1) In a first-of-its-kind initiative, the United States Government on 13 October 2015 started its India roadshow with an aim to attract Indian investors. This road show is being held in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata. What is the name of this programme, through which the US Govt. offers the benefits of investing in the US? – ‘SelectUSA’
Explanation: ‘SelectUSA’ is the name of the programme of the US Department of Commerce through which the US Govt. seeks to highlight the many advantages the United States offers as a location for business and investment. It was initiated in 2011.
- ‘SelectUSA’ is organized by the US Department of Commerce. Its Indian roadshow is being held in four major cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata in that order. The roadshow will conclude on 16 October at Kolkata.
- The US delegation is being led by ‘SelectUSA’ Executive Director Vinai Thummalapally. India is now the fourth-fastest source of investment in the United States, with $11 billion till date. The number of Indian companies operating in the US has gone up to over 200 companies today, from an estimated 85 in 2005.
2) Which private bank recently received the approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to set up a mutual fund, asset management company (AMC) and a trustee company?- Yes Bank
Explanation: This disclosure was made by the management of Yes Bank, which is presently the fifth largest private bank in India. The bank hopes that the AMC will channelize savings of retail and institutional investors in equity and debt capital markets.
- The approval for mutual fund is expected to complement Yes Bank’s retail liabilities strategy and also allow the AMC to leverage the Bank’s distribution network for customer acquisition.
3) The Dutch Safety Board on 13 October 2015 released its final report on the crash of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 of July 2014 that killed all 298 people on board. What was the primary finding in this report? – The aircraft was hit by a Russian-made Buk missile
Explanation: The final report on the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over war-torn eastern Ukraine was released on 13 October by Dutch investigators. The jet on its scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was shot down over Ukraine on 17 July 2014 during heavy fighting between government forces and pro-Russian separatists. The crash had killed 298 persons on-board, most of them being Dutch.
- The report concluded that the warhead that detonated outside the aircraft to the left side of the cockpit fits the kind of warhead installed in the Buk surface-to-air missile system. The report also commented that Ukraine should have closed the airspace over the conflict zone, and that the 61 airlines that had continued flying there should have recognised the potential danger.
- However, Russia disputed that a Buk missile may have been used to down the aircraft. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov responded to the report by saying there had been “an obvious attempt to draw a biased conclusion, and carry out political orders”.
4) Who won the 2015 Man Booker prize for fiction as announced on 13 October 2015? – Marlon James (Jamaica)
Explanation: 44-year Marlon James was named as the winner of this prestigious prize for his novel “A Brief History of Seven Killings”, which is inspired by an attempt to kill reggae star Bob Marley in 1976. It is the third novel by James. He thus became the first-ever Jamaican to win this coveted literary prize.
- James’s novel was chosen from a shortlist of six titles.
- The prize carries a top cash award of ₤50,000 ($76,000). Earlier Man Booker Prize was given only to writers in English from the commonwealth countries. But a rule change two years ago, writers in English from all over the world can to compete for the prize.
5) Why the name of Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana came to news on 13 October 2015? – She became the first writer to return ‘Padma Shri’ honour to protest against rising communal tension in the country
Explanation: Noted Punjabi writer Dalip Kaur Tiwana was conferred with the ‘Padma Shri’, India’s fourth highest civilian honour, in 2004. On 13 October she announced her decision to return her ‘Padma Shri’ in protest against the ‘rising communal tension’ in the country. She became the first ‘Padma Shri’ awardee to return the honour in the ongoing protest of writers against the attacks on country’s pluralist voice. She was also awarded the Sahitya Akademi in 1971.
6) Which country has overtaken the United States in terms of population of middle class to become the world’s largest, as disclosed in a latest report on global wealth by Credit Suisse? – China
Explanation: The latest Global Wealth Report by Swiss bank Credit Suisse has disclosed that with 109 million adults China has become world’s largest middle class country. It has replaced the United States, which has around 92 million of its populace under middle class. China now accounts for a fifth of the world population, while holding nearly 10 percent of the global wealth.
- The report said size and wealth of the middle class was a key factor in economic development, and the middle class was often at the heart of political movements and new consumption trends.
- Overall, the report found that global wealth fell by nearly 5 percent in the year to mid-2015 to $250 trillion due a strengthening of the US dollar in which income is compared.
7) Who surpassed Javed Miandad’s record for most runs for Pakistan in Test cricket on 13 October 2015? – Younis Khan
Explanation: Younis Khan surpassed the record for most runs for Pakistan in Test cricket during the First Test Match against England being played in Abu Dhabi. He overtook Javed Miandad’s previous mark of 8,832 runs to achieve this feat.
- Younis overhauled the record in his 102nd match, taking 22 fewer than Miandad to set the mark.
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