Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Dec 30, 2015

ANSWER: Guinea

Explanation:
Guinea has been declared Ebola free on 29th December 2015 after more than 2500 persons died from the virus in the W. African nation. Liberia is the only country still awaiting the countdown towards the close of the epidemic. Ebola has orphaned 6200 children in Guinea where there have been 3,800 cases of which more than 26,600 cases were global with 11,300 deaths as per a WHO figure. Massive number of deaths have been in the following countries- Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

ANSWER: Ian Kilmister

Explanation:
Ian Lemmy Kilmister, the frontman for Motorhead, a rock group died following a battle with aggressive cancer at the age of 70. Kilmister had been suffering from numerous health issues and learned of his cancer diagnosis just two days before. He was known as an innovative frontman. Born in 1945, he is one of the most well known rock musicians of his age.

ANSWER: Haskell Wexler

Explanation:
Well known Oscar winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler has passed away peacefully on 27th December 2015 at the age of 93. He is one of the most influential cinematographers of his time and is known for works such as One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and American Graffiti.

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
General Om Prakash Malhotra passed away on 29th December 2015 on account of old age. He passed away at the age of 93 and was the 13th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army from 1978 to 1981. Born in Srinagar Kashmir, he was an alumnus of Indian Military Academy Dehradun.

ANSWER: Subir Sen

Explanation:
Well known singer Subir Sen passed away on 29th December 2015 on account of lung cancer at the age of 81. He was known as a singer of duets with famous performers like Asha Bhonsle and Lata Mangeshkar.

ANSWER: National Investment and Infrastructure Fund

Explanation:
Government will be setting up a INR 40 k crore National Investment and Infrastructure Fund. Its chief executive will be finalised towards the end of January. IIFC has been appointed as the investment advisor and IDBI Capital Market Services Ltd has been appointed as advisor. NIIF has constituted a search cum selection committee under CCEA Secretary Shanktikanta Das for selection of the CEO of NIIF.

ANSWER: George Pataki

Explanation:
Former NY Governor George Pataki has indicated he is ending the bid for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination with just one month before the start of the nomination contests. 70 year old Pataki is a centrist Republican who led NY through the September 11, 2001 attacks.

ANSWER: Raghuveer Chaudhary

Explanation:
Well known Gujarati litterateur R. Chaudhary has been selected on 29th December 2015 for the 51st Jnanpith award for his contribution to Indian literature. Noted scholar Namwar Singh chaired the selection board which also comprised Shamim Hanfi, Harish Trivedi, Suranjan Das, Ramakant Rath, Chandrakant Patil, Alok Rai, Dinesh Misra and Leeladhar Mandloi. After Uma Shankar Joshi and Pannalai Patel as well as Rajendra Shah, he is the fourth literary figure from Gujarat to bag the award.

ANSWER: ICICI Lombard GIC

Explanation:
Prem Watsa run Fairfax Financial Holdings’ proposed acquisition of additional nine per cent stake in ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company for an estimated Rs. 1,550 crore has received clearance from CCI. Following the transaction, Fairfax will hold 35 per cent in ICICI Lombard, while ICICI Bank will have about 64 per cent stake. The proposed transaction values the company at Rs. 17,225 crore ($ 2.6 billion), Fairfax had said. Earlier, foreign partners were only allowed to hold 26 per cent stake in an insurance venture which has now been increased to 49 per cent after the passage of the Insurance Laws (Amendment) Act earlier this year.

ANSWER: Gaofen-4

Explanation:
Gaofen-4 Earth observation satellite China on 29 December 2015 successfully launched Gaofen-4 Earth observation satellite toward a geostationary orbit from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in the south-western province of Sichuan aboard a Long March-3B carrier rocket. Launched as a part of the China High-resolution Earth Observation System (CHEOS), Gaofen-4 is located at the orbit 36000 kilometres away from the earth and moves synchronously with the earth. 7 high definition satellites have been targeted by 2020 by China.

ANSWER: Saregama India Ltd

Explanation:
Financial services company, Reliance Capital, has purchased 11.88 lakh equity shares constituting 6.83 per cent of the equity share capital of Saregama India Ltd. on December 28, according to a regulatory filing. At 28th December’s closing price of Rs. 364.40 per unit, Reliance Capital would have paid Rs. 43.29 crore.