Current Affairs Questions & Answers - July 13, 2016

ANSWER: 1.2

Explanation:
Index of Industrial Production for May rose on an upside coming at 1.2 percent against a decline of -0.8 percent in April.

• This has been the best figure since February 2016.
• Four of the previous six months have seen a contraction.
• Contraction declined to 2.2 percent for the month in question.
• Consumer Price Index for June was flat at 5.77 percent as against 5.76 percent in May.
• Food inflation rose to 7.79 percent in the previous month

ANSWER: 7

Explanation:
Fertiliser industry’s overall volume rose 7 percent to 58.2 million tonnes in 2015-2016 despite back to back droughts in the previous two years, according to rating agency ICRA

• Overall volume for fertiliser industry during 2014-2015 stood at 54.1 MT
• ICRA fertiliser industry report “Fertiliser Volumes, Price Trends and Green Vision” made this announcement.
• Volume growth during FY16 has been driven by low opening inventory levels compared with the previous years and low base effect was supported by moderate growth in the domestic production of urea and higher import for non urea fertilisers.
• Higher volume growth has led to rising systemic inventory levels on March 2016
• Domestic production of urea witnessed 8 percent growth during FY2016 driven by positive change initiatives at policy level by the government.
• This includes the New Urea Policy 2015 and the Gas Pooling Policy

ANSWER: Textile

Explanation:
India will lend Kenya USD 45 million to help develop a textile factory and other smaller industries, according to leaders of both the nations.

• On a four nation tour of Africa, this is part of the policy push of the African nation to become an international player.
• Kenya’s current president is Kenyatta Uhuru
• USD 30 million of the funds will be used to revive Rift Valley Textiles Factory which went out of business in 2000.

ANSWER: UGC 1382

Explanation:
Scientists have uncovered a bizarre Frankenstein galaxy formed from parts of other galaxies some 250 million light years away.

• The new study showcases the secret of UGC 1382, a galaxy once thought to be old, small and typical.
• Scientists using data from NASA telescopes and other observatories have discovered the galaxy is 10 times bigger than earlier thought.
• Unlike most galaxies, its insides are younger than its outsides.
• The rare galaxy formed is able to survive as it has been located in a small neighbourhood of the universe which is relatively isolated.

ANSWER: NIDA

Explanation:
GoIbibo, one of the largest online hotel booking groups has entered into a partnership with virtual hotel chain in Asia ( the biggest in this continent) NIDA Rooms.

• Deal will allow Goibibo traveler to customise holidays by selecting from over 3500 hotel rooms in Asia from NIDA Rooms.
• NIDA Rooms CEO Kaneswaran Anili indicated they were pleased to be the partner of GoIbibo as more hotel options are provided for Indian travellers to stay in SE Asia.
• Value for money is a key ingredient integrating NIDA Rooms with Goibibo in a constructive way.
• NIDA Rooms has 35000 hotel partnerships with 800 hotels in Malaysia, over 1500 hotels in Thailand, over 1000 hotels in Indonesia and over 200 hotels in Philippines.

ANSWER: CBS

Explanation:
Twitter has indicated that it will lifestream CBS news online coverage of Republican and Democratic conventions later this month for the social media outlet.

• People will be able to watch videos of the convention on mobile devices and desktops in the form of political tweets.
• Twitter’s foray into video is a major step taken by this social media outlet.

ANSWER: Apna Tax Scheme

Explanation:
To check evasion by VAT Dealers such as shopkeepers, retailers and businessmen and create more transparency, Punjab government has started the Apna Tax Scheme under which mobile application Apna Tax has been launched which is compatible for both iOS and Android enabled mobile phones.

• Through this scheme and mobile app, the department wants to connect directly with all customers.
• All the customer needs to do is upload the copy of the bill using the mobile app Apna Tax and once the bill is submitted through the app, the customer will become eligible for cash prize announced after a lucky draw.

ANSWER: PR Sreejesh

Explanation:
In a significant decision, Hockey India has named senior goalkeeper PR Sreejesh as the captain of the national team for the Rio Olympics.

• Long time skipper Sardar Singh has been removed from the post.
• Sreejesh was rewarded after the team ended up with a silver medal at the 6 nation Champion Trophy hockey tournament in London.
• SV Sunil has been named the vice captain

ANSWER: Telipogen diabolicus

Explanation:
A colourful orchid species which has a devil’s head in its heart and therefore called Telipogen diabolical was discovered.

• It was discovered by Marta Kolanowska and Dariusz Szlachetko, both affiliated with the University of Gdansk, Poland, together with Ramiro Medina Trejo of Colombia,
• The new orchid grows a stem measuring between 5.5-9 cm in height.
• The orchid is assigned as a Critically Endangered species in the IUCN Red List.

ANSWER: Urolithin A

Explanation:
Pomegranates are said to be good for health and now scientists have discovered that it has a substance transformed by microbes in the gut into an effective anti-ageing trigger.

• Pomegranates have a precursor to the molecule called urolithin A.
• While this precursor on reaching the digestive system, has an ability to transform into urolithin A which prevents the breakdown of mitochondria in the cells.
• It is the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean up process known as mitophagy.

ANSWER: Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera

Explanation:
In what is the second time in the year, a NASA camera aboard the Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite captured an amazing view of the moon as it moved in front of the sun lit side of the earth.

• The images were captured by NASA’s EPIC or Earth Polychromatic Imaging Camera, a four megapixel CCD Camera and telescope of the DSCOVR satellite orbiting 1 million miles from earth.
• EPIC maintains a constant view of the fully illuminated Earth as it rotates, providing scientific observations of ozone, vegetation, cloud height and aerosols in the atmosphere.
• The EPIC camera is providing a series of Earth images allowing study of daily variations over the entire globe.

ANSWER: Phillipines

Explanation:
SCS is a busy international waterway and one of the main arteries of global economy and trade.

• China has claimed more than 85 percent of it
• Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands has ruled that China’s claim of historical rights over the South China Sea has no legal basis.
• The case against China was started by Philippines.
• PCA organises arbitration tribunals between member countries in the event of issues.

ANSWER: 2/3

Explanation:
Japanese PM Shinzo Abe seeking to allay concerns he would move from fixing a fragile economy to revising a pacifist constitution after the big election win, said that changing the charter would not be easy.

• Abe’s coalition and allies won two-thirds of the seats in Parliament’s upper house in a Sunday election.
• That victory, with the ruling bloc's two-thirds majority in the lower house, opens the door to revising the constitution for the first time since its adoption.

ANSWER: IDFC

Explanation:
IDFC Bank, which started banking operations only in October last year, will be acquiring Grama Vidiyal, a Tiruchi-headquartered microfinance institute, in an all cash deal.

• The value of the transaction, however, was not disclosed.
• The MFI will also be a subsidiary for the business correspondent operations of the business.
• This marks the first acquisition of an MFI by a bank in this industry.

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
Union ministers Najma Heptullah and Gowdara Mallikarjunappa Siddeshwara on 12th July resigned from the Union council of ministers. Their resignations were accepted by the President.

• Minister of state Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi has been given independent charge of ministry of minority affairs.
• Babul Supriyo, who was earlier minister of state for urban development, has now been given the charge of the ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises.
• The reshuffle saw the induction of 19 new faces in the ministry and key changes in portfolios of several ministers.

ANSWER: Utpal Bora

Explanation:
Union Government in July 2016 appointed Utpal Bora as the full time chairman of Oil India Limited.

• His appointment was recommended by a three member committee headed by Cabinet Secretary PK Sinha.
• Committee was formed after PESB did not suggest a suitable name for the position.
• DoPT also announced the appointment of D Rajkumar as the head of Bharat Petroleum.
• Rajkumar will take charge on or after October 1, 2016 after retirement of BPCL’s chief S Vadarajan in September 2016.

ANSWER: Raj Babbar

Explanation:
Ahead of the Assembly elections in UP next year, the Congress on 12th July 2016 appointed actor and senior party leader Raj Babbar as the State Party president replacing Nirmal Khatri who will now chair the screening committee.

• The party has not announced the CM candidate yet, saying the name would emerge during the campaign.

ANSWER: Tathagata Roy

Explanation:
Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy has sworn in as the acting Governor of Arunachal Pradesh, in the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan in Itanagar.

• With this he becomes 18th Governor to be sworn in as Governor of this Himalayan State.
• He has been given the additional charge of Governor of Arunachal Pradesh.
• With this, Mr.Roy will discharge the function of the Governor of Arunachal Pradesh during the absence on leave of Jyoti Prasad Rajkhowa.

ANSWER: 1200

Explanation:
A new study of pre-historic megaliths and tools indicate that Meghalaya’s Khasi drive has been residing in the state since 1200 BCE.

• The study was conducted on the megaliths and tools discovered in Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district.
• A megalith is a large stone that forms part of a prehistoric monument.
• The excavation at Lummawbuh is the first one of a Neolithic site in Meghalaya.

ANSWER: Montenegro

Explanation:
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee has extended greetings to the government and people of Montenegro on the eve of their national day.

• The current president of the Republic of Montenegro is Mr. Filip Vujanovic.
• The national day is celebrated on July 13, 2016.

ANSWER: INS Karna

Explanation:
Admiral Sunil Lanba, PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff commissioned the Marine Commandos Unit as ‘INS Karna’ in a solemn ceremony held at the Naval Base at Bheemunipatanam on 12 July 2016.

• MARCOS are a special op force of international repute.
• Special Forces have conducted numerous independent missions of direct action, surveillance and reconnaissance as well as recovery operations.
• The commissioning of INS Karna, has added a new base to the Special Forces of the Indian Navy as they deploy to safeguard the nation’s vast maritime interests.