Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 13,2021

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

The proposed Lemru Elephant Reserve in Chhattisgarh has been in the pipeline for 20 years. However, the reserve has become the subject of yet another controversy.

About Lemru Elephant Reserve:

• The reserve is located in the Korba district of Chhattisgarh.
• The reserve is aiming at reducing human-animal conflict and destruction of property in addition to providing a permanent habitat to the elephants.
• Earlier, the state government notified the reserve (Conservation Reserve) in October 2020 under Section 36A of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 (WLPA).
  • Section 36A has a special provision that gives the Union government a say in the process of notification in case the land to be notified as conservation reserve has areas belonging to the Centre.
  • Elephant reserves are not recognised under the WLPA.

ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

Scientists have completed the genome sequencing of one of the highly salt-tolerant mangrove species, named Avicennia marina.

About Avicennia marina:

• Avicennia marina is also called Banhi in Odia. It is one of the most prominent mangroves species found in all mangrove formations in India.
• Features: It is a salt-secreting and extraordinarily salt-tolerant mangrove species that grows optimally in 75% seawater and tolerates >250% seawater.
• Significance: It is among the rare plant species which can excrete 40% of the salt through the salt glands in the leaves, besides its extraordinary capacity to exclude salt entry to the roots.

ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

Indian researchers have spotted a rare superluminous supernova that shines with the energy borrowed from an exotic type of neutron star with an ultra-powerful magnetic field.

What is Superluminous Supernova?

• A super-luminous supernova is a type of stellar explosion with a luminosity 10 or more times higher than that of standard supernovae.
  • A supernova is the explosion of a star. It is the largest explosion that takes place in space.
• Superluminous supernova is generally rare because they originate from very massive stars (minimum mass limit is more than 25 times that of the Sun) and the number distribution of such massive stars in our galaxy or in nearby galaxies is small.

ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

Ladakh has become first Union Territory to vaccinate all residents and guest population; comprising of migrant labourers, hotel workers and Nepalese citizens earning their livelihood in the territory; with first dose of Covid-19 jab.

ABOUT:

• In spite of Ladakh’s low population, this is no mean feat because of region’s challenging terrain, extreme weather and isolated centres of population. Many of the population are in fact difficult to access.
• As per data, total of 89,404 people from all eligible age groups have been administered with first dose of Covid vaccine.
• Second dose has been administered to 60,936 people.
• Vaccination was done in less than three months after third phase of vaccination started in India.
• About 6,821 Nepalese citizens living in UT were administered the vaccine.

ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

The National Asset Reconstruction Company (NARC) has finally become a legal entity registered with the Registrar of Companies (RoC) Mumbai.

Key Points

• NARC is also called as bad bank is finally here in India. It is considered as a one-stop solution for banking systems stressed assets menace.
• Under the first phase, 22 stressed accounts amounting to Rs 89,000 cr has been identified to transfer to NARC.
• With this, Rs 2 lakh cr worth of bad loans accounts will be transferred to newly incorporated bad bank.
• SBI is expected to transfer bad loans worth Rs 20,000cr.
• PNB will transfer about Rs 8,000cr stressed assets while,
• Union Bank of India will transfer about Rs 7,800cr NPAs to NARCL.

 ANSWER: B

WHY IN NEWS?

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has approved “Blue Origin license” in order to carry humans on New Shepard launch system into space.

Key Points

• Former Amazon.com Chief Executive, Jeff Bezos, is to fly to space on July 20 through Blue Origin’s maiden crewed voyage.
• Blue Origin is authorized to carry humans while FAA license is valid through August.
• Blue Origin is approved to conduct these missions from its Launch Site One facility in Texas.
• This flight is coming after space-tourism rival Virgin Galactic successfully sent its crew to the edge of space.

ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

United Kingdom exported apple to India for the first time in 50 years.

ABOUT:

• Export of apple was welcomes by UK Secretary of State for International Trade Liz Truss, as a sign of strengthened trade partnership between the UK and India.
• Apples were exported under the Enhanced Trade Partnership, which was agreed by Prime Ministers of both the countries in May 2021. Enhanced Trade Partnership is considered as predecessor of Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
• Later, Truss and Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal formally signed the agreement, setting the goal of doubling bilateral trade between the United Kingdom and India by 2030.

 ANSWER: D

WHY IN NEWS?

Square’s hardware head, Jesse Dorogusker, announced recently that company is going to start building a hardware wallet and accompanying service for cryptocurrency, Bitcoin. This decision was taken in a bid to bring crypto coin into mainstream.

What is Hardware Wallet?

Hardware wallet is a special type of cryptocurrency storage which maintains and secures private crypto keys of users in hardware device. This wallet is known for providing security and utility when users interact with blockchains. It allows users to work on multiple blockchains simultaneously. This is translated as utility factor because users can manage Bitcoin, Ethereum & Alt. Coins, Lumens etc on a single device.

How data can be accessed?

On the hardware wallet, everything is backed up and accessible with a recovery phrase or with password or key. The hardware is in form of a small, portable, plug-in device which allows users to access cryptocurrency from anywhere.

How cryptocurrency is stored?

Cryptocurrency is not stored in the hardware of wallet itself. But it is stored in blockchains. Wallet allows users to access in a portable fashion. It is more like a credit card which can access account from any ATM or swiping platform

 ANSWER: A

WHY IN NEWS?

The world-famous Kesaria Buddha stupa in east Champaran district of Bihar is waterlogged following floods in some parts of the district.

• The ASI (Archaeological Survey of India)has declared it a protected monument of national importance.

About:

• The stupa is said to be the tallest and the largest Buddhist stupain the world.
• It is located in Kesariya, at a distance of 110 kilometers from Patna,in the East Champaran district of Bihar.
• It has a circumference of almost 400 feet and stands at a height of about 104 feet.

History:

• Thefirst construction of the Stupa is dated to the 3^rd century BCE. The original Kesaria stupa probably dates to the time of Ashoka (circa 250 BCE), as the remains of a capital of a Pillar of Ashoka were discovered there.
• The current stupa dates to the Gupta Dynasty between 200 AD and 750 ADand may have been associated with the 4^th century ruler Raja Chakravarti.
• The stupa mound may even have been inaugurated during the Buddha’s time,as it corresponds in many respects to the description of the stupa erected by the Licchavis of Vaishali to house the alms bowl the Buddha has given them.
  • In ancient times, Kesaria was under the rule of the Mauryas and the Licchavis.
• Two great foreign travelers, Faxian (Fahien) and Xuan Zang (Hsuan Tsang),had visited this place in ancient times and have left interesting and informative accounts of their travels.
• The discovery of gold coins bearing the seal of the famous emperor Kanishka of the Kushan dynasty (AD 30 to AD 375)goes on to further establish the ancient heritage of Kesaria.