Current Affairs Questions & Answers - May 31, 2016

ANSWER: 7.7%

Explanation:
Indian economy will grow 7.7% in this fiscal amidst likely improvement in the industrial and agricultural sectors performance on account of good monsoon. The investment cycle is to take 6 months to witness a pickup says the survey. The growth in 2016-2017 is expected to be supported by an improvement in the agricultural and industrial sector performance. Prediction of a good monsoon after consecutive years of sup optimal rainfall will back the improved outlook in the current fiscal.

• The FICCI economic outlook survey also puts across a median GDP growth forecast of 7.7% for FY2016-2017.
• RBI in the previous month forecast a 7.6 percent growth in the current fiscal with the onset of a favourable monsoon.
• Agriculture sector is expected to record a median growth rate of 2.8 percent in 2016-2017 with a maximum and minimum range of 3.5 and 1.6. Industrial growth is expected to grow by 7.1 percent in 2016-2017.
• Services sector is estimated to grow at 9.6 percent. The survey was conducted during April/May 2016 among economists belonging to the industry, banking and financial services sector.

ANSWER: Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra

Explanation:
New capacity addition by the wind power sector may decline to 2500 MW in current fiscal as against 3415 MW in the previous fiscal on account of challenges faced by segments in MP and Maharashtra, rating agency ICRA indicated on May 30.

• Long term outlook for the wind sector remained strong given favourable government support and large and untapped wind power potential.
• Wind energy sector is facing challenges of slowdown following signing of fresh PPAs and reported delays in payments by state owned utility.
• Headwinds could lead to a decline in fresh capacity addition to 2500 MW in the wind energy sector in FY2017.
• In FY2016, the wind power sector witnessed a record capacity addition of 3415 MW, an increase of 48 percent over the capacity addition of 2,308 MW achieved during FY2015.

ANSWER: Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership

Explanation:
Success of global renewable energy project on Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago has provided a major boost to sustainable development as per a report. Meeting 30 percent of local energy needs, the US $10 million San Cristobal Wind Project reduced the GHG emissions and preserved critically endangered species according to a report released by Global Sustainable Electricity Partnership.

• GSEP is a NPO with 11 of the world’s foremost electricity firms.
• Initiative has displaced 8.7 million litres of diesel fuel and avoided 21,000 tonnes of CO2.
• Project’s three 51 metre tall wind turbines and two set of solar panels have been supplied on an average , 30 percent of electricity consumed on San Cristobal- the archipelago’s second largest island in size and population and went into operation in October 2007.
• GSEP has recommended the project’s expansion to further boost the renewable energy share to 70 percent.
• The Galapagos is an archipelago of 19 islands in the Pacific Ocean 1000 km off the coast of Ecuador has exotic plants and animal species and famed as a site of Charles Darwin’s research of the evolution of species by natural selection.
• Some of the islands have a growing population economically supported by thriving tourism.

ANSWER: 35%

Explanation:
Mass bleaching has killed more than a third of the coral in the northern and central parts of the Australia Great Barrier Reef.

• Corals to the south have escaped damage.
• Researchers found that 35 percent of the 1400 mile reef’s coral reef are dead or dying.
• Some parts of the reef have lost more than half of the coral to bleaching.
• The extent of the damage have serious implications.

ANSWER: 6.5%

Explanation:
Telecom industry’s revenue grew by 6.5 percent last year, the lowest since 2010 despite the sector witnessing close to 79 million subscribers during the period, according to COAI.

• If one goes back to 2010, the industry has been delivering double digit growth of around 10 percent following constant revenue growth of double digit.
• Industry has also seen a fall in revenue from voice calls though overall subscriber base rose by 79 million in 2015.

ANSWER: Yes Bank

Explanation:
T-Hub has announced its portfolio startup Click&Pay which is a mobile based payment solution enterprise has inked a pact with Yes Bank to facilitate cashless transactions for customers.

• Click&Pay will issue Yes Bank sponsored mobile wallet and employ the immediate payment service payments platform for processing instant transactions with person to person and merchants.
• Click&Pay is targeting I million users in a year by issuing Yes Bank sponsored mobile wallet.

ANSWER: Ramanagara

Explanation:
Ramanagara district in Karnataka would soon see the launch of a household biogas project wherein 7,620 household biogas units would be built, providing an equal number of biogas stoves to as many families in the district.

• An initiative of Infosys, 22 crore would be spent on the project and over a period of ten years, the project is expected to generate biogas equivalent to about one million cylinders of domestic LPG. Infosys would be training the beneficiaries to maintain the biogas digesters and monitor their performance in partnership with SKG Sangha, a Karnataka-based NGO with experience in implementing biogas projects.

ANSWER: HA 15

Explanation:
Scientists have synthesised a new drug that they say can treat melanoma, a highly aggressive form of skin cancer.

• The drug, known as HA15, reduces the viability of melanoma cells without being toxic for normal cells.
• Melanoma affects melanocytes, the cells responsible for the synthesis of melanin, which gives skin its colour. The tumour progresses in three stages: radial growth, in which the cells proliferate in a disordered manner in the epidermis; the vertical growth phase, which involves invasion of the dermis, and finally the metastatic phase, corresponding to the dissemination of the cancer cells in the peripheral tissues.

ANSWER: D. Javare Gowda

Explanation:
Noted Kannada writer D. Javare Gowda, who is popularly known as “De Ja Gow,” passed away at hospital in Mysuru on Monday evening. De Ja Gow, 101, was admitted to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research here on Saturday night, after he suffered a “heart failure”. He was treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.

ANSWER: Ziyuan III 02

Explanation:
China successfully launched a new civilian high-resolution mapping satellite along with two other foreign satellites on Monday, 30th May 2016. The Ziyuan III 02 satellite took off on the back of a Long March 4B rocket from the Taiyuan Satellite Launch Centre in northern Shanxi Province.

• It was the 228th flight mission by a Long March carrier rocket.
• Also on board the rocket were two NewSat satellites developed by URUGUS S A, the Uruguayan subsidiary of Argentine company Satellogic, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.

ANSWER: Honouring Our Heroes

Explanation:
It was celebrated on 29th May with the theme Honouring Our Heroes.The day offers a chance to pay tribute to the Blue Helmets’ invaluable contribution to the work of the Organization and to honour more than 3400 peacekeepers who have lost their lives serving under the UN flag since 1948, including 128 in 2015.

• On the other hand, the UN Postal Administration (UNPA) also issued a set of six new stamps for the occasion.

ANSWER: Arnab De

Explanation:
Indian-American scientist Arnab De in May 2016 received the prestigious Springer Theses award. He was awarded for his research in which he developed transgenic mice to study a critical tumor-suppressor called A20. His thesis was nominated by New York’s Columbia University.

• He dedicated his PhD thesis to cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar and his alma mater, Kolkata’s Presidency University.
• The Springer Theses Award is awarded by Springer, a leading global publisher of renowned scientific journals and books, to recognise outstanding PhD research.

ANSWER: Seema Punia

Explanation:
Asian Games discus throw gold medal winner Seema Punia on 29 May 2016 qualified for the Rio Olympics with a 62.62m effort at the Pat Young's Throwers Classic 2016 at Salinas in the United States.

• Punia crossed the Rio Games qualification standard of 61.00m at the Hartnell College Throwers Complex.
• The 32-year old discus thrower from Haryana defeated 2008 Olympic discus throw champion Stephanie Brown-Trafton of United States of America for the gold.
• This will be Punia’s third Olympic Games appearance. She took part in the games in 2004 and 2012.

ANSWER: Real Madrid

Explanation:
Real Madrid on 29 May 2016 won the 2016 European champions title. In the titled clash, Real Madrid defeated their city rivals Atletico Madrid via a penalty shoot-out following a 1-1 draw.

• This was Madrid’s 11th European Champion title.
• Cristiano Ronaldo scored the winning penalty in a 5-3 shootout victory against Atletico Madrid. Atletico earlier lost in their two previous finals appearances.

ANSWER: San Francisco

Explanation:
World’s Energy Leaders to gather in San Francisco for the 7th Clean Energy Ministerial and Inaugural Mission Innovation Ministerial on June 1-2,2016.

• Energy Ministers from Nations with 90% of Clean Energy Investments and 75% of GHG Emissions to Focus on Advancing Clean Energy Cooperation and Implementing PRIS Agreement Commitments.