Current Affairs Questions & Answers - May 10, 2016

ANSWER: USD 1.7 billion

Explanation:
US has a USD 1.7 billion trade deficit with India in March. It also has a USD 26 billion trade deficit with China during the month of March. Goods and services deficit was USD 40.4 billion in March down USD 6.5 billion from USD 47.0 billion in February

• March exports were USD 176.6 billion, USD 1.5 billion less than February exports while imports in the month were USSD 217.1 billion, USD 8.1 billion less than February
• The Commerce Department also indicated that exports from China increased USD 0.1 billion to USD 8.5 billion and imports decreased USD 6.1 billion to USD 34.4 billion
• March figures also show a surplus with South and Central America, OPEC, UK and Saudi Arabia
• Deficits were recorded with China, EU, Germany , Japan, Mexico, South Korea, India France, Brazil, Italy and Canada.

ANSWER: Amelie Mauresemo

Explanation:
Andy Murray and Amelie Mauresmo on 9th May announced that they had mutually agreed to end the two year stint of the Frenchwoman as a coach of the 2 time major champion

• Briton Murray won his first clay court title and reached the final of the Australian Open in 2015 and 2016

ANSWER: 3

Explanation:
Indian boxers finished third in the overall standing with three silver and bronze medal in the Pavlodar tournament

• While national champions Ankush Dahiya, Reyal Puri and Ashish Kulhirya won silver medals for the contingent, Manjeet Singh won a bronze
• Performance helped India to finish behind Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

ANSWER: Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann

Explanation:
With the Social Democratic party in a fix after election loss, Austrian Chancellor Wener Faymann resigned on May 9th citing lack of support for his policies in his own party.

• While asserting he had majority support, he said the country needed a chancellor who has the full support of the party
• SDP suffered a series of losses in provincial elections as did Centrist People’s Party
• Two of these parties have dominated politics since WW2
• Freedom party has done well following the refugee crisis.

ANSWER: Kin Jong Un

Explanation:
The ruling party congress on May 9, 2016 announced a new title for Kim long Un, party chairman in a move indicating how the country’s first congress is bolstering the young leader

• Less than a third of 100 foreign journalists called for the congress were permitted to attend and that only for 10 minutes
• BBC correspondent Rupert Winfield Hayes was also expelled from the party for allegedly “insulting the dignity” of N. Korea

ANSWER: Mercury Transit on Sun

Explanation:
In a rare astronomical phenomenon taking place 13 times in one century, planet Mercury will be seen as a dot on the solar disc from many parts of India

• Phenomenon occurs when the planet is seen as a small black dot travelling from one end of the solar disc to another
• This occurs when Sun, Mercury and Earth are lined up in one plane appearing as a dot on the disc as the angular size is small as against Sun when seen from Earth
• In Delhi, the event will take place for 2 hours 20 minutes
• Transit of Mercury will be visible from many parts of Asia EU Africa, Greenland, S America, US. North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean Area
• Last transit of Mercury occurred on November 6, 2006.

ANSWER: Deepak Kabu

Explanation:
Intex Technologies GM Deepak Kabu joined Ziox Mobiles as the CEO becoming the second level executive to leave the no 3 smartphone player in India

• At Ziox Mobiles, Kabu will aim to increase brand presence in the market
• With growing competition in the domestic market, old hand and head of product Sudhir Kumar resigned and moved as CEO to Itel.

ANSWER: John McAfee Global Technologies Pvt Ltd

Explanation:
MGT Capital on may 9th announced that it would change its name to John McAfee Global Technologies Inc

• It is also posed to purchase securities of McAfee company D- Vasive Inc
• Shares of McAfee rose following the announcement

ANSWER: Knowlarity Communications

Explanation:
Cloud telephony company Knowlarity Communications on May 9th 2016 acquired Delhi based Smartwards, a customer engagement platform that simplifies loyalty for local businesses and their consumers

• As per the statement, Shantanu Mathur and Dhanraj Singh Bisht- co founders of Smartwards will lead the Indian operations for Knowlarity
• Smartwards started operation in 2013

ANSWER: Holographic

Explanation:
This smartphone lets users interact with 3D videos and images sans headgear or glasses. Device is called HoloFlex and is capable of rendering 3D images with motion parallax and stereroscopy to multiple users without head tracking or glasses

• HoloFlex offers a completely new way of interacting with smartphones allowing for glass free interactions with 3D videos and images in ways that do not encumber users
• HoloFlex offers a new way of interacting with the smartphone allowing for glass free interactions with 3D Videos and images in a way without encumbering the user
• It features a 1920X1080 full high definition Flexible Organic Light Emitting Diode touchscreen display
• It can also be used for holographic gaming

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
France aims to create deradicalisation centres to prevent people from involvement in jihadist groups according to French PM Manual Valls.

• Plan will cost US S 45.5 million by 2018 on top of the current funding aiming to double existing efforts to help people in terror networks or those likely to join them

ANSWER: On The Fast Track To End AIDS

Explanation:
United Nations released a new report named On the Fast-Track to end the AIDS epidemic on 6 May 2016. The report warns that the AIDS epidemic could be prolonged indefinitely if urgent action is not taken within the five years to come.

• UN through report urges all partners to ensure that the global AIDS epidemic is ended as a public health threat by 2030.
• The report outlines that the rapid treatment scale-up has been a major contributing factor to the 42 per cent decline in AIDS-related deaths since the peak in 2004.

ANSWER: Simona Halep, Novak Djokovic

Explanation:
Simona Halep won the women’s singles title of the Madrid Open on 7th May 2016. The men’s singles title was won by Serbia’s Novak Djokovic.

• She defeated Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia 6-2, 6-4 in the final played at Madrid, Spain.
• This was the third Madrid title for World No. 6 Halep and her first title of 2016. Overall this was her 12th career title.

ANSWER: Gangavati

Explanation:
Karnataka Government in the first week of May 2016 decided to establish Asian’s first Rice Technology Park in Gangavati, Karnataka

• Apart from this, a Maize Technology park will also be established at Ranebennur in Haveri. The rice park is being established at Navali-Karatagi villages on the outskirts of Gangavati, and the maize park is to be come up in the APMC market yard at Ranebennur.
• Parks will be established under PPP
• Establishment of the park will help paddy cultivators in Tungabhadra Command Area

ANSWER: Chan’s Megastick

Explanation:
Chan’s megastick or Phaebeticus Chani was discovered two years in southern Chinese province of Guangxi. The Insect Museum of China announced the stick insect measuring 62.4 cm has broken the record for the world’s longest insect among the 807625 known insects.

• The previous record-holder was a Malaysian 56.7-centimeter-long stick insect discovered in 2008. One of its specimen is on display in London’s Natural History Museum.

ANSWER: 100%

Explanation:
The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under Union Ministry of Commerce & Industry permitted 100% foreign direct investment (FDI) into asset reconstruction companies (ARCs) through automatic route.

• Person resident outside India can invest in the capital of ARCs registered with Reserve bank of India, up to 100 per cent on the automatic route. Earlier, it was 49 per cent through automatic route and beyond 49 percent through government route.
• It stated that total share holding of an individual foreign institutional investor (FII)/foreign portfolio investment (FPI) shall be below 10 per cent of the total paid-up capital.
• FIIs/ FPIs may be allowed up to 100 per cent of each tranche in security receipts (SRs) issued by ARCs which are subjected to RBI guidelines.

ANSWER: Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA)

Explanation:
Atomic Oxygen was detected in the upper layers of the Martian atmosphere known as Mesosphere. This presence of Atomic Oxygen for the first time since the last observation 40 years ago was detected by an instrument onboard the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).

• Atomic oxygen affects how other gases escape Mars and therefore has a significant impact on the planet’s atmosphere.

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik earned 2016 Rio Olympics quota spots in wrestling, as they entered the final of 2nd Olympic Games World Qualifying Tournament in Istanbul, Turkey.

• This is the first time two female Indian wrestlers will compete at the Olympics.
• While Vinesh earned the spot in 48 kg, Sakshi earned quota in the 58 kg.

ANSWER: Unique Business Identification Number

Explanation:
GoI has entered the process for issuing a Unique Business Identification Number of UBIN to entrepreneurs to set up business without delay

• DIPP under Ministry of Commerce and Industry has kickstarted this initiative
• The UBIN would be automatically linked to Ministry Of Corporate Affairs (MCA) portal after it is issued to the intended beneficiary. It will be subsequently sent to the CBDT (Central Board of Direct Taxes) which would nomenclature it as PAN for UBIN.

ANSWER: Enda Kenny

Explanation:
Enda Kenny has been re-elected as Prime Minister of Ireland after 10 weeks of deadlock that followed an inconclusive general election in February.

• Kenny is the first Fine Gael PM to win re-election in Irish history
• Ireland is called Éire in Irish and is also known as the Republic of Ireland. Irish, or Irish Gaelic is the country’s first official language

ANSWER: Both a and c

Explanation:
The Government has decided to set up six new IITs at Palakkad (Kerala), Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh), Bhilai (Chhattisgarh), Khanpur Nagrota (Jammu & Kashmir), Goa, and Dharwad (Karnataka).

• Each new IIT will have an initial intake of 180 students in its first year, which would subsequently increase to 450 in the second year and to 928 in the third year.
• The total cost for running these IITs is Rs. 1,411.80 Cr to be incurred between 2015-16 and 2018-19.
• Academic Sessions in IIT Tirupati and IIT Palakkad have commenced in 2015.

ANSWER: Maharana Pratap

Explanation:
As a part of 475th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Maharana Pratap Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma released a Commemorative coin of Rs. 100/- and a Circulation coin of Rs. 10/- in New Delhi on May 9th 2016.

• Maharana Pratap, fearlessly fought the Mughals and protected his people until his death.
• Ministry of Culture has been celebrating the 475th Birth Anniversary of Maharana Pratap during 2015-16 in association with the State Government of Rajasthan.

ANSWER: Integrated Waste Management System

Explanation:
The Government has launched a web-based application on Integrated Waste Management System (IWMS) – www.iwms.nic.in for better management of waste. App has been developed for following reasons:
(1) Help people to apply and get online permissions for import and export of certain categories of waste, which is for reuse or recycling or recovery or co-processing and ultimately to conserve our primary resource.
(2) Help authorities in web-based processing, generation and grant of various types of certification/ permissions to the entrepreneurs and industries.
(3) Implement concept of paperless/ green office; the system has inbuilt arrangements for uploading the supporting documents / annexure, along with the online applications.
(4) Provide an insight to the number of authorization/ certificates granted under consent to establish, or consent to operate, from time to time across the country and make available at any point the information regarding number authorizations / consent orders granted by the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs).
(5) Enable user agencies to check the fate of their application any time through this web-based portal..
(6) Generate database on waste generating/ processing industrial units under construction, or operation by consolidating the information regarding Consent to Establish, Consent to Operate and Authorization, import/export permission
(7) Generate data base on different categories of wastes generated viz hazardous, biomedical, municipal, electronic, plastic waste etc.

ANSWER: Kumar Rajesh Chandra

Explanation:
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Kumar Rajesh Chandra, IPS (BH:85) as Director General (ADG level) {formerly known as Commissioner of Security (Civil Aviation)} in the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) from the date of assumption of charge of post and till further orders.

ANSWER: National Hydrology Project

Explanation:
Government has approved the NHP or National Hydrology project under CSS as an externally aided project with WB support

• It will facilitate informed decision making through Decision Support Systems for flood management. drought management, reservoir operations etc
• State and central organisations will build capacity in water resource management through the use of this information system

ANSWER: Bookmyparts Networks Pvt Ltd

Explanation:
Bookmyparts Networks Pvt Ltd has announced the commencement of its operations by launching its digital platform, www.bookmyparts.com.

• As a digital marketplace, the B2B portal is an innovative and a first effort in India that aims to bring the buyers and sellers of machinery parts on a single platform and promises delivery at doorstep.
• Pinkal Shekhali is founder and director,along with Vinay Ganju. Bookmyparts is the first Indian aggregator in this field.