Current Affairs Questions & Answers - Nov 13, 2015

1)   A comprehensive website launched to cut GHG emissions in a transparent manner ahead of global climate change schedule on 12th November 2015 highlights India’s climate action plan. What is it called?

a. Just Climate Dot Org
b. Just Climate Action Dot Org
c. Justice for Climate Action Dot Org
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Just Climate Action Dot Org

Explanation:
India on November 12, 2015 launched a detailed website covering plans to cut GHG emissions and reduce carbon emission intensity by 35% by 2030. The website Just Climate Action dot org is showcasing the comprehensive action plan of a developing country with respect to climate change. Website can be shared on social media channels . INDC targets were submitted by India to UNFCC in October 2015. INDC comprises reduction in the emissions intensity of India's GDP by 33 to 35 per cent by 2030 from 2005 level and creation of an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through extra forest and tree cover by 2030.


2)   Former RBI deputy governor ________ was appointed as ED on board of IMF on November 12, 2015.

a. A. Gokarn
b. S. Gokarn
c. R. Gandhi
d. H. Khan
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: S. Gokarn

Explanation:
Former RBI Deputy Governor Subir Gokarn was appointed on 12th November as the ED on the IMF Board.Mr. Gokarn’s name was cleared by Appointments Committee of Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as per an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.He has replaced Mr. Rakesh Mohan at the IMF.


3)   Subgroup on rationalisation of CSS has divided central sector schemes into ____ schemes.

a. 3
b. 2
c. 4
d. 5
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 2

Explanation:
Accordingly, existing CSS should be divided into: Core and Optional schemes.In the Core Schemes, those for social protection and social inclusion should form the Core of the Core and be the first charge on available funds for the National Development Agenda. Investment levels in Core Schemes should be maintained so as to ensure that the optimum size of the programme does not shrink.

Sharing pattern should be:

For Core Schemes

- For NE and 3 Himalayan States: Centre: State: 90:10
- For other States: Centre: State: 60:40
- For Union Territories: Centre: 100%

For Optional Schemes

- For NE and 3 Himalayan States: Centre: State: 80:20
- For other States: Centre: State: 50:50
- For Union Territories: Centre: 100%


4)   Which former Beatles performer died in November 2015?

a. Paul McCartney
b. Ringo Starr
c. John Lennon
d. Andy White
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Andy White

Explanation:
He died at the age of 85 and was known for hit singles like “Love Me Do”. He was the fifth Beatles performer. White died following a stroke and he was known for his stellar performances. He was born in Glasgow in the 1930s and had an illustrious musical career following which he started teaching drumming. Pete Best and Stuart Sutcliffe are some of the other Beatles apart from the famous ones.


5)   Confederation of British Industries  has forecast that India will be the fastest growing economy in the G20 by which year?

a. 2016
b. 2017
c. 2018
d. 2019
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 2017

Explanation:
The latest quarterly economic forecast has predicted India will be the fastest growing economy in G20 by 2017 with a growth rate of 7.6%. Currently, the UK is the single largest G20 investor in India, having made investment of USD 22.2 billion between 2000 and 2015 -9% of all FDI in the country. In total, G20 nations invested USD73.9 billion in India between 2000-2015 with the UK followed by Japan ($18.3 billion), US (USD 13.7billion), Germany (USD 7.6 billion) and France (USD 4.5 billion). UK companies are the largest employers of Indians.


6)   ICAN conference which was attended by India in October 2015 led to MoUs with which countries?

a. Kenya
b. Sweden
c. Finland
d. Norway
e. All of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: All of the above

Explanation:
ICAN (International Civil Aviation Negotiations),2015 was held in Antalya, Turkey and attended by 106 nations during which “Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)” was signed by India with six countries namely Finland, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Sweden, Norway &Denmark, Oman and Ethiopia and “Agreed Minutes”with Serbia, Greece, European Commission and “Record of Discussions” with Brunei Darussalam and Qatar.


7)   Which India origin top executive will co chair the WEF forum in January 2016?

a. Sundar Pichai
b. Satya Nadella
c. Vikram Pandit
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Satya Nadella

Explanation:
India origin Microsoft chief Satya Nadella will co chair the World Economic Forum annual meet in January which will be attended by close to 100 business leaders including the Ambani brothers. The WEF meeting will be held at Davos, Switzerland from January 20-23 next year. More than 2500 business leaders will attend this meet the theme of which would be 'Mastering the Fourth Industrial Revolution’. Other co-chairs for the 2016 WEF meet are GM CEO Mary Barra, Hitachi chairman and CEO Hiroaki Nakanishi, Credit Suisse CEO Tidjane Thiam, ITUC secretary general Sharan Burrow and Al Bawsala founder and chair Amira Yahyaoui.


8)   Which Indian shuttler fell in the latest BWF rankings released on 12th November 2015?

a. Saina Nehwal
b. Arun Jayara
c. H. S. Prannoy
d. Parupalli Kashyap
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Parupalli Kashyap

Explanation:
Commonwealth Games champion Parupalli Kashypa dropped to number 13 in the latest BWF men’s singles ranking, overtaken by South Korea’s Son Wan Ho. Kidambi Srikanth, H.S. Prannoy and Ajay Jayaram maintained their rankings at No.5, 21 and 25 respectively. Saina remained at No.2 while P.V. Sindhu did not move from no. 13. Sumeeth Reddy also remained at No.20 of men's doubles while Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa remained at No.11 of women's doubles.Currently, there is no Indian pair in the BWF mixed double’s ranking among the top 25.


9)   Which lender will become the first bank to offer wallet services for feature phone users in India?

a. PNB
b. Canara Bank
c. SBI
d. HDFC
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: SBI

Explanation:
The largest lender in the nation SBI has become the first bank to offer wallet services for feature phone users. The mobile wallet Batua will be launched by SBI in December and will be available for non SBI customers as well. The app can be loaded on the phone. SBI has an annual IT budget of INR 3,000 crore, a 20 percent market share, a customer base of 28.6 crore, from which 2.3 crore are net banking customers and 1.2 crore are mobile banking customers.


10)   Which former Infosys executive has invested an undisclosed amount in Gingercrush, a licensed product customization platform startup?

a. Narayan Murthy
b. Nanda Nilenkani
c. T. V. Mohandas Pai
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: T. V. Mohandas Pai

Explanation:
The platform enables users choose a product, pick a design and customise it, and Pai has invested in Gingercrush which currently has a design library of 81 licensed brands including Disney, Pixar Movies, Mattel and among 56 artists for customers to select from. Lai will join as advisor of the startup board and mentor the founding team as well as senior management for strong growth.


11)   Suicide bomb attacks by IS were carried out in which country on 12th November 2015?

a. Lebanon
b. Egypt
c. Palestine
d. Israel
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: Lebanon

Explanation:
Two IS suicide bombers targeted Beirut in Lebanon in an attack in the southern suburb which killed 37 people and wounded 40 others. Southern suburb of this city is the stronghold of the Hezbollah which is fighting with al Assad’s forces against IS terrorists in Syria.


12)   CSO has revised base year of CPI from 2010=100 to__________.

a. 2013=100
b. 2012=100
c. 2011=100
d. None of the above
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 2012=100

Explanation:
Central Statistics Office (CSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation has revised the Base Year of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) from 2010=100 to 2012=100 w.e.f the release of indices for the month of January 2015.The General Indices (Provisional) for the month of October 2015 for Rural, Urban and Combined stood at 127.7, 124.2 and 126.1 while the CFPI for Rural, Urban and Combined for the same month are 132.0, 133.1 and 132.4 respectively.


13)   Astronomers have discovered the oldest stars in the Milky Way dating back to when the universe was ______ million years old.

a. 100
b. 200
c. 300
d. 350
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: 300

Explanation:
Scientists have discovered the oldest known stars at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy dating back to when the universe was 300 million years old. Stars are pure but contain material from an earlier star which died in the hypernova, an enormous explosion. The discovery of these 9 pure stars has changed theories about the environment of the early universe.


14)   NASA’s Cassini has detected a new cloud of frozen compounds in which moon of Saturn on November 12, 2015?

a. Titan
b. Enceladus
c. Tethys
d. Dione
Answer  Explanation  Related Ques

ANSWER: Titan

Explanation:
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has discovered a new could of frozen compounds in the stratosphere of the largest moon of Saturn, Titan. The cloud system has been found at the stratosphere’s lower part at an altitude of 200 km. It detected by Cassini's infrared instrument - the Composite Infrared Spectrometer/ CIRS - which obtains profiles of the atmosphere at invisible thermal wavelengths. The cloud has a low density like Earth’s fog and has a flat top. Each Titan season lasts for 7.5 earth years and the south pole of the moon will be covered by winter when the mission ends in 2017. Ice clouds at Titan's pole don't form in the same way as Earth's familiar rain clouds.


15)   General Index for September stood at 3.6% more than previous year’s value for the same month. At what value was the General Index?

a. 176.9
b. 177.0
c. 178.0
d. 179.0
Answer  Explanation 

ANSWER: 178.0

Explanation:
This is 3.6% higher as compared to the level in the month of September 2014. The cumulative growth for the period April-September 2015-16 over the corresponding period of the previous year stands at 4.0%. Industrial Production for the Mining, Manufacturing and Electricity sectors indices for the month of September 2015 stand at 118.8, 186.7 and 195.7 respectively, with the corresponding growth rates of 3.0%, 2.6% and 11.4% as compared to September 2014.