Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Dec 17, 2015

ANSWER: 17.5

Explanation:
India recorded private equity investment of USD 17.5 billion in 2015 centred around record high across 685 deals, according to PwC. This breached the previous high of 14.7 billion recorded in 2007. The year 2015 also saw USD 8.2 billion worth of exits, more than 4 billion of exits in the previous year. 2010 has set a record high in the number of exits prior to this, pegged at USD 6.3 billion.

ANSWER: 15

Explanation:
Burning of fossil fuels is one of the biggest causes for climate change. Another point is the high level of meat consumption. FAO scientists have estimated 15% of emissions or 7.1 billion tonnes of C02 come from worldwide livestock. Emissions can be cut by reducing meat consumption, according to FAO. Meat consumption is projected to rise to 460 million tonnes by 2050.

ANSWER: Use tools

Explanation:
A species of parrots in Madagascar and Comoros has been found using tools, which is a first mong parrots. This species of parrot used small pebbles and date pits to break/grind shells so that they can be consumed. Sea shells are a rich source of calcium. 10 captive parrots were studied by researchers to document their interactions with cockle shells on the aviary floor.

ANSWER: General Atlantic

Explanation:
US PE firm Blackstone Group LP has purchased a minority stake in India’s IBS Software for USD 170 million from shareholders including General Atlantic. IBS is a software company involved in diverse industries such as travel, hospitality, logistics and oil and gas. General Atlantic has been an investor in IBS since 2007. PE firm Blackstone has been looking for investment opportunities since acquisition of India operations of British outsourcing firm Serco for 250 million pounds, the largest acquisition in India by enterprise value.

ANSWER: TCS

Explanation:
The largest software exporter in the company TCS has been selected by German aviation major Lufthansa for setting up a test facility to support its IT transformation initiative in a multi million dollar deal. TCS will provide testing service. It will also help improve the quality of services of Lufthansa’s technology ops. Currently, TCS has 85 clients in Germany and Austria.

ANSWER: Indian School of Business

Explanation:
Indian School of Business and Strategy&, a part of the PriceWaterhouseCooper network have entered into a contract to set up an industry think tank in the Indian defence sector. An agreement to this effect has been signed on 16th December 2015. This is against the backdrop of Make in India policy and thrust on local aerospace and defence production.

ANSWER: Swachch Bharat Abhiyan

Explanation:
World Bank has approved a loan of USD 1.5 billion for clean India campaign to support improved sanitation in the country. According to WB stats, 2.4 billion people in the world lack access to improved sanitation of which 750 million are in India and 80% are living in rural areas. Loan will be used for the SBM Support Operation Project.

ANSWER: Aditya L1

Explanation:
In an LS reply, it was announced that India’s second lunar probe Chandrayaan II would land on the moon in 2017. Also, its first solar mission Aditya L1 will be launched in 2019, as per the information released in the LS. Chandrayaan II is the second lunar mission and it will explore possibilities of extra terrestrial life on the moon. Aditya L1 mission will study the sun from the orbit around the sun earth L-1 or lagrangian point. This point is 1.5 million kms from earth. Approved cost of this solar mission is INR 378.53 crore.

ANSWER: National Air Quality Index

Explanation:
Green Peace India on 15th December 2015 released a report on 17 cities’ National Air Quality Index. This is the first analysis of air pollution levels in Indian cities carried out by the NGO. Around 13 Indian cities figured in the 20 most polluted cities of the world. Delhi was listed as the most polluted city of the world.

ANSWER: Justice Virendra Singh

Explanation:
SC on 16th December 2015 appointed retired judge Justice Virendra Singh as the Lokayukta of UP. A lokayukta is a anti corruption ombudsman. Bench of Justice Ranjan Gogoi and NV Ramana gave approval for the appointment. This is the first time SC has exercised powers to appoint a Lokayukta after orders that a person must be appointed for the position. Current Lokayukta Justice NK Mehrotra has been given multiple extensions before this.

ANSWER: Spain

Explanation:
The Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has provided approval for an MoU between India and Spain on cooperation in port matters. Signing of this agreement will help in the development of ports and maritime traffic as well as faculty and students from maritime establishments apart from JVs in areas like green port initiative, maintenance dredging in riverine ports, port engineering and more.

ANSWER: Both a and b

Explanation:
Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has given ex post facto approval of MoU signed between India and BRICS for initiating energy savings and energy efficiency cooperation for mutual benefits. Approval for the same was given on 16th December 2015. MoU covers the following fields:

- Joint scientific and technological research,
- Conferencing and holding of lectures and seminars;
- Capacity building and technology transfer;
- Technology development, sharing policies and best practices;
- Encouragement of use of energy efficient and energy saving approaches

ANSWER: Bhutan

Explanation:
December 17th, 2015 was celebrated as the National Day of Bhutan. For this day, President Pranab Mukherjee extended greetings to the king and people of the Kingdom of Bhutan. Bhutan;s current king is Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.

ANSWER: December 16

Explanation:
Vijay Diwas was celebrated across the nation on 16th December 2015 in memory of martyrs who laid down their lives during the 1971 Indo-Pak war. Defence Minister as well as supreme commanders of the armed forced paid tributes at Amar Jawan Jyoti on this occasion.