Current Affairs Questions & Answers - June 30, 2016

ANSWER: 100

Explanation:
The National Mineral Exploration Policy has been given Cabinet approval for the auction of 100 prospective mineral blocks and boost the country’s mining potential. Cabinet cleared NMEP so that the government can auction 100 blocks that have been identified by the Geological Survey of India for exploration. Mines Ministry has notified the National Mineral Exploration Trust

• Via the NMEP, government wants to attract private sector in exploration besides involving state operated GSI, MECL and other key agencies
• States will also play a greater role by referring exploration projects which can be taken up through NMET
• From India’s entire Obvious Geological Potential area, identified by GSI currently 10 percent has been explored and mining is undertaken in 1.5-2 percent of the area

ANSWER: Oracle

Explanation:
Oracle and ICT Academy of Tamil Nadu (ICTACT) has signed an agreement for implementing Oracle Academy curriculum across 450 educational solutions in the state to guide students regarding industry relevant skills

• Once the initial 450 faculty members are trained by Oracle Academy, ICTACT aims to train another 300 faculty
• Through the program, educators will teach computer science fundamentals and train teachers at ICTACT affiliated schools in local communities
• Collaboration will enable students from rural areas to develop computer science skills and knowledge needed to advance in the IT industry
• Collaboration will assist students to get better understanding about the nature of career paths and jobs available to them
• Oracle Academy ensures there is a strong talent pool with necessary training and credentials to fill in skilled jobs that economy demands

ANSWER: Crayon Software

Explanation:
Microsoft has announced the appointment of Crayon Software as a cloud distribution partner under its Cloud Solution Provider programme in the country

• Microsoft launched the Cloud Solutions Partner program for India in 2015
• Other Microsoft CSPs include Redington India and Ingram Micro
• Crayon will assist clients to adopt Microsoft cloud based technology like Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Office 365 and Enterprise Mobility Suite Subscriptions

ANSWER: Oracle

Explanation:
Tech giant Oracle announced the five part benchmark US dollar bond sale ahead of pricing.

• The borrower is approaching investors with 5,7, 10, 20 and 30-year bonds, with initial price talk set at T+110bp area, T+125bp area, T+135bp area, T+165bp-170bp area and T+185bp area.
• Proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes including stock repurchases, dividend payments and debt referencing as well as future acquisitions
• Ratings are A1/AA-/A+.
• Oracle was last in the US dollar market in April 2015 when it raised USD 10 billion

ANSWER: Turkey

Explanation:
Israeli cabinet ministers on 29th June 2016 approved a deal with Turkey at the weekend on normalising relations after years of acrimony over a deadly 2010 raid on a Gaza bound aid flotilla

• Security cabinet approved the deal 7-3 after four and a half years of debate giving the final Israeli government approval
• PM Benjamin Netanyahu and others promoted economic benefits with talk of creating the pipeline to Turkey to export Israeli gas and the need to find allies in the Middle East
• Turkey will be allowed to provide aid for Palestinians in Gaza as part of the deal, but Netanyahu has stressed the Israel blockage on the enclave to remain in position

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
UNGA on 28th June 2016 elected Ethiopia, Sweden, Bolivia and Kazakhstan as non permanent members of the UNSC

• The two year terms at the UNSCO of the new members will commence from January 1, 2016 and run through December 31, 2018
• The 193 member of the UN Body conducted elections for 5 non-permanent seats
• Third round of voting is going to take place for the final seat with Italy competing against the Netherlands
• The newly elected countries will replace Spain, Malaysia, New Zealand, Angola and Venezeula
• In the election of 5 nations, the member of the General Assembly voted by secret ballot for the 5 seats divided by geographical grouping- three from Africa and Asia Pacific region, one from Eastern Europe and one from Latin America and Caribbean
• Bolivia and Ethiopia were chosen by their regional groups and had no competitors
• Kazakhstan won the seat reserved for Asia Pacific against Thailand
• Italy, The Netherlands and Sweden have competed for the two seats for Western Europe
• Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for international peace and security with all UN Member States
• Council’s 10 non permanent seats are allocated by a rotation pattern set by the UNGA since 1963 to ensure proportionate representation over time from different parts of the world

ANSWER: NSCN-IM

Explanation:
Naga rebel leader Isak Chishi Swu has passed away on 28th June 2016 following prolonged illness at Fortis hospital in VK, New Delhi

• The 87-year-old political leader was the co founder and chairman of Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN-IM
• Swu belonged to Sumi tribe and was from Nagaland’s Zunheboto district.
• During the 1950s, Swu joined the Naga National Council -NNC and served in numerous capacities in the organisation
• He ws opposed to the Shillong Accord signed by NNC with the Centre forming the NSCN-IM in 1980
• The focus is back on the pact between GoI and NSCN-IM in August 2015
• Signing of the pact came after 80 rounds of negotiations spanning 16 years with the first breakthrough in 1997

ANSWER: Human Capital Report

Explanation:
The World Economic Forum on 28th June 2016 released the Human Capital Report 2016

• The report has been prepared in partnership with consulting firm Mercer
• WEF’s report presents an analysis by focusing on numerous key issues which can support better design of education policy and future workforce planning.
• Top 3 countries according to the index are Finland, Norway and Switzerland

ANSWER: Technical Education Quality Improvement Project III

Explanation:
World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors on 24th June 2016 approved USD 201.50 million for Technical Education Quality Improvement Project III in India to improve the quality of engineering education in certain Indian states

• Objective of the project is enhancing quality and equity in participating engineering education institutes and enhancing the efficiency of the engineering education system in focus states
• Maturity period for the project of 25 years was extended with an additional 5 years grace period
• There are two components of the projects- improving quality and equity in engineering institutes in focus states

ANSWER: 70 million

Explanation:
United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund on 28th June 2016 released the State of the World’s Children 2016 report.

• Data has shown unless pace of progress rises, future of disadvantaged and vulnerable children is at stake
• Close to 70 million children die before reaching age 5
• Children in sub-saharan Africa are 10 times more likely to do so than high income nations.
• Close to 750 million women have been married as children
• 9 of 10 children living in extreme poverty are in Sub-Saharan Africa
• The report also indicated that some positive indications arena place.
• Global under-give mortality rates have been more than halved since 1990

ANSWER: Bhutan

Explanation:
Union Cabinet on 29th June 2016 approved the signing of the MoU between UPSC and Royal Civil Service Commission, Bhutan.

• MoU will strengthen the existing relationship between the civil service commission and facilitate experience and expertise sharing in different areas of recruitment.
• Draft MOU will be signed to develop institutionalised linkages between PSCs of the two nations

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
The 10th National Statistics Day was celebrated on June 29th 2016 on the birth anniversary of late statistician PC Mahalanobis

• The objective is to create awareness about the importance of statistics in daily life
• The theme was social development.
• World Statistics Day is celebrated on October 20 worldwide

ANSWER: 19

Explanation:
India has jumped 19 places in the latest World Bank ranking in the global logistics performance, reflecting the improvement in movement of goods inside the country thus facilitating better trade.

• The World Bank in its latest once-in-two-year Logistics Performance Index (LPI) said India is now ranked 35th as against the 54th spot it occupied in the previous 2014 report.
• In the 2014 report, India had a LPI score of 3.08, which increased to 3.42 in 2016. For the third time, Germany with 4.23 points tops the ranking, followed by Luxembourg (4.22), Sweden (4.20), Netherlands (4.19) and Singapore(4.14).
• Other countries in top 10 are Belgium, Austria, United Kingdom, Hong Kong and the United States.Japan is ranked 11. C
• China has jumped one spot to be ranked 27th while Pakistan is at 68th. Syria ranked lowest.
• According to the report, over the past six years, the world’s top-10 performers have remained consistent and include dominant players in the supply chain industry.

ANSWER: Varunastra

Explanation:
Defence Minister Shri Manohar Parrikar handed over Varunastra- a ship launched heavyweight torpedo- also known as an underwater missile to the Indian Navy.

• Varunastra has been developed by NSTL, a premier DRDO laboratory based at Visakhapatnam.
• M/s Bharat Dynamics Ltd has been associated as a production partner in concurrent engineering mode.
• Varunastra, a versatile naval weapon which can be fired from the Rajput class destroyers, Delhi class and all future Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) ships capable of firing heavy weight torpedoes and is capable of targeting quiet and stealthy submarines both in deep and littoral waters even in intense countermeasure atmosphere.

ANSWER: Arunachal Pradesh

Explanation:
Governor of Tripura, Tathagata Roy has been given additional charge of the Governor of AP during the absence, on leave, of Shri J.P. Rajkhowa, Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, by President Mukherjee.

ANSWER: Democratic Republic of Congo

Explanation:
The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended his greetings and felicitations to the Government and people of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the eve of their National Day (June 30, 2016).

• In a message to His Excellency Mr. Joseph Kabila Kabange, the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the President has extended his greetings

ANSWER: JNU

Explanation:
National Institute of Animal Welfare (NIAW) and Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi (JNU) have signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) to conduct academic programmes that will focus on development of Animal Welfare Sciences.

• The total cost of the project for the first year is Rs.88 lakh.
• More than 200 students are expected to be enrolled for diploma and certificate courses in the first year.
• These courses are aimed at providing a direction to the youth for employment in the sector.

ANSWER: Council on Environment and Water

Explanation:
The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has signed an MoU with the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), a policy research institution, to launch a new ‘Initiative on Solar for Healthcare’.

• The collaboration will focus on providing effective health care delivery at the last mile by reducing uncertainty in critical infrastructure, particularly electricity supply via cost effective solar-based solutions.
• As of 2015, nearly 35 million citizens in rural India rely on un-electrified PHCs for primary health services.
• The synergy between health and energy are the two specific goals of this initiative, and the efforts within this collaboration advances on both fronts.

ANSWER: TERI

Explanation:
Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) today entered into a strategic partnership with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for two years. As per MoU , both organizations have decided to enter into an agreement as Strategic Partners, to work jointly for the achievement of common goals and objectives related to energy efficiency in India and abroad.

• With this partnership, the main focus of TERI will be on working with governments, regulatory bodies, industry organisations, and utilities to create a policy environment for clean energy technologies.
• EESL will stress on implementing projects and programmes to promote clean energy technologies through innovative policy based business model to end users.
• The agreement will also bring in people and institutions who work on the policy side into the market based interventions.
• International linkages will also be enhanced