Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Jan 14, 2016

ANSWER: Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian Polity in Perspective

Explanation:
Book entitled Jawaharlal Nehru and the Indian Polity in Perspective was released by Hamid Ansari on 12th January 2016 by Vice President of India, Hamid Ansari at Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram. Focus of the book is on Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first PM on shaping on polity of modern India. The book was edited by Prof Alexander and with contributions from eminent persons like Justice K T Thomas, Dr Rajan Kurukkal, Dr B Vivekanandan, M G Radhakrishnan and others.

ANSWER: Monte Irvin

Explanation:
Monte Irvin, a Hall of Fame outfielder and player in Major League Baseball has passed away on 11th January 2016 due to natural causes at his Houston, Texas home at the age of 96. Irvin was a star for the Newark Eagles of African American League Baseball in the 1930s and 1940s serving in the US army during the 1940s. Jackie Robinson has become the first black player to be permitted into Major League baseball and in the 1940s, after Larry Doby and Hank Thompson broke the race barrier, Irvin was part of the NY Giants at age 30.

ANSWER: JFR Jacob

Explanation:
Lt General Jacob Farj Rafael Jacob is the last surviving general from the trinity leading India to the greatest military victory till now. He passed away after prolonged illness in the Army R&R Hospital on 13th January at the age of 92. If Army Chief General Sam Bahadur Manekshaw was the fountainhead of the decisive military war leading to liberation of Bangladesh from Pakistan in the 1970s, another popular figure was the Lt-General Jagjit Singh Aurora. JFR Jacob is a major general and was the right hand man of the Chief of Staff of Kolkata based EAC.

ANSWER: Method to detect dwarf galaxies dominated by dark matter

Explanation:
A global team of scientists led by Indian- American Sukanya Chakrabarti devised s new method called galactoseismology for detecting dwarf galaxies dominated by dark matter. Method also explains ripples on the external disk of the galaxy. Chakrabarti, an assistant professor at Rochester Institute of Technology, NY has presented her findings whereby the discovered method employs the use of the waves in the galactic disk to map inner structures and mass of galaxies. This is similar to seismologists who use seismic waves to gather details about the inner part of the earth. Method will be used for hunting mysterious space phenomenon. Team uses the spectroscopic observations for calculation of the speed of three Cepheid variables in the Norma constellation. Cepheid variables are stars used as yardstick for calculating the galaxies’ distances. Study tracks Cepheid variables travelling at the speed of 450,000 MPH.

ANSWER: Srinivas Kandula

Explanation:
French IT services firm Capgemini has appointed Srinivas Kandula as the CEO of the Indian operations. He has played a key role in acquiring Patni by iGate in 2011 and iGate by Capgemini in 2015. Capgemini has purchased iGate in a USD 4 billion cash deal replacing Aruna Jayanthi who moved to a global role in the group. Kandula joined iGate in 2007 while he was ex EVP member of the Executive Council and Chief People Officer. Capgemini employs 1.8 lakh people in more than 40 nations and reported revenue of 10.57 billion euros in 2014 internationally.

ANSWER: Maldives

Explanation:
Union Cabinet chaired by PM Narendra Modi has provided ex post facto approval for MoU between India and Maldives signed in January 2014 on cooperation in the field of health. MoU covers cooperation in the area of exchange of training of medical doctors, officials, healthcare professionals and experts, assistance in development of human resources and establishment of healthcare facilities and medical as well as health research development. MoU covers cooperation in the field of management and health care sector as well as public health services and procurement of general and essential drugs and assistance in sourcing of drug supplies.

ANSWER: Pradeep Chaudhry

Explanation:
Harman, owner of audio brands such as JBL, Infinity, AKG and Mark Levinson has appointed Pradeep Chaudhry as the country manager for India operations. Located in Bengaluru, he will also serve as current CFO of Harman Connected Services Division, according to a company statement. Chaudhry succeeds M. Lakshmi Narayan will serve as advisory chairman till December 2016.

ANSWER: India

Explanation:
Humanity is advancing but one is moving around the globe considerably lesser than that. As per United Nations estimates, 244 million people or 3.3% of the world’s population lived in a country other than which they were born. They were concentrated in just over 20 nations. The most popular destination in 2015 was the US followed by Russia, Germany and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has figures which indicate that a large number of migrant workers, not immigrants resettle in the United States. UN does not distinguish between those who migrate with legal papers and those who do not. Amidst the migrants are 20 million refugees who have fled from prosecution in their own country. Migrants are young, working age people which is a boon to nations like Europe which have a rapidly ageing population. After India, Mexico has the second largest diaspora.

ANSWER: 44.87 billion

Explanation:
India’s trade deficit with China has risen to 44.87 billion in 2015. India’s trade deficit with China has reached USD 44.87 billion in the past year and exports shrank to USD 13.38 billion as bilateral trade registered a considerable increase adding up to USD 71.64 billion missing out on the USD 100 billion target established by leaders of the nations. India-China trade has reached USD 71.64 billion according to reports released by Chinese customs. Bilateral trade registered a marginal increase as against USD 70.59 in 2014. This year China’s exports have increased to USD 58.25 billion as against USD 70.59 billion in 2014.

ANSWER: Mula Mutha River

Explanation:
India on 13th January 2016 signed a loan agreement with Japan International Cooperation Agency for pollution abatement of river Mula Mutha in Pune by January 2022. As per this agreement, government of Japan has made the commitment to provide a soft loan of INR 1000 crore to India for the project at interest rates of 0.30% per year. Major components proposed under the project comprise construction of 11 new Sewage Treatment Plants that result in creation of additional treatment capacity of 396 million litres per day over the existing treatment capacity of 477 MLD. Mula Mutha river is one of the 302 polluted river stretches of the country are identified by the Central Pollution Control Board.

ANSWER: IEA-OES

Explanation:
Central government on 13th January 2016 approved the entry of the country into International Energy Agency Ocean Energy Systems- IEA OES. PM Narendra Modi took the decision under the chairmanship of the Union Cabinet. India will have access to advanced research and development teams and technologies across the world by becoming a member of IEA-OES. OES launched in 2001 is an intergovernmental partnership between nations that operate as per framework under the IEA.

ANSWER: 2016 Pritzker Architecture Prize

Explanation:
Chilean architect Alejandro Aravena has won the 2016 Pritzker Architecture Prize for more socially engaged architecture. Tom Pritzker chairman and president of the Hyatt Foundation has sponsored the prize. Arabian is the first Pritzker laureate from Chile and the 4th from Latin America.