GK & Current Affairs : June 7, 8, 2015

1. NASA’s Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator project aims to test technique for atmospheric entry on which planet?
[A]Jupiter
[B]Mars
[C]Venus
[D]Mercury
Answer: Mars
Notes:
The Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator or LDSD is a re-entry vehicle designed to test techniques for atmospheric entry on Mars. The disc-shaped LDSD uses an inflatable structure called the Supersonic Inflatable Aerodynamic Decelerator (SIAD), which is essentially an donut-shaped balloon, to create atmospheric drag in order to decelerate the vehicle before deploying a large supersonic parachute. The goal of the project is to develop a re-entry system capable of landing 2- to 3-ton payloads on Mars, as opposed to the 1-ton limit of the currently used systems.
2. Ajeya Warrior is a biannual military exercise between India and which country?
[A]Japan
[B]Russia
[C]UK
[D]Australia
Answer: UK
Notes:
Ajeya Warrior is a joint exercise between the armies of India and UK. The exercise will be conducted from 13 June to 28 June 2015 at Westdown Camp, Salisbury Plains Training Area, UK. The Exercise is held biannually in the two countries, alternatively. The aim of the Exercise is to build and promote positive military relations between Indian and UK Army and to enhance their ability to undertake joint tactical level operations in Counter Insurgency/Counter Terrorism Environment under United Nations Charter.
3. Which among the following conventions addresses the damage caused by spills of oil?
[A]Bunker convention
[B]Nairobi convention
[C]Salvage convention
[D]Stockholm convention
Answer: Bunker convention
Notes:
The union cabinet in India has approved the Ministry of Shipping’s proposal for India’s accession to the International Convention on Civil Liability for Bunker Oil Pollution Damage, 2001, (Bunker Convention) of the International Maritime Organisation[IMO]. The Bunker Convention ensures adequate, prompt, and effective compensation for damage caused by spills of oil, when carried as fuel in ships’ bunkers. The territorial jurisdiction for damage compensation extends to territorial sea and exclusive economic zones. It applies to an Indian vessel, wherever it is situated, and to a vessel carrying foreign flag while it is within Indian jurisdiction.
4. On which date, World Ocean Day is observed?
[A]June 6
[B]June 8
[C]June 10
[D]June 12
Answer: June 8
Notes:
World Ocean Day is celebrated on June 8. The Government of Canada proposed the concept of World Ocean Day in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and the day has been celebrated internationally ever since.
5. In June, 2015, World Health Organisation has declared India free of which disease?
[A]Japanese Encephalitis
[B]Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
[C]Pneumonia
[D]Diphtheria
Answer: Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus
Notes:
World Health Organisation has declared India free of maternal and neonatal tetanus. The elimination of neonatal tetanus is defined as less than one case in 1000 live births in every district across the country. The disease usually occurs in newborns through infection of the unhealed umbilical stump, especially when the stump is cut with a non-sterile instrument. Nagaland was the last Indian state to achieve maternal and neonatal tetanus elimination
6. The Nairobi Convention is for protection, management and development of which of the following?
[A]Marine environment
[B]Desert Biomes
[C]Coastal and Inland wetlands
[D]Arctic and Antarctic
Answer: Marine environment
Notes:
The Nairobi Convention of 1985 or the Convention of the Protection, Management and Development of the Marine and Coastal Environment of the Eastern African Region is a regional framework agreement for marine environmental management. It is implemented by the Consortium for Conservation of Coastal and Marine Ecosystems in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO-C) in coordination with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) as well as non-governmental organizations such as World Conservation Union (IUCN) and Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA).
7. In 2014, which country has emerged as world’s biggest oil producer?
[A]Saudi Arabia
[B]USA
[C]Russia
[D]China
Answer: USA
Notes:
The United States has emerged as world’s biggest oil producer in 2014. USA surpassed Saudi Arabia to became top oil producer in 2014.The US produced 15.9% more oil in 2014 at 11.6 million barrels of oil per day to topple Saudi Arabia’s 11.5 million bpd production. Russia with 10.8 million bpd oil production was placed third. The US surpassed Russia as the world’s largest producer of oil and gas, producing 1,250.4 million tons of oil and oil equivalent natural gas in 2014. This compared with Russia’s 1,062 million tons of oil equivalent.
8. Currently, which are the four nations in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers?
[A]US, China, Russia, France
[B]US, Japan, Russia, China
[C]US, Russia, UK, France
[D]US, India, France, UK
Answer: US, Russia, UK, France
Notes:
At present US, Russia, the UK and France are the four countries in the world capable of designing and constructing aircraft carriers. After successful completion of INS Vikrant 40,000 tonnes aircraft carrier India will join in the above group of countries.
9. In June, 2015, twenty six countries from which region have agreed to create The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA)?
[A]Asia
[B]Europe
[C]Africa
[D]North America
Answer: Africa
Notes:
Leaders from 26 African countries have agreed to create the continent’s largest free-trade zone, in an area from Cape Town to Cairo. The agreement is signed in Egypt. The agreement is intended to ease the movement of goods across member countries which represent more than half the continent’s GDP. The pact – known as The Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA) – will then be officially unveiled at the upcoming summit of the African Union in South Africa.
10. Who has been conferred with prestigious Sant Namdev National Award-2015?
[A]Narendra Modi
[B]Mana Mohan Singh
[C]Parkash Singh Badal
[D]Manohar Panikar
Answer: Parkash Singh Badal
Notes:
Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal was conferred the prestigious 14th Sant Namdev National Award- 2015 for promoting peace, communal harmony and universal brotherhood. This award was bestowed upon Badal by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of the organisers of the Sarhad foundation.

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