What is the name of the unmanned rocket that exploded just after its lift-off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida on 28 June 2015?: SpaceX Falcon 9
Explanation: The 208-foot-tall (63-meter) rocket was sent for NASA under a 15-flight contract worth more than $2 billion. Thus, SpaceX Falcon 9 was the 19th Falcon 9 rocket of privately-owned SpaceX company and was on its mission to the International Space Station (ISS) when it exploded about two minutes after lifting-off from Cape Canaveral air base in Florida. SpaceX Falcon 9 was launched in 2010 and has carried out 6 cargo missions for NASA.
On Which day in the year 2015, time will stop for One second?: June 30
Explanation: A day has 24 hours while 365 days constitute a year. The day is further divided into hours, minutes and seconds. Time measured by the earth's rotation relative to the sun is called solar time. For any given point, there could be two values of solar time — apparent and mean. Measurement of time based on the earth's rotation and revolution has its limitations and hence the unit of time defined by the International System of Units is not based on astronomical observation. The length of a second is defined according to the vibrations of caesium atoms at various atomic clocks. International Atomic Time is based on a system of about 270 atomic clocks. Signals from these clocks are transmitted to the International Bureau of Weights and Measures located in Sevres, France, which uses the signals to form the International Atomic Time. Seconds measured by atomic clocks are the most accurate. These clocks are predicted to be off by less than a second in 50 million years. Thus, this year on 30 June 2015 by cumulating all such events now earth will face 1 second time stop. the international basis is the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). This system, introduced on January 1, 1960, is designed to accommodate the timekeeping differences between the atomic and solar time. Since January 1, 1972, the UTC is being modified by adding an extra leap second whenever it is necessary. This is done by adding one extra second in the last minute of June or December. The announcement of adding the leap second is done by the International Earth Rotation and Reference System Services. For the synchronization of these two measured values, time will have to stop for a second on June 30th as the last minute of the month will have 61 seconds.
In a historic triumph for the American gay rights movement, the Supreme Court on 26 June 2015 approves the US Constitution for same-sex couples the right to marry in all states in America. Which state in America was 1st to legalize the same sex marriage?: Massachusetts
Explanation: After the Supreme Court decision now, same sex marriage is legalized in all 50 states of America (in 2004, Massachusetts was the 1st state which legalized the same sex marriage). The decision as given as 5-4 that the Constitution's guarantees of due process and equal protection under the law mean that states cannot ban same-sex marriages. It is important to highlight one fact that this ruling is the Supreme Court's most important expansion of marriage rights in the United States since its landmark 1967 ruling in the case Loving v. Virginia that struck down state laws barring interracial marriages.
With which country, two years after officially recognizing it as a state; the Vatican on 26 June 2015 signed a historic first accord, and enshrined the state with special status as the birthplace of Christianity and the cradle of the monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam, Judaism)?: Palestine
Explanation: The Vatican's recognition of the state of Palestine followed a November 2012 vote in favor of recognition by the UN general assembly. Also, the Vatican has had diplomatic relations with Israel since 1993 but has yet to conclude an accord on the Church's rights in the Jewish state which has been under discussion since 1999. Thus the accord, a treaty covering the activities of the Church in the parts of the holy land under Palestinian control, was the first since the Vatican recognized Palestine as a state in February 2013. The accord's provisions to ensure the rights of Christians should serve as a model for other Arab and Muslim states in their relations with Christian minorities facing increasing persecution in the Middle East.
Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on 26 June 2015 dissolved the parliament, paving the way for fresh parliamentary elections in mid August. What is important about this decision?: The decision of election is taken eight months ahead of the schedule
Explanation: The decision is not a surprised as Sirisena appointed a minority government headed by Sri Lanka Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe after defeating Mahinda Rajapaksa in the January presidential election. The election will come eight months ahead of the scheduled date in April 2016. However, the President had promised to dissolve the parliament on April 23 of this year at the conclusion of 100 days of his new government. Sirisena, faced with international support for his reconciliation with the Tamil minority, had promised the US and the international community that a new government would be in place by September.
On 25 June 2015 which country’s military retains veto after constitution change vote fails?: Myanmar
Explanation: In a move to amend Myanmar's constitution to remove the military's legislative veto on key decisions fell short of the required 75 percent support in parliament on 25 June 2015. The result was no surprise given that a quarter of the seats in the house are, by law, held by the military, which ruled Myanmar for half a century until 2011. Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy (NLD) won the last free election by a landslide in 1990 - a result ignored by the junta - cannot become president because her two children are British citizens, as was her late husband.
Which spiritual leader was conferred with the Columbia’s highest civilian award Orden de la Democracia Simon Bolivar en el grado de cruz Caballero (Order of the Democracy Simon Bolivar) by Columbia?: Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Explanation: The Order of the Democracy Simon Bolivar was created in 1980 to honour the outstanding citizens for their service to the nation in any field. It is granted by the House of Representatives of Columbia. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar founded the “Art of Living Foundation” in 1981, which aims to relieve individual stress, societal problems, and violence while in 1997, he also founded the “International Association for Human Values” (IAHV) to coordinate sustainable development projects, nurture human values and coordinate conflict resolution in association with The Art of Living.
What is the name of the tiny island which has population of nearly 70,000 that take India to International court for not pursuing nuclear disarmament?: Marshall Island (tiny island in the Pacific Ocean)
Explanation: The tiny island nation, near the equator and close to the International Date Line, Marshall Island take India to International court of Justice for the not pursuing towards nuclear disarmament as they had suffered miserably during World War II and, later, the US used some of its islands as the testing site for its nuclear weaponry (The testing ground nick-named Pacific Proving Grounds.), which has caused adverse effects of nuclear weapons testing to the people of the island. Marshall Islands, already received over $700 million in compensation from the US. India has yet to file the response against this action.
What is the name of the Oscar award winner for his music in the movie Titanic, who died in plane crash on 23 June 2015?:James Horner
Explanation: James Horner had won two Oscars: first for the his work on James Cameron’s Titanic in 1997 and second was Celine Dion’s hit song My Heart Will Go On, which he co-wrote with Will Jennings. James Horner died in a single-engine plane crash registered to Horner near Santa Barbara, California at the age of 61. James was Born in Los Angeles in 1953 to a production designer, Harry Horner and his wife, Joan. He was trained at the Royal College of Music in London before returning to study for a degree in music at the University of Southern California.
Japan lifts 67-year ban on dancing after what time. The ban was put in place amid concerns that the relatively liberal social attitudes of the Americans were corrupting Japan's youth?: Midnight
Explanation: Japan's parliament last week voted to relax laws that banned boogying in one of the world's foremost clubbing capitals. The ban was imposed in 1948. Under the new law, expected to take effect by June 2016, dancing after midnight will be allowed if the club has a light level of at least 10 lux. It also allows clubs that do not serve alcohol after midnight to stay open for 24 hours.
