Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Aug 22, 2016

ANSWER: Troop 77656

Explanation:
Chinese President Xi Jingping on 21st August bestowed special honours on a PLA battalion posted in Tibet close to AP for outstanding performance in safeguarding borders.

• XI who heads the Central Military Commission an overall command authority of the PLA has signed orders to give honorary titles.
• "Troop 77656 is now titled as a "model plateau battalion" for its outstanding performance+ in safeguarding borders, ensuring stability and helping disaster relief,” according to an official statement.
• Close to six battalions are functioning under the Tibet Military Area Command.
• The Line of Actual Control covers a border of 3488 km.
• China says boundary despite is confined to 2000 km mainly in Arunachal Pradesh in eastern sector which it claims is part of the Southern Tibet.
• India holds that the dispute covered the whole of LAC including Aksai Chin occupied by China during the 1962 war.
• Both sides formed numerous mechanisms at levels of field commanders and HQ to defuse tensions arising out of aggressive patrolling of the disputed border
• India and China have held 19 rounds of Special Representatives talks to resolve the border dispute.
• Xi also honoured Submarine 372 whose crew saved it from a major disaster while on a patrol mission in 2014.

ANSWER: Usain Bolt

Explanation:
Usain Bolt, the Jamaican sprinter on 19th August 2016 won gold in the 4X100 relay final at the Rio Olympics matching Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake and Nickel Ashmeade to finish in 37.27 seconds.

• Bolt obtained three sprinting gold medals in 3 consecutive olympics and finished his career with 100 percent win in finals.
• Japan won silver while Canada landed bronze.
• On 14th August 2016, Bolt clinched gold in the 100m final to become the first manto win an event 3 times at consecutive Olympic Games.
• He followed the win with a gold medal in the 200m which also makes him the first athlete to win 200m three times at the Olympic Games
• Bolt is regarded as the fastest person ever timed and became the first man to hold both 100 and 200m world records since fully automatic time became mandatory.
• He also holds the world record in the 4X100 m relay and is the reigning world and Olympic champion at three events
• He is the first main Olympics to win 9 gold medals for sprinting.
• He was the first to win consecutive Olympic 100m in 2008 and 200m titles in 2012.
• He has been awarded IAAF World Athlete of the Year, Track and Field Athlete of the Year and Laureaus World Sportsman of the year

ANSWER: Brazil

Explanation:
At the Rio Olympics, Brazil star forward Neymar gave the 2016 Rio Olympics host nation its biggest victory as he handed the country its first Olympic football gold medal, winning penalty in a 5-4 shootout victory over Germany.

• Neymar is undeniably Brazil’s biggest soccer star.
• He was injured in the FIFA championships this year.
• In a dramatic penalty kick shotout, the 24 year old star secured a historic win for his nation.
• Earlier, the Brazilian skipper put his side in the lead with a superb free kick in the 27th minute of the game before Germany skipper Maximilian Meyer came with an equaliser just before the hour to force the extra period.
• This victory of Brazil comes two years after an embarrassing 1-7 home loss to Germany’s senior team in the World Cup semi-finals two years ago.

ANSWER: Sunil Bharti Mittal

Explanation:
Sunil Bharti Mittal has been re-appointed as the Chairman of telecom giant Bharti Airtel for another five year, with effect from October 1, 2016.

• Mittal is the Founder of Bharti Enterprises, one of India’s largest conglomerates with diversified interests in telecom, insurance, real estate, agri and food, besides other ventures.
• The Group also has JVs with global leaders like Singtel, SoftBank, AXA, Del Monte amongst others
• Bharti Airtel, the Group’s flagship company, offers mobile, fixed broadband and digital TV solutions to over 350 million customers across India, South Asia and Africa.
• Airtel is a global telecom company with presence in 20 nations including Asia and Africa.
• It is headquartered in New Delhi India
• Company ranks among the top 4 mobile service providers internationally in terms of subscribers.
• In India, the company’s product offerings include 2G, 3G and 4G wireless services, mobile commerce, fixed line services, high speed DSL broadband, IPTV, DTH, enterprise services including national & international long distance services to carriers.
• In the rest of the world, it offers 2G, 3G wireless services and mobile commerce. Bharti Airtel had over 307 million customers across its operations at the end of November 2014.

ANSWER: Zambia

Explanation:
Zamiban President Edgar Lungu was re-elected in a vote his main rival said was rigged.

• Hakainde Hichilema’s United Party for National Development (UPND) said it would appeal the result at the Constitutional Court, accusing election officials of fraud during the count which began after voting ended .
• Lungu faced a tough challenge from Hichilema in a campaign to rule over Africa’s second-largest copper producer which has suffered an economic slump due to depressed commodity prices.
• He narrowly beat Hichilema in a vote last year to replace late president Michael Sata, won 50.35 percent of the vote against 47.63 for his opponent, the Election Commission of Zambia (ECZ) said.
• UPND party lawyer Jack Mwiimbu has alleged irregularities in the voting process.

ANSWER: Subrata Banerjee

Explanation:
Subrata Banerjee, an ex international umpire passed away at the age of 71 in Kolkata rendering his services as an umpire in men’s and women’s international games.

• He also officiated in age group tournaments
• Banerjee saw 13 ODIs in his international career spanning a decade and a half.
• He made his international debut in November 1983 during an ODI encounter between India and West Indies at Baroda.
• His father Sunil Banerjee was also a former Test umpire.
• Banerjee also officiated in 64 First-Class games and his ultimate international outing as an umpire came in a match against India and Kenya in May, 1998 in Gwalior.
• Banerjee also served as a reserve umpire in a Test between India and England in December 2001 at Mohali.
• He has also been a TV umpire in ODIs and a coach for umpires due to his extensive knowledge of cricket in international scene.

ANSWER: PM Narendra Modi

Explanation:
PM Narendra Modi will be the face of the Incredible India campaign of the Union Culture and Tourism Ministry.

• A decision has been taken and concepts for ad films will soon be submitted.
• Modi will talk about the significance of different places in those filks.
• Union Culture and Tourism Minister had earlier said the PM was the best face of the campaign.
• Its last brand ambassador was Bollywood actor Aamir Khan who made controversial remake on “leaving India.”
• Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan’s name was also proposed before deliberations were made
• PM Modi has been touring the world to have India’s voice heard on international forums and clarifying the nation’s stand on Kashmir.