Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Mar 09, 2016

1)   Bombay House, TATA Group HQ in Mumbai is the first heritage building in India to be awarded rating by IGBC. What does IGBC stand for?

a. International Green Building Council
b. Indian Green Building Council
c. Indian Green Builder Council
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Indian Green Building Council

Explanation:
Bombay Group, TATA Group HQ in Mumbai is the first heritage building in India to be awarded platinum rating by the Indian Green Building Council. Bombay House was built in 1923 by British architect George Wittet who also designed the Gateway of India and the Prince of Wales Museum. This rating has been given for implementation of measurable strategies and solutions in 5 categories- site and facility management, water efficiency, energy efficiency, health and comfort and innovation. Bombay House as an off site grid tied solar photovoltaic installation of 87.5 kwP, producing 1,43, 718 kwh electrical units annually.


2)   Whose 500th anniversary for a visit to Vrindavan has been commemorated with support from Ministry of Culture?

a. Sri Sri Ravishankar
b. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
c. Swami Vivekanand
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

Explanation:
To commemorate the “500th Anniversary of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s coming to Vrindavan”, Vrindavan Research Institute, Vrindavan has come up with a number of programmes with the financial support of Ministry of Culture. The celebration was marked on 25 November, 2015 on the day of Kartik Purnima, the day of Mahaprabhu’s coming to Vrindavan. Shri N.K. Sinha, Secretary, Ministry of Culture will receive ‘Shri Chaitanya Prem Rath’ amidst chanting of Hare Krishna by a group of devotees followed by Nritya Natika.


3)   Which Indo-Indonesia Joint training exercise was recently held?

a. MITRA SHAKTI
b. STREE SHAKTI
c. GARUDA SHAKTI
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: GARUDA SHAKTI

Explanation:
Indo-Indonesia Joint Training Exercise GARUDA SHAKTI was conducted as part of military diplomacy between Indian and Indonesian Army alternatively in India and Indonesia respectively. Its first edition was conducted in the year 2012 in India. The second edition was conducted in Indonesia in 2013 and third in India in 2014. The exercise is aimed at building and promoting positive relations between the two Armies of India and Indonesia. 4th edition of the exercise will continue from 10 to 23 March 2016.


4)   ILO has recently released a report on women’s position in labour markets. What is it called?

a. Working Women: Trends 2016
b. Women at Work: Trends 2016
c. Women for Work: Trends 2016
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Women at Work: Trends 2016

Explanation:
The report provides the latest ILO data on women’s position in labour markets and examines factors behind trends and transformative change. A study of 178 nations showed that gender gap in employment, wages and social protection has changed little in 20 years and gender equality in the workplace remains elusive. 812 million of the 865 million women who have the potential to contribute to their national economies through employment live in emerging and developing countries are denied opportunities. They are more likely to be unemployed than men, with global unemployment rates of 5.5 percent for men and 6.2 percent for women.


5)   Who has been elected as the new president of the Nepali Congress?

a. Sher Bahadur Deuba
b. Ram Chandra Paudel
c. Sushil Koirala
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Sher Bahadur Deuba

Explanation:
3 time PM Sher Bahadur Deuba has been elected as the new president of the Nepali Congress, in what is the country’s largest democratic party’s success in a run off poll. He was elected Nepali Congress chief during 13th National General Convention after 79 year old Koirala’s post fell vacant following his demise. His contenders included Ram Chandra Puadel, the acting president of the party while Situala dropped from the race. This is Mr. Deuba’s third attempt for a party post.


6)   Korean researchers have developed a unique biorefinery system for creating _____ polymers from natural sources.

a. Non—natural
b. Natural
c. Artificial
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Non—natural

Explanation:
The system works to create non natural polymers from natural sources, allowing the creation of plastics in an eco-friendly way. Team from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology/KAIST developed metabolically engineered Escherichia coli strains to synthesise non-natural, biomedically important polymers including PLGA - previously considered impossible to obtain from bio-based materials. Renewable biomass that are non food can replace petrochemical raw materials. Biorefineries that transform non edible biomass into fuel, power, heat and chemicals have received considerable attention as sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.


7)   Which digital payments company has announced a tie up with hotel aggregator Oyo Rooms?

a. Groupon
b. PayPal
c. CashKaro
d. e-Wallet
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: PayPal

Explanation:
Through this partnership, customers can get hotel bookings in Oyo Rooms and make payments through PayPal. Oyo Rooms was in news recently for acquiring rival Zo Rooms. It has recently forayed into SE Asia.