Solution (d)

Basic information:

A trade deficit is an economic condition that occurs when a country is importing more goods than it is exporting.

The trade deficit is calculated by taking the value of goods being imported and subtracting it by the value of goods being exported.

Explanation:

Running a persistent trade deficit can have adverse effects on the economy –

1. The country’s demand for dollars (foreign exchange) is usually greater than the supply. This leads to a steadily weakening home currency.
2. A high trade deficit also forces a country to constantly look to foreign investors to make up the gap between its export earnings and its import payouts.
3. In a slow-growing world, a rising trade deficit could be an indication that domestically produced goods are unable to compete against imports. If local factories shut down, that leads to job losses. 

Article link: Trade deficit grows to $15 bn in Dec

Solution (d)

Explanation:

The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) known commonly as the Iran deal or Iran nuclear deal, is an international agreement on the nuclear program of Iran reached in Vienna on 14 July 2015 between Iran, the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council—China, France, Russia, United Kingdom, United States—plus Germany), and the European Union. It is also called the 2015 Vienna accord. 

Article link: Iran tells IAEA it plans to enrich uranium up to 20% at Fordow site

Solution (b)

In news: A well-preserved Ice Age woolly rhino with many of its internal organs still intact has been recovered from permafrost on the bank of the Tirekhtyakh river  in Yakutia, Russia, near the Arctic Circle.

Article link: 

1. Woolly rhino from the Ice Age found on the bank of the Tirekhtyakh river, Russia
2. Head of 32,000-year-old wolf found in Russian Arctic

Solution (b)

Kharif Crops

• Crops that are sown during the southwest monsoon season are called kharif or monsoon crops.
• These crops are sown at the beginning of the season around end May to early June and are harvested post the monsoon rains beginning October.
• Rice, maize, pulses such as urad, moong dal and millets are among the key kharif crops.

Rabi Crops

• Those that are sown during winter, are called rabi or winter crops. It begins by October.
• These crops are sown at the onset of winter which coincides with the northeast monsoon.
• The harvest for these crops happens typically during April and May, during the summer season.
• Wheat which is the staple grain for people in the Northern parts of the country is among the key rabi crops.
• Vegetables such as potato, tomato and onion are also cultivated post the winter onset and are harvested in summer.

Zaid Crop

• This crop is grown in some parts of country during March to June.
• Prominent examples are Muskmelon, Watermelon, Vegetables of cucurbitacae family such as bitter gourd, pumpkin, ridged gourd etc.

Article link: Rabi foodgrain output likely to exceed previous record

Solution (c)

Explanation:

West Bank is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, bordered by Jordan to the east and by Israel on the south, west and north. The West Bank also contains a significant section of the western Dead Sea shore.

Article link: Israeli gunshot paralysed Palestinian