Download : 05th Feb, 2018 – Current Affairs PDF
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National Current Affairs
Centre Sanctions New Project to Control Pollution of River Sal at Navelin, Goa
The Centre sanctioned a new project to control pollution in River Sal at Navelim town in Goa.
- The project was sanctioned by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change under the National River Conservation Plan and would cost of Rs. 61.74 cr.
- Both the Centre and State will share the cost on 60:40 basis.
- Under the project, around 32 kms of sewers will be laid and sewage treatment plant of 3 million litres per day (MLD) constructed. The project is scheduled for completion by January, 2021.
- The project will help in reduction of pollution load in the river and improvement in its water quality, besides improving the environment and sanitation in t
- India has contributed additional $1 million to India-UN Development Partnership Fund, earmarked for South-South cooperation.
- The contribution aims to intensify its partnerships with other developing countries in south.
US Air Force chief General David L. Goldfein flies Tejas aircraft
The Chief of US Air Force, General David L Goldfein flew a sortie in indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas at the Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.
- With this he became first foreign military chief to fly Tejas aircraft. He was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal AP Singh as a co-pilot during the short flight.
- General Goldfein was on an official visit to India to boost defence ties between the two nations.
- Earlier in November 2017, Defence Minister of Singapore Ng Eng Hen was flown in a Tejas fighter jet.
- LCA Tejas has been pegged as world’s smallest and lightest supersonic fighter.
International Kala Mela inaugurated by the Vice President
The First ever International Kala Mela was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on 4th Feb.
- Lalit Kala Akademi, the premier institution for the promotion of Art and Culture has prganised this International Kala Mela (Arts Festival) wherein artists and groups can showcase their art works.
- It is going to prove a boon to especially those artists who cannot afford to exhibit their works of art in the Art Galleries.
- With a firm commitment to the art fraternity, the Kala Mela will be a great delight to observe the paradigms of the contemporary nuances of the modernistic trends in art.
- The central objective of Kala Mela is to focus on direct interaction between the artist and the connoisseur and also educating and raising awareness about art, which has been the mandate of Lalit Kala Akademi.
- This comprehensive outreach shall include the participation of National, International level Artists/Art Critics of repute from all over the Globe.
Maharashtra to set up transgender welfare board soon
Maharashtra will become the first to state to set up a Transgender Welfare board.
- The long pending Transgender Welfare Board (TWB) will finally see the light of day, with the Maharashtra government making a provision of ₹5 crore for welfare of the community.
- The Board will be set up in a month’s time. It will look after education, employment, housing, and health schemes for transgenders and protect their Constitutional and human rights.
- Maharashtra state social justice department has been entrusted to set up the board and implement the welfare schemes for transgender community.
International Current Affairs
Sweden commits record $370m aid to UN World Food Programme
Sweden has singed Strategic Partnership Agreement with United Nations for committing record $370 million dollars to UN World Food Programme.
- The contribution is for next four years i.e. 2018-2021. It is the biggest ever contribution made by donor within a WFP Strategic Partnership Agreement.
- Sweden has been the largest donor of flexible and predictable funds to WFP for almost a decade.
- The Swedish contribution comes at time of record need as the world is facing worst humanitarian crisis since the end of World War II with multiple large-scale hunger emergencies occurring across the planet.
- For the first time in decade, the number of hungry people in world is increasing and majority of them now live in countries affected by conflict.
- Ten of the 13 largest food crises on the planet are driven mainly by conflict.
- The WEF is the food-assistance branch of the United Nations. It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security.
Appointments & Resigns
Naba Kumar Nayak, new State Election Commissioner in Odisha
Former bureaucrat Naba Kumar Nayak has been appointed as the State Election Commissioner in Odisha. Nayak will replace Rabi Narayan Senapati.
- A retired IAS officer, Nayak has long administrative experience including election management.
- He had served as a member and the chairman in-charge of the Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
- He was also posted as the Joint Chief Electoral Officer, Collector of Puri and Mayurbhanj districts and Deputy Relief Commissioner.
Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades wins second term
- Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades beat his leftist rival to clinch a second term in a runoff election. With almost all of the votes counted, Anastasiades held a 12-point lead over Malas.
Sports
PV Sindhu Settles for Silver
Ace shuttler PV Sindhu settled for Silver as Beiwen Zhang pockets first Superseries Title.
- Sindhu lost 18-21, 21-11, 20-22 to USA’s Beiwen Zhang in the final of the India Open.
- In the entire match, Beiwen played on her strong point—smash—and did not let Sindhu settle. She led in the first game constantly and did well to counter Sindhu’s net play.
- In the second game, the Indian did make a comeback, but in the deciding game, fell short.
CRPF crowned Senior Women Hockey champions
Central Reserve Police Force were crowned as champions of the 8th Hockey India Senior Women National Championship 2018 (B Division) after they defeated Kerala Hockey by a margin of 7-0 in the final match of the competition here last evening.
- Whereas, it was Steel Plant Sports Board who defeated Bengaluru Hockey Association 4-0 in the third-fourth classification match.
- In the final match, CRPF produced a performance worthy of becoming champions as they dominated the match from the start, scoring their first goal in the third minute through a Penalty Corner which was converted by Pragya Mourya.
Obituary
Veteran Telugu actor Lakshmi Devi passes away
Veteran Telugu actor Lakshmi Devi Kanakala passed away on 3rd Feb.
- Lakshmi used to be a popular actor in the 1980s. She is known for films such as Prema Bandham and Police Lockup.
Books & Authors
Exam Warriors: Book written by Narendra Modi released
The book “Exam Warriors” authored by Prime Minister Narendra Modi s released by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj at a function in New Delhi.
- The book aims to inspire youth to face the difficult moments of examinations and life with fresh and new energy. It emphasizes the importance of play, sleep & even travel.
- The 193-page book is written in fun, interactive manner with colourful illustration, activities, yoga exercises and intended to be friend to youths in acing exams and also in facing life. It is published by Penguin India.
- Currently, it is available in English and will soon be published in multiple languages.
- It also contains a letter from the Prime Minister to the teachers and parents.
- The book also offers ’25 mantras’ to the students and urges them to treat examinations as “a festival” and “celebrate it.
Anjana Sukhani pens a book for housewives’ budgeting blues
Actress Anjana is busy putting finishing touches to a how-to book on household budgeting.
- Called Hisaab Kitaab, it comes from her own experience living in a house of women.
- The book which would be in several mainstream and regional languages including Hindi and English would address itself to the dynamics of household budgeting.
- It’s a book that conducts a discourse with housewives and working women who run their homes with limited resources without seeming to cut corners. Women are very good at saving up for a rainy day.
Important Days
Maratha Light Infantry celebrates 250th anniversary
The Maratha Light Infantry celebrated 250 years of its existence on 4 February 2018.
- The first battalion of regiment was raised as ‘Second Battalion Bombay Sepoys’ on this day in 1768.
- February 4 is celebrated as “Maratha Light Infantry Day” across the regiment throughout the country.
- The date holds historic significance as on this day in 1670, Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji conquered famous Kondana Fort (now known as Sinhgad) near Pune, Maharashtra.
- The Maratha Light Infantry is infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It was formed in 1768, making it most senior light infantry regiment of the Army.
Obituary
John Mahoney, Actor Best Known for ‘Frasier,’ Dies at 77
John Mahoney, the gravel-voiced, Tony Award-winning, British-born actor who came to embody all-American grass-roots fatherhood on the hit sitcom “Frasier,” died on Sunday in Chicago.
- He was best known as Martin Crane, the blue-collar father of two painfully pretentious white-collar sons on “Frasier,” seen on NBC from 1993 to 2004.
- His Tony Award, for best featured actor in a play, honored his performance as Artie Shaughnessy, a Queens zookeeper who dreams of being a songwriter, in the 1986 Broadway revival of John Guare’s “The House of Blue Leaves.”