Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Dec 12, 2015

ANSWER: 12th

Explanation:
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee extended greetings to the government and people of Republic of Kenya on the eve of the nation’s independence day (December 12, 2015). Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta is currently the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kenya. The 52nd anniversary of this independence day was celebrated in 2015.

ANSWER: Cambodia

Explanation:
Dr. M. Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism inaugurated a 2 day International Conference on India-Laos: Inter-Cultural Linkages. The conference was organised by Indira Gandhi National Centre for Art in partnership with Shri Bharatvarshiya Digambar Jain Teerth Sanrakshini Mahasabha, New Delhi, India and Laos share a common cultural heritage and the conference sought to explore linkages.

ANSWER: 9.8%

Explanation:
From the 4 month low touched in September, the index of industrial production stood at 9.8 percent as against 3.6 percent month-on-month. Higher than expected figure was due to re festive ramp up and growth in mining as well as electricity and favourable base. October IIP figure comes in conjunction with the November reading . Electricity generated expanded 9 percent and the mining sector grew to 4.7 percent. General index for October 2015 was pegged at 181.3 that is 9.8 percent higher compared with October 2014.

ANSWER: 8.15 lakh

Explanation:
This is as against FTA of 7.65 lakh during November 2014 and 7.34 lakh in November 2013. A growth of 6.5% in November 2015 was registered over 2014. FTAs during the period January November 2015 was 71.03 lakh with 4.5% growth as against FTAs of 67.94 lakh with growth of 10.5% in January-November 2014 over January-November 2013. Percentage share of FTAs in India in November 2015 among top 15 nations was USA (15.76%) followed by Bangladesh, UK, Canada and Australia. Percentage share of FTAs in India during November 2015 were among top 15 port cities at Delhi Airport, followed by Mumbai and Chennai. Foreign exchange earnings during the month of November 2015 was INR 11,610 crore as compared to INR 12,968 crore in November 2014 and INR 11,994 crore in November 2013.

ANSWER: INR 18,259 crore

Explanation:
Money raised by India Inc from capital markets rose by more than 4 times to INR 18259 crore during the first 8 months of the current fiscal, according to GoI data released in the Parliament. Around INR 3972 crore was raised by 41 companies in April to November of the previous fiscal, 2014-2015.

ANSWER: Ola

Explanation:
Taxi hailing app Ola has announced a collaboration with Indifi to provide loan for drivers registered on the platform. Indifi is a tech start up that enables enterprises which are small to gain access to debt financing. Ola has initiated a loan scheme in the following cities-Pune, Bengaluru. It will partner multiple finance partners in the next 6 months for extension of this facility to drivers across the country.

ANSWER: South China Morning Post

Explanation:
Chinese e-commerce major Alibaba Group has agreed to purchase Hong Kong English language newspaper group, South China Morning Post. Agreement includes SCMP Group’s other media assets such as licenses to Hong Kong edition of Harper’s Bazaar and Elle. Deal is sure to raise concerns in Hong Kong where the SCMP occupies an important position in the media.

ANSWER: Naseeruddin Shah

Explanation:
Senior Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah on 9th December 2015 was honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award at 12th edition of Dubai International Film Festival. Other winners at this award ceremony include French actress Catherine Deneuve, French Tunisian actor Sami Bouajila and Egyptian actor Ezzat Al Alayli.

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
Varanasi and Jaipur have made it to the network in the following categories- City of Music and City of Crafts and Folk Art respectively. UNESCO DG Irina Bokova has announced the designation of 47 cities from 33 nations as part of the Creative Cities Network. India applied for the first time in these categories to UNESCO in 2015.

ANSWER: Both b and c

Explanation:
President of India, Shri. Pranab Mukherjee received first copy of the book “Selected Speeches of the President” Vol III and “Presidential Retreats” at a December 11, 2015 function from PM Modi who released the books. While the former book has been published by Publications Division, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting and the latter by a commission from the President’s Secretariat and IGNCA.

ANSWER: Gujarat

Explanation:
Numerous states in the Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana has reached double digits with Gujarat becoming the 10th Indian state to join UDAY/Ujwal Discom Assurance Yojana. Other states which have joined the UDAY scheme include AP, HP, MP, J&K, Jharkhand, Punjab and Rajasthan.

ANSWER: Salman Rushdie

Explanation:
Salman Rushdie, author of Midnight’s Children, The Satanic Verses and other novels won the Mailer lifetime achievement award. He is a former president of PEN”s American chapter and was honoured with the award on 10th December 2015.

ANSWER: Dolph Schayes

Explanation:
12 Time NBA All Star and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Dolph Schayes has died on 10th December 2015 following a battle with cancer at the age of 87. New York resident and son of Romanian immigrants was a NBA player of repute. He was an all state every season between 1951 and 1962.

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
United States has updated a policy on gas turbine engine technology transfer with India leading to expanded cooperation in production and design of jet engine components. This will lead to expansion of cooperation in production and design of jet engine components. US is one of the main sources of weapons in the Indian military. This will lead to collaboration under higher end technologies as per DTTI.

ANSWER: Yangon Stock Exchange

Explanation:
This stock exchange named Yangon Stock exchange has plans for six companies to start taking in March 2016 namely:

1. First Myanmar Investment Company
2. First Private Bank Limited
3. Great Hor Kham Public
4. Myanmar Agribusiness Public Corporation
5. Myanmar Citizens Bank
6. Myanmar Thilawa SEZ Holdings Public
7. Initially open to domestic companies, it will allow foreigners to invest in Myanmar shares

ANSWER: 20.50 percent

Explanation:
RBI permitted banks to bring down statutory liquidity ratio securities under held to maturity category by 1.25 percent to 20.50% by January 2017. This move will unlock funds for lending purposes. SLR was reduced to 21.50 percent from 22 percent w.e.f the fortnight commencing January 9, 2016.

ANSWER: BHU

Explanation:
The MoU has been signed on 10th December 2015 to promote Japan language in the city. It was signed by DG of Japan Foundation Kaoru Miyamoto and BHU registrar KP Upadhyay. Varsity has signed as many as 49 MoUs with various international universities from Japan.

ANSWER: Mauricio Macri Bianco

Explanation:
Mauricio Macri Blanco was on 10th December 2015 sworn in as the Argentina President succeeding Cristina Elisabet Fernandez de Kirchner who held office for two terms- 2007 and 2015. Macri is the leader of the Centre Right Let’s Change Coalition which secured 51.5 percent of votes in elections held in November 2015.

ANSWER: Sharad Pawar

Explanation:
Veteran Maratha strongman and politician Sharad Pawar, the leader of NCP celebrated his 75th birthday with a launch of a book entitled “ On my Own Terms: From the Grassroots to the Corridors of Power.” Sharad Pawar was born in Baramati tehsil in the year 1940. He has been CM 4 times. He also held cabinet minister portfolios in numerous Congress Governments.