General Affairs
'Ask Mom, How Much We Got From Quattrocchi': Sushma Swaraj Attacks Rahul Gandhi
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Here are five points made by Sushma Swaraj:
I want to tell Rahul Gandhi - you love holidays. On your next one, read up on your family history and come back and ask 'Momma, how much money did we get in the Quattrocchi case? Why did daddy let (1984 Bhopal Gas tragedy accused) Anderson go? Why the quid pro quo?"- Rahul Gandhi alleged that I had broken the law and worked clandestinely. If anyone worked clandestinely, then it was you (Congress) who let (Alleged Bofors middleman Ottavio) Quattrocchi go.
- Rajiv Gandhi allowed Bhopal gas tragedy accused Warren Anderson, the former Union Carbide chief, to leave the country as a quid pro quo for the release of the son of a family friend Adil Shariyar.
- There is no conflict of interest in my case. My husband and daughter didn't take even a rupee in the Lalit Modi passport case. There is a conflict of interest in P Chidambaram's case. He was the finance minister when his wife Nalini Chidambaram was the lawyer in the Saradha chit fund scam case, whose file was with his ministry.
- My daughter did not earn even one rupee from Lalit Modi on the passport case. She was appearing with her senior, she was a junior that too at number nine.
Here are five points made by Sushma Swaraj:
- Rahul Gandhi alleged that I had broken the law and worked clandestinely. If anyone worked clandestinely, then it was you (Congress) who let (Alleged Bofors middleman Ottavio) Quattrocchi go.
- Rajiv Gandhi allowed Bhopal gas tragedy accused Warren Anderson, the former Union Carbide chief, to leave the country as a quid pro quo for the release of the son of a family friend Adil Shariyar.
- There is no conflict of interest in my case. My husband and daughter didn't take even a rupee in the Lalit Modi passport case. There is a conflict of interest in P Chidambaram's case. He was the finance minister when his wife Nalini Chidambaram was the lawyer in the Saradha chit fund scam case, whose file was with his ministry.
- My daughter did not earn even one rupee from Lalit Modi on the passport case. She was appearing with her senior, she was a junior that too at number nine.
Since You Enjoy Holidaying... Sushma Swaraj's Jibe at Rahul Gandhi
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NEW DELHI: When the debate in Parliament on controversial cricket tycoon Lalit Modi finally began, it did not fail the expectation that it would be loaded with political sniping. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has been accused by the Congress of misusing her office to help Lalit Modi, wanted in India for financial crimes, to get urgent travel papers last year.
Labeling that a "crime", Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has demanded that Ms Swaraj resign, but not without explaining why she concealed her assistance to the billionaire in London and "how much money was deposited in the Swaraj family account."
Ms Swaraj got her own back today. In Parliament, she said to Mr Gandhi, who infamously took a two-month sabbatical during an earlier Parliament session this year, "Since you like holidaying so much, next time you take a break, I suggest you read up on your family history, read all the kale karname (wrong deeds) and ask, 'momma, how much money did we make in the Quattrocchi case, why did we let (1984 Bhopal gas tragedy accused) Warren Anderson go? Why the quid pro quo?'"
Ms Swaraj's caustic rebuttal invoked the infamous Bofors controversy of the 80s, which embroiled Mr Gandhi's father, Rajiv, who was then Prime Minister. The scandal was based on allegation that Swedish defence manufacturer Bofors paid huge kickbacks to Rajiv Gandhi and others for the sale of an artillery gun to India. In 2004, a court in Delhi said there was no evidence that Rajiv Gandhi had accepted bribes. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991.
Ms Swaraj's aid to Lalit Modi's wife has left this session of Parliament paralysed, with the Congress refusing to end daily disruptions till she is removed as Foreign Minister for illicitly helping a "fugitive."
NEW DELHI: When the debate in Parliament on controversial cricket tycoon Lalit Modi finally began, it did not fail the expectation that it would be loaded with political sniping. Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj has been accused by the Congress of misusing her office to help Lalit Modi, wanted in India for financial crimes, to get urgent travel papers last year.Labeling that a "crime", Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has demanded that Ms Swaraj resign, but not without explaining why she concealed her assistance to the billionaire in London and "how much money was deposited in the Swaraj family account."
Ms Swaraj got her own back today. In Parliament, she said to Mr Gandhi, who infamously took a two-month sabbatical during an earlier Parliament session this year, "Since you like holidaying so much, next time you take a break, I suggest you read up on your family history, read all the kale karname (wrong deeds) and ask, 'momma, how much money did we make in the Quattrocchi case, why did we let (1984 Bhopal gas tragedy accused) Warren Anderson go? Why the quid pro quo?'"
Ms Swaraj's caustic rebuttal invoked the infamous Bofors controversy of the 80s, which embroiled Mr Gandhi's father, Rajiv, who was then Prime Minister. The scandal was based on allegation that Swedish defence manufacturer Bofors paid huge kickbacks to Rajiv Gandhi and others for the sale of an artillery gun to India. In 2004, a court in Delhi said there was no evidence that Rajiv Gandhi had accepted bribes. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in 1991.
Ms Swaraj's aid to Lalit Modi's wife has left this session of Parliament paralysed, with the Congress refusing to end daily disruptions till she is removed as Foreign Minister for illicitly helping a "fugitive."
Chopper Crash: Bodies of 3 Occupants Spotted in Arunachal Pradesh's Tirap District
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ITANAGAR: Eight days after a Pawan Hans helicopter went missing in Arunachal Pradesh, the bodies of Tirap Deputy Commissioner Kamlesh Kumar Joshi and pilots MS Brar and Rajeev Hoskote were today spotted in Tirap district by commandos of the High Altitude Warfare School.
Director General of Police S Nitithyanandam told PTI that highly-trained commandos of the HAWS in Jammu and Kashmir, who were airdropped in the tough hilly region, today reached the spot where the debris of the chopper had been spotted on Monday last.
Good weather condition facilitated the search operation, the DGP said.
Though the bodies have been spotted, the commandos are cautiously moving on foot to retrieve them for airlifting to Khonsa, Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi told PTI.
The massive search operations involved Tirap and Changlang district administrations, Army, Assam Rifles and police personnel, IAF's Ml-17, Cheetah helicopters, Sukhoi MKI30 and EW Boeing.
Mr Joshi's wife Neha and brother Maj Rajesh Joshi had been camping at Khonsa since August 6 last.
Often hindered by inclement weather, the search operation had succeeded in locating the tail portion of the chopper from a place, about 4-5 km away from Sangliam village on a hill covered with dense forest on Monday last, civil aviation secretary BM Mishra had said.
The Dauphin twin-engine helicopter went missing with the Tirap DC and the two pilots after taking off from Khonsa in Tirap district on August 4 last.
The chopper was on way to Longding to pick up its Deputy Commissioner and that of Changlang and proceed to New Delhi to attend an important meeting on August 6.
ITANAGAR: Eight days after a Pawan Hans helicopter went missing in Arunachal Pradesh, the bodies of Tirap Deputy Commissioner Kamlesh Kumar Joshi and pilots MS Brar and Rajeev Hoskote were today spotted in Tirap district by commandos of the High Altitude Warfare School.Director General of Police S Nitithyanandam told PTI that highly-trained commandos of the HAWS in Jammu and Kashmir, who were airdropped in the tough hilly region, today reached the spot where the debris of the chopper had been spotted on Monday last.
Good weather condition facilitated the search operation, the DGP said.
Though the bodies have been spotted, the commandos are cautiously moving on foot to retrieve them for airlifting to Khonsa, Chief Secretary Ramesh Negi told PTI.
The massive search operations involved Tirap and Changlang district administrations, Army, Assam Rifles and police personnel, IAF's Ml-17, Cheetah helicopters, Sukhoi MKI30 and EW Boeing.
Mr Joshi's wife Neha and brother Maj Rajesh Joshi had been camping at Khonsa since August 6 last.
Often hindered by inclement weather, the search operation had succeeded in locating the tail portion of the chopper from a place, about 4-5 km away from Sangliam village on a hill covered with dense forest on Monday last, civil aviation secretary BM Mishra had said.
The Dauphin twin-engine helicopter went missing with the Tirap DC and the two pilots after taking off from Khonsa in Tirap district on August 4 last.
The chopper was on way to Longding to pick up its Deputy Commissioner and that of Changlang and proceed to New Delhi to attend an important meeting on August 6.
India's 640-Crore Class Action Suit Against Maggi to be Heard on Friday
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NEW DELHI: India's claim for 640 crores or 99 million dollars in damages from food group Nestle after a food scare involving Maggi noodles will be heard on Friday by the country's top consumer forum.
The claim, made on behalf of Indian consumers, was not filed through the courts but with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), which has semi-judicial powers and will decide on the merits of the case and the size of any damages.
Nestle has been accused of unfair trade practices in the first case that is being seen as a sort of class-action suit against a multinational.
A Nestle spokesman in India said the company has not received any official notification about the claim.
In June, the country's food safety regulator banned Maggi as "unsafe and hazardous for human consumption" after excessive amounts of lead were reported in samples tested in Uttar Pradesh. Nestle was also accused of violating labelling rules and misleading customers by declaring the noodles do not contain MSG or added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer.
Nestle has complied with a nationwide recall of the instant noodles while asserting its snack is safe and challenging the ban in the Bombay High Court where a verdict is due soon.
Last week, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it had not given any clean bill of health for the popular snack despite Goa finding no evidence of excessive lead in samples.
An official in the Department of Consumer Affairs was quoted by news agency IANS as alleging that the class action suit also seeks compensation because Maggi Oat Noodles were sold without approval from food regulators.
NEW DELHI: India's claim for 640 crores or 99 million dollars in damages from food group Nestle after a food scare involving Maggi noodles will be heard on Friday by the country's top consumer forum.The claim, made on behalf of Indian consumers, was not filed through the courts but with the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC), which has semi-judicial powers and will decide on the merits of the case and the size of any damages.
Nestle has been accused of unfair trade practices in the first case that is being seen as a sort of class-action suit against a multinational.
A Nestle spokesman in India said the company has not received any official notification about the claim.
In June, the country's food safety regulator banned Maggi as "unsafe and hazardous for human consumption" after excessive amounts of lead were reported in samples tested in Uttar Pradesh. Nestle was also accused of violating labelling rules and misleading customers by declaring the noodles do not contain MSG or added monosodium glutamate (MSG), a taste enhancer.
Nestle has complied with a nationwide recall of the instant noodles while asserting its snack is safe and challenging the ban in the Bombay High Court where a verdict is due soon.
Last week, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) said it had not given any clean bill of health for the popular snack despite Goa finding no evidence of excessive lead in samples.
An official in the Department of Consumer Affairs was quoted by news agency IANS as alleging that the class action suit also seeks compensation because Maggi Oat Noodles were sold without approval from food regulators.
Russian Soldier Accused of Killing Armenian Family of 7 Goes on Trial
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GYUMRI, ARMENIA: A Russian soldier accused of killing a family of seven in Armenia, including two children, went on trial for desertion today at a Russian army base in the former Soviet state.
Conscript soldier Valery Permyakov is accused of murdering a man and a woman and their grown-up son and daughter, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren at their home close to the Russian base in Gyumri, some 55 miles (89 kilometres) from the capital Yerevan.
Six of the victims, including the couple's two-year-old granddaughter were shot dead, while their six-month-old grandson was stabbed to death.
Permyakov's boots and Kalashnikov rifle were found at the scene. He was arrested after trying to flee to Turkey and has been held at the military base.
The crime prompted protests at the victims' funerals, with thousands gathering outside the Russian consulate in Gyumri and the military base to demand Permyakov be handed over to Armenian authorities instead of being court-martialled by Russia.
To appease Armenia, Russia agreed the military court would only try Permyakov in charges of desertion with a service weapon and stealing and illegally carrying a weapon and ammunition.
The murder case is to be heard by an Armenian court.
Permyakov pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the desertion and arms charges, the press secretary of the North Caucasus Military Court, Alyona Katkalo, told journalists.
The defendant sat in a glass dock, answering questions calmly in a low voice and showing no emotion.
Some 20 members of the public and journalists squeezed into the small courtroom, including around five relatives of the slain family, who wept.
"In the last two days, we have been preparing psychologically to see this murderer for the first time. It's very hard for us," said Rita Petrosyan, the sister of the dead father.
No date has been set yet for the soldier's murder trial.
GYUMRI, ARMENIA: A Russian soldier accused of killing a family of seven in Armenia, including two children, went on trial for desertion today at a Russian army base in the former Soviet state.Conscript soldier Valery Permyakov is accused of murdering a man and a woman and their grown-up son and daughter, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren at their home close to the Russian base in Gyumri, some 55 miles (89 kilometres) from the capital Yerevan.
Six of the victims, including the couple's two-year-old granddaughter were shot dead, while their six-month-old grandson was stabbed to death.
Permyakov's boots and Kalashnikov rifle were found at the scene. He was arrested after trying to flee to Turkey and has been held at the military base.
The crime prompted protests at the victims' funerals, with thousands gathering outside the Russian consulate in Gyumri and the military base to demand Permyakov be handed over to Armenian authorities instead of being court-martialled by Russia.
To appease Armenia, Russia agreed the military court would only try Permyakov in charges of desertion with a service weapon and stealing and illegally carrying a weapon and ammunition.
The murder case is to be heard by an Armenian court.
Permyakov pleaded guilty on Wednesday to the desertion and arms charges, the press secretary of the North Caucasus Military Court, Alyona Katkalo, told journalists.
The defendant sat in a glass dock, answering questions calmly in a low voice and showing no emotion.
Some 20 members of the public and journalists squeezed into the small courtroom, including around five relatives of the slain family, who wept.
"In the last two days, we have been preparing psychologically to see this murderer for the first time. It's very hard for us," said Rita Petrosyan, the sister of the dead father.
No date has been set yet for the soldier's murder trial.
Business Affairs
Sensex closes at two-week low on GST Bill, yuan worries
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The BSE Sensex and Nifty closed more than one per cent down on Wednesday, hitting a two-week low, as uncertainty over the fate of Goods and Services Tax Bill and global volatility following devaluation of the Chinese yuan weighed on blue chips.
Investors said the passage of the GST Bill might get delayed amid continued protests by the opposition with Thursday being the last day for the current session of the Parliament.
In addition, China's unexpected move to devalue its currency on Tuesday has dragged down global equity and currency markets.
China's yuan hit a four-year low on Wednesday, falling for a second day after authorities devalued it in a move that sparked fears of a global currency war and accusations that Beijing was unfairly supporting its struggling exporters.
"Definitely, the parliament impasse and Chinese currency devaluation are making an impact," G. Chokkalingam, founder of Equinomics, a Mumbai-based research and fund advisory firm said.
The BSE Sensex closed 1.27 per cent down while the Nifty closed 1.28 per cent down - their lowest since July 29.
The gauge had plunged 432.04 points in the previous three sessions on lacklustre earnings numbers.
The investors are also keeping a close eye on retail inflation data that will be published later on Wednesday.
Inflation likely cooled in July as food price rises stayed in check, while factory output grew slightly faster in June, a Reuters poll found this week.
The Reserve Bank of India could lower interest rates if inflation falls by at least 50 basis points, Chokkalingam said.
Blue chip stocks led the declines. ICICI Bank fell 3.31 per cent while Coal India slumped 5.53 per cent.
Oil refiners fell on worries gross refining margins and inventory gains will come off in the July-Sept quarter.
Indian Oil Corp fell 7.26 per cent, Hindustan Petroleum Corp lost 7.56 per cent, while Bharat Petroleum Corp fell 5.97 per cent.
Most sectors were trading in the red, except IT and pharma stocks, with Infosys up 3.39 per cent and TCS gaining 2.23 per cent. Sun Pharma rose 2.90 per cent despite the company on Tuesday reporting 60 per cent drop in consolidated net profit at Rs 478.96 crore for the quarter ended June 30.
The rupee was down to nearly a two-year low of 64.67, its lowest since September 2013.
The BSE Sensex and Nifty closed more than one per cent down on Wednesday, hitting a two-week low, as uncertainty over the fate of Goods and Services Tax Bill and global volatility following devaluation of the Chinese yuan weighed on blue chips.
Investors said the passage of the GST Bill might get delayed amid continued protests by the opposition with Thursday being the last day for the current session of the Parliament.
In addition, China's unexpected move to devalue its currency on Tuesday has dragged down global equity and currency markets.
China's yuan hit a four-year low on Wednesday, falling for a second day after authorities devalued it in a move that sparked fears of a global currency war and accusations that Beijing was unfairly supporting its struggling exporters.
"Definitely, the parliament impasse and Chinese currency devaluation are making an impact," G. Chokkalingam, founder of Equinomics, a Mumbai-based research and fund advisory firm said.
The BSE Sensex closed 1.27 per cent down while the Nifty closed 1.28 per cent down - their lowest since July 29.
The gauge had plunged 432.04 points in the previous three sessions on lacklustre earnings numbers.
The investors are also keeping a close eye on retail inflation data that will be published later on Wednesday.
Inflation likely cooled in July as food price rises stayed in check, while factory output grew slightly faster in June, a Reuters poll found this week.
The Reserve Bank of India could lower interest rates if inflation falls by at least 50 basis points, Chokkalingam said.
Blue chip stocks led the declines. ICICI Bank fell 3.31 per cent while Coal India slumped 5.53 per cent.
Oil refiners fell on worries gross refining margins and inventory gains will come off in the July-Sept quarter.
Indian Oil Corp fell 7.26 per cent, Hindustan Petroleum Corp lost 7.56 per cent, while Bharat Petroleum Corp fell 5.97 per cent.
Most sectors were trading in the red, except IT and pharma stocks, with Infosys up 3.39 per cent and TCS gaining 2.23 per cent. Sun Pharma rose 2.90 per cent despite the company on Tuesday reporting 60 per cent drop in consolidated net profit at Rs 478.96 crore for the quarter ended June 30.
The rupee was down to nearly a two-year low of 64.67, its lowest since September 2013.
Inflation likely cooled in July, June IIP picked up
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India's retail inflation likely cooled in July as food price rises stayed in check while factory output grew slightly faster in June, a Reuters poll found this week.
Over the last 19 months, inflation in India has halved from double-digit levels to below the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) 6 per cent target, giving the bank room to shave 75 basis points off its key repo rate this year.
But economists and the RBI have warned of the risk of a temporary spike in food prices due to poor monsoon rains. So far, those fears are unfounded according to the survey of over 30 economists. The poll's median showed consumer price inflation likely eased to 4.42 per cent in July from 5.40 per cent in June.
"Rainfall so far has not been as weak as many had feared, and the government's ample stockpile of crops should help to keep food inflation in check," wrote Shilan Shah, India economist at Capital Economics.
But the India Meteorological Department has forecast a drought in August and September. That could push the cost of food higher and cause the RBI to pause its policy-cutting cycle.
Consumer price rises hit an eight-month high in June, prompting the RBI to hold rates at 7.25 per cent in August. The bank is likely to cut once more before the end of the year, a slim majority of economists in a separate Reuters poll said.
Should the consensus for July's retail inflation rate prove correct, it would be the second lowest on record. But many economists in the poll cautioned against reading too much into the data as statistical base effects played a major role.
"Last year around this time there was a big spike in food prices and, in general, the overall CPI. As a result, even a modest movement this time will lead to a significant softening in the trend," said Siddhartha Sanyal, chief India economist at Barclays.
Analysts in the survey also predicted industrial output growth gathered pace in June, mainly due to a pick up in government spending, rising to 3.5 per cent from May's 2.7 per cent.
Still, India's economy is expected to grow only 7.6 per cent in the fiscal year ending in April 2016, compared to 7.3 per cent last year, due to delays in implementing key fiscal reforms.
India's retail inflation likely cooled in July as food price rises stayed in check while factory output grew slightly faster in June, a Reuters poll found this week.
Over the last 19 months, inflation in India has halved from double-digit levels to below the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) 6 per cent target, giving the bank room to shave 75 basis points off its key repo rate this year.
But economists and the RBI have warned of the risk of a temporary spike in food prices due to poor monsoon rains. So far, those fears are unfounded according to the survey of over 30 economists. The poll's median showed consumer price inflation likely eased to 4.42 per cent in July from 5.40 per cent in June.
"Rainfall so far has not been as weak as many had feared, and the government's ample stockpile of crops should help to keep food inflation in check," wrote Shilan Shah, India economist at Capital Economics.
But the India Meteorological Department has forecast a drought in August and September. That could push the cost of food higher and cause the RBI to pause its policy-cutting cycle.
Consumer price rises hit an eight-month high in June, prompting the RBI to hold rates at 7.25 per cent in August. The bank is likely to cut once more before the end of the year, a slim majority of economists in a separate Reuters poll said.
Should the consensus for July's retail inflation rate prove correct, it would be the second lowest on record. But many economists in the poll cautioned against reading too much into the data as statistical base effects played a major role.
"Last year around this time there was a big spike in food prices and, in general, the overall CPI. As a result, even a modest movement this time will lead to a significant softening in the trend," said Siddhartha Sanyal, chief India economist at Barclays.
Analysts in the survey also predicted industrial output growth gathered pace in June, mainly due to a pick up in government spending, rising to 3.5 per cent from May's 2.7 per cent.
Still, India's economy is expected to grow only 7.6 per cent in the fiscal year ending in April 2016, compared to 7.3 per cent last year, due to delays in implementing key fiscal reforms.
Facebook struggles to sell advertising in India
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Facebook is trying to lure skeptical advertisers in India with features such as free email support for questions about advertising and advice on increasing sales in a bid to boost revenue from its second-biggest market.
Facebook has 132 million users in India, trailing only the 193 million in the United States, according to the company , and the country is critical for the Menlo Park, California, social network's global expansion.
But so far, the payoff has been small: Facebook earns 15 cents per user in India every quarter, compared to the $7 to $8 it makes on each US user, according to analysts.
Facebook does not break out its revenues in India, but Neil Shah, an analyst at Counterpoint Research, a Hong Kong-based technology consulting firm, estimates it brings in $15 million a quarter, far behind the $350 million he estimates Google earns there per quarter.
Google, which set up in India in 2004, has been in the Indian market six years longer than Facebook, and its search ads are more familiar to advertisers there than the display ads Facebook offers.
The business-boosting features, described to Reuters by company executives and Indian business people, are aimed at advertisers such as Mohit Khattar, managing director at online grocery company Godrej Nature's Basket, one of the roughly 60 to 65 million small- and medium-sized businesses in the country.
He said he began advertising on Facebook about two months ago as the company ramped up its online presence. He found that advertising in-store events and sales helped attract customers, but would not provide specific figures.
"Since our customers are on Facebook, we are on Facebook. It's that simple," Khattar said.
Facebook declined to say how many staff members it has in India or how much it has invested since it launched operations there in 2010.
But the world's largest social network says it has seen early signs its efforts are working. The company unveiled a new type of ad designed specifically for India last year, called "click to missed call."
Users click a button on an ad, which automatically calls an advertiser. The user hangs up - to save them the charge for the call - and the advertiser calls back with a pre-recorded message.
Garnier Men, a leading men's hair care company in India and a unit of beauty products giant L'Oreal SA, saw online sales more than double by using click to missed call, according to Facebook and the company.
TV ADS
But Indian advertisers still overwhelmingly flock to television ads and remain skeptical of the value of advertising on social media, analysts and business executives said.
"Advertisers in India are not warmed enough to social media as a concept of marketing," said Shah, the Counterpoint analyst.
"We really need to help them see how Facebook pages and advertising will help grow their businesses," said Andy Hwang, Facebook director of small- and medium-sized businesses for Asia Pacific.
For instance, the company advises businesses to create interactive Facebook pages and use Facebook Messenger to interact with customers as a way of increasing sales.
Technology companies have turned to India and other markets in Asia for growth because the region contains two-thirds of the world's population. Asia is Facebook's fastest-growing region, with 57 per cent year-over-year growth in monthly active users.
India alone has 1.3 billion people, second only to China, and Facebook increased the number of users there by 22 per cent last year. On the other hand, only 252 million people in India have Internet access.
Expansion in India is also important because of the "China factor." Facebook, like Google Inc and Twitter Inc, is shut out of the biggest market of all due to the Communist government's concerns over control of information. Other tech companies, such as eBay and Yahoo, have struggled to crack the Chinese market.
Getting more Indian users "drives success, or at least the perception of success," said Jaideep Mehta, vice president and general manager for International Data Corporation Southeast Asia.
Facebook said it plans to use its strategy in India for other emerging markets such as Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico, which are Facebook's third-, fourth- and fifth-largest markets by users.
That makes success in India even more important for its global expansion. For the second quarter of this year, 51.3 per cent of Facebook's $4 billion in revenue came from outside the US and Canada.
In addition to efforts to attract more Indian advertisers, Facebook is working to make it easier for users to get on the service.
More than 90 per cent of Facebook's Indian users access it through mobile phones, but the Facebook app uses more data than most are able to pay for and Internet connections can be patchy. So the social giant developed Facebook Lite, which uses less data, for India and other emerging markets.
It has also rolled out its Internet.org initiative in India, a program started in August 2013 that aims to connect the two-thirds of the world without Internet access. Many of India's advertising dollars are in rural and semi-urban cities, analysts said, where users do not have a reliable Internet connection.
Facebook is also getting help from the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which uses Facebook to provide updates on the government's workings.
"It is undeniable that a pro-social media government is good for the industry," Mehta said.
Facebook is trying to lure skeptical advertisers in India with features such as free email support for questions about advertising and advice on increasing sales in a bid to boost revenue from its second-biggest market.
Facebook has 132 million users in India, trailing only the 193 million in the United States, according to the company , and the country is critical for the Menlo Park, California, social network's global expansion.
But so far, the payoff has been small: Facebook earns 15 cents per user in India every quarter, compared to the $7 to $8 it makes on each US user, according to analysts.
Facebook does not break out its revenues in India, but Neil Shah, an analyst at Counterpoint Research, a Hong Kong-based technology consulting firm, estimates it brings in $15 million a quarter, far behind the $350 million he estimates Google earns there per quarter.
Google, which set up in India in 2004, has been in the Indian market six years longer than Facebook, and its search ads are more familiar to advertisers there than the display ads Facebook offers.
The business-boosting features, described to Reuters by company executives and Indian business people, are aimed at advertisers such as Mohit Khattar, managing director at online grocery company Godrej Nature's Basket, one of the roughly 60 to 65 million small- and medium-sized businesses in the country.
He said he began advertising on Facebook about two months ago as the company ramped up its online presence. He found that advertising in-store events and sales helped attract customers, but would not provide specific figures.
"Since our customers are on Facebook, we are on Facebook. It's that simple," Khattar said.
Facebook declined to say how many staff members it has in India or how much it has invested since it launched operations there in 2010.
But the world's largest social network says it has seen early signs its efforts are working. The company unveiled a new type of ad designed specifically for India last year, called "click to missed call."
Users click a button on an ad, which automatically calls an advertiser. The user hangs up - to save them the charge for the call - and the advertiser calls back with a pre-recorded message.
Garnier Men, a leading men's hair care company in India and a unit of beauty products giant L'Oreal SA, saw online sales more than double by using click to missed call, according to Facebook and the company.
TV ADS
TV ADS
But Indian advertisers still overwhelmingly flock to television ads and remain skeptical of the value of advertising on social media, analysts and business executives said.
"Advertisers in India are not warmed enough to social media as a concept of marketing," said Shah, the Counterpoint analyst.
"We really need to help them see how Facebook pages and advertising will help grow their businesses," said Andy Hwang, Facebook director of small- and medium-sized businesses for Asia Pacific.
For instance, the company advises businesses to create interactive Facebook pages and use Facebook Messenger to interact with customers as a way of increasing sales.
Technology companies have turned to India and other markets in Asia for growth because the region contains two-thirds of the world's population. Asia is Facebook's fastest-growing region, with 57 per cent year-over-year growth in monthly active users.
India alone has 1.3 billion people, second only to China, and Facebook increased the number of users there by 22 per cent last year. On the other hand, only 252 million people in India have Internet access.
Expansion in India is also important because of the "China factor." Facebook, like Google Inc and Twitter Inc, is shut out of the biggest market of all due to the Communist government's concerns over control of information. Other tech companies, such as eBay and Yahoo, have struggled to crack the Chinese market.
Getting more Indian users "drives success, or at least the perception of success," said Jaideep Mehta, vice president and general manager for International Data Corporation Southeast Asia.
Facebook said it plans to use its strategy in India for other emerging markets such as Brazil, Indonesia and Mexico, which are Facebook's third-, fourth- and fifth-largest markets by users.
That makes success in India even more important for its global expansion. For the second quarter of this year, 51.3 per cent of Facebook's $4 billion in revenue came from outside the US and Canada.
In addition to efforts to attract more Indian advertisers, Facebook is working to make it easier for users to get on the service.
More than 90 per cent of Facebook's Indian users access it through mobile phones, but the Facebook app uses more data than most are able to pay for and Internet connections can be patchy. So the social giant developed Facebook Lite, which uses less data, for India and other emerging markets.
It has also rolled out its Internet.org initiative in India, a program started in August 2013 that aims to connect the two-thirds of the world without Internet access. Many of India's advertising dollars are in rural and semi-urban cities, analysts said, where users do not have a reliable Internet connection.
Facebook is also getting help from the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which uses Facebook to provide updates on the government's workings.
"It is undeniable that a pro-social media government is good for the industry," Mehta said.
IMF says yuan devaluation appears a welcome step
-
China's new mechanism for determining the central parity of its currency "appears a welcome step" as it should allow market forces to have a greater role in determining the exchange rate, the IMF has said.
The global financial institution also asserted that China should aim to achieve an effectively floating exchange rate system within two to three years.
China devalued its tightly-controlled currency on Tuesday by two per cent, the biggest one-day fall since a massive devaluation in 1994, as the world's second largest economy grappled with economic slowdown and dwindling exports.
The "new mechanism" for determining the central parity of the Renminbi announced by China "appears a welcome step" as it should allow market forces to have a greater role in determining the exchange rate, an IMF spokesperson said.
Noting that the exact impact will depend on how the new mechanism is implemented in practice, the IMF said greater exchange rate flexibility is important for China as it strives to give market forces a decisive role in the economy and is rapidly integrating into global financial markets.
"We believe that China can, and should, aim to achieve an effectively floating exchange rate system within two to three years," the spokesperson said in a late night statement on Tuesday.
Regarding the ongoing review of the IMF's SDR (Special Drawing Rights) basket, "the announced change has no direct implications for the criteria used in determining the composition of the basket", the spokesperson said in response to a question.
"Nevertheless, a more market-determined exchange rate would facilitate SDR operations in case the Renminbi were included in the currency basket going forward," the spokesperson said.
According to Wall Street Journal, devaluation of Chinese currency would help it increase its export and will pressure China's direct trade rivals, such as South Korea and Japan, to follow suit and let their own currencies fall.
"It raises risks of market volatility in other emerging market economies. More broadly it sends a signal to investors that policy makers in China and elsewhere are straining for tools to address the problem of slow growth," the daily said.
The New York Times explained that China took such a decision for its economy to remain on an even keel, keeping growth and employment high and for its currency to become globally pre-eminent, helping promote the country's diplomatic goals and solidifying the country's centrality to the global economy.
China's new mechanism for determining the central parity of its currency "appears a welcome step" as it should allow market forces to have a greater role in determining the exchange rate, the IMF has said.
The global financial institution also asserted that China should aim to achieve an effectively floating exchange rate system within two to three years.
China devalued its tightly-controlled currency on Tuesday by two per cent, the biggest one-day fall since a massive devaluation in 1994, as the world's second largest economy grappled with economic slowdown and dwindling exports.
The "new mechanism" for determining the central parity of the Renminbi announced by China "appears a welcome step" as it should allow market forces to have a greater role in determining the exchange rate, an IMF spokesperson said.
Noting that the exact impact will depend on how the new mechanism is implemented in practice, the IMF said greater exchange rate flexibility is important for China as it strives to give market forces a decisive role in the economy and is rapidly integrating into global financial markets.
"We believe that China can, and should, aim to achieve an effectively floating exchange rate system within two to three years," the spokesperson said in a late night statement on Tuesday.
Regarding the ongoing review of the IMF's SDR (Special Drawing Rights) basket, "the announced change has no direct implications for the criteria used in determining the composition of the basket", the spokesperson said in response to a question.
"Nevertheless, a more market-determined exchange rate would facilitate SDR operations in case the Renminbi were included in the currency basket going forward," the spokesperson said.
According to Wall Street Journal, devaluation of Chinese currency would help it increase its export and will pressure China's direct trade rivals, such as South Korea and Japan, to follow suit and let their own currencies fall.
"It raises risks of market volatility in other emerging market economies. More broadly it sends a signal to investors that policy makers in China and elsewhere are straining for tools to address the problem of slow growth," the daily said.
The New York Times explained that China took such a decision for its economy to remain on an even keel, keeping growth and employment high and for its currency to become globally pre-eminent, helping promote the country's diplomatic goals and solidifying the country's centrality to the global economy.
Gold prices soar to over 3-week high, regain Rs 26,000-mark
-
Gold prices soared by Rs 600, its biggest one-day surge this year, to trade at its highest level in more than three weeks at Rs 26,000 per 10 grams on Wednesday.
Bullion traders said sentiment got a boost after gold rallied to three-week high in global markets following China's devaluation of its currency for the second straight day, spurring demand for safe-haven assets.
Gold in Singapore, which mostly sets the price trend in the Indian market, was trading 0.6 per cent higher at $1,115.48 an ounce.
The depreciation in rupee, which plunged to almost two-year low against the dollar, also supported the upside in the global prices as it would make imports costlier.
In the forex market, rupee was trading 75 paise lower at 64.94 (intra-day) against the American currency. Silver also rose sharply by Rs 640 to Rs 35,700 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers.
In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity zoomed up by Rs 600 each to Rs 26,000 and Rs 25,850 per ten grams respectively, a level last seen on July 18. The precious metal had gained Rs 420 in the previous four days. Sovereign gold followed suit and shot up by Rs 200 to Rs 22,400 per piece of eight gram.
Following gold rally, 'silver ready' recorded a hefty rise of Rs 640 to Rs 35,700 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 450 to Rs 35,410 per kg. Silver coins also spurted by Rs 2,000 to Rs 51,000 for buying and Rs 52,000 for selling of 100 pieces.
Gold prices soared by Rs 600, its biggest one-day surge this year, to trade at its highest level in more than three weeks at Rs 26,000 per 10 grams on Wednesday.
Bullion traders said sentiment got a boost after gold rallied to three-week high in global markets following China's devaluation of its currency for the second straight day, spurring demand for safe-haven assets.
Gold in Singapore, which mostly sets the price trend in the Indian market, was trading 0.6 per cent higher at $1,115.48 an ounce.
The depreciation in rupee, which plunged to almost two-year low against the dollar, also supported the upside in the global prices as it would make imports costlier.
In the forex market, rupee was trading 75 paise lower at 64.94 (intra-day) against the American currency. Silver also rose sharply by Rs 640 to Rs 35,700 per kg on increased offtake by industrial units and coin makers.
In the national capital, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity zoomed up by Rs 600 each to Rs 26,000 and Rs 25,850 per ten grams respectively, a level last seen on July 18. The precious metal had gained Rs 420 in the previous four days. Sovereign gold followed suit and shot up by Rs 200 to Rs 22,400 per piece of eight gram.
Following gold rally, 'silver ready' recorded a hefty rise of Rs 640 to Rs 35,700 per kg and weekly-based delivery by Rs 450 to Rs 35,410 per kg. Silver coins also spurted by Rs 2,000 to Rs 51,000 for buying and Rs 52,000 for selling of 100 pieces.
General Awareness
GENERAL AWARENESS PRACTICE QUESTIONS FOR ALL BANK EXAMS
-
-
1. The Centre will over the next four years infuse how many crore rupees into the state-owned banks?
1) Rs. 80,000 crore
2) Rs. 60,000 crore
3) Rs. 70,000 crore
4) Rs. 1,00,000 crore
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Who was appointed Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on July 27, 2015?
1) Sudheer Gupta
2) Ram Sevak Sharma
3) Pankaj Chandra
4) A.K. Kaushal
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Clive Rice passed away on 28th July 2015. He was an international cricketer from?
1) Australia
2) New Zealand
3) South Africa
4) West Indies
5) England
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Which city has been chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics?
1) Almaty
2) Turin
3) Vancouver
4) Beijing
5) Tokyo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. K.M. Mani was appointed as the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST) in March 2015. He is the Finance Minister of?
1) Tamil Nadu
2) Odisha
3) Bihar
4) Gujarat
5) Kerala
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Which of the following organizations has been selected for the 2014 Gandhi Peace Prize?
1) TERI
2) Bachpan Bachao Andolan
3) ISRO
4) DRDO
5) BARC
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Who won the All England Badminton Championship for India?
1) P. Gopichand
2) Prakash Padukone
3) Saina Nehwal
4) Both 1 and 2
5) 1, 2 and 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Which of the following teams won the Ranji Trophy cricket in March 2015?
1) Karnataka
2) Tamil Nadu
3) Kerala
4) Mumbai
5) Delhi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Which State government launched Bhagyashree scheme for girls on 8th March 2015?
1) Uttar Pradesh
2) Maharashtra
3) Karnataka
4) Goa
5) West Bengal
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Hukam Singh passed away recently. He was the Chief Minister of?
1) Punjab
2) Rajasthan
3) Uttarakhand
4) Uttar Pradesh
5) Haryana
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Ajaypal Singh Banga is the President and CEO of?
1) Deutsche Bank
2) Citibank
3) Google
4) Master Card
5) SoftBank
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Benetton Group is a global fashion brand based in?
1) France
2) Italy
3) Spain
4) UK
5) USA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Who is the author of the book "2014: The Election that Changed India"?
1) Prannoy Roy
2) Vinod Mehta
3) Rajdeep Sardesai
4) Shekar Gupta
5) Yashwant Sinha
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
14. Which of the following is not a team name in the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament?
1) Delhi Dynamos
2) Mumbai City
3) FC Goa
4) Kerala Blasters
5) North West United
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Which one of the following countries is not a member of the European Union?
1) Austria
2) Estonia
3) Slovakia
4) Slovenia
5) Serbia
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) consists of how many countries?
1) 27
2) 30
3) 33
4) 37
5) 38
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
17. Which of the following is not a Maharatna company?
1) BHEL
2) GAIL
3) NTPC
4) ONGC
5) BPCL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
18. Euro 2016 football championship will be played in?
1) Poland
2) France
3) Ukraine
4) Spain
5) Germany
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
19. The 10th Aero India show was held in February 2015 in?
1) Bangalore
2) Hyderabad
3) Mumbai
4) New Delhi
5) Kochi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
20. Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan has been named the President of Britain's prestigious Royal Society.
He won the Nobel Prize in 2009 in?
1) Physics
2) Chemistry
3) Medicine
4) Economics
5) Literature
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
21. David Hale has been appointed as US ambassador to?
1) India
2) Russia
3) China
4) Pakistan
5) Syria
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
22. Who took over as the new Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in March 2015?
1) Ajit Sharan
2) Injeti Srinivas
3) N.K. Sahoo
4) R.C. Lodha
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
23. The central bank of Canada is called the?
1) Reserve Bank of Canada
2) Federal Reserve of Canada
3) Bank of Canada
4) Royal Bank of Canada
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
24. The principal financial institution for the promotion, financing and development of the MSME
sector in India is?
1) NABARD
2) DICGC
3) SIDBI
4) EXIM Bank
5) RBI
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25. Which of the following is not a regulatory authority?
1) RBI
2) FMC
3) IBA
4) SEBI
5) IRDA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
26. Who made the highest individual score in cricket world cup history?
1) Rohit Sharma
2) Martin Guptill
3) Chris Gayle
4) Virender Sehwag
5) Sachin Tendulkar
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
27. Which bank has launched Chillr, a mobile app that allows users to instantly transfer money to any contact in their phonebook?
1) SBI
2) ICICI Bank
3) Axis Bank
4) SBH
5) HDFC Bank
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
28. Santiago is the capital of which of the following countries?
1) Paraguay
2) Poland
3) Austria
4) Chile
5) Suriname
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
29. Which of the following is the currency of Spain?
1) Krone
2) Lira
3) Euro
4) Rial
5) Ruble
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
30. Rajendra Pachauri stepped down as the Chairman of which of the following organizations following allegation of sexual harassment?
1) WEF
2) UNEP
3) WMO
4) IPCC
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
31. Who is the Union Cabinet Minister for Steel and Mines?
1) Narendra Singh Tomar
2) Ram Vilas Paswan
3) J.P. Nadda
4) Anant Kumar
5) Anant Geethe
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
32. TOPIX is a stock market index for the?
1) Toronto Stock Exchange
2) Tokyo Stock Exchange
3) Singapore Stock Exchange
4) Shanghai Stock Exchange
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
33. Zhao Xintong of China is a renowned player in which of the following sports?
1) Table Tennis
2) Badminton
3) Snooker
4) Archery
5) Shooting
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
34. The modified Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL) scheme is renamed as?
1) PARAS
2) BADTA
3) PRAYAS
4) PAHAL
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
35. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located in?
1) Goa
2) Karnataka
3) Madhya Pradesh
4) Assam
5) Gujarat
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
36. The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on?
1) October 14
2) November 14
3) December 14
4) November 24
5) October 24
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
37. Norman Gordon of South Africa died recently. He played?
1) Football
2) Cricket
3) Badminton
4) Rugby
5) Hockey
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
38. Which country conferred the highest military rank of field marshal to former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka?
1) Mauritius
2) Nepal
3) Bangladesh
4) Sri Lanka
5) Bhutan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
39. Who is the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External affairs?
1) Mohan Kumar
2) Arun Kumar Singh
3) Sujatha Singh
4) Shiv Shankar Menon
5) Vikas Swarup
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
40. Benjamin Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of?
1) Syria
2) Jordan
3) Lebanon
4) Israel
5) Libya
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWERS:
1) 3; 2) 2; 3) 3; 4) 4; 5) 5; 6) 3; 7) 4; 8) 1; 9) 2; 10) 5;
11) 4; 12) 2; 13) 3; 14) 5; 15) 5; 16) 3; 17) 5; 18) 2; 19) 1; 20) 2;
21) 4; 22) 2; 23) 3; 24) 3; 25) 3; 26) 2; 27) 5; 28) 4; 29) 3; 30) 4;
31) 1; 32) 2; 33) 3; 34) 4; 35) 1; 36) 3; 37) 2; 38) 4; 39) 5; 40) 4.
- 1. The Centre will over the next four years infuse how many crore rupees into the state-owned banks?
1) Rs. 80,000 crore
2) Rs. 60,000 crore
3) Rs. 70,000 crore
4) Rs. 1,00,000 crore
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. Who was appointed Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on July 27, 2015?
1) Sudheer Gupta
2) Ram Sevak Sharma
3) Pankaj Chandra
4) A.K. Kaushal
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Clive Rice passed away on 28th July 2015. He was an international cricketer from?
1) Australia
2) New Zealand
3) South Africa
4) West Indies
5) England
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
4. Which city has been chosen to host the 2022 Winter Olympics?
1) Almaty
2) Turin
3) Vancouver
4) Beijing
5) Tokyo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. K.M. Mani was appointed as the Chairman of the Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers on Goods and Services Tax (GST) in March 2015. He is the Finance Minister of?
1) Tamil Nadu
2) Odisha
3) Bihar
4) Gujarat
5) Kerala
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
6. Which of the following organizations has been selected for the 2014 Gandhi Peace Prize?
1) TERI
2) Bachpan Bachao Andolan
3) ISRO
4) DRDO
5) BARC
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Who won the All England Badminton Championship for India?
1) P. Gopichand
2) Prakash Padukone
3) Saina Nehwal
4) Both 1 and 2
5) 1, 2 and 3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
8. Which of the following teams won the Ranji Trophy cricket in March 2015?
1) Karnataka
2) Tamil Nadu
3) Kerala
4) Mumbai
5) Delhi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
9. Which State government launched Bhagyashree scheme for girls on 8th March 2015?
1) Uttar Pradesh
2) Maharashtra
3) Karnataka
4) Goa
5) West Bengal
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Hukam Singh passed away recently. He was the Chief Minister of?
1) Punjab
2) Rajasthan
3) Uttarakhand
4) Uttar Pradesh
5) Haryana
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
11. Ajaypal Singh Banga is the President and CEO of?
1) Deutsche Bank
2) Citibank
3) Google
4) Master Card
5) SoftBank
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
12. Benetton Group is a global fashion brand based in?
1) France
2) Italy
3) Spain
4) UK
5) USA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
13. Who is the author of the book "2014: The Election that Changed India"?
1) Prannoy Roy
2) Vinod Mehta
3) Rajdeep Sardesai
4) Shekar Gupta
5) Yashwant Sinha
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
14. Which of the following is not a team name in the Indian Super League (ISL) football tournament?
1) Delhi Dynamos
2) Mumbai City
3) FC Goa
4) Kerala Blasters
5) North West United
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
15. Which one of the following countries is not a member of the European Union?
1) Austria
2) Estonia
3) Slovakia
4) Slovenia
5) Serbia
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) consists of how many countries?
1) 27
2) 30
3) 33
4) 37
5) 38
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
17. Which of the following is not a Maharatna company?
1) BHEL
2) GAIL
3) NTPC
4) ONGC
5) BPCL
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
18. Euro 2016 football championship will be played in?
1) Poland
2) France
3) Ukraine
4) Spain
5) Germany
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
19. The 10th Aero India show was held in February 2015 in?
1) Bangalore
2) Hyderabad
3) Mumbai
4) New Delhi
5) Kochi
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
20. Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan has been named the President of Britain's prestigious Royal Society.
He won the Nobel Prize in 2009 in?
1) Physics
2) Chemistry
3) Medicine
4) Economics
5) Literature
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
21. David Hale has been appointed as US ambassador to?
1) India
2) Russia
3) China
4) Pakistan
5) Syria
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
22. Who took over as the new Director General of the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in March 2015?
1) Ajit Sharan
2) Injeti Srinivas
3) N.K. Sahoo
4) R.C. Lodha
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
23. The central bank of Canada is called the?
1) Reserve Bank of Canada
2) Federal Reserve of Canada
3) Bank of Canada
4) Royal Bank of Canada
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
24. The principal financial institution for the promotion, financing and development of the MSME
sector in India is?
1) NABARD
2) DICGC
3) SIDBI
4) EXIM Bank
5) RBI
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
25. Which of the following is not a regulatory authority?
1) RBI
2) FMC
3) IBA
4) SEBI
5) IRDA
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
26. Who made the highest individual score in cricket world cup history?
1) Rohit Sharma
2) Martin Guptill
3) Chris Gayle
4) Virender Sehwag
5) Sachin Tendulkar
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
27. Which bank has launched Chillr, a mobile app that allows users to instantly transfer money to any contact in their phonebook?
1) SBI
2) ICICI Bank
3) Axis Bank
4) SBH
5) HDFC Bank
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
28. Santiago is the capital of which of the following countries?
1) Paraguay
2) Poland
3) Austria
4) Chile
5) Suriname
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
29. Which of the following is the currency of Spain?
1) Krone
2) Lira
3) Euro
4) Rial
5) Ruble
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
30. Rajendra Pachauri stepped down as the Chairman of which of the following organizations following allegation of sexual harassment?
1) WEF
2) UNEP
3) WMO
4) IPCC
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
31. Who is the Union Cabinet Minister for Steel and Mines?
1) Narendra Singh Tomar
2) Ram Vilas Paswan
3) J.P. Nadda
4) Anant Kumar
5) Anant Geethe
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
32. TOPIX is a stock market index for the?
1) Toronto Stock Exchange
2) Tokyo Stock Exchange
3) Singapore Stock Exchange
4) Shanghai Stock Exchange
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
33. Zhao Xintong of China is a renowned player in which of the following sports?
1) Table Tennis
2) Badminton
3) Snooker
4) Archery
5) Shooting
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
34. The modified Direct Benefit Transfer of LPG (DBTL) scheme is renamed as?
1) PARAS
2) BADTA
3) PRAYAS
4) PAHAL
5) None of these
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
35. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary is located in?
1) Goa
2) Karnataka
3) Madhya Pradesh
4) Assam
5) Gujarat
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
36. The National Energy Conservation Day is celebrated every year on?
1) October 14
2) November 14
3) December 14
4) November 24
5) October 24
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
37. Norman Gordon of South Africa died recently. He played?
1) Football
2) Cricket
3) Badminton
4) Rugby
5) Hockey
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
38. Which country conferred the highest military rank of field marshal to former Army Chief Sarath Fonseka?
1) Mauritius
2) Nepal
3) Bangladesh
4) Sri Lanka
5) Bhutan
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
39. Who is the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External affairs?
1) Mohan Kumar
2) Arun Kumar Singh
3) Sujatha Singh
4) Shiv Shankar Menon
5) Vikas Swarup
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
40. Benjamin Netanyahu is the current Prime Minister of?
1) Syria
2) Jordan
3) Lebanon
4) Israel
5) Libya
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
ANSWERS:
1) 3; 2) 2; 3) 3; 4) 4; 5) 5; 6) 3; 7) 4; 8) 1; 9) 2; 10) 5;
11) 4; 12) 2; 13) 3; 14) 5; 15) 5; 16) 3; 17) 5; 18) 2; 19) 1; 20) 2;
21) 4; 22) 2; 23) 3; 24) 3; 25) 3; 26) 2; 27) 5; 28) 4; 29) 3; 30) 4;
31) 1; 32) 2; 33) 3; 34) 4; 35) 1; 36) 3; 37) 2; 38) 4; 39) 5; 40) 4.
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