Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Oct 20, 2015

ANSWER: Danish Hussain

Explanation:
The Dasntagoi artist returned the award, becoming the second to do so after Maya Krishna Rao. Hussain received the Akademi’s Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar in 2010 jointly with Mahmood Farooqui for Dastangoi, a folk narrative of Uttar Pradesh. This is one of the landmark moments when many writers, poets, thinkers and artists have returned their recognition en masse.

ANSWER: Adani Group

Explanation:
Adani Group firm on 19th October 2015 formed a pact with IPGA or Indian Pulses Grains Association to ensure commodity handling across its ports for seamless availability of lentils across India. India’s largest port developer Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone has signed a MoU with IPGA for handling pulses across ports. Pact aims at developing dedicated and efficient supply chain for pulses through port facilities to key consumption centres in the nation. India imports close to 5 million tonnes of pulses each year for domestic consumption mainly from Australia, Canada and around the Black Sea. Adani Group is a leading business house in India. It generates revenue of USD 10 billion and owns and operates 7 ports and terminals in various parts of the country. This group crossed the 14 million tonne mark of cargo handling in FY 2014-2015.

ANSWER: Prof. V. K. Malhotra

Explanation:
This council headed by Prof V.K. Malhotra, being its President in the rank of Minister of State. All India Council of Sports includes the following members:

- Sachin Tendulkar, MP (Rajya Sabha),
- P.T. Usha (Athletics),
- Limba Ram (Archery),
- N. Kunjarani Devi (Weightlifting),
- I.M. Vijayan (Football),
- P. Gopichand (Badminton),
- Baichung Bhutia (Football),
- Uday Shankar, CEO Star India,
- Vishwanathan Anand (Chess),
- Sandeep Pradhan, Director General, Sports Authority of Gujarat, Secretary (Sports), Government of Madhya Pradesh,
- Secretary (Sports), Government of Assam,
- President/Secretary General, Indian Olympic Association,
- Secretary, Department of Sports, Government of India,
- Director General, Sports Authority of India,
- Director General, National Anti Doping Agency,
- Vice Chancellor, Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE),
- Joint Secretary, Department of Sports, Government of India, as members.
- Secretary, Sports Authority of India is Member Secretary of the Council.

ANSWER: Central Press Accreditation Committee

Explanation:
The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has reconstituted the Central Press Accreditation Committee (CPAC) with the following members:
- Shri Frank Noronha (Chairman), Director General (M&C), Press Information Bureau, Government of India, New Delhi
- Shri Pramod Kumar, National Union of Journalists (India), International Federation of Journalists
- Shri Surendra Verma, Association of Accredited News Cameraman (Regd.)
- Shri Shyam Babu, Indian Federation of Working Journalists
- Shri Rabi Rath, Association of Small and Medium Newspapers of India
- Ms. Meenakshi Pandit, All India Journalists Welfare Association
- Shri Supriya Prasad, News Broadcasters’ Association
- Shri Rahul Kanwal, Broadcast Editors’ Association
- Ms. Ira Jha, Press Association
- Shri L.C. Bhartiya, All India Small & Medium Newspapers Federation
- Ms. Sabina Inderjeet, Indian Journalists Union
- Shri M.K. Mahadev Rao, Working News Cameramen’s Association

ANSWER: Saketh Myneni

Explanation:
India's tennis player Saketh Myneni on 18 October 2015 defeated Australia's Jordan Thompson 7-5 6-3 to win the Vietnam Tennis Open in the men’s singles. He was runner up with Indian Sanam Singh after being defeated in the final 6-1 3-6 8-10 to Tristan Lamasine (France) and Nils Langer (Germany). This is his first singles ATP Challenger title of 2015. It is also his second overall singles title at Challenger level, the other title he won being Indore Open in October a year back.

ANSWER: 650

Explanation:
Scientists have found that a star system 650 light years away known to have a hot Jupiter planet is hosting 2 exoplanets. This discovery was made by astronomers from University of Michigan working with MIT colleagues. Hot Jupiters are called so because of their massive size and gaseous composition. However, these hot Jupiters in faraway solar systems orbit at distances closer than Mercury. Close to 300 hot Jupiters have been identified so far. This marks the first time any close in planets were discovered. Person who first spotted the planet companion in the WASP-47 system was citizen scientist Hans Schwengeler.

ANSWER: Yemen

Explanation:
A government spokesperson has accepted an invitation from UN Secretary General Bank Ki-moon to discuss implementation of UN resolution calling for the fighting to end. Government will attend talks in Geneva with Houthi rebels. The government will lay down a Security Council Resolution that requires the rebels to move away from areas they control and give up arms.

ANSWER: Infosys

Explanation:
The second largest IT exporter in India, Infosys has signed a definitive agreement for acquisition of Noah Consulting LLC, a leading advanced information management consulting firm for Oil and Gas industry. Acquisition is an all cash deal with aggregate purchase consideration of USD 70 million. US based Noah Consulting has deep domain expertise in upstream oil and gas.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in October 2015 elected Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay as non-permanent members on UNSC. These members will serve the body until 31st December 2017. The new constitution of the UNSC is now as follows:
- Five permanent Council members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States
- Non-permanent members until close of 2016: Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela
- Non-permanent members until close of 2017: Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay

ANSWER: 8

Explanation:
Fiscal deficit-difference between revenue and expenditure excluding borrowings on August 2015 was at INR 15808 crore that indicates surplus of revenues over expenditure. Surplus in the exchequer is considerably significant as fiscal deficit was INR 73005 crore during the last fiscal within the same period. Total expenditure in August 2015 was only INR 1311214 crore as against total revenue of INR 147022 crore.

ANSWER: Blood

Explanation:
National Blood Policy 2015 has been modified to identify two major initiatives towards better utilisation of blood and blood components. These initiatives were recommended by the National Blood Transfusion Council (NBTC). The first is permitting the transfer of blood from one blood bank to another in the event of a shortage. The second is fixing an exchange value for surplus plasma available at some blood banks in the nation, exchange value being fixed at 1600 rupees/litre.

ANSWER: Jack Ma

Explanation:
China’s leading businessman, Alibaba founder Jack Ma has been appointed by British PM David Cameron for advice on business prior to a 4 day visit to the UK by Chinese president Xi. Ma will also be joining the PM’s business advisory group and close ties with China are the expected outcome of this appointment. Cameron’s business advisory group had 19 members in July.

ANSWER: Parasram Bhardwaj

Explanation:
Senior Congress leader and former MPCC Chief P. Bharadwaj passed away in Chhattisgarh’s Bilaspur district. He passed away from a cardiac arrest and was a LS representative for 6 times in a row from 1980 in undivided MP.

ANSWER: Jacqueline Reses

Explanation:
Yahoo Chief Development Officer J. Reses is resigning to join mobile payments company Square Inc following a role change earlier in 2015. Twitter also named Jack Dorsey heading Square as its CEO earlier. Square has also filed for an IPO recently in October 2015.

ANSWER: Chillr

Explanation:
Bank of Baroda has joined the Chillr payment platform enabling peer to peer payment through mobile application. This is the second bank to join the payment platform after HDFC. Banks integrated with this application can utilise application for remitting funds. Customers of any bank can get funds using this payment platform. Chillr app was developed by Kerala based start up named Mobme Wireless. This was formed into a separate firm by Sony Joy, founder and CEO Chillr.