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ORACLE
Weekly Newsletter
Message from the Editor
"It is never about conquering the mountain
It is about conquering yourself "
- Edmund Hillary
Dear Student,
What you are holding in your hands is not a mere set of papers; you are shaking hands with a friend.
Meet “Oracle”. It is a weekly newsletter covering all relevant information on “Current Events” and
“Economy” that relates to the past week.
Oracle is simple, informative and analytical. It is made for you, your preparation, your
convenience and your SUCCESS. It is structured in an easy-to-read and simple-to-understand format
with material in bulleted form. It comes without long stories with irrelevant material. The objective is to
ensure that you don't miss out anything AND that you don't waste your precious time reading the
unnecessary. It also removes a student's eternal dilemma of distinguishing between the important and
un-important.
Apart from this, Oracle doesn't just present any news topic as a “stand-alone”. Every important
item comes with a background in its own box to give you an insight into the issue and appreciate it in its
present form.Also, keywords are given in italics to emphasize the importance.
In the “Economy” section, apart from relevance, meanings of economic terms used in the news
are given in a separate box, explaining it in layman's words and doing away with the technicality. Effort
has been made to make it analytical as well. To this effect, more analytical questions are being asked in
the context of recent events. Also, a weekly dose would help a student imbibe discipline into his/her
preparation rather than stacking up monthlies in his/her cupboard.
In the pipeline, are a Hindi version of Oracle, a monthly called Econo-source covering broad
economic issues explained simply in an innovative “facts, figures and analysis (FFA)” format, PRISM –
a comprehensive fact book covering the India Year Book, Economic Survey and Budget and last but not
the least, a Prelim-focused test series starting March 2008. You can call in or write to us to book your
copy/seat today.And of course, your feedback will only help us in serving your needs even better.
It will be a pleasure making your acquaintance and a privilege to help you in your preparation.
Mukul Sharma
E-mail: [email protected]
Mb.: 9971714587, 9971714617, 9873800958
ORACLE
CURRENT AFFAIRS
AND
ECONOMY WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
(13 to 19 January 2008)
CURRENT EVENTS
INDIA
Tata Motors unveils the world’s least expensive production car, the Tata Nano, priced at Rs. 100,000
• It is the first time that a two-cylinder petrol engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft.
• The Nano complies with Bharat Stage-III and Euro-IV emission standards.
Bird Flu attacks in West Bengal
• This is the first time that bird flu has broken out in West Bengal.
• The last outbreak was in 2006 at Navapur in Nandurbar district of Maharashtra.
• India declared itself bird flu-free in New Delhi at the International Ministerial Conference on Avian and Pandemic
Influenza and became, for the first time, a donor to fight the menace.
• The H5N1 avian flu virus was first reported near Dhaka in March last year and has since spread mainly to northern
districts and authorities have been forced to kill more than 300,000 chickens.
• Bhutan has banned the import of poultry and its products from India for an indefinite period following an outbreak
of bird flu in West Bengal.
• Bhutan imports nearly 100 MT of processed chicken and 30,000 cartons of eggs from India annually.
H5N1 is a subtype of the Influenza A virus
Australia has announced that it would not sell uranium to India unless it signs the NPT
• Australia has adopted a “wait and watch” policy and has not yet made a decision on whether to block uranium
sales to India by other countries of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group.
The Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) is a multinational body concerned with reducing nuclear proliferation by
controlling the export and re-transfer of materials that may be applicable to nuclear weapon development and by
improving safeguards and protection on existing materials. It was founded in 1975 and has 45 members: Argentina,
Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark,
Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa,
South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and United States.
Countries/Entities with which the US has or had a 123 Agreement:
• Morocco
• Ukraine
• Romania
• Japan (with automatic re-processing rights)
• Euratom (with automatic re-processing rights)
• China (with re-processing rights, requiring approval per each request)
• Switzerland
• India
UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown will embark on a two-day visit to India from Sunday with an avowed objective of
upgrading Britain’s relations with the emerging Asian giant to bring them on par with its ties with the US
Italy and India agreed to boost bilateral trade, investment and technology transfer in agriculture
INTERNATIONAL
The Kuomintang and its allies win a landslide victory in the China (Taiwan) legislative elections, securing over three
quarters of the seats in the Legislative Yuan
KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
1
•
•
They are the first set of legislators to serve a longer four-year term in the Legislative Yuan, after an amendment in
the Constitution in 2005, which synchronized the legislative and presidential elections and reduce the size of the
Legislative Yuan by half.
For the first time in the history of the Republic of China, most members of the Legislative Yuan were to be elected
from single-member districts.
Mikheil Saakashvili wins the Georgian presidential elections amidst allegations of vote-rigging
• The elections were in response to demonstrations in November 2007 when 50,000 rallied in Tbilisi, capital of Georgia,
against the allegedly corrupt government of President Mikheil Saakashvili.
• Protests were triggered by detention of Georgian politician Irakli Okruashvili on charges of extortion, money
laundering, and abuse of office during his tenure as defense minister of the country and were organized by the
National Council, an ad-hoc coalition of ten opposition parties.
About Georgia
• Located at the juncture of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, bordered on the north by Russia, on the south
by Turkey and Armenia, and on the east by Azerbaijan.
• The Likhi Range divides the country into eastern and western halves.
• The Greater Caucasus Mountain Range separates Georgia from the North Caucasian Republics of Russia.
• The highest mountain in Georgia is Mount Shkhara at 5,201 meters.
• Voronya Cave is the deepest known cave in the world.
• Currency: Lari, Capital: Tbilisi, Acting President: Nino Burjanadze, Prime Minister: Lado Gurgenidze.
Former Colombian vice presidential candidate Clara Rojas is released by FARC guerrillas after nearly six years in
captivity
• The release was planned in an operation dubbed Operation Emmanuel, using Venezuelan aircraft and with the
support of the Red Cross.
Bobby Jindal has been sworn in as the 56th Governor of Louisiana. He is the first Indian American Governor in US history
The Spanish government has called general elections for March
Taiwan’s Foreign Ministry has severed diplomatic ties with Malawi, after the African country established relations with
rival China
• The break is another blow to Taiwan’s diplomatic standing, reducing the number of its allies to only 23.
•
•
Taiwan and China split amid civil war in 1949. Since then they have been engaged in an all-out contest to win
diplomatic allegiance from countries around the world.
In recent years, China’s rising political and economic clout has helped it persuade more countries to recognize
Beijing instead of Taipei. China’s diplomatic count now stands at more than 170.
Israeli and Palestinian negotiators started preparation to begin discussing the most contentious issues in their 100year conflict as part of efforts backed by US President George W. Bush to iron out a final peace agreement by the
end of the year
• Core issues: Jerusalem, Israeli West Bank settlements, Palestinian refugees, borders, security and water resources.
• Chief Palestinian negotiator: Ahmed Qureia, Israeli Prime Minister: Ehud Olmert.
Kenya’s opposition candidate Kenneth Marende was elected as parliament speaker in a close-fought vote held during
the first parliament session since last month’s disputed presidential poll
•
•
•
•
•
2
Civil unrest in Kenya erupted after incumbent Mwai Kibaki was declared winner of the country’s presidential
elections that took place on December 27, 2007.
Supporters of Kibaki’s opponent, Raila Odinga, went on a rampage in the belief that the vote counting was
rigged by the electoral commission in Kibaki’s favour.
The violence has been directed mainly against Kikuyus, belonging to the same ethnic group as Kibaki.
The violence in Kenya has had serious economic ramifications throughout East Africa, particularly for the
landlocked countries of the Great Lakes region (Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern parts of the Democratic
Republic of Congo).
These countries depend upon Kenyan infrastructure links (particularly the port at Mombasa) for important
imports as well as export routes. Significant shortages of gasoline were reported in Uganda as well as Zanzibar
following the elections.
KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
Thailand’s Supreme Court upheld the legality of the People’s Power Party (PPP), headed by the loyalists of militarydeposed leader Thaksin Shinawatra. raising the possibility of “democracy restoration”
• The PPP emerged front-runner in the general election that the ruling military junta held last month with a pledge
to revive democracy through that exercise.
• Mr. Thaksin, twice elected Prime Minister, was toppled in a military coup in September 2006, and he was subsequently
barred from politics for five years.
• And, the junta indicated that any political party with direct links to him could not be allowed to assume power on
the basis of the results of the latest general election. It was in this context that a member of Thailand’s longestablished Democrat Party had filed a petition against the PPP in the case that the Supreme Court now dealt with
The first general elections to choose 47 candidates for Bhutan’s National Assembly, the lower House of Parliament,
will be held on March 24
• Two parties – Druk Phuensum Tshogpa and People’s Democratic Party – will contest the historic elections that will
formally end absolute monarchy in the Himalayan country.
• Bhutan’s transition to democracy began in 2001 when former King Jigme Singye Wangchuk handed over the powers
of daily governance to a Council of Ministers.
• In 2006, he abdicated the throne in favour of his Oxford-educated son Jigme Khesar Namgyel
• Under a draft Constitution, the King will become head of state, but Parliament will have the power to impeach him
by a two-thirds vote.
US undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns, the American point man for the India-U.S. civil nuclear deal, is resigning
in March
United Arab Emirates is the most globalised Arab country followed by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, according to a recent
report
Sri Lanka’s 6-year-old cease-fire deal ended in a spasm of violence, as suspected Tamil Tigers bombed a civilian bus,
gunned down the fleeing passengers and attacked farmers as they retreated into the bush, killing 31 people
•
The Tamil Tigers have been fighting since 1983 for an independent state for Sri Lanka’s ethnic Tamil minority
in the north and east after decades of being marginalised by Sinhalese-dominated governments.
Alvaro Colom is sworn in as President of Guatemala
About Guatemala
• Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the northwest, the Pacific Ocean to the
southwest, Belize and the Caribbean Sea to the northeast, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast.
• The most populous nation in Central America.
• Independence from Spain: 15 September 1821.
• Currency: Quetzal.
• Volcán Tajumulco, at 4,220 meters, is the highest point in Central America.
The former Pakistan Supreme Court judge, Rana Bhagwandas, was freed from house arrest ahead of a planned protest
by lawyers against his detention
Five Hindu Rights Action Force (Hindraf) leaders, now in detention without charges and trial under Malaysia’s tough
Internal Security Act, “will go on a hunger strike” later this month
The caretaker government in Bangladesh has announced that it would initiate a dialogue with political parties for
transition to democracy
Floods in Mozambique kill 50 people, lead to the evacuation of 30,000 and make 72,000 homeless
Pakistan People’s Party submitted a petition to the United Nations seeking an investigation into her assassination after
the Pakistan government refused to forward the request to the world body
SPORTS
Indian spinner Anil Kumble joined Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne as the only players to claim 600 Test wickets
•
•
•
•
Anil Kumble has dismissed 150 batsmen LBW and has 32 caught-behind – both world records
Has dismissed 75 batsmen for a duck – most by an Indian
Only Indian bowler to capture 100 wickets against one country (Australia)
Dravid and Kumble have combine to dismiss 54 batsmen, 2nd highest for any pair after Jayawardene-Murlitharan
KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
3
•
At 36, Kumble is the oldest Indian player to score a maiden century anad has taken most tests(118) than any batsman
in the world to scsore a century
India withdrew the Level Three charge against Australian wrist-spinner Brad Hogg
Pakistan has withdrawn from the proposed three-nation hockey tournament involving Belgium and India to be held here
from January 22
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
The US Food and Drug Administration allows the production and sale of foods derived from cloned animals
A team of researchers from the University of Minnesota announce the creation of a beating rat heart using cells from
the heart of newborn rats and a heart structure from a dead rat
NASA’s Messenger flies by Mercury, the first spacecraft to do so in thirty-three years
•
•
•
Launched August 3, 2004 to study the characteristics and environment of Mercury from orbit.
Will be the first to visit Mercury in over 30 years after Mariner 10 (1975).
Mercury orbit insertion will be on March 18, 2011, beginning a year-long orbital mission.
INDO-CHINA ISSUES
BACKGROUND
•
Since the Sino-India war in 1962, the two states have been discussing the exact demarcation of the 3,500-km India-China
border.
New Delhi disputes Beijing’s rule over 38,000 sq km of land on the Tibetan plateau, which China seized from India in
the war.
China, for its part, claims 90,000 sq km of territory in Arunachal Pradesh. Within that disputed area is Tawang and its
monastery, a vestige of Mahayana Buddhism.
Several rounds of talks have been held since 1981 but have so far failed to make progress.
In recent years, the two global giants, and historic rivals, started to collaborate in sectors like energy, security and
defence.
China makes no secret of its ambitions to become India’s foremost trading partner within a few years, supplanting the
United States.
Celebrated 2006 as a “Year of Friendship”, when a railway between Kolkata in Sikkim and Lhasa in Tibet was reopened
after 40 years.
The border dispute remains an unresolved source of disagreement. For decades, China has been proposing an exchange
between western Aksai Chin (that covers 20% of Kashmir) and eastern Arunachal Pradesh.
India declared that no “inhabited areas” could be considered so this ruled out any demands for Arunachal Pradesh.
Meanwhile, in 2005, Beijing recognised the Indian territory of Sikkim, an ex-Buddhist kingdom. In return, New Delhi
stopped protesting in international forums about human rights violations in Tibet.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
RECENT TOUR OF PM
•
•
PM Manmohan Singh went to a three-day tour of Beijing.
Won Chinese support for India’s desire to play a greater role in the United Nations Security Council, bilateral
cooperation in civil nuclear energy, and the possibility of commencing discussions on a Regional Trade Agreement apart
from signing 11 memorandums of understanding in a diverse range of sectors from railways, housing, land resources,
cultural exchanges, geo-sciences, traditional medicine, agriculture and exports of Indian tobacco to China.
The two sides announced a new bilateral trade target of $60 billion by 2010, given that the earlier target of $40 billion
was almost met in 2007.
•
TRADE SCENARIO
•
In 2007, Sino-India trade reached $38.6 billion. However, a widening trade deficit for India coupled with the narrow range
of products in India’s basket of exports to China, have also left Indian industry somewhat nervous.
There is a concern over growing trade deficit with China, which is expected to touch $12 billion this year from a surplus
of $400 million three years ago.
•
4
KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
•
•
•
•
•
•
India’s imports from China have increased over eight-fold since 2001-02 whereas increase in our imports from the world
was only three-fold during the same period.
This has increased China’s share in India’s imports from around 4% in 2001-02 to 9.4% in 2006-07, while India’s share
in Chinese world imports continues to be an insignificant 1.3%.
Chinese products now occupy a disproportionate share of India’s imports of certain critical items, raising concerns of
excessive dependence.
In such a scenario, a RTA could put undue and, more important, unfair pressure on Indian manufacturers with adverse
consequences for domestic employment and growth.
The Indian industry is against either an FTA or a preferential trading agreement as it fears that preferential tariffs would
result in a greater flow of cheap goods from across the border making the domestic players uncompetitive.
India’s concerns are that the bilateral deficit reflects the dragon’s non-transparent pricing mechanism and massive hidden
subsidies. The Chinese Yuan is also undervalued. For such reasons, India has been reluctant to grant market economy
status so far to China, which is a necessary building block for an RTA. The fear is that if it is granted, India will have
to accept China’s pricing numbers that can result in further dumping of cheap Chinese goods into India that would hurt
local businesses unfairly.
Trade Deficit: A situation where the value of imports is greater than the value of exports.
Regional Trade Agreement (RTA): An economic trade agreement to reduce tariffs and restrictions on trade between two or
more nations within a certain region.
ECONOMY
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
India’s economy grew 9.4% in the fiscal year ended March 2007, the fastest pace in 18 years, and the central bank expects
growth to moderate to 8.5% in 2007/08.
India will need investment of about $500 billion to upgrade infrastructure in the world’s second-most populous country
to meet the growth target.
The report released by C. Rangarajan, Chairman of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Economic Advisory Council, said
India was expected to grow at 8.5% in fiscal 2008/09 but listed several downside risks.
According to the report, the Indian economy is much less dependent on the external markets than the Chinese economy.
While some export demand compression is likely to put an additional burden on our exports of goods and services, it
is unlikely to be large enough to significantly depress growth. However, the flip side to this is that the pressure on prices
of oil, food and other raw materials is likely to continue, making inflation management in 2008/09 quite challenging.
The report said the economy would grow 8.9% in 2007/08, slightly lower than previously expected due to slowing
manufacturing expansion and sluggish output growth in power and mining.
Asia’s third-largest economy has expanded at an average of 8.6% over the past four years and is poised for another
year at a similar pace in 2007/08.
The report said the headline wholesale price inflation rate should go to a little over 4.0% if domestic fuel prices are revised
and remain stable around that level until the end of the fiscal year in March.
Inflation hit a two-year high of 6.69% in January last year but softened after the RBI tightened policy and the government
cut duties on a range of items to calm prices.
The rate of inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index inched up by 3.79% during week ended January 5 from 3.5%
recorded in the previous week and 6.37% in the same period a year ago.
Foreign exchange (Forex) reserves rose $5.5 billion during the week ended January 11 to cross $280 billion mark.
The Planning Commission has projected average annual growth of 9% between 2007/08.
•
•
•
The decrease in growth forecast is mainly because of slowdown in the US economy and appreciation of the rupee.
The rise in rupee will have an adverse impact on the fortunes of sectors dependent on earnings in dollars like
IT, textile, auto component manufacturers, BPOs and KPOs and all the export companies.
As the amount of rupees per dollar earned will decrease, the pressure on margins of companies in these sectors
will increase.
EXPORTS
•
•
India’s exports in the current financial year are likely to increase to $150 billion, short of the target by $10 billion.
The exports in 2006-07 were worth $125 billion. The government has set an export target of $160 billion for 2007-08.
However, an over 12% rise in rupee value in calendar 2007 impacted the export growth adversely of labour intensive
sectors like textiles, handicrafts and leather.
KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
5
•
The government had provided several incentives to exporters, totalling Rs. 5,200 crore to offset the effects of an
appreciating rupee.
Maharashtra has secured approval to highest number of 119 SEZs in the country.
In the July-September 2007 quarter, remittances touched a new high of $10 billion.
•
•
OTHER NEWS
Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group company Reliance Power Ltd has decided to raise a maximum of Rs. 10,260 crore from
the public through Initial Public Offering (IPO)
• With the promoters bringing in Rs. 1440 crore the total issue size stands at Rs. 11,700 crore.
• This is the largest ever public offering of equity shares beating DLF’s float of around Rs. 9600.
Initial Public Offering (IPO) refers to the offering of stock in a company to the public through a public market.
Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has announced personal accidental insurance benefit free-of-cost to all its 3.4crore fixed-line and mobile subscribers across India
•
The company has 35 million fixed line subscribers and over 30 million mobile users.
The Hazira unit of Reliance Industries (RIL) has bagged “Golden Peacock Innovation Award-2007” for its cyclohexane
recovery process in the production of linear low density poly ethylene and high density polyethylene. Sterlite Industries
also bagged this award for its world class employee training structure and excellence practices
State Bank of India, the country’s largest bank, has offered its shareholders a rights issue at a price of Rs. 1,590
per share to raise Rs. 16,736.31
Rights issue: An offering of common stock to existing shareholders who hold subscription rights that entitle them
to buy newly issued shares at a discount from the price at which they will be offered to the public later.
The government has announced the roadmap for allocation of GSM spectrum up to 15 MHz with the increase in
subscriber base
•
•
Under the new order, which comes into effect immediately, GSM service providers will need to have a subscriber
base of 15 lakh in metro areas to become eligible for spectrum of 6.2 MHz and 18 lakh for spectrum of 7.2 MHz.
Mobile firms need to have 65 lakh subscribers in these cities with 14.2 MHz of spectrum before they can be
considered for allocation of the last quantum of 0.8 megahertz till the limit of 15 MHz.
Sports broadcasters Sony Max together with World Sport will pay $1.026 billion for the 10-year global media and
production rights for the BCCI’s 20:20 cricket, Indian Premier League
Hong Kong and Singapore retained their No 1 and No 2 rankings respectively on the annual Index of Economic Freedom
for the 14th successive year while India and China - two of the world’s largest economies - were ranked quite low on
the scale, coming in at 126 and 115 respectively.
Renowned economist Shubhashis Gangopadhyay took over as the new Advisor to Finance Minister
P. Chidambaram, replacing Parthasarathi Shome who resigned last month
Iran said that it was ready to re-open and negotiate the “till now frozen” $22 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal
signed with India in 2005 offering five million tonnes of LNG for 25 years
Tata Steel has entered into a joint venture agreement with Oman-based Al Bahja Group for the development of limestone
deposits in Oman
Apollo Tyres plans to set up a manufacturing facility in Hungary at an investment of 200 million euros to the European
market as well as other countries
Hotmail co-founder Sabeer Bhatia has launched SabseBolo.com, a free conferencing facility, a few months after
launching Live Documents, an online office application
Dhanus Technologies, a leading communication services provider based in Chennai, has acquired Turkey’s alternative
telecom operator Borusan Telekom
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has cleared a scheme under which incentives will be given to the
employers providing jobs to the disabled in pursuance of the National Policy for Persons with Disabilities that was
adopted in 2006
6
KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
•
•
•
The incentives will be in the form of payment by the government to the employers’ contribution to the Employees
Provident Fund and the Employees State Insurance for the first three years for their employees covered under the
Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act and the National Trust
for the Welfare of Persons with Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Multiple Disabilities Act.
Initially, the two organisations will be provided Rs. 5 crore each, and in case there is a need for more, the amount
will be enhanced.
The CCEA also cleared an outlay of Rs. 1,800 crore for the scheme for the current Plan period. The scheme envisages
creation of one lakh jobs for the disabled a year.
The Union Cabinet on Thursday approved an additional release of Rs. 530 crore towards waiver of overdue interest
on agricultural credit in the 31 debt-stressed districts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Maharashtra.
Vedanta group Chairman: Anil Agarwal.
Infosys BPO Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director: Amitabh Chaudhry
TCS CEO and Managing Director: S. Ramadorai
QUESTIONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
Which one of the following is true about Tata Nano
(i) It is the first time a two-cylinder petrol engine will be used in a car with a single balancer shaft
(ii) The Nano complies with Bharat Stage-II and Euro-IV emission standards
(a) 1 Only
(b) Neither 1 or 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) 2 Only
Which one of the following is true about H5N1 avian flu in West Bengal
(i) This is the first time that bird flu has broken out in West Bengal
(ii) The last outbreak occurred in Maharashtra in 2005
(a) Both 1 and 2
(b) Neither 1 or 2
(c) 1 Only
(d) 2 Only
Who of the following is the Chief Palestinian negotiator in the ongoing talks between Israel and Palestine
(a) Mahmoud Abbas
(b) Ahmed Qureia
(c) Salam Fayyad
(d) Ismail Haniyeh
Against which ethnic group was the violence in Kenya directed?
(a) Kibakis
(b) Okibas
(c) Kikuyus
(d) Masais
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KNOWLEDGE
IS
POWER
7
5.
The “Five Hindu Rights Action Force” is active in which country?
(a) India
(b) Nigeria
(c) Fiji
(d) Malaysia
Which African country was severely affected due to floods in January, 2008
(a) Kenya
(b) Nigeria
(c) Mozambique
(d) Congo
Match the following correctly
A. TCS
1. Anil Agarwal
B. Infosys BPO
2. S. Ramadorai
C. Vedanta Group
3. Amitabh Chaudhry
D. Sabsebolo.com
4. Sabeer Bhatia
6.
7.
A
B
C
D
(a) 2
3
1
4
(b) 3
1
2
4
(c) 3
2
4
1
(d) 4
1
3
2
8. Who has Shubhashis Gangopadhyay replaced as the new Advisor to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram
(a) Ashok Lahiri
(b) Rakesh Mohan
(c) B.B. Bhattacharya
(d) Parthasarathy Shome
9. Which of the following was India’s ranking in the Annual Index of Economic Freedom in January, 2008
(a) 125
(b) 126
(c) 121
(d) 115
10. Which of the following companies has Tata Steel collaborated with for development of limestone deposits in Oman?
(a) Al-Khwaja
(b) Al-Hilal
(c) Al-Bahja
(d) Al-Masud
11. Which one of the following is true about Anil Kumble?
(a) Has dismissed most number of players for a duck for an Indian bowler
(b) Is the second oldest Indian player to score a maiden century
(c) Is the only bowler in the world to capture 100 wickets against a single country
(d) Has paired with Rahul Dravid to affect the most number of combined dismissals in the game
Answer Key: 1(a)
2(c)
3(b)
4(c)
5(d)
6(c)
7(a)
8(d)
9(b)
10(c) 11(a)
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