Who took over as the new President of Sri Lanka on 9 January 2015 after President Mahinda Rajapaksa was defeated in the Presidential elections held on 8 January?
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Maithripala Sirisena
Maithripala Sirisena, representing New Democratic Front (NDF) was the main opponent of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was the candidate of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Sirsena was declared the winner after receiving 51.28% of all votes cast compared to Rajapaksa’s 47.58%. These elections were considered watershed elections in Sri Lanka’s democratic history and Rajapaksa vacated “Temple Trees”, his official residence in Colombo, on 9 January. Later in the evening Maithripala Sirisena took over as island nation’s 6th President at Independence Square in Colombo. UNP Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. It is worth mentioning that Sirisena was once an associate of Mahinda Rajapaksa. While sections in Sri Lanka hoped for this election outcome, his defeat was least expected even two months ago. Rajapaksa had called for snap polls in November, two years ahead of schedule, targeting a record third term in office. Hailed for his efforts in crushing the rebel Tigers and brining Sri Lanka’s brutal war to an end, Rajapaksa was widely perceived as an invincible leader for most part of his two successive terms, until sections began getting disenchanted over his family’s alleged dominance, allegations of corruption and growing authoritarianism.
Maithripala Sirisena, representing New Democratic Front (NDF) was the main opponent of Mahinda Rajapaksa, who was the candidate of the ruling United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA). Sirsena was declared the winner after receiving 51.28% of all votes cast compared to Rajapaksa’s 47.58%. These elections were considered watershed elections in Sri Lanka’s democratic history and Rajapaksa vacated “Temple Trees”, his official residence in Colombo, on 9 January. Later in the evening Maithripala Sirisena took over as island nation’s 6th President at Independence Square in Colombo. UNP Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe was sworn in as the new Prime Minister. It is worth mentioning that Sirisena was once an associate of Mahinda Rajapaksa. While sections in Sri Lanka hoped for this election outcome, his defeat was least expected even two months ago. Rajapaksa had called for snap polls in November, two years ahead of schedule, targeting a record third term in office. Hailed for his efforts in crushing the rebel Tigers and brining Sri Lanka’s brutal war to an end, Rajapaksa was widely perceived as an invincible leader for most part of his two successive terms, until sections began getting disenchanted over his family’s alleged dominance, allegations of corruption and growing authoritarianism.
French security forces ended a three-day terror spree around Paris on 9 January 2015 killing the two al-Qaida-linked brothers who staged a murderous rampage at ‘Charlie Hebdo’, a satirical newspaper. What were the names of these two brothers?
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Said and Cherif Kouachi
Said and Cherif Kouachi methodically killed 12 people on 7 January 2015 at the offices of the weekly newspaper ‘Charlie Hebdo’ before escaping by car. The next day, a gunman police identified as Amedy Couliably shot a policewoman to death south of Paris. The two brothers were killed near a printing plant in the town of Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris, where they were holed up with a lone hostage. Couliably was killed at a Paris supermarket where he was holding shoppers at gunpoint and threatened to kill them unless police let the Koachis go. All the three were suspected to have links with the Yemen unit of al-Qaida. The worst terrorist attacks France has seen in decades killed at least 20 people, including the three terrorists.
Said and Cherif Kouachi
Said and Cherif Kouachi methodically killed 12 people on 7 January 2015 at the offices of the weekly newspaper ‘Charlie Hebdo’ before escaping by car. The next day, a gunman police identified as Amedy Couliably shot a policewoman to death south of Paris. The two brothers were killed near a printing plant in the town of Dammartin-en-Goele, northeast of Paris, where they were holed up with a lone hostage. Couliably was killed at a Paris supermarket where he was holding shoppers at gunpoint and threatened to kill them unless police let the Koachis go. All the three were suspected to have links with the Yemen unit of al-Qaida. The worst terrorist attacks France has seen in decades killed at least 20 people, including the three terrorists.
Which anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from South Africa was observed on 9 January 2015?
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100th
9 January 2015 marked the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from his highly enriching trip of South Africa. He spent 21 years (1893-1915) in South Africa, where he developed his political views, ethics and political leadership skills. Mahatma Gandhi first employed nonviolent civil disobedience as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa, in the resident Indian community’s struggle for civil rights. His South African stay shaped his social activism and awakened him to social injustice. When he returned to India permanently on 9 January 1915 he was a completely transformed man from an apparently shy young barrister to an Indian nationalist, theorist and organizer. In 2002 Indian Govt. decided to celebrate 9 January as “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas”(PBD) to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.
100th
9 January 2015 marked the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s return to India from his highly enriching trip of South Africa. He spent 21 years (1893-1915) in South Africa, where he developed his political views, ethics and political leadership skills. Mahatma Gandhi first employed nonviolent civil disobedience as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa, in the resident Indian community’s struggle for civil rights. His South African stay shaped his social activism and awakened him to social injustice. When he returned to India permanently on 9 January 1915 he was a completely transformed man from an apparently shy young barrister to an Indian nationalist, theorist and organizer. In 2002 Indian Govt. decided to celebrate 9 January as “Pravasi Bharatiya Divas”(PBD) to mark the contribution of the overseas Indian community to the development of India.
Vistara, the airline joint-venture between Tata Group and Singapore Airlines (SIA) started its operations from 9 January 2015. This first flight of the airline was between which two cities?
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100th
Vistara thus became the third full-service carrier in the country, after state-run Air India and private carrier Jet Airways. The launch of the new full-service airline marks the re-entry of Tata group in the airline business after over six decades. The Tata Group had announced in September last year the formation of a 51:49 joint venture with Singapore Airlines to launch a full-service carrier in the country. The group also holds 30% stake in the domestic arm of the Malaysian budget airline AirAsia India. However, Indian aviation space has been going through turbulent weathers in the recent past. While Kingfisher had to be grounded after making a big splash with its positioning as a ‘luxury’ carrier, budget airline SpiceJet is currently going through tough times.
100th
Vistara thus became the third full-service carrier in the country, after state-run Air India and private carrier Jet Airways. The launch of the new full-service airline marks the re-entry of Tata group in the airline business after over six decades. The Tata Group had announced in September last year the formation of a 51:49 joint venture with Singapore Airlines to launch a full-service carrier in the country. The group also holds 30% stake in the domestic arm of the Malaysian budget airline AirAsia India. However, Indian aviation space has been going through turbulent weathers in the recent past. While Kingfisher had to be grounded after making a big splash with its positioning as a ‘luxury’ carrier, budget airline SpiceJet is currently going through tough times.
What is the name of the first new antibiotic discovered in 30 years that has been hailed as a major discovery in medicine world as it could pave the way for a new generation of antibiotics?
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Teixobactin
The discovery of Teixobactin was announced in science journal ‘Nature’ during January 2015. It is the first new antibiotic to be discovered in nearly 30 years and has been hailed as a ‘paradigm shift’ in the fight against the growing resistance to drugs. Teixobactin has been found to treat many common bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, septicaemia and C. diff, and could be available within five years. But more importantly it could pave the way for a new generation of antibiotics because of the way it was discovered. This discovery was made by a team from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts (US) who discovered a new way of using an electronic chip to grow the microbes in the soil and then isolate their antibiotic chemical compounds. The first antibiotic Penicillin, was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 and more than 100 compounds have been found since, but no new class has been found since 1987. The lack of new drugs coupled with over-prescribing has led to bacteria becoming increasingly resistant to modern medicines.
Teixobactin
The discovery of Teixobactin was announced in science journal ‘Nature’ during January 2015. It is the first new antibiotic to be discovered in nearly 30 years and has been hailed as a ‘paradigm shift’ in the fight against the growing resistance to drugs. Teixobactin has been found to treat many common bacterial infections such as tuberculosis, septicaemia and C. diff, and could be available within five years. But more importantly it could pave the way for a new generation of antibiotics because of the way it was discovered. This discovery was made by a team from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts (US) who discovered a new way of using an electronic chip to grow the microbes in the soil and then isolate their antibiotic chemical compounds. The first antibiotic Penicillin, was discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928 and more than 100 compounds have been found since, but no new class has been found since 1987. The lack of new drugs coupled with over-prescribing has led to bacteria becoming increasingly resistant to modern medicines.
Which country overtook Afghanistan to become the country with the largest refugee population under UNHCR’s mandate as stated by the U.N. Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in its new Mid-Year Trends 2014 report released on 8 January 2015?
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Syria
Syrians, for the first time, became the largest refugee population under UNHCR’s mandate, overtaking Afghans, who had held that position for more than three decades. As of June 2014, the three million Syrian refugees now account for 23% of all refugees being helped by UNHCR worldwide. Despite dropping to second place, the 2.7-million Afghan refugees remain the largest protracted refugee population under UNHCR care. Following that, the leading countries of origin of refugees were Somalia (1.1 million), Sudan (670,000), South Sudan (509,000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (493,000), Myanmar (480,000) and Iraq (426,000). Pakistan, which hosts 1.6 million Afghan refugees, remains the biggest host country in absolute terms. According to the report India was home to over 2,00,000 refugees in the first six months of 2014. India was home to 1,98,665 refugees as of June 2014 and had 4,718 pending cases of asylum seekers, bringing the total population of concern to 2,03,383.
Syria
Syrians, for the first time, became the largest refugee population under UNHCR’s mandate, overtaking Afghans, who had held that position for more than three decades. As of June 2014, the three million Syrian refugees now account for 23% of all refugees being helped by UNHCR worldwide. Despite dropping to second place, the 2.7-million Afghan refugees remain the largest protracted refugee population under UNHCR care. Following that, the leading countries of origin of refugees were Somalia (1.1 million), Sudan (670,000), South Sudan (509,000), the Democratic Republic of the Congo (493,000), Myanmar (480,000) and Iraq (426,000). Pakistan, which hosts 1.6 million Afghan refugees, remains the biggest host country in absolute terms. According to the report India was home to over 2,00,000 refugees in the first six months of 2014. India was home to 1,98,665 refugees as of June 2014 and had 4,718 pending cases of asylum seekers, bringing the total population of concern to 2,03,383.
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