25th June 2017 Important Daily Current Affairs

Daily Current Affairs of 25th June 2017

International Current Affairs 

Today (25th June) is the Day of the Seafarer.

Seafarer means "person who travels by sea"

This day is observed as an expression of thanks to the seafarers for their contribution to the economy and civil society of the world.

The observance of the day also acknowledges the risks and personal costs endured by seafarers while being in their jobs.

Day of the Seafarer (DotS) Theme 2017 : "Seafarers Matter".

PM Narendra Modi presented the Overseas Citizen of India card to Portugal's Indian-origin PM Antonio Costa during his visit to Lisbon yesterday.

Important Note : During a visit to India in January, Costa was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman by the President.

Pakistan has issued its 1st third-gender passport to a transgender activist.

MOUs and Agreements

India and Portugal have signed 11 agreements after in-depth talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Portuguese counterpart Antonio Costa.

Note : This is the first-ever bilateral visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Portugal.

Both countries agreed to set up a joint Science and Technology fund of four million euros.

The agreements signed by them are :

MoU on Nano Technology

MoU on Biotechnology

MoU on Collaborative Research

MoU on Public Administration & Governance Reforms

MoU on Cultural Cooperation

MoU on Youth & Sports

MoU between Portugal India Business Hub & Indian Chamber of Commerce

MoU on Cooperation in the fields of Higher Education and Scientific Research

MoU for the creation of an India Portugal Space Alliance for advancing collaborative research.

Protocol amending the Double Taxation Aviodance Agreement

MoU between Portugal India Business Hub & AICEP Portugal Global

National Current Affairs

For the first time in the history of Manipur, Chief Minister Biren Singh-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has launched a toll-free 24/7 helpline number '181' for women.

This helpline will help fight and reduce crime against women in the state.

Science and Technology

China has developed world's most powerful magnetic detector which can find hidden metallic objects, including minerals and submarines.

The device is different from conventional designs because it uses a large number of probes and a superconductive computer chip cooled by liquid nitrogen which increases its signal sensitivity, reports said.

Sports Current Affairs

India's Kidambi Srikanth has won the Australian Open Superseries title today by beating Rio Olympics champion China's Chen Long.

This is the second consecutive Superseries title for world number 11 Srikanth, who won the Indonesia Open last week.

This is Srikanth's first win over Long, having lost to the world number six in all of their five earlier meetings.

Haryana's Anish Bhanwala set a junior world record to win the Gold medal in the 25-metre standard pistol at the ISSF Junior Shooting World Championship in Germany today.

The 15-year-old registered a score of 579, going past the previous record of 574 set in 2002.

Note : India also bagged the team silver, moving to second place in the medals tally.

The World Taekwondo Federation has changed its name to World Taekwondo after its acronym 'WTF' was found to have "negative connotations".

India opened their ICC Women's World Cup 2017 campaign with a 35-run win over hosts England in a match which saw Indian captain Mithali Raj break two world records.

Raj scored her career's 47th fifty, overtaking England's Charlotte Edwards to record most fifties in women's ODI cricket.

Raj also became the only woman player to score seven consecutive ODI fifties.

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GK and Current Affairs june 10 2017

1. Which Indian sportsperson has featured in the 2017 Forbes list of world’s highest paid atheltes?

[A] Virat Kohli
[B] Sania Mirza
[C] M S Dhoni
[D] Leander Paes

Correct Answer: A [Virat Kohli]

Answer Explanation:
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is the sole sportsperson from India to feature among the world’s 100 highest paid athletes in the 2017 Forbes list. Kohli has been ranked 89th on the 2017 Forbes list with a total pay of $22 million that includes $3 million from salary and winnings and another $19 million from endorsements. The list is topped by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, followed by American basketball star LeBron James, Argentine football player Lionel Messi and Swiss Tennis star Roger Federer.

2. NITI Aayog has launched SATH program for cooperative federalism. What does ‘SATH’ stands for?

[A] Sustainable Action for Transact Human capital
[B] Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital
[C] Sustainable Action for Trance Human capital
[D] Sustainable Action for Trace Human capital

Correct Answer: B [Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital]

Answer Explanation:
NITI Aayog has launched a program ‘Sustainable Action for Transforming Human capital (SATH)’ with the State Governments for cooperative federalism. The vision of the program is to initiate transformation in the education and health sectors. The aim of SATH is to identify and build three future ‘role model’ states for health systems. NITI will work in close collaboration with their state machinery to design a robust roadmap of intervention, develop a program governance structure, set up monitoring and tracking mechanisms, hand-hold state institutions through the execution stage and provide support on a range of institutional measures to achieve the end objectives. The program will be implemented by NITI along with McKinsey & Company and IPE Global consortium, who were selected through a competitive bidding process. Of the five shortlisted states three will be selected on the basis of further evaluations. The program will be launched in the three selected states after the signing of MoUs.

3. Which Indian mountaineer has been honoured by Nepal Government for scaling Mt. Everest for a record six times?

[A] Premlata Agarwal
[B] Arunima Sinha
[C] Love Raj Singh Dharmashaktu
[D] Anshu Jamsenpa

Correct Answer: C [Love Raj Singh Dharmashaktu]

Answer Explanation:
Love Raj Singh Dharmashaktu, an Indian mountaineer, has been honoured by Adventure Sports Tourism Society in Lalitpur Metropolitan City near Kathmandu, Nepal on June 9, 2017. He was appointed Tourism Ambassador of Nepal to north India. Recently, Dharmashaktu has become the first Indian mountaineer to conquer the world’s highest peak Mount Everest for a record sixth time on May 27, 2017. He works as an assistant commandant with the Border Security Force (BSF) in Dehradun. He first summited Everest in 1998 and followed it with up with successive ascents in 2006, 2009, 2012 and 2013. He hails from Bona village of Munsiyari in the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand.

4. Who has become the first Sri Lankan cricketer to be inducted into ICC Hall of Frame?

[A] Mahela Jayawardene
[B] Sanath Jayasuriya
[C] Kumar Sangakkara
[D] Muttiah Muralidaran

Correct Answer: D [Muttiah Muralidaran]

Answer Explanation:
Muttiah Muralidaran, the most successful bowler in Tests and One Day Internationals, has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in London on Thursday. He was honoured during the innings break of the India versus Sri Lanka ICC Champions Trophy match at The Oval in London on June 8, 2017. With this, he became the first player from Sri Lanka and the 83rd overall to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when ICC CEO Dave Richardson presented him with a commemorative framed cap.

5. The first-ever Indian Railways Human Resources Round Table Conference has started in which city?

[A] New Delhi
[B] Chennai
[C] Pune
[D] Kochi

Correct Answer: A [New Delhi]

Answer Explanation:
The Union Minister of Railways Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu has inaugurated the first-ever Indian Railways Human Resources Round Table Conference in New Delhi on June 10, 2017. The aim of the Conference is to improve the productivity of the human resources through inter-change of ideas with various stakeholders and HR practitioners and academics. There are 3-themes of the conference viz. Stakeholders Expectations from HR, The Future of Work – HR Role and Creativity Within Constraints.

6. Who has been adjudged in the first-ever AIFF Women’s player of the year for 2016?

[A] Ngangom Bala
[B] Aditi Chauhan
[C] Oinam Bembem Devi
[D] Sasmita Malik

Correct Answer: D [Sasmita Malik]

Answer Explanation:
Jeje Lalpekhlua and Sasmita Malik were awarded 2016 AIFF Player of the Year and the AIFF Women’s Player of the Year respectively at the first ever All India Football Federation (AIFF) Awards in Mumbai, Maharashtra. Malik won the award for her immense contribution to the success and growth of the Indian women’s football team, while Mohun Bagan striker Jeje Lalpekhlua won the award for scoring a total of 7 goals in the last 9 games he has played for India in the 2016-17 season.

7. Who will be appointed as new MD and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE)?

[A] Jainam Modi
[B] Prabhat Jain
[C] Vikram Limaye
[D] Chitra Ramkrishna

Correct Answer: C [Vikram Limaye]

Answer Explanation:
Vikram Limaye will be the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) after he gets relieved from his duties at apex cricket body BCCI. Limaye is a member of a panel appointed by the Supreme Court to administer the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Now, Limaye will approach the Supreme Court (SC) in July when it reopens from vacation to relieve him from his duties at the committee of administrators (CoA) of BCCI. Once the Supreme Court relieves him, he will join NSE.

8. Which Indian personality has launched ‘Selfie with Daughter’ app to raise awareness among people about female foeticide and sex selection?

[A] Narendra Modi
[B] Sushma Swaraj
[C] Maneka Gandhi
[D] Pranab Mukherjee

Correct Answer: D [Pranab Mukherjee]

Answer Explanation:
The President of India, Pranab Mukherjee has launched a mobile Application ‘Selfie with Daughter’ at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on June 9, 2017 to raise awareness among people about female foeticide and sex selection. The President has urged the people to take selfies with their daughters to make the campaign a huge success. The ‘Selfie with Daughter’ campaign was started by Sunil Jaglan in June 2015 at village Bibipur in Haryana, which was praised by the President on this occasion. The aim of the campaign is to motivate society to feel proud to be parents of a girl child which will result in improving the child sex ratio.

9. The 2017 European Union Film Festival (EUFF) has started from which Indian city?

[A] Pune
[B] Coimbatore
[C] Kolkata
[D] New Delhi

Correct Answer: D [New Delhi]

Answer Explanation:
The 22nd edition of European Union Film Festival (EUFF) has started at Siri Fort Auditorium in New Delhi with an aim to improve cultural ties between India and European countries. The film festival will not only showcase films from Estonia, Austria, Belgium, Hungary, Greece, among several countries, but also explore different styles of cinema with a blend of varying cultures. The EUFF, which is started in New Delhi, in association with Directorate of Film Festivals will also travel to Pune, Mumbai, Goa, Kolkata, Ranchi, Coimbatore and Puducherry till August 3, 2017. The fest will screen 22 films from 22 European countries to serve the purpose of knowing and understanding each other better.

10. The Van Vihar National Park is loacted in which state?

[A] Uttar Pradesh
[B] Rajasthan
[C] Madhya Pradesh
[D] Gujarat

Correct Answer: C [Madhya Pradesh]

Answer Explanation:
The Van Vihar National Park is located in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. It covers an area of about 4.45 km2 and is home to Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lions, wild cats, Indian Wolf, Sloth Bear, Red Fox, Indian Jackal, Wild Dog, Mongoose, Striped Hyena, Mugger Crocodile, Gharial, Snakes, Python, etc.

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GK and Current Affairs june 09 2017

1. Which bank has become the first Indian bank to launch bio-degradable prepaid gift cards?

[A] Axis Bank
[B] ICICI Bank
[C] State Bank of India
[D] HDFC Bank

Correct Answer: A [Axis Bank]

Answer Explanation:
Axis Bank has become the first Indian bank to launch a bio-degradable prepaid gift plastic card to offer its customers a simple way of contributing towards environment-friendly payment solutions. The plastic card is made up of Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol (PETG) and can decompose easily and can also be recycled. The cards will be acceptable at all domestic merchant outlets and online portals. According to a circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 1 July 2014, the maximum validity of pre-paid gift instruments is 3 years.

2. Basudev Chatterji, who passed away recently, was associated with which field?

[A] Politics
[B] History
[C] Law
[D] Journalism

Correct Answer: B [History]

Answer Explanation:
Basudev Chatterji, the noted historian, has passed away in Guwahati, Assam on June 8, 2017. He was also the former chairman of Indian Council for Historical Research (ICHR). Chatterji was an academician and used to taught at St Stephen’s College in Delhi, University of Hyderabad besides supervising undergraduates at the University of Cambridge. The books ‘Trade, Tariffs and Empire : Lancashire and British Policy in India’, and ‘Dictionary of Martyrs India’s Freedom Struggle’ were among his works.

3. India and which United Nations organisation have launched partnership fund to promote sustainable development?

[A] UNESCO
[B] UNIDO
[C] UNOSSC
[D] UNWTO

Correct Answer: C [UNOSSC]

Answer Explanation:
India and the UN Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) have launched a partnership fund that will support sustainable development projects across the developing world. The fund was launched on the occasion of the World Oceans Day (WOD) at a special ceremony held at the Permanent Mission of India to the UN on June 8, 2017. The India-UN Development Partnership Fund will implement country-level projects that are catalytic towards achieving the 17 sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda. The purpose of the initiative is to reduce poverty and hunger, improving health, education and equality, and expanding access to clean water, energy and livelihoods.

4. Which Indian American has been chosen for the 2017 NASA Astronaut Candidate Class?

[A] Kayla Barron
[B] Jasmin Moghbeli
[C] Robb Kulin
[D] Raja Chari

Correct Answer: D [Raja Chari]

Answer Explanation:
Indian-American Raja Chari, a Lieutenant Colonel with the US Air Force, has been chosen for the 2017 NASA Astronaut Candidate Class. He is among 12 new astronauts who will be trained for missions into Earth orbit and to deep space. Chari may become the 3rd person of Indian origin from the US after the late Kalpana Chawla and current NASA astronaut Sunita ‘Suni’ Williams to fly to space. Currently, he is a commander of the 461st Flight Test Squadron and the director of the F-35 Integrated Test Force at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

5. P Govardhan Reddy, the noted politician has passed away. He belongs to which political party?

[A] Indian National Congress (INC)
[B] Telugu Desam Party (TDS)
[C] Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
[D] Communist Party of India (CPI)

Correct Answer: A [Indian National Congress (INC)]

Answer Explanation:
Palvai Govardhan Reddy (81), the noted politician from the Indian National Congress (INC) party, has passed away due to heart attack in Kullu Manali, Himachal Pradesh on June 9, 2017. Reddy was in Kullu Manali to attend a Parliamentary committee meeting. Presently, he was representing the Telangana State as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha).

6. Which Indian personality has been conferred with the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award for global tobacco control?

[A] Venkaiah Naidu
[B] Sushma Swaraj
[C] J P Nadda
[D] Nitin Gadkari

Correct Answer: C [J P Nadda]

Answer Explanation:
The Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, J P Nadda has been conferred with the WHO Director-General’s Special Recognition Award for accelerating India’s tobacco control initiatives and taking bold measures to protect people against hazards of tobacco use. The global recognition was presented to him by Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia, at the ‘National Consultation on Accelerating Implementation of WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) for achievement of Sustainable Development Goals’.

7. Which news agency will set up $1 million fund to boost BRICS media cooperation?

[A] Independent Media from South Africa
[B] Xinhua from China
[C] CMA Group from Brazil
[D] The Hindu from India

Correct Answer: B [Xinhua from China]

Answer Explanation:
China’s state-run news agency Xinhua will set up a $1 million fund to institutionalize media cooperation among the BRICS countries including awards for journalists from the five member states. The purpose of BRICS media forum is to promote six objectives, including “balanced reporting”. The proposal would also focus on joint development of BRICS digital media, financial information services and promoting people- to-people contacts. The BRICS media forum is the result of a joint initiative by Xinhua News Agency, Brazil’s CMA Group, Russia’s Sputnik News Agency and Radio, The Hindu group of publications from India, and South Africa’s Independent Media.

8. Mehrunnisa Dalwai, the renowned Muslim rights activist passed away. She hailed from which state?

[A] Assam
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Maharashtra
[D] Rajasthan

Correct Answer: C [Maharashtra]

Answer Explanation:
Mehrunnisa Dalwai (87), the protagonist of a reformist movement ‘Muslim Satyashodhak Mandal’, has passed away in Pune, Maharashtra on June 8, 2017. She worked for justice and equal rights for Muslim women and spearheaded a march in Mumbai seeking abolition of triple ‘talaq’. Dalwai also founded Islamic Research Institute and Maharashtra Talaq Mukti Morcha. Her autobiography, “Mi Bharun Pawle” is considered an inspirational piece for progressive movement. She was the wife of prominent Muslim activist and thinker late Hamid Dalwai.

9. Which state government has recently signed MoU with Union Aviation Ministry for Udan scheme?

[A] Kerala
[B] Madhya Pradesh
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Tamil Nadu

Correct Answer: D [Tamil Nadu]

Answer Explanation:
The Tamil Nadu government has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) for the implementation of the UDAN scheme in the state. In the first phase of regional air connectivity scheme “UDAN”, the steps will be taken to start flight services to Hosur, Salem and Neyveli.The purpose of the Ude Desh ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) is to make regional connectivity easy at low cost so that common people could opt for air travel. Also, it would enhance infrastructure, employment opportunities and lead to trade and industry growth.

10. The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary (MWS) is located in which state?

[A] West Bengal
[B] Uttar Pradesh
[C] Bihar
[D] Assam

Correct Answer: A [West Bengal]

Answer Explanation:
The Mahananda Wildlife Sanctuary (MWS) is located on the foothills of the Himalayas, between the Teesta and Mahananda rivers. It is situated in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. It got the status of a sanctuary in 1959 to protect the Indian bison and royal Bengal tiger, which were facing the threat of extinction It is also home to very endangered birds like Rufous-necked Hornbill, Oriental Pied Hornbill, Great Hornbill etc.

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GK and Current Affairs june 08 2017

1. Which city is hosting the 2017 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit?

[A] Dushanbe
[B] Astana
[C] Beijing
[D] Tashkent

Correct Answer: B [Astana]

Answer Explanation:
The 17th summit of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit has started in Astana, Kazakhstan from June 8, 2017. In this summit, India and Pakistan has become full members of the organization. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organisation which was founded in 2001 in Shanghai by the leaders of China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. It is mainly aimed at military cooperation between the members and involves intelligence- sharing, counter-terrorism operations in Central Asia. Afghanistan, Belarus, India, Iran, Mongolia and Pakistan have observer status.

2. What is the theme of 2017 World Oceans Day (WOD)?

[A] Protect your Ocean
[B] Healthy Oceans, Healthy Planet
[C] Our Oceans, Our Future
[D] Youth: the Next Wave for Change

Correct Answer: C [Our Oceans, Our Future]

Answer Explanation:
The World Oceans Day (WOD) is observed every year on June 8 to raise global awareness of the benefits derived from the oceans and the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans. This year, in 2017, the main conservation focus will be on plastic pollution prevention and cleaning the ocean of marine litter with theme “Our Oceans, Our Future”. The 2017 WOD has coincided with the first-ever United Nations World Oceans Conference taking place from 5 to 9 June at UN headquarters in New York. The purpose of the conference is to mobilize action for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources.

3. Which Indian bank will set up 100 digital villages across the country?

[A] Punjab National Bank
[B] Dena Bank
[C] State Bank of India
[D] Vijaya Bank

Correct Answer: D [Vijaya Bank]

Answer Explanation:
The Vijaya Bank will set up 100 digital villages in various States of the country as part of its initiative to promote digital banking among the rural population. It is the only public sector financial institution to develop digital villages with focus on rural areas and it has already developed five villages including the one in Guntur district. In those villages, the bank will provide Internet, free Wi-Fi connectivity, mobile payment facilities, ATM cards, online banking and others besides educating the villagers through door-to-door campaign. The bank will also open bank accounts to all the eligible villagers including children and encourage them to make transactions digitally.

4. The Anshi National Park (ANP) is loacted in which state?

[A] Karnataka
[B] Andhra Pradesh
[C] Kerala
[D] West Bengal

Correct Answer: A [Karnataka]

Answer Explanation:
The Anshi National Park is located at a distance of 60 km from Karwar in Uttara Kannada district, Karnataka. It is located in an eco-sensitive part of the Western Ghats, at a height between 200 m to 925 m above sea level. The park is a habitat of melanistic leopard, tigers and elephants, among other wildlife. The reptiles like King Cobra, Krait, Python, Rat snake and Viper are found here. It is home to more than 200 species of birds viz. Adjutant Stork, Ashy Black-crested Crested Serpent Eagle, Great Hornbill, Golden-backed Woodpecker, Bulbul, Blue-headed Pitta, Woodswallow, Brahminy Kite, etc.

5. Who have been appointed as the new Independent Directors of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB)?

[A] Girraj Sharma and Anupam Seth
[B] Vinod Saxena and Nitin Khanna
[C] K G Karmakar and Gauri Shankar
[D] Jai Singh Narvaria and Trilok Chand Gupta

Correct Answer: C [K G Karmakar and Gauri Shankar]

Answer Explanation:
K G Karmakar and Gauri Shankar have been appointed as new Independent Directors of India Post Payments Bank (IPPB). The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved their appointment to the post on the board of directors of the bank for a period of 3 years. The IPPB has been incorporated as a public sector bank under the Department of Posts with 100% equity of the Government of India (GoI). IPPB will offer demand deposits such as savings and current accounts upto a balance of Rs 1 Lac, digitally enabled payments and remittance services of all kinds between entities and individuals and also provide access to third party financial services such as insurance, mutual funds, pension, credit products, forex, and more, in partnership with insurance companies, mutual fund houses, pension providers, banks, international money transfer organisations, etc.

6. Adnan Khashoggi, the world famous arms dealer passed away. He hailed from which country?

[A] Iran
[B] Israel
[C] Italy
[D] Saudi Arabia

Correct Answer: D [Saudi Arabia]

Answer Explanation:
Adnan Khashoggi (81), a Saudi Arabian billionaire international businessman, has passed away in London, UK. He was best known for his involvement in arms dealing.

7. Nepal has tied up with which country to build 1200MW Budhi-Gandaki Hydropower Project?

[A] China
[B] India
[C] Sri Lanka
[D] United States

Correct Answer: A [China]

Answer Explanation:
Nepal has recently signed a financing agreement with China Gezhouba Group Corporation (CGGC) to build 1,200-megawatt Budhi-Gandaki hydroelectric project. The estimated cost of the project is $2.5 billion. This project will be helpful for Nepal, which is facing acute power shortage.

8. Which tennis pair have won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles tournament?

[A] Sania Mirza and Ivan Dodig
[B] Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza
[C] Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Robert Farah
[D] Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski

Correct Answer: D [Rohan Bopanna and Gabriela Dabrowski]

Answer Explanation:
Rohan Bopanna from India and his Canadian teammate Gabriela Dabrowski have won the 2017 French Open mixed doubles tournament by defeating the pair of Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Colombia’s Robert Farah in the final by 2-6, 6-2, 12-10.

9. Who has been bestowed with the RedInk Award Journalist of the Year award for 2017?

[A] Sreenivasan Jain
[B] Bachi Karkaria
[C] Raj Kamal Jha
[D] Paranjoy Guha Thakurta

Correct Answer: C [Raj Kamal Jha]

Answer Explanation:
Raj Kamal Jha, the Chief Editor of The Indian Express, has been bestowed with the RedInk Award for the ‘Journalist of the Year’ 2017 for providing exemplary stewardship over the last couple of years to the newspaper; and for pulling it back from an aimless drift to focused reporting and restoring what it has always been known best for—investigative journalism. The award was presented to him by the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 7 in Mumbai. The awards are part of the National RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism and instituted by the Mumbai Press Club (MPC) to raise the bar of news and feature writing in India and to encourage fair play and high ethical standards in media.

10. Which city to host the second edition of National Health Editors’ Conference on Yoga -2017?

[A] Bhopal
[B] New Delhi
[C] Lucknow
[D] Jaipur

Correct Answer: B [New Delhi]

Answer Explanation:
The 2nd edition of National Health Editors’ Conference on Yoga will be inaugurated by Shripad Yesso Naik, the Minister of State for AYUSH (Independent Charge), at National Media Centre in New Delhi on June 9, 2017. The theme of 2017 conference is “Yoga for Health and Harmony”. The aim of the conference is to give insight to the journalists about the scientific aspects of yoga & its benefits for human health. More than 150 Health Editors and media persons from National, Regional and International media organizations are expected to attend the conference. Senior officers of PIB and Ministry of AYUSH will also remain present on the occasion.

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GK and Current Affairs june 07 2017

1. India has signed pact with which neighboring country to provide $318 million as line of credit for railway projects?

[A] Sri Lanka
[B] Nepal
[C] Bhutan
[D] Bangladesh

Correct Answer: A [Sri Lanka]

Answer Explanation:
India has signed an agreement with Sri Lanka to provide fresh assistance of $318 million credit line to develop the island nation’s railway sector. The agreement was signed in Colombo, Sri Lanka on June 6, 2017. India has already provided four Lines of Credit for the development of railway sector in Sri Lanka through its EXIM bank amounting to approximately $966 million. These credit facilities have been utilized to improve the Southern and Northern railway lines and for the procurement of rolling stocks for the Sri Lanka Railways.

2. Who has been sworn-in as the new Prime minister of Nepal?

[A] Bam Bahadur Kunwar
[B] Sher Bahadur Deuba
[C] Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah
[D] Kirti Nidhi Bista

Correct Answer: B [Sher Bahadur Deuba]

Answer Explanation:
Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Nepali Congress President, has been sworn-in as the new Prime minister of Nepal at Rashtrpati Bhawan in Kathmandu, Nepal. Deuba has taken the charge of prime minister for the 4th time. He first became PM in 1995 and later in 2001 and 2004. The 2017 Election for new prime minister was held due to resignation by the CPN (Maoist Centre) Chief Pushpa Kamal Dahal from the post of prime minister. Dahal had resigned on May 24 as per the power sharing understanding with the coalition partner Nepali Congress.

3. Which union minister has launched “Skills for life, Save a life” initiative to promote skill development in the health sector?

[A] Maneka Gandhi
[B] Narendra Modi
[C] J P Nadda
[D] M. Venkaiah Naidu

Correct Answer: C [J P Nadda]

Answer Explanation:
J P Nadda, the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, has launched “Skill for Life, Save a Life” initiative in New Delhi to promote skill development in the health sector. The purpose of the initiative is to upscale the quality and quantity of trained professionals in the healthcare system. Under this initiative various courses are planned in specific competencies for healthcare professionals as well as for general public.

4. What is the current repo rate, as per 2nd bi-monthly monetary policy review for 2017-18 of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI)?

[A] 6.50%
[B] 6.75%
[C] 6.55%
[D] 6.25%

Correct Answer: D [6.25%]

Answer Explanation:
As per second bi-monthly monetary and credit policy review for 2017-18 of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the policy repo rate under the liquidity adjustment facility (LAF) remain unchanged at 6.25%. Consequently, the reverse repo rate under the LAF remains at 6.0%, Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) remains at 4% and the Marginal Standing Facility (MSF) rate and the Bank Rate at 6.50%.Though, the Central bank has cut the Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR) by 0.5%. It has projected inflation in the range of 2% to 3.5% for first half of 2017-18 and 3.5% to 4.5% for the second half. It has also cut the growth projection for current fiscal to 7.3% from 7.4%.

5. Who has been appointed as the new chief of Copyrights office?

[A] Hoshiar Singh
[B] Pradeep Dubey
[C] Nripendra Mishra
[D] Omita Paul

Correct Answer: A [Hoshiar Singh]

Answer Explanation:
Hoshiar Singh, a 1994 batch officer of the Indian Telecom Service, has been appointed as new Registrar of Copyrights for a period of five years. The Office of Copyrights, under the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DoPT) is mandated to protect the music and film industry besides addressing its concerns, among others. According to norms, the Copyright Office is under the immediate control of a Registrar of Copyrights, who acts under the superintendence and directions of the Central Government. The headquarters is located in New Delhi.

6. Which Indian personality has joined UNICEF’s ‘Super Dads’ campaign?

[A] Amitabh Bachchan
[B] Sachin Tendulkar
[C] Shah Rukh Khan
[D] Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Correct Answer: B [Sachin Tendulkar]

Answer Explanation:
Sachin Tendulkar has joined UNICEF’s ‘Super Dads’ campaign that highlights the critical role played by fathers in children’s early development. The campaign features stars from the world of entertainment and sport including David Beckham, Novak Djokovic, Mahershala Ali, Lewis Hamilton and Hugh Jackman. The UNICEF campaign will celebrates Father’s Day and highlights the importance of love, play, protection and good nutrition for the healthy development of young children’s brains. The heart-warming videos and photos of celebrity dads in the campaign will be coupled with stories of super dads from across the world, including those who are doing their best to raise their children in extremely difficult circumstances.

7. Which country has officially become the new member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

[A] Mozambique
[B] Cuba
[C] Montenegro
[D] Austria

Correct Answer: C [Montenegro]

Answer Explanation:
Montenegro has officially become the 29th member of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) at a ceremony in Washington, United States on June 5, 2017. The purpose of NATO is to guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means. The headquarters of NATO is located at Brussels, Belgium.

8. Which state government has implemented ‘Green Protocol’ for weddings?

[A] Tamil Nadu
[B] West Bengal
[C] Tripura
[D] Kerala

Correct Answer: D [Kerala ]

Answer Explanation:
The Kerala government has implemented Green Protocol for making weddings more naturally in the state. The purpose of the initiative is to reduce the use of plastic in daily life. With the implementation of the protocol, use of plastic and other non-degradable articles including disposable glasses and plates and thermocol decorations will be discouraged at marriage functions. Inspections will be held at marriage halls, convention centres and hotels and other venues of the wedding ceremony in this regard and action would be taken if the protocol is violated. The state nodal agency for sanitation ‘Suchitwa Mission’ has already launched the initiative in Kannur, Ernakulam, Kollam and Alappuzha on a pilot basis. As per officials, the protocol would be implemented in the rest of the districts soon.

9. Who will be honoured with the RedInk Award for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism for 2017?

[A] Vinod Dua
[B] Vinod Dua
[C] T N Ninan
[D] Kuldip Nayar

Correct Answer: B [Vinod Dua]

Answer Explanation:
Veteran journalist Vinod Dua will be honoured with the RedInk Award for Lifetime Achievement (LTA) in Journalism for 2017 by the Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on June 7 in Mumbai in recognition of his extensive and versatile contribution in different formats and subjects. The awards are part of the National RedInk Awards for Excellence in Journalism and instituted by the Mumbai Press Club. Star India is the Presenting Partner for the Mumbai Press Club RedInk Awards. The Hindu Group and Facebook are the media partners.

10. The Mukurthi National Park (MNP) is located in which state?

[A] Tripura
[B] Kerala
[C] Tamil Nadu
[D] Sikkim

Correct Answer: C [Tamil Nadu]

Answer Explanation:
The Mukurthi National Park (MNP) is a 78.46 km2 protected area located in the western corner of the Nilgiris Plateau west of Ootacamund hill station in the northwest corner of Tamil Nadu state in the Western Ghats mountain range of South India. It is home to an array of endangered wildlife viz. royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, Nilgiri langur, Bonhote’s mouse, Nilgiri tahr, etc. The park is a part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, India’s first International Biosphere Reserve.

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GK and Current Affairs june 06 2017

1. The first-ever United Nations Oceans Conference has started in which country?

[A] France
[B] United States
[C] Germany
[D] United Kingdom

Correct Answer: B [United States]

Answer Explanation:
The United Nations is hosting its first-ever World Oceans Conference at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States from June 5, 2017. The 5-day conference is co-hosted by the Governments of Fiji and Sweden with theme “Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14”. The purpose of the conference is to find solutions to some of the toughest problems facing the oceans — that includes coral bleaching, plastic pollution, overfishing and rising sea levels. It also includes measures to protect coastal and blue carbon ecosystems such as mangroves, tidal marshes, seagrass, and coral reefs, and wider interconnected ecosystems, as well as enhancing sustainable fisheries management, including to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield.

2. India’s first-ever Rural LED Street Lighting Project will be set up in which state?

[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Kerala
[C] Uttar Pradesh
[D] Assam

Correct Answer: A [Andhra Pradesh]

Answer Explanation:
India’s first-ever Rural LED Street Lighting Project will be implemented by the Government of India (GoI) in Andhra Pradesh (AP). The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) under the Ministry of Power will retrofit10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts in AP. This is the first project for rural LED street lighting in the country under the GoI’s Street Lighting National Project (SLNP). In the first phase, the replacement will be undertaken in gram panchayats of the districts of Guntur, Prakasham, Nellore, Kurnool, Kadapa, Ananthapur and Chittoor. This replacement drive in rural areas will help the gram panchayats to cumulatively save approximately 147 million units of electricity annually and lead to reduction of 12 crore tonnes of CO2. The entire upfront capital cost of this project is being funded by French Development Agency Agence Française de Développement (AFD).

3. India has signed how much amount of loan agreement with the World Bank for the project “Assam Citizen Centric Service Delivery”?

[A] $39.5 million
[B] $39.7 million
[C] $39.2 million
[D] $39.4 million

Correct Answer: C [$39.2 million]

Answer Explanation:
India has signed a $39.2 million loan agreement with the World Bank (WB) for the ‘citizen-centric service delivery’ project in Assam. The programme size is $49 million, of which $39.2 million will be financed by the World Bank and the remaining amount will be funded out of state budget. The programme duration is 5 years. The purpose 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 RTPS Act in a timely, efficient, and accountable manner. The Project adopts an integrated approach to improve access and accountability.

4. Which IIT institute is hosting the 5th International Convention of Spic Macay?

[A] IIT Guwahati
[B] IIT Madras
[C] IIT Bombay
[D] IIT Delhi

Correct Answer: D [IIT Delhi]

Answer Explanation:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the 5th international conference of Spic Macay on June 5, 2017 at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi via video conferencing. The 7-day conference coincides with the 40th year of inception of SPIC MACAY. Every year Spic Macay organizes an International Convention to expose the youth from across the world to the rich and multi-hued culture of India. It is the Society for the promotion of Indian classical music and culture amongst youth.

5. Who has appointed the new Director General (DG) of National Water Development Agency (NWDA)?

[A] Sharad Jain
[B] S. Masood Husain
[C] Usha Gupta
[D] Kirti Kumar

Correct Answer: A [Sharad Jain]

Answer Explanation:
Dr. Sharad Kumar Jain has assumed the additional charge of Director General (DG) of National Water Development Agency (NWDA) under Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Presently, he is working as Scientist G with National Institute of Hydrology (NIH), Roorkee. Jain succeeds S. Masood Husain who has moved over as Member (WP&P), Central Water Commission.

6. What is the India’s rank in the 2017 IMD World Competitiveness Index?

[A] 37th
[B] 41st
[C] 45th
[D] 28th

Correct Answer: C [45th]

Answer Explanation:
India has been ranked 45th out of 63 countries in the IMD’s world competitiveness rankings 2017. The list is compiled by the Switzerland-based International Institute for Management and Development (IMD)’s World Competitiveness Center (WCC). Hong Kong has topped the list, followed by Switzerland, Singapore, United States, Netherlands, Ireland and Denmark. The IMD measures how well countries manage all their resources and competencies to facilitate long-term value creation.

7. Sudha Singh, who has won gold at 21st Federation Cup National Senior Atletices Championship, is associated with which sports?

[A] Baseball
[B] Shot put
[C] Javelin throw
[D] Steeplechase

Correct Answer: D [Steeplechase]

Answer Explanation:
Sudha Singh from Uttar Pradesh has won a gold medal in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at the 21st Federation Cup National Senior Athletics Championship in Patiala, Punjab on June 4, 2017. In the men’s 3000m steeplechase event, it was Naveen Kumar of Haryana who took the gold with a time of 8:50.85.

8. Which state has become the India’s first state to launch single-women pension scheme?

[A] Andhra Pradesh
[B] Telangana
[C] Kerala
[D] Karnataka

Correct Answer: B [Telangana]

Answer Explanation:
The Telangana Government has become the only state government in India to launch the single-women pension scheme. Under the scheme, a financial assistance of Rs. 1,000 financial is given to single women of the state per month on humanitarian grounds. The scheme will benefit unmarried women, joginis and divorced women. About 1, 08,302 beneficiaries from 31 Districts have been identified by the officials. The single-women pension scheme is the result of petitions filed on the plight of single women deserted by their husbands and relatives.

9. TATA Projects has recently launched which initiative to promote green cover in India?

[A] Green Thumb
[B] Green Mountain
[C] Green India
[D] Green Earth

Correct Answer: A [Green Thumb]

Answer Explanation:
The TATA Projects has launched unique “Green Thumb” initiative in India to promote green cover and to protect the environment on 2017 World Environment Day (WED). The Green Thumb 2017 is in continuation to 2016 TATA Projects’ programme wherein it aimed to get 10,000 people to click (pledge) to plant a sapling on their behalf – the response received was a tremendous 23,000. Encouraged by the response, TATA Projects planted a total of over 42,000 saplings across the country in over 100 locations in the last one year (2016-17). This year, under Green Thumb initiative, the company will plants trees, citizens who wish to do their bit to save the environment, can express their support for the cause. They can do so by clicking on the banner to plant a sapling on the Green Thumb Microsite or on Facebook page, LinkedIn pagea/155507/ or on the company website www.tataprojects.com.

10. What is the India’s rank in the 2017 IMD World Digital Competitiveness Index?

[A] 22nd
[B] 45th
[C] 39th
[D] 51st

Correct Answer: D [51st]

Answer Explanation:
India has been ranked 51st out of 63 countries in the 2017 IMD World Digital Competitiveness ranking. At the top of the digital ranking is Singapore, followed by Sweden, the USA, Finland and Denmark. For the first time, the IMD World Competitiveness Center has published a separate report ranking countries’ digital competitiveness. The new Digital Competitiveness Ranking (DCR) provides a measure of a country’s ability to adopt and explore digital technologies leading to transformation in government practices, business models and society in general. The ranking is based on three factors, which reflect the standing of a country in the dimensions of Knowledge, Technology and Future Readiness.

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