Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Jan 05, 2017

ANSWER: 40%

Explanation:
Chinese smartphone vendors in 2016 captured 40 percent share in India. India is the second largest smartphone market across the globe.

Lenovo was the second highest ranking company after Samsung which topped the list, compiled by global research firm International Data Corporation.

Xiaomi took the third spot with a market share of 10.7%. Indian domestic brands saw a fall in the market share. Micromax reported a 16.7 month-over-month sales dropping in October 2016.

Smartphone giants see India with the population of 1.34 billion as the new China. Despite growth, price war remains fierce in what has become the world's second largest smartphone market where price of mobile averages USD 100.

Besides price war, patents right and tariff could further hinder growth in the country.

Know More About Indian Smartphone Market

• Indian smartphone market is driven by internet growth.
• Over 90% of the total internet users in India have access to mobile internet.
• Smartphones are expected to grow 36% CAGR in the next 5 years.
• High competition, language localisation and ease of accessibility in the market drive growth.

Key IDC Findings


• Smartphone market crossed 30 m units shipment milestone in Q3 2016 (IDC_.
• It was maintaining healthy traction with 11 percent Y-O-Y growth
• Online share increased to 31.6 percent with 35% Q-O-Q growth.
• 4 G smartphone shipments grew 24.8% over previous quarter.
• 7 of 10 smartphones shipped in Q3 2016 were 4G enabled.
• 9 of the 10 smartphones sold by e-tailers were 4G.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
There is a resignation spree among top cricket administrators post the Jan 2 decision of the SC to sack BCCI President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke for failure to implement Lodha committee reforms.

On Jan 4, 2016, ex Indian skipper Dilip Vengsarkar (Mumbai Cricket Association Vice President) resigned. Also stepping down were Jyotiraditya Scindia (MP Cricket Association chairman) and Sanjay Jagdale (MPCA president).

Earlier, the administrators who put in their papers included Kerala Cricket Association president TC Mathew and Former test cricketer Brijesh Patel, the Karnataka State Cricket Association Secretary.

Know More About Dilip Vengsarkar

• Date joined: January 24, 1976 (India national cricket team)
• Batting style: Right-handed
• Awards: Arjuna Award for Cricket
• Served two 4 year terms as MCA V from 2002 to 2010.
• Chairman of the Cricket Improvement Committee in 2015.
• Played 116 tests and served as chairman of TRDO scheme (2002-2004).
• Chief National Selector from 2006-2008.
• In 2010, he held a post in CIC of BCCI.
• Currently, he is chairman of National Cricket Academy.

ANSWER: London

Explanation:
The PRC or People's Republic of China launched its first freight train to London (UK) with the aim to improve trade ties and strengthen connectivity with Britain and Western Europe.

The train departed from Yiwu West Railway station in eastern Zhejiang province of China. It will travel for 18 days over 12,000 km before reaching London.

The train will also pass through Kazakhstan, Russia, Belarus, Poland, Germany, Belgium and France, before reaching London.

It is carrying goods produced in Yiwu. London is the 15th city in European region added to China-Europe freight train services.

Success of the train will give impetus to China's One Belt and One Road Initiative, an infrastructure and trade network connecting Asia with Africa and EU along ancient trade routes.

One Belt and One Road Initiative: Know More

• Also known as the Silk Road Economic Belt
• Called the Belt and Road, One Belt, One Road (OBOR) or Belt and Road Initiative
• It is a 21^st Century Maritime Silk Road.
• The initiative is a development strategy and framework put in place by Chinese leader XI Jingping
• It focuses on connectivity and cooperation between China and Eurasia.
• Comprises two components namely Silk Road Economic Belt (land based) and Maritime Silk Road (ocean going).
• It was unveiled in Sept and Oct 2013 (SREB and MSR respectively).

ANSWER: Robert Lighthizer

Explanation:
President elect of the United States, Donald Trump named prominent trade attorney Robert Lighthizer as his chief trade negotiator. He will be in charge of negotiating deals and engaging in trade relationships with other countries.

Before this, Robert Lighthizer had served as the Deputy United States Trade Representative under the Ronald Regan administration and is known for harsh critic of China’s trade practices.

He has extensive experience in striking agreements that protect some of the most important sectors of the US. Lighthizer has repeatedly fought in the private sector to prevent bad deals from hurting Americans.

During his stint in the Regan Administration, he played a major role in developing trade policy and negotiating roughly two dozen bilateral international agreements on a variety of topics from grains to steel.

About the Office of the US Trade Representatives

• Formed: 1962
• Preceding agency: Office of the Special Trade Representative
• Headquarters: Winder Building 600 17th St. NW Washington, D.C.
• Employees: 200
• Website: www.ustr.gov
• Parent agency: Executive Office of the President of the United States

Current Trade Rep executives Under Obama Administration


• Michael Froman, US Trade Representative
• Robert Holleyman, Deputy US Trade Representative
• Michael Punke, Deputy US Trade Representative (Geneva)

ANSWER: Paul Ryan

Explanation:
US lawmakers voted to retain congressman Paul Ryan as speaker of the House of Representatives. He will be leading the 115^th Congress before president elect Donald Trump's inauguration on 20th Jan 2017.

US House members voted 239 to 189 to re-elect Ryan to the key post over top Democrat and former speaker Nancy Pelosi.

5 other lawmakers voted for others. As speaker of the House, Ryan will lead the 2 year incoming session of the house. He had opposed Donald Trump during the Presidential race and even had refused to campaign with the him ahead of the November 2016 election.

Know More About the US Speaker's Office

• Type: Presiding officer of one chamber in a bicameral legislature
• Residence: Washington, D.C.
• Seat: United States Capitol, District of Columbia, U.S.
• Nominator: Those qualified to be a representative; in practice member of the house and party leadership.
• Appointer: U.S. House of Representatives
• Elected by the House, sworn in by the Dean
• Term length: At the House's pleasure; elected at the start of each session, and upon a vacancy
• Constituting instrument: U.S. Constitution
• Formation: March 4, 1789
• First holder: Frederick Muhlenberg (April 1, 1789)
• Succession: Second in the Presidential Line of Succession
• Website: Speaker.go

ANSWER: Jovenel Moise

Explanation:
Jovenel Moise has won the Haiti November 20^th Presidential election, ending the protracted electoral paralysis that had gripped Caribbean country's politics for a year and more.

Haiti provisional electoral council on 3rd Jan 2016 indicated Moise was the majority winner with 55.6 percent of the votes, turnout being low at 21 percent.

Moise, a previously little known businessman ran on behalf of the Tet Kale party of former president Michel Martelly who ended term without an elected successor.

But Moise's major challengers - Jude Celestin, Jean-Charles Moise and Maryse Narcisse - also contested the preliminary results of the latest elections.

The final official results gave runner-up Celestin 19.57 percent, Jean-Charles Moise 11.04 percent and Narcisse 9.01 percent. Moise lacks popular support with just 21 percent of voters participating in the electoral process.

48-year-old Moise runs a banana export company; Setting it as a model for rural development, on the campaign trial he popularised himself as Banana Man.

He is to be sworn in on Feb 7, 2017 taking over from interim president Jocelerme Privert who came to power in 2016. An October 2015 vote saw Moise win but an independent commission found massive fraud. Moise came first, defeating 26 other candidates.

Moise's closest rival had 19.5 percent of the votes, according to council spokesperson Nicole Simeon. Supporters of other leading candidates marched in the capital's streets in protest of the electoral council's decision.

Fanmi Lavalas party supporters called for the placement of their candidate as president instead, while supporters of left-wing candidate Jean-Charles Moise also led protests after initial results were released in October, 2015.

Know More About Haiti

• Capital: Port-au-Prince
• Currency: Haitian gourde
• Population: 10.32 million (2013) World Bank
• Official languages: French, Haitian Creole French
• Struggling to rebuild after hurricane in 2010, the country suffered major losses since.
• More than 60 percent of people living in Haiti survive with less than two dollars per day.
• Haiti has a debt of more than $2 billion.
• Growth is expected to be just one percent in 2017, due to a lack of public and private investment.
• In early October, Hurricane Matthew left damage of more than $2 billion in the south of the country.

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
The helpline Bunkar Mitra for handloom weavers went live on Jan 4, 2016. It can be accessed by dialing the toll free number 1800-208-9988.

Benefits

• Through the helpline, weavers can obtain assistance on:
• Technical issues,
• Guidance for raw material supply,
• Availing credit facility,
• Quality control,
• Access to marketing linkages and
• Information about various schemes and procedures to avail benefits.

Features

One of the key features of 'Bunkar Mitra' is that the grievance/query raised by weavers has to be resolved in 72 hours. If the grievance/query is not resolved within the given time frame, it will automatically be redirected to a director-level officer.

A back-end dashboard has been set up not only to keep track of the queries/grievances but also find areas where weavers face maximum difficulty according to a tweet by the Textiles Ministry. The minister has also instructed officials to prepare a monthly report to analyse the nature of grievances and keep track of redressals.

The helpline provides a single point of contact to handloom weavers across the country for addressing queries and providing guidance. The service is available in seven languages: Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Kannada and Assamese.

Know More About India Handloom Brand Scheme

• Handloom production generates employment and is eco friendly in line with Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas.
• India Handloom brand would be evolved based on high quality defect free, socially and environmentally compliant product.
• It will be catering to the needs of the high-end consumers looking for niche handmade products. The scheme would initially be voluntary.
• The producers would be encouraged to maintain the quality of the product, which will be specified. All the products under the brand should have the benchmarked quality for the raw material.
• Also included are the processing as well as for packing and labeling besides proving the origin from the hand-woven sector.
• The stakeholders comprise Weavers, Master Weavers, Primary Co-operative Societies, Apex Handloom Societies, Retailers and Exporters.

These are directly involved in the production and marketing of their produce in the domestic and in the export market.

ANSWER: Surekha Marandi

Explanation:
Reserve Bank of India has appointed Smt. Surekha Marandi as the ED in place of US Paliway who retired on Dec 31, the bank announced on 3rd Jan 2016.

RBI handed over charge to Marandi who assumed office on 2nd Jan 2016. She will look afterConsumer Education and Protection Department, Financial Inclusion and Development Department, and Secretary's Department, as per an RBI release.

Previous posts held by Marandi include serving on Boards of United Bank and Bank of Baroda.

Prior to being promoted as ED, Marandi was Principal Chief General Manager and Chief Vigilance Officer in the Reserve Bank.

She has, over a span of three decades, served in regulatory and supervisory, financial inclusion and development and human resource management areas in the Reserve Bank.

Know More About Surekha Marandi

• Surekha Marandi started her career with the RBI in May 1983 and has over 30 years of banking experience.
• She has been working for various offices at the RBI, including departments of supervision, management services, information technology, human resources management, rural planning and credit.
• Along with holding many positions in various capacities such as Banking Ombudsman, Maharashtra and Goa, she has been associated with various committees.
• These are including committees on customer service, financial inclusion and education, financial stability and financial sector planning for the state of Chhattisgarh.
• She has been a Non Executive Director of Bank of Baroda since June 10, 2014.
• She served as a Nominee Director of United Bank of India from July 30, 2010 to March 13, 2014.

Marandi holds a Master's Degree in Arts from the Jadavpur University in Kolkata, West Bengal. She has trained at several foreign universities as well.

ANSWER: None of the above

Explanation:
Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Nasim Zaidi on Jan 4, 2016 announced a number of new measures for the upcoming assembly elections in five states.

Zaidi announced putting up of four posters at each polling station, informing the voters of locations of booths, and other Dos and Don'ts. Colourful voter guide with photo voter's slip to be introduced for the first time.

The posters were a statutory requirement at all polling stations, he said. A voting assistance booth would also be kept at the polling stations.

The height of the voting compartment would also be raised to 30 inches this time. This was done to conceal the upper part of the body of the voters, the movement of which might giveaway the button they were pressing. This is being done to maintain secrecy.

The five states going to polls this year were Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Goa, and Manipur.

Know More About CEC

• Incumbent: Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi (since 19 April 2015)
• Nominator: Government of India
• Appointer: President of India
• Term length: 6 yrs or up to 65 yrs of age (whichever is earlier)
• Salary: ₹90,000 per month

ANSWER: S Padmanabhan

Explanation:
Tata Power has said that S Padmanabhan has been nominated as chairman of the board of directors of the company. S Padmanabhan, additional director on the company’s board, has been nominated as Chairman of the board of directors of the company effective January 4, 2017, Tata Power said in a BSE filing.

In December 2016, Mr. Padmanabhan was appointed the Additional Director.

Previously, he was the Executive Chairman, Tata Business Excellence Group (TBExG), and was recently given the additional responsibility as Head of Group HR for Tata Sons.

Mr. Padmanabhan has been associated with the Tata group for over 34 years.

The nomination comes against the backdrop of Cyrus Mistry’s resignation as director of the company in December.

TATA Power: Know More

• CEO: Anil Kumar Sardana (since Feb 1, 2011)
• Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra
• Revenue: 330.3 billion INR (2013, US$4.9 billion)
• Parent organization: Tata Group

ANSWER: Only a and b

Explanation:
MS Dhoni has informed the BCCI of his decision to step down as the captain of the Indian Cricket Team from the One Day Internationals and the T20 Internationals formats of the game.

Dhoni will however, be available for selection in ODI and T20 format. The decision of how long he would be captain of the limited over squads in light of Virat Kohli's success in the longer format was being debated.

Mr Rahul Johri, CEO of the BCCI appreciated how under Dhoni, Indian team has touched new heights and his achievements will remain etched forever in the annals of Indian cricket.

Dhoni gave up Test Captaincy in Dec 2014 when he retired from the format after the Melbourne Test. However, he stayed on as ODI and T20 international captain after having taken on those roles in 2007.

Although the next captain was not announced, Virat Kohli, currently captaining the Test team, will take over the mantle.

Dhoni has phenomenal success as a limited overs captain, winning the World T20 (2007), the ICC World Cup (2011) and the Champions Trophy in 2013.

He also holds the record for most matches as captain of an international side, with 331 games across formats.

He is also the only player to have captained more than 50 matches in each of the three formats apart from being the only captain to win all three ICC Trophies-World Cup, WT20 and Champions Trophy.

He debuted in 2004 internationally. He was named captain of T20 side in 2007. He became ODI captain after Rahul Dravid relinquished his post.

He became the Test Captain after the retirement of Anil Kumble.

Record of Dhoni's wins

• Tests: 27 Wins /60 Matches.
• ODIs: 110 Wins /199 Matches.
• T20s: 41 Wins /72 Matches.