Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Nov 12, 2015

ANSWER: 200

Explanation:
The fossils of a 200 million year old dinosaur was the largest plant eating creature ever found in the border area between S. Africa and Lesotho. University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg researchers made the discovery. Remains belong to a huge plant eater the Highland Giant which is the largest animal ever found in this region. To give an idea of the size of the fossil, a femur of the Highland Giant is 1 metre long.

ANSWER: IISc Bangalore

Explanation:
For the first time ever, an Indian university has featured in the world university rankings of the top 100 of the Times Higher Education. IISc Bangalore entered the list of universities for engineering and technology with a rank of 99. Top 10 of the list are dominated by US universities like Stanford, CalTech and MIT. Asian universities garnered six spots in the top 30 this year.

ANSWER: Myanmar

Explanation:
Myanmarese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has won the parliamentary seat leading a total sweep by her party to form a first government in the country which is not under military rules. Suu Kyi will not become president however, because of constitutional hurdles created by the previous military junta in Myanmar.Military and its political proxy will not relinquish power lightly. The junta took over Myanmar in a coup in the 1960s. Suu Kyi’s NLD has won 135 seats of 151 lower house seats announced so far. For the upper house, it has won 29 out of 33 seats.

ANSWER: Indiabulls IHFL

Explanation:
Sameer Gehlaut owned Indiabulls Housing Finance Limited has acquired stake of around 40% in OakNorth Bank, UK for USD 100 million. It has become the largest shareholder of a full service bank. Gehlaut can also buy 10% more in his personal capacity as chairperson at the same valuation. IHFL has now ventured into deposit taking franchise in the UK. The investment has been approved by the Strategic Investment Committee for Liability Franchise Development headed by ex Deputy Governor of the RBI and independent director on board, K. C. Chakarabarty. Total investments of Indiabulls Group in London’s economy will be in excess of INR 4200 crore now.

ANSWER: Both a and c

Explanation:
GoI has relaxed FDI norms in the construction sector, boosting foreign investment into the housing sector, especially affordable housing. Government has relaxed the FDI norms in the construction sector by removing conditions relating to minimum built up area and capital requirement. Any project, irrespective of its size, will have access to FDI. This has also eased the rules for foreign investors to exit and repatriate investments.

ANSWER: GSAT 15

Explanation:
GSAT 15 was launched on 11th November 2015. This spacecraft weighs around 3164 kgs and will replace INSAT 3A and 4B in the same orbital slot when they expire. This is India’s latest communication satellite. Its 24 transponders in Ku band will serve public and private DTH broadcasters apart from VSAT operators. The lone augmentation or GAGAN transponder in the L1 and L5 bands will ensure GPS based satellite navigation across the region. ISRO has indicated GSAT15 was put into space by European launch vehicle Ariane VA-227 which had ARABSAT 6B as the co passenger. Initial elliptical orbit was close to the intended one. GSAT-15 has cost over INR 850 crore inclusive of fees to European launch company Arianespace.