Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Nov 18, 2015

ANSWER: Reifencom

Explanation:
Apollo Tyres has acquired German based tyre distributor Reifencom GmbH for Euro 45.6 million (around INR 301 crore). This is one of the largest tyre distributors in the country and it has online presence in 5 other nations-France, Italy, Austria, Switzerland and Denmark plus it operates 37 stores and service centres across Germany. This acquisition is a strategic fit for Apollo Tyres given its growing European business.

ANSWER: Ashok Singhal

Explanation:
Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Ashok Singhal has passed away on November 17th, 2015 following multiple organ dysfunction and sepsis. He has been diagnosed with right lower lobe pneumonia, carbon-dioxide retention, sepsis and drowsiness. He has been suffering from respiratory problems for over a month.

ANSWER: Chittoor

Explanation:
Chittoor’s Mayor K. Anuradha was killed and her husband seriously injured in an attack on them by unidentified assailants on November 17 2015. Mohan, her husband is a senior TDP leader and prime accused in the attempt to murder a former Chittoor MLA CK Babu. Assailants are believed to be linked to Babu.

ANSWER: Gurupadappa Nagamarapalli

Explanation:
The BJP MLA from Bidar, Karnataka passed away following a heart failure at the age of 74. He had served as a Minister in three Cabinets and was a legislator for six terms from Aurad and Bidar. Nagamarapalli is well known as the leader in the cooperative sector having spearheaded the 92-year-old District Central Cooperative Bank in its most crucial period starting from 1985. He also founded the Naranja Sahakari Sakkare Karakhane cooperative sugar factory in 2000.

ANSWER: K. Shankaran Nair

Explanation:
The former chief of Research and Analysis Wing, K. Shankaran Nair from Kerala’s Ottapalam village passed away on November 17 2015. He is credited with the success of the 1971 Bangladesh war and played a crucial role in restructuring the RAW in the 1980s. He wrote his memoir “Inside IB and RAW: The rolling stone that gathered moss” in 2008 and succeeded Kao as RAW chief in the 1970s.

ANSWER: 13

Explanation:
India has added over 13 million consumers in July to September 2015, as per an Ericsson Mobility report. Every second, a mobile connection gets activated in India. Global mobile subscriptions are rising by 5% Y-O-Y and Indian markets grew the most followed by China, the US, Myanmar and Nigeria. The report also found that total number of mobile subscriptions from July to September 2015 stood at 7.3 billion with 87 million new subscriptions. By 2016, the report predicts that smart phone usage will exceed mobile usage.

ANSWER: Marriott

Explanation:
With this acquisition, the combined entity will replace TATA Sons Taj Group of Hotels as the largest hotel chain in terms of number of rooms. All cash acquisition is valued at USD 12.2 billion and the combined company will own a franchise with 5500 hotels and 1.1 million rooms worldwide.

ANSWER: UK

Explanation:
UK Spies are constructing elite cyberoffensive forces to strike at IS fighters and hackers. IS has been trying to develop the capacity to attack British infrastructure such as ATC systems, hospitals and power networks. Britain will also boost spending on cyberdefences and make its cyberstructure simpler apart from building cyber capacity to attack adversaries. This new cyberattack force will be run jointly between GCHQ and defence ministry.

ANSWER: Development of world’s first porous liquid

Explanation:
Scientists have made a scientific breakthrough to discover the world’s first porous liquid which can be used for capturing harmful carbon emissions and eliminate them from entering the atmosphere of the earth. Queens University and University of Liverpool researchers along with global partners developed the new liquid and found that it can dissolve unusually large amount of gas, which are absorbed into the `holes' in the liquid. Research could pave the way for greener chemical processes. Till recently, porous materials have only been solid

ANSWER: 402

Explanation:
According to a report by Internet and Mobile Association of India/IAMAI and IMRB, around 402 million people will have access to the internet by December 2015 registering a growth of 49% over the previous year. 306 million of these will have access to internet from mobile devices up from 276 million in October 2015 and internet in India has taken a decade or more to move from 10 to 110 million and 3 years from 100 to 200 millions. It has taken only one year to move from 300 to 400 million users according to the report. Currently, India has the 3rd largest internet user base in the world. China currently leads the world with over 600 million users.

ANSWER: 52.5 lakh

Explanation:
Government has advanced the year for making 52.5 lakh people digitally literate under the National Digital Literacy Mission by 2016, instead of 2017. Around 10 lakh persons have already been certified and 8 lakh are in process. Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (DISHA) or National Digital Literacy Mission (NDLM) Scheme has been formulated to impart IT training to 52.5 lakh persons, including Anganwadi and ASHA workers and authorised ration dealers in all states/UTs across India. It aims to ensure IT literacy among Indian citizens.