Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Sept 29, 2015

ANSWER: Keerthi Kiran

Explanation:
Real estate portal Housing Dot Com has announced that Keerthi Kiran has been appointed Vice President of its fresh real estate projects unit. He has served in various capacities at the portal for 2 years now. Keerthi will report to Housing.com's Chief Business Officer, Jason Kothari. He holds a B.Tech in engineering from IIT Bombay. Housing dot com has more than 2550 employees spread over 50 cities in the nation.

ANSWER: H. S. Lyngdoh

Explanation:
Meghalaya’s oldest serving legislator who served for the longest period, Hoping Stone Lyngdoh has passed away on 26 September 2015 in Shillong at the age of 86. He was representing the Nongstoin constituency of West Khasi Hills district in the state legislative Assembly and he was the president of the Hill State Peoples Democratic Party. He has been a legislator from the time of inception of the state in 1972 to his death. Prior to the formation of Meghalaya. he was a legislator in the United Assam Legislative Assembly. He has never been defeated in his legislative career. He has also worked as a school teacher, social worker and agriculturalist. He fought against uranium mining in the state.

ANSWER: Ignacio Zoco

Explanation:
Ex Real Madrid and Spain midfielder Ignacio Zoco, who dominated La Liga in the 1960s and the Spanish side that won the 1964 European Championship, died on 28th September aged 76. He spent 12 years with Real and made 434 competitive appearances. He helped the club to win 1 European Cup, 7 La Liga titles and 2 Spanish cups. Zoco spent 12 seasons with Real, making 434 competitive appearances and helping the club win one European Cup, seven La Liga titles and two Spanish Cups. He played a total of 25 times for Spain during the 1960s.

ANSWER: Sheikh Salim

Explanation:
Late President A P J Abdul Kalam's grandnephew Sheikh Salim joined BJP following the burial services for the ex-president in Rameshwaram. He is an importer from the United States, as per trade sources. He joined the party in the presence of Amit Shah and Tamil Nadu BJP vice-president M. Chakravarthy.

ANSWER: Arun Saklani

Explanation:
Sakhalin took over from air commodore S. K. Indoria who will now be posted to Central Air Command. He was commissioned as Pilot in transport stream of IAF in June 1980s. He is an
alumnus of Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and a qualified flying instructor who has flown over 5500 hours on AN-32 and Boeing-737. A chief flying instructor in a training establishment, Saklani has commanded a transport squadron at a busy transport base in East. The air commodore was director transport operations at Air HQ before taking over as air officer commanding 12Wing, AF. He has been honoured with the Vayu Sena Medal.

ANSWER: 11th

Explanation:
On this day, Addl. Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister, Dr. P. K Mishra while presiding as the Chief Guest for Valedictory session, praised the NDMA for relief and rehab efforts in Kashmir and quake hit Nepal. This was followed by technical sessions to examine issues pertaining to four major calamities, namely, cyclone, earthquake, floods and landslides. The 11th Formation Day was observed at Vigyan Bhawan marketing the completion of 10 years of efforts to strengthen and improve disaster risk reduction.

ANSWER: 29th

Explanation:
World Heart Day commenced in 2000. The aim of this day is to educate people across the world regarding heart diseases and strokes which are the leading cause of death leading to loss of 17.3 million lives every year on an average. This annual day reflects key issues and topics pertaining to heart health. This year (2015) them is creation of heart healthy environments. Environmental factors such as availability of nutritious food or smoke free zones can help individuals to make healthy choices for their heart. At least 80% of the premature deaths from CVD could be avoided if 4 main risk factors are controlled namely usage of tobacco, unearthly food, lack of physical activity and alcohol over consumption. CVD is the world’s number one killer right now.

ANSWER: Frank Tyson

Explanation:
One of the most advanced bowlers, ex England cricketer Frank Tyson has passed away at Australia at the age of 85. He was nicknamed Typhoon and had emigrated to Australia during the 1960s. He is best known for helping England to win the 1954-1955 Ashes. He was also declared a Wisden Leading Cricketer in the World in 1955 on account of this victory. Born in 1930, he held a degree in English literature from the University of Durham.

ANSWER: South Africa

Explanation:
An anti-poaching unit, the Black Mamba has received the UN champions of the Earth award from the UN. Founded in 2013, it comprises 23 women and 3 men and operated in the Balule Natural Reserve in S. Africa to protect rhinos. S. Africa reported record 1215 rhinos poached in 2014.

ANSWER: Wipro

Explanation:
Wipro has been selected as a member of the global Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) - 2015 for the sixth consecutive year. It is included in both the DJSI World and Emerging Markets Indices. From a total of 1845 companies assessed from across the globe, 371 have been chosen for the DJSI index for 2015-2016. 76 of these companies which participated were from IT of which 8 have been selected. DJSI is a prime international indicator monitoring the financial performance of companies across all industries that outperform on Sustainability initiatives such as Climate Change Performance, Corporate Governance, Innovation, Labor Practices and Digital Inclusion.

ANSWER: India and United States

Explanation:
India has emerged as the most sought after developing market for the US with bilateral trade between the two nations pegged at USD 500 billion by 2025 according to a survey conducted by PwC and Indo American Chamber of Commerce (IACC). Trade between the two nations can grow through considerable efforts from stakeholders even as there has been a 4 fold growth in Indo-US trade since 2006 to USD 100 billion in 2014.

ANSWER: Sundar Pichai, Google

Explanation:
Google CEO Sundar Pichai on 28th September announced a proposal for introduction of broadband connectivity, via Wi-Fi hotspots, at 100 railway stations expanded to 400 in 2016. He also announced the launch of ten-language vernacular typing for Android users.

ANSWER: Odd even license plate system for vehicles on alternative days

Explanation:
Nepal has enforced the odd even license plate system whereby drivers can only ply on alternate days based on whether license plates are ending in odd or even numbers. This move is on account of feared fuel shortage. As Madhesi protestors have blocked the Indo Nepal border trade route since 24th September 2015, the government took this action. The protestors want amendments to the new Nepalese constitution adopted on 20th September 2015. The bridge at Birgunj, which serves as a key centre of oil and food imports, has been blocked by the protestors.

ANSWER: ASTROSAT

Explanation:
ISRO on 28th September 2015 launched the first dedicated satellite for astronomy research in India called ASTROSAT. This satellite was launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota, AP by PSLV C-30 which is the tenth flight of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle in XL Configuration. The satellite aims to understand high energy processes in binary star systems containing neutron stars and black holes and estimate magnetic fields of neutron stars. It will also study bright X ray sources in the sky and star birth regions. It is carrying 4 x-ray payloads, one UV telescope and a change particle monitor. Its life span is 5 years and it is capable of performing UV, optical, low and high energy X ray wavebands observations simultaneously. The satellite weighing 1513 kg was placed in 650 km orbit inclined at an angle of 6 degree to the equator around the Earth.

ANSWER: Jacob Tsimerman

Explanation:
University of Toronto assistant professor, Canada’s mathematician Jacob Tsimerman has won the 2015 SASTRA Ramanujan Prize. His primary area of research is in number theory. Founded by Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy University in 2005 awards SASTRA Ramanujan prize every year to a young mathematician. The age limit for the prize is 32 which was also the age at which noted mathematician Ramanujan died, after whom the award has been named. The award carries a cash prize of USD 10,000.

ANSWER: Both of the above

Explanation:
In a bid to ensure fast track recovery of bad loans by banks, the Government will computerise DRT and lower oral hearings to two. Arbitration Law for fast track arbitration with a single member Arbitration Board completing the entire process in 6 months has been proposed. Board loans of banks are occurring as cheap imports are adversely affecting the domestic industry.

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
GoI has signed a loan with ADB for USD 123.51 million for tranche 3 of the Infrastructure Development Investment Program for Tourism to upgrade tourism infrastructure and services in Punjab, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh. Loan will be utilised for development and conservation of tourist attractions and enhance basic tourism facilities. It will also be used to build the capacity of sector agencies and local communities in the States of Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab. The third tranche loan comprises of the $250 million multi-tranche financing facility that ADB approved in 2010. Greater than 4000 individuals are set to be trained in tourism related skills and 30 community based societies will be made operational for managing natural and cultural heritage sites.

ANSWER: Water

Explanation:
Definite signs of liquid water have been found by the high-resolution camera on Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on the surface of the red planet. Scientists discovered waterlogged molecules — salts of a type called as perchlorates — in orbit readings. That's a direct detection of water in the form of hydration of salts. In 2011, scientists discovered in photographs from the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter dark streaks descending along slopes of craters, canyons and mountains. The streaks lengthened during summer, faded as temperatures cooled, then reappeared the later. Streaks were named recurrent slope linae, or RSLs, and scientists hold that water played a critical role in the phenomenon, akin to the way concrete darkens when wet, with no change in the shape of the surface, and returns to its original colour when drying.

ANSWER: Senthil Chengalvarayan

Explanation:
Network 18, firm owning CNBC TV18 and CNN-IBN has announced Editor in Chief for Business Newsroom Senthil Chengalvarayan has quit. This comes after Group CEO of the company, A. P Parigi was removed ahead of Mr. Rahul Joshi joining the office as new CEO of News. On September 25 2015, the company had announced that Mr. Parigi has been shifted as Advisor to its Chairman Adil Zainulbhai. Mr. Parigi was the Managing Director and CEO of Radio Mirchi/Entertainment Network India Ltd (ENIL), a subsidiary of Times Infotainment Media Ltd (TIML) before joining Network18. Mr. Joshi was the Editorial Director of BCCL’s The Economic Times before the stint at Network18.

ANSWER: FMC

Explanation:
SEBI/ Securities Exchange Board of India has merged with Forward Markets Commission w.e.f 28th September 2015. This marks the first case of the merging of the two regulators to create a new regulatory authority. More than 6 decades old FMC merged with SEBI with the customary stock market bell being rung to formalise the amalgamation by FM Arun Jaitley. The merger was moved forward on account of the NSEL scam involving INR 5000 crore which was a regulatory failure of FMC. FMC had been regulating commodity markets since the 1950s. This is the first case of the merging of two major regulators. SEBI’s Whole-Time Member Rajeev Kumar Agarwal would oversee the commodities market regulation in the merged entity under the overall guidance of the SEBI Chairman. SEBI was set up in the 1980s as non-statutory body for regulation of securities market. Currently, there are 3 national and 6 regional bourses for commodity futures clocking a turnover of nearly Rs 60 lakh crore in 2014—15, from over Rs 101 lakh crore in the fiscal before that.