Current Affairs Questions & Answers - June 29, 2016

ANSWER: Mexico

Explanation:
United States, Canada and Mexico will generate half their overall electricity from clean energy by 2025, according to the White House

• This is an aggressive goal yet achievable continent wide
• In 2015, clean energy-wind, solar and hydropower plus nuclear power accounted for 37 percent of the three countries electricity
• In the United States, region’s largest electricity producer by far, clean energy generates around a third of the total output, placing it below Canada but ahead of Mexico
• The rise in the coming years will mostly be driven by renewables and energy efficiency
• Canadian cities use hydropower to generate 59 percent of electricity and nuclear power for another 16 percent
• Mexico will join an existing commitment by the US and Canada for reducing the methane production by 40-45 percent of its 2012 level by 2025

ANSWER: Polycarbonates

Explanation:
IBM Researchers have announced a new one step chemical process which converts polycarbonates from smartphones, CDs and other devices into non-toxic plastic

• Recycled plastic is safe for water purification, fibre optics and medical equipment
• World generates more than 2.7 MT of plastic known as polycarbonates to make common household items and devices
• Polycarbonates decompose and leach BPA which has a chemical to exert potential effects of BPA on the brain
• IBM Researchers have added a fluoride reactant akin to baking powder and heat to old CDs to provide new plastic with temperature and chemical resistance superior to original substance.
• When the powder is reconstructed into new forms, the strength prevents the decomposition process which leads to BPA leaching

ANSWER: Tanzania

Explanation:
Scientists using a new approach to gas exploration, have discovered a huge helium gas field in Tanzania which could address shortage of vital yet rare element.

• Helium is critical to many things taken for granted including MRI scanners in medicine, nuclear energy, welding and industrial leak detection
• Researchers from Oxford and Durham Universities in the UK worked with Helium One, a Norwegian helium exploration company which has developed a new exploration approach
• The first use of this method resulted in world class helium gas field in Tanzania
• Within the Tanzanian East African Rift Valley, the volcanoes have emitted ancient deep rocks and trapped the helium in shallow gas fields

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
Bud Spencer, a burly comic actor dubbed the “Good Giant” for beating bad guys on the screen in a series of spaghetti westerns has passed away in Italy at age 86

• Bud was born in Naples as Carlos Pedersoli
• He adopted the stage name Bud Spencer- the first inspired by the bear and the last to honour his favourite actor Spenser Tracy
• Bud was also the first Italian to win the 100m freestyle in less than a minute
• He was known for his walk on part as a Praetorian guard in the 1950s film Quo Vadis
• Italian director Mario Monicelli hired him for his first big role in the 1955 film Un eroe dei nostril tempi (A hero of our times).
• Spenser abandoned his swimming career after the 1960 Olympics and worked on “Dio persona, io no” (God Forgives, I don’t) and became known for spaghetti westerns with actor Mario GIrotti called by his stage name Terence Hill

ANSWER: H. R. Khan

Explanation:
N. S. Vishwanathan has been appointed as the new Deputy Governor of the RBI with his appointment on 28th June 2016 being approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet

• Vishwanathan, whose term will be for three years, will succeed HR Khan who will retire this week
• Vishwanathan has held the post of the ED in the RBI since April 2014 and currently supervises banking and non-banking regulation departments
• Search Panel was headed by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha and includes RBI governor Raghuram Rajan

ANSWER: Nitrobenzaldehyde

Explanation:
Researchers have developed a new, non-invasive method to kill cancer cells in two hours, which will help people with inoperable or hard to reach tumours as well as young children stricken with deadly disease

• Method involves the injection of a chemical compound called nitrobenzeldahyde which turns the tumour into diffused tissues
• A beam of light is focused on the tissue causing the cells to become acidic inside out and kill themselves
• Within two hours, close to 95 percent of the targeted cells are dead or estimated to be so
• Induced cell suicide is the method that therefore works to deal with deadly diseases like triple negative breast cancer

ANSWER: Jeremy Corbyn

Explanation:
British Labour Party lawmakers voted massively against their leader on 28th June amidst political turmoil in Britain after the vote to leave the EU was a candidate to succeed PM David Cameron voted for power

• Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn lost the non binding confidence motion with 172 voting against him of a total of 229 Labour lawmakers in the House of Commons Lower House
• Pro-EU finance minister George Osborne ruled himself out on Tuesday when British media said that the Work and Pensions Minister Stephen Crabb, unknown to the British public is said to put his name forward
• Former London mayor Boris Johnson is also a crowd favourite with Theresa May reportedly seeking support for a rival bid that has been called the “Stop Boris”campaign

ANSWER: Ulf Mark Schneider

Explanation:
F&B MNC Nestle SA on June 27, 2016 named Ulf Mark Schneider as the new CEO of Freseniius, a Germany based healthcare firm.

• He will join Nestle on September 1, 2015 and commence as CEO on January 1, 2017
• Incumbent CEO Paul Bulckle will resign from the post on 31st December 2016
• He has been named as the Nestle board chairman after Peter Brabeck-Letmathe retires in 2017
• Appointment of Schneider enhances the health, nutrition and wellness sector for the company
• Succession announcement came against a backdrop of Nestle missing sales target of organic growth of 5-6 percent dubbed the Nestle model for 3 years.
• Slowdown has been due to major markets like China and Europe not performing well apart from weak consumer prices and strong Swiss franc.

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan (PMSMA) a Modi government initiative was launched in June 2016

• Scheme aims at boosting healthcare facilities for pregnant and especially poor women
• It seems to protect pregnant ladies from infectious diseases as well
• Under this scheme, pregnant ladies will be given free health check up and required treatment for free on the 9th of every month
• Scheme will be applicable to pregnant women to avail in government hospitals across India
• Scheme is applicable for women in the pregnancy period of 3-6 months
• Women belonging to semi urban, rural and poor areas will be accorded preference

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
Zubaida Bai, Indian social entrepreneur in the fourth week of June 2016 was named among the leading Top 10 Local SDG Pioneers for 2016
- The 2016 Local SDG Pioneers is part of the United Nations Global Compact Making Global Goals Local Business campaign
- Local SDG Pioneers programme seeks individuals who demonstrate how SDGs can enable business to capitalise on economic, social and environmental gains for the world
- Other pioneers also honoured with this award include the following:

• Kerry Adler: Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of SkyPower Global, Canada
• Farzana Chowdhury: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Green Delta Insurance Company Limited, Bangladesh
• Xiaohui Liang: Chief Researcher, Office for Social Responsibility of China National Textile & Apparel Council, China
• Claus Stig Pedersen: Head of Corporate Sustainability of Novozymes, Denmark
• Dina Sherif: Chief Executive Officer, Co-founder of Ahead of the Curve, Egypt
• Sonia Consiglio Favaretto: Press and Sustainability Managing Director of BM&FBOVESPA S.A., Brazil
• Patrick Ngowi: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Helvetic Group, Tanzania
• Ulisses Sabará: President of Beraca, Brazil
• Ulysses Smith: Attorney at Linklaters LLP, USA

ANSWER: Iceland

Explanation:
Gudni Johnnesson on 26th June 2016 won the Iceland presidential elections

• History professor who ran as an independent in the election was able to secure 39.1 percent of the vote
• He will succeed Olafur Ragnar Grimsson who served 20 years as head of the state
• Elections were against the backdrop of the Panama papers controversy.
• Halla Tomasdottir, a business woman came in second with 27.9 percent while David Odds-on a former conservative PM and central bank governor won 13 percent of the vote

ANSWER: Assam

Explanation:
BJP leader and Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal declared Majuli, a Bramhaputra island as a district making it the first of its kind in India.

• Decision to upgrade Majuli- a subdivision within the Jorhat district- was taken in the first cabinet meeting of the new BJP led government which won over the Congress that had been in power for three consecutive terms
• Majuli which shrunk from 1250 sq km to 515 sq km as a result of massive river bank erosion caused by the Brahmaputra has been competing as a World Heritage Site of UNESCO
• With 22 stars or Vaishnavite monasteries, home to the Mising tribals, Majuli is a major tourist destination despite erosion and seasonal floods.
• Majuli has been a cultural capital of Assamese civilisation since the 16th century associated with written records describing the visit of Srimanta Sankardeva, a 16th century social reformer
• He was a pioneer of the medieval age Neo Vaishnavite movement preaching monotheism through Vaishnavism and established monasteries and hermitages known as satra on the islet

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
A visually challenged young man, Kartik Sawhney has been selected among 60 people as the Queen’s Young Leaders by the Buckingham Palace

• He is a founder of Project STEMAccess, which offers hands-on science workshops in India, as well as virtual training sessions. He is working on a portal that will allow students to convert textbooks into their desired accessible format.
• Neha Swain a youth facilitator and founder of Rubaroo to promote inclusive space for young people was also honoured.

ANSWER: June 28

Explanation:
President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended greetings and felicitations to Republic of Seychelles on its 41st National Day

• The current president of the republic is James Alix Michel

ANSWER: Birds of Banni Grassland

Explanation:
The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi released a book titled “The Birds of Banni Grassland” in New Delhi, on 28th June 2016.

• The book was presented to the Prime Minister by the Scientists of Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE).
• The Book is a compilation of the research work, relating to more than 250 species of birds found in the Banni area of Kutch, Gujarat.
• The Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology, located at Bhuj, has been studying the plant, bird and marine life in the Rann of Kutch for over 15 years.

ANSWER: Crop Manager for Rice Based Systems

Explanation:
The Union Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare Minister, Shri Radha Mohan Singh on 28th June launched Crop Manager for Rice-based Systems (CMRS) – a web based App for better crop and Nutrient management released for Bihar farmers in a program organised at ICAR-RCER in Patna.

• Crop Manager for Rice-based Systems (CMRS) is a web-based App which can be used with computer, mobile and tablet and aims to increase farmer's net income and sustain the productivity for rice-based cropping systems in Bihar, India.
• CMRS provides irrigated and rainfed farmers with rice-based cropping systems in Bihar with a crop and nutrient management guideline customised to the needs of an individual farmer.
• CMRS uses a farmer's answers to questions on farming practices to automatically generate a rice, wheat, or rabi maize management guideline.

ANSWER: Jalrahat

Explanation:
Exercise JALRAHAT commenced on 28th June at Narangi Cantt. Taking the leaf from the latest National Disaster Management Policy – 2016 and the call given by the Prime Minister urging the enhanced cooperation and involvement by Armed Forces in mitigating disasters, the Exercise JALRAHAT is a joint initiative taken by the Assam State Govt and the Armed Forces that is being led by GAJRAJ Corps with full support from HQ Eastern Command.

• It is pertinent to mention that in addition to Exercise Jalrahat based on Flood Relief in an urban setting, Indian Navy will be carrying out Exercise Prakampana based on relief and assistance in case of a super cyclone at Vizag, Andhra Pradesh in August 2016 and Indian Air Force will be undertaking Exercise Sahayta based on relief and assistance in case of a major earthquake at Bhuj, Gujrat.
• All these will be joint exercises like Exercise Jalrahat.

ANSWER: Sanjeev Rajput

Explanation:
Ace shooter Sanjeev Rajput clinched the silver medal for India in men's 50-metre rifle 3 position event of the ISSF World Cup on June 28th.

• Rajput shot 456.9 to win the silver medal in the last World Cup before the Rio Olympic Games.
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• Croatia’s Petar Gorsa won the gold medal with 457.5, while Hyeonjun Kim of Korea bagged the bronze after he shot 445.5.

ANSWER: Special Olympics

Explanation:
Special Olympics and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on 28th June announced an international partnership to help create change through sports

• Through this new partnership, WWE will support Special Olympics' 'Play Unified' campaign, which fosters friendships, understanding, and inclusive communities among people with and without intellectual disabilities by uniting them through the power and joy of sports.
• WWE superstars will participate in 'Play Unified' events with Special Olympics athletes from around the world.