Bhagavad Gita, Yoga, China - Current Affairs Questions and Answers

ANSWER: 21st June

Explanation:
PM Narendra Modi celebrated the second International Day of Yoga at Chandigarh on 21st June where he joined around 30,000 participants in mass Yoga demonstration

• PM said all people have been connected with Yoga and the world is coming together to promote this ancient Indian art
• PM Modi also said that with zero budget, Yoga provides health assurance and does not discriminate between the rich and the poor.

ANSWER: Convergence of modern and traditional Indian medicine

Explanation:

• The Centre for Integrative Medicine and Research is a pioneering initiative by AIIMS, New Delhi in the quest for convergence of contemporary medicine with India’s ancient and traditional medical practices.
• It has been envisioned as a “state of the art” research center where top experts from various disciplines of contemporary medicine will collaborate with Yoga and Ayurveda specialists, both for disease treatment, and for preventive healthcare.
• This step shall witness an integrated approach to healthcare, where the focus shifts from treatment to well being and prevention of diseases.
• The Centre will provide a potent platform for integrating the contemporary allopathy with the benefits of traditional knowledge in healthcare such a Yoga and Ayurveda.
• The Centre will seek scientific validation of Indian ancient medicine systems with a focus on Yoga. It has been designed as a perfect platform for rigorous research to establish the efficacy of our traditional methods of healing, which in turn should pave the way for their greater international scientific acceptability

ANSWER: Shanghai

Explanation:
China started trial operations of world's biggest automated container terminal at Yangshan Deep Water Port in Shanghai, the country's commercial hub.

The terminal is located at south of Donghai Bridge, phase 4 of Yangshan Port and covers 2.23 million square metres and has a 2,350-metre shoreline.

The automated management system is also used at port to maintain safety and efficiency.

Key Facts

• The project uses automated handling equipment designed and manufactured in China. The machinery used in loading and unloading, including bridge crane, automated guided vehicle (AGV) and rail-mounted gantry crane, are all made in China by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Company.
• Initially, automated terminal will have capacity to handle 4 million TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) and later it will be expanded to 6.3 million TEUs at later stage.
• The automated terminal not only increases the port's handling efficiency, but also reduces carbon emissions by up to 10%.

ANSWER: Disabled

Explanation:
The High Level Inter-Governmental Mid-Point review meeting of Asia and Pacific Decade for Persons with Disabilities, 2013-2022 was held in Beijing, China.

A number of countries in the Asia-Pacific region had participated in it. Indian delegation was led by Union Minister of Social Justice & Empowerment Thaawarchand Gehlot.

The meeting was organised by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in cooperation with China Disabled Persons' Federation (CDPF).

Its main objective was to review progress made by member States during Decade at mid-point in 2017 with regard to Incheon Strategy to make right real for persons with disabilities in Asia and Pacific.

It also discussed future policy action for building disabilities-inclusive societies in region, bearing in mind synergies between 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Incheon Strategy.

It also finalised declaration to address gaps and challenges in empowerment and inclusion of persons with disabilities.

The Incheon Strategy provides Asian and Pacific region and world with first set of regionally agreed disability-inclusive development goals. It has been developed over more than two years of consultations with governments and civil society stakeholders.

ANSWER: London

Explanation:
The PRC or People's Republic of China launched its first freight train to London (UK) with the aim to improve trade ties and strengthen connectivity with Britain and Western Europe.

The train departed from Yiwu West Railway station in eastern Zhejiang province of China. It will travel for 18 days over 12,000 km before reaching London.

The train will also pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France, before reaching London.

It is carrying goods produced in Yiwu. London is the 15th city in European region added to China-Europe freight train services.

Success of the train will give impetus to China's One Belt and One Road Initiative, an infrastructure and trade network connecting Asia with Africa and EU along ancient trade routes.

One Belt and One Road Initiative: Know More

• Also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt
• Called the Belt and Road, One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or Belt and Road Initiative
• It is a 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road.
• The initiative is a development strategy and framework put in place by Chinese leader XI Jingping
• It focuses on connectivity and cooperation between China and Eurasia.
• Comprises two components namely Silk Road Economic Belt (land based) and Maritime Silk Road (ocean going).
• It was unveiled in Sept and Oct 2013 (SREB and MSR respectively).

ANSWER: Sanya to Yongle

Explanation:
China is all set to launch a new cruise ship in the disputed South China Sea's islands in Dec 2016 to promote tourism, media report indicated on 9^th Dec.

Nanhai Zhi Meng, the new cruise ship with a capacity of 893 people, will start its maiden voyage in late December.

It will conduct the cruise from Sanya to the Yongle Islands which are administered by China's newly-built city in the South China Sea called Sansha in Hainan province.

The cruise ship, owned by the Nanhai Cruises company, has finished a trial voyage

The trip will take four days, mainly visiting the islands of Yinyu, Quanfu and Yagong in the Xisha (Paracel) Islands, the report said.

The ship is scheduled to make the voyage 4-6 times each month.

SCS Dispute

• The Paracel Islands also claimed by Vietnam.
• These are a cluster of islets, sandbanks and reefs southeast of Hainan Island.
• They are famous for their unusual scenery and ecosystem.
• Sansha city on Yongxing, one of the Xisha islands, was founded in July 2012 by China.
• City envisages tourism as its economic engine and administers three island groups i.e. Xisha, Zhongsha and Nansha.
• Along with these are surrounding SCS waters.
• Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan are the other disputants in SCS region.

ANSWER: Gujarat

Explanation:

• Lakulish Yoga University, in a lotus-shaped building, has been set up by the Surendranagar-based Life Mission Trust, which already runs several yoga training centres across Gujarat as well as in Canada and Mauritius.
• The university will soon start admissions to courses in yoga, Indian culture and Indology.
• It is claimed to be the first ever such private sector self-financed institution in the country.
• It is said to be the first ever Yoga University in the country which will award full-fledged degrees after three years' course
• During the three years, degree course students will be taught subjects of Ashtang Yoga, karma, knowledge, Bhakti Yoga, philosophy, psychology, anatomy, ayurveda and naturopathy.

ANSWER: Jaipur

Explanation:

• India’s first Yoga OPD has been opened in the Sawai Mansingh hospital in Jaipur on the occasion of International Yoga Day.
• This will be helpful for the patients in fast recovering from their illness.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:

• The eight component of the Yoga path as per the Yoga sutras of Patanjali are – Yamas, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyan and Samadhi.

ANSWER: Jainism

Explanation:

• Yamas are ethical rules in Hinduism and can be thought of as moral imperatives. The five yamas listed by Patanjali in Yogasutra are – Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparihara.
• Jainism encourages spiritual development through cultivation of personal wisdom and self-control through five main vows. These are very similar to what Patanjali proposes - Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparihara.