Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Dec 23, 2015

ANSWER: Forex

Explanation:
RBI has created a dedicated helpline to assist start ups undertaking cross border transactions. Enterprises should provide complete information to RBI and mention other issues on which they need guidance. Helpline will assist in timely and effective dissemination of information.

ANSWER: Smaaash Entertainment

Explanation:
Smaaash Entertainment, sports centric virtual entertainment company co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar has collaborated with football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo for launching its first Smaaash soccer centre in Dubai, Jeddah. Smaaash will invest USD 20 million over 6 months to create opportunities for Middle Eastern soccer fans to plan and play football.

ANSWER: XLRI

Explanation:
For aligning thinking, functioning and decision making of forest personnel with international and national practices, Jharkhand state government has tied up with XLRI for introducing a 2 day programme on good governance for sustainable forest management.

ANSWER: IIT-Madras

Explanation:
IIT Madras has signed an MoU with Indian Railways on 22nd December to develop a long term framework for research and collaboration in the advancement of technology. The MoU will function for a period of 3 years. Centre for railway research will be set up at the IIT for this purpose for carrying out research relating to structural health monitoring of railway infrastructure.

ANSWER: Lion

Explanation:
US has placed a breed of lion found in India and Africa in the endangered species list to curb dramatic decline of their population. US Fish and Wildlife service has placed a sub-species of lion Panthera leo leo located in India and western and central Africa as endangered. The US has also placed Panthera leo melanochaita, located in eastern and southern Africa, to be listed as threatened.

ANSWER: Energy

Explanation:
Government informed Parliament that energy sector in the nation was the second biggest emitter of GHG emissions. Energy sector contributed to 58% of the overall emissions in the nation while the share of industry was pegged at 22% followed by 17% from the agriculture sector. As per a report 'India: Greenhouse Gas Inventory-2007', the net GHG emissions from India in 2007 with Land Use, Land Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) were 1727.71 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent.

ANSWER: Micromax

Explanation:
Following hardware, Micromax now seeks to expand its software services business across areas like healthcare, e-commerce and payments. City based firm has partnered with TranServ to integrate payments with its service platform which will enable the users to employ mobile wallets in a simplified manner. This is the first smartphone based native payments solution of the country.

ANSWER: Falcon

Explanation:
SpaceX has sent a Falcon rocket soaring towards the orbit with 11 small satellites on 21st December and it landed on the 15 storey leftover booster back on earth safely. This marks the first time an unmanned rocket returned to land vertically at FLorida’s Cape Canaveral. Company was led by billionaire Elon Musk.

ANSWER: Juvenile Justice Bill

Explanation:
This Bill will ensure 16 year olds involved in heinous crimes will be prosecuted as adults. Bill was taken up against the backdrop of the release of the lone juvenile convict in the Nirbhaya case.
The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014, provides for the trial of those between 16-18 years as adults for heinous offences. Also, anyone between the age of 16-18 who commits a less serious offence may be tried as an adult if he is apprehended after he attains the age of 21.

ANSWER: NIMHANS, Bengaluru

Explanation:
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee has dedicated the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences-NIMHANS Bengaluru has an institute of national importance on December 22nd 2015. The President also inaugurated the Magneto Encephalography Research Centre and NIMHANS Heritage Museum on this day. President also stressed that priority must be given to HRD in the field of mental healthcare and delivery.

ANSWER: Integrated Development and Management of Fisheries

Explanation:
CCEA has approved the implementation of an umbrella CSS scheme for integrated development and management of fisheries with an outlay of INR 3000 crore for 5 years. The Central Sector Scheme covers development and management of inland fisheries and marine fisheries including deep sea fishing as well as realising the Blue Revolution through activities undertaken by the National Fisheries Development Board. Scheme has the following 6 parts:

(a) National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and its activities,
(b) Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture,
(c) Development of Marine Fisheries, Infrastructure and Post Harvest Operations,
(d) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector,
(e) Institutional Arrangement for Fisheries Sector and
(f) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions.

The components of the scheme namely (a) Strengthening of Database & Geographical Information System of the Fisheries Sector, (b) Institutional Arrangement for the Fisheries Sector and (c) Monitoring, Control and Surveillance (MCS) and other need-based Interventions would be implemented Departmentally with 100% central funding. Scheme also provides for linkages with Sagar Mala project.

ANSWER: Andy Murray

Explanation:
Ace tennis player Andy Murray has won the 2015 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award presented to him by Irish boxing legend Barry McGuigan. Murray won the award based on a public vote. He had received the previous award in 2013. He is second in world rankings current

ANSWER: Arre

Explanation:
Arre, the digital media brand from Ronnnie Screwala, B Saikumar and Ajay Chacko owned U Digital on 21st December announced the acquisition of Apalya Technologies. Cofounders of Apalya, Vamshi Reddy and Shiva Bayyapunedi, will get 2 percent sweat equity in UDigital. Apalya was formed in 2005.

ANSWER: Jiffstore

Explanation:
Gurgaon based on demand grocery service store PepperTap on 21st December 2015 acquired hyperlocal grocery delivery startup Jiffstore in a cash and stock deal. As part of the deal. the latter will merge its operations with PepperTap.

ANSWER: Japan

Explanation:
President of India Shri Pranab Mukherjee extended greetings to the Emperor and People of Japan on the eve of their national day on 23rd December 2015. The current emperor of Japan is Emperor Akihito and his birthday is celebrated on the national day of Japan. The two countries have recently strengthened bilateral ties into Special Strategic and Global Partnership.

ANSWER: National Maths Day

Explanation:
India on 22nd December 2015 celebrated the birth anniversary of well known Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan as the National Mathematics Day. India and UNESCO agreed to jointly spread the knowledge and joy of learning the subject to Indian students on this day. A conference on the Zero was held in UNESCO HQ in Paris and IISc Bengaluru in recognition of the invention of zero by Indian mathematician Aryabhata. The declaration to observe 22 December as National Mathematics Day was made by ex Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on 26 February which was the 125th birth anniversary of Ramanujan.