the official news agency SANA.
• The 54-year-old engineer replaces Wael al-Halqi who had held the post since August 2012.
• Mr. Khamis had served as Syria's minister of electricity since 2011 and is an electrical engineer by trade.

ANSWER: Tech Mahindra

Explanation:
Tech Mahindra, the country’s fifth largest software exporter, said it has acquired the U.K.-based The BIO Agency (BIO), which specialises in digital transformation across sectors such as retail, financial and travel.

• The acquisition was in an all-cash deal for an enterprise value of up to 45 million pounds.
• The payment of 22 million pounds and the surplus cash (of 5 million pounds) will be made upfront and the balance as deferred payments based on company performance
• Tech Mahindra will acquire 100 per cent of shares in BPO. The closing date of the transaction is expected to take place in the first week of July 2016
• The BIO Agency posted revenue of 12.5 million pounds during the fiscal year 2015-16 compared with 7.4 million pounds the previous year, according to the filing.

ANSWER: PayPal

Explanation:
Global payments platform PayPal on 22nd June said it has appointed Anupam Pahuja as the Managing Director and Country Manager for its India operations.

• Pahuja has been with the company for over six years and he hs been heading the technology for APAC, PayPal said in a statement.
• As the MD & Country Manager for India, he will be responsible for all aspects of PayPal’s India business and further strengthening the company’s operations in India, he added.
• Pahuja was instrumental in establishing PayPal’s technology centres in India. Prior to PayPal, he was the Managing Director for India for NASDAQ-listed SumTotal Systems, the world’s largest eLearning company.

ANSWER: Ken Miyauchi

Explanation:
SoftBank Group said on 22nd June 2016 that Ken Miyauchi, head of the group’s Japanese telecommunications operations, would become president and chief operating officer to replace Nikesh Arora.

• Mr. Arora, the former Google executive handpicked by the SoftBank founder Masayoshi Son as his successor, has abruptly quit as president
• This was after it became clear that Mr. Son wanted to remain at the helm longer than first planned.

ANSWER: INR 6000 crore

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet introduced labour law changes while approving a Rs 6,000-crore package for the textile and apparel sectors on June 22, 2016.

• A key element is increase in overtime for workers which should not exceed 8 hours per week, translating into nearly 90 hours over three months.
• The current norm allows only 50 hours of overtime in three months.
• The government also announced a change in income tax laws to allow for deduction in case more permanent workers are hired by textile and garment units.

ANSWER: Maharashtra

Explanation:
Maharashtra Cabinet on 21st June 2016 approved minority status to the Jew community. Decision will provide benefit to students from communities to avail scholarships from the state government.

• Following minority status in the state the Jews in the state will be entitled to use benefits of government schemes meant for minorities and can also apply in educational institutions under the minority status
• The Jewish people living in the state would now also be able to set up their own educational institutions and practice and promote their culture.

ANSWER: Maharajakrishna Rasgotra

Explanation:
The book titled A Life in Diplomacy was in news in the third week of June 2016.

• The book was written by former Indian diplomat Maharajakrishna Rasgotra.
• It is an insider's account of the personalities and policies that shaped Indian diplomacy, providing a view of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka and the Cold War

ANSWER: Cleveland Cavaliers

Explanation:
Cleveland Cavaliers wins NBA Championship by beating Golden State Warriors 93-89 in Game 7.

• They are the first team in history to win after trailing 3-1 in the final series
• Loss completes a devastating turnaround for the Warriors led by MVP Stephen Curry

ANSWER: Guda Anjaiah

Explanation:
Noted Telangana poet and lyricist Guda Anjaiah died on 21st June 2016 at Ragannagudem, Telangana following a brief illness.

• He was 61. He is survived by three daughters.
• His songs both regaled and incensed supporters of statehood movement.

ANSWER: 21st June

Explanation:
World Hydrographic Day was celebrated by the Southern Naval Command on 21 Jun 16.

• The theme for this year was ‘Hydrography - The Key to Well Managed Seas And Waterways’.
• There are three survey ships based in Kochi. In addition, a Hydrographic Survey Unit (Kochi) functions under the Southern Naval Command. While the Survey Unit undertakes local surveys, the ships carry out hydrograhic surveys both in Indian as well as international waters.
• All the three ships have been involved in Foreign Cooperation Surveys in the recent past in friendly countries like Tanzania, Kenya and Mauritius. This provides an excellent platform for better diplomatic engagements with foreign nations.
• Hydrographic day has been celebrated worldwide every year on 21 June since 2005 .
• The day is observed to create awareness about hydrography which is an essential science before undertaking any activity on or under the sea.

ANSWER: M-Diabetes

Explanation:
The Health Minister launched the M-Diabetes initiative which harnesses the power and potential of the vast mobile telephony network.

• With a missed call to 011-22901701 the caller can get more information on Diabetes and how to prevent and manage it.
• One can also log on to www.mdiabetes.nhp.gov.in for more information.
• Shri Nadda also launched the guidelines for screening of Diabetes, Hypertension and Common Cancer.