Dear friends our team prepare the daily gk material and publish it on website daily basis, however it become difficult to keep track of GK on daily basis and moreover many of the news are repeated , so we have comeup with Plan to Provide Weekly Current Affairs and GK Booklet which will be helpful for you for your preparation, in this article we have covered articles from 1st feb to 7th PDF, also you can get the PDF version of same.
First Week Of Feb ( 1st Feb to 7th Feb 2018) GK and Current Affairs
We have arranged the Complete week current affairs topic wise starting from National, International, Business and Economy, Sports, Science and Tech etc. so that it is easier for you to read and navigate. You can get the PDF of this This from below Link
- Download PDF for First Week of Feb Current Affairs : Click Here to Download
1. Current Affairs National
High performance computer facility launched in Noida
- To improve India’s weather forecasting, the ministry of earth science (MoES) on Tuesday launched a high performance computer (HPC) system named Mihir.
- India will now also be ranked 4th, after Japan, UK and US for dedicated HPC resources for weather/climate community. Soon India will be able to match the capacities of these nations, Harsh Vardhan, Union minister for earth science, environment, forest & climate change said during the launch.
5 MPs selected for Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards
- Five members of parliament (MPs) are selected for Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards on Monday.
- Manipur’s governor and five time Rajya Sabha member Najma A Heptulla (2013), BJP’s Lok Sabha member Hukumdev Narayan Yadav (2014), five-time Rajya Sabha member Bhartruhari Mahatab of the Lok Biju Janata Dal (BJD) (2017), Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Trinamool Congress’ Dinesh Trivedi are the 5 MPs selected for Outstanding Parliamentarian Awards.
- The Outstanding Parliamentarian Award was established in 1995. So far 18 eminent MPs have received the award.
Union Government launches GeM 3.0 with enhanched features
- Government has launched the advanced version of GeM – the Government E Marketplace portal.
- The new version GeM would offer standardised and enriched catalogue management, powerful search engine, demand aggregation, user rating and analytics.
- GeM 3.0 has undergone a digital transformation with superior technology and ability to scale from the previous version.
42nd International Kolkata Book Fair
- Chief minister Mamata Banerjee launched the 42nd International Kolkata Book Fair at Central Park in Salt Lake on Wednesday.
- Mamta Banerjee, who is also an author and a poet, released her own books of non-fiction and poetry.
- French delegates along with the French Ambassador to India, Alexandre Ziegler, was also present at the event.
1200 IIT, NIT Graduates to Teach Engineering Students in Backward Areas
- Over 1,200 graduates IITs and NITs have been selected to teach in 53 state-run engineering colleges in backward areas across 11 states and Union Territories for three years.
- “This is the first time such a measure has been taken to improve the quality of education in backward areas. With the initiative, more than one lakh engineering students in the most backward areas would be benefited with better quality education,” Union minister Prakash Javadekar said on Wednesday.
Neelam Kapoor appointed as director general of Sports Authority of India
- Senior-most Indian Information Service officer Neelam Kapoor, who had served as UPA government’s spokesperson, was appointed director general of Sports Authority of India (SAI).
- The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved her appointment to the post till her superannuation, i.e July 31, 2019.
Budget 2018 Highlights
- Incentives for Senior citizens: Exemptions in income of Rs 10,000 from Banks FD and post offices.Senior citizens to get Rs 50,000 per annum exemption for medical insurance under Sec 80D.
- Loans to Women Self Help Groups will increase to Rs.75,000 crore in 2019 from 42,500 crore last year.
- Outlay on health, education and social protection will be 1.38 lakh crore. Tribal students to get Ekalavya Residential School in each tribal block by 2022. Welfare fund for SCs gets a boost.
- NITI Aayog to initiate a national programme on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and centres of excellence will be set up on robotics, AI, Internet of things etc
- Proposed changes in customs duty to promote creation of more jobs in the country and also to incentivise domestic value addition and ‘Make in India’ in sectors such as food processing, electronics, auto components, footwear and furniture.
- World’s largest Health Protection Scheme covering over 10 crore poor and vulnerable families launched with a family limit upto 5 lakh rupees for secondary and tertiary treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend the first India-Nordic summit at Stockholm in Sweden
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to attend the first India-Nordic summit at Stockholm in Sweden with an eye on attracting investment for his government’s ambitious “Make in India” campaign.
- The proposed date for the Nordic summit is April 17.
National Health Protection Scheme to cost govt Rs 1,100-1,200 per family every year
- National Health Protection Scheme will need 12,000 crore every year to cover 100 million poor households and 500 million individuals.
- “Around ₹2,000 crore has been allocated for the scheme, but eventually, the states will have to implement it with help from the Centre. The Centre will bear 60% of the cost, and 40% will be borne by the states,” said J P Nadda, Union health minister.
4 Major Rivers In Jammu And Kashmir Declared ‘National Waterways’
- Four major rivers, Jhelum, Chenab, Indus and Ravi in Jammu and Kashmir have been declared “national waterways” by the union government.
- The move will pave the way for inland navigation on them to boost water transport and tourism.
- “To meet future flood challenges in the Jammu region, the Flood Protection to River Chenab project at a cost of Rs. 2,314 crore has been conceptualised and the DPR has been submitted to the Union government”, Minister for Public Health Engineering, Irrigation and Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary said.
Andhra Pradesh CM to lay foundation for Universal Peace Retreat Center
- Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu will on Thursday lay the foundation stone for the Universal Peace Retreat Center of ‘Prajapita Brahmakumari Eswariya University’ in Amaravati.
- The state government has allotted 10 acres of land for this center at Nekkollu village within the Amaravati Capital Region.Dr Janaki Dadi, Chief of Brahmakumaris as well as representatives across the country will be participating in the event.
India joins Ashgabat pact to connect Central Asia, Persian Gulf
- India has joined the Ashgabat Agreement which plans to facilitate trade between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf by creating a transport and transit corridor.
- The agreement would positively influence India’s trade with Central Asia and diversify its connectivity options with the region, the Ministry of External Affairs said.
- Turkmenistan, Iran, Oman and Uzbekistan had signed the pact in 2011.
40 million cows to get Aadhaar-like number
- The Narendra Modi government is set to assign each of the country’s milk-producing cows a cheap, unique identity card or UID, first proposed in 2015.
- Each card will cost between Rs 8 and Rs 10. Deliverable targets in this year’s Union budget show Rs 50 crore for the project to cover 40 million cattle.
Maharashtra to set up transgender welfare board soon
- Minister of state for social justice Dilip Kamble told PTI that the Welfare Board for transgenders 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 government making a provision of Rs 5 crore for welfare of the community.
5th International Biennial Conference of Indian Heritage Network (IHCN) opened up in Odisha
- 5th International Biennial Conference of Indian Heritage Network (IHCN) was opened up in Odisha signifying socio-cultural heritage surrounding art and craft of India which will be for three days.
- International Biennial Conference of Indian Heritage Network was inaugurated by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
- During inaugural event CM Patnaik said “along with the development of modern amenities and facilities, our cities should also be vibrant with the socio-cultural life, centered on heritage, art and craft.’’
India to begin talks to acquire Israeli anti-tank missiles
- The defence ministry will negotiate to buy at least 3,000 Spike missiles manufactured by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems through a government-to-government (G2G) route.
- This will meet the army’s urgent requirements and fill the gap before the indigenous Nag anti-tank missile system is inducted.
Indian services sector sees fastest growth in 3 months in Jan
- The Indian service sector grew in January, registering the fastest rise in activity in three months party due to renewed increase in new business orders, according to the monthly Nikkei Services Business Activity Index.
- The seasonally adjusted Nikkei Services Business Activity Index improved to 51.7 in January, up from 50.9 in December, signalling a faster expansion.
The first ever International Kala Mela in Dehli
- The First ever International Kala Mela was inaugurated by the Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on Sunday.
- The International Kala Mela has been organised by the Lalit Kala Akademi in partnership with IGNCA of the Ministry of Culture.
- More than 800 artists from across the world are taking part in the Festival.
President Ram Nath Kovind to open Rashtrapati Bhavan’s annual ‘Udyanotsav’ on Monday
- President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate the annual “Udyanotsav” of Rashtrapati Bhavan on Monday.
- The Mughal Gardens will be open for the public from February 6, 2018, to March 9, 2018 between 9.30 am to 4 pm.
- The public will be able to visit the Spiritual Garden, Herbal Garden, Bonsai Garden and Musical Garden during these hours.
Railways to Setup PRS Counters at Post Offices Across Country
- Indian Railways is likely to setup Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters at Post Offices across the country.
- For this purpose, it has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Department of Posts.
- At present, PRS counters are available at about 280 post offices all over India.
Indian Railways to create database of contract workers
- Railways will create a database of workers engaged by contractors in non-operational areas such as housekeeping, cleaning, consultancy, training and other such services.
- Indian Railways took this step to ensure welfare of contract workers regarding payment of wages, work site facilities, sexual harassment, or through a provision for recording anonymous complaints from workers, citizens and others regarding violation of labour laws by contractor.
VIT and Thiruvalluvar University signs pact
- The VIT and Thiruvalluvar University have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to expose students to international practices in the field of education
- The MoU was signed by S. Narayanan, Pro Vice-Chancellor of VIT and K. Murugan, Vice-Chancellor of Thiruvalluvar University.
- It was to enable students to acquire international experience while preparing for a professional career ahead of them.
PM to lay foundation stone of Temple in UAE
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lay the foundation stone of a temple in Abu Dhabi during his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the External Affairs Ministry said on Monday.
- The event will be part of a three-nation tour from February 9 to 12.
Irrigation Minister inaugurates modern rythu bazaar
- Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao on Monday inaugurated a modern rythu bazaar at the district headquarters in Telangana, stating its cold storage facility with a five metric tonne capacity would come to farmers’ rescue for storing unsold produce.
- The three-storey market has 332 stalls, has been set up at a cost of ₹8.16 crore. It is equipped with a ‘Humanity Room’ where one can drop unused or surplus materials for the needy.
Gadkar to lay foundation stone for 2.16 Km bridge on Sharavati River
- The foundation stone for the construction of the bridge to connect Kalasavalli and Ambaragodlu villages will be laid by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for Surface Transport, here on February 19.
- The 2.16-km long bridge across the Sharavati backwaters will offer easy access to the mainland for people of Karur and Barangi hoblis.
India successfully test-fires nuclear capable Agni-I missile
- India on Tuesday successfully test-fired its short-range nuclear capable ballistic missile Agni-I from a test range off the Odisha coast.
- The indigenously developed surface-to-surface missile was launched as a part of a periodic training activity by the Strategic Forces Command (SFC) of the Army to consolidate operational readiness.
- Weighing around 12 tonnes, the 15-metre-long Agni-I can carry payloads up to 1,000 kg and is capable of hitting a target beyond 700 km. The missile is also capable of carrying nuclear warheads.
President Kovind to inaugurate Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav of Lord Gommateshwara
- President Ram Nath Kovind will inaugurate today the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav of Lord Gommateshwara in Shravanbelagola in Hassan district of Karnataka.
- Mahamastakabhisheka of Gommateshwara, who is also known as Bahubali takes place once in 12 years.
- It is an important Jain pilgrimage centre and lakhs of tourists visit Shravanbelagola to see 57 feet tall monolithic stone statue that is anointed from head to feet during the Utsav.
Production of Rs 10 coins halted
- Production of Rs 10 coins has been halted temporarily due to adequate stocks, the government informed the Lok Sabha.
- Sufficient stocks of coins are available to meet public demand, the Finance Minister said.
Imp Note : Finance Minister and Minister of Corporate Affairs – Arun Jaitley
Forbes India 30 Under 30 list
- Indian cricketers Jasprit Bumrah and Harmanpreet Kaur as well India women’s hockey team goalkeeper Savita Punia and shooter Heena Sidhu are among Forbes India 30 Under 30, a list that celebrates ‘twenty-somethings who are shaping the new India’.
- The list also includes actress Bhumi Pednekar, Mithila Palkar and Singer Jubin Nautiyal.
- Click here to view full list
2. Current Affairs Business and Economy
SBI to issue credit cards to farmers
- State Bank of India (SBI) has introduced a pilot scheme on credit cards for farmers, which extends facilities like lower interest rate besides the normal 40 days’ credit available for credit card users.
- “We have launched this facility on a pilot basis in three States – Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. So far, 100 applications have been received. We will go national, based on the response and our own experience,” SBI Chairman said.
Imp Note : SBI Chairman – Rajnish Kumar
Alibaba invests $146 million in BigBasket
- China’s Alibaba has invested $146 million in Indian online grocer BigBasket.
- Alibaba.com Singapore Ecommerce Pvt Ltd led the $196.7 million Series E funding round, which was approved by the BigBasket board in January.
- Founded in 2011, Bengaluru-headquartered BigBasket services more than 6 million registered customers across 26 Indian cities.
Bajaj Auto sales up 46% at 3,53,147 units
- Bajaj Auto on Friday reported a 46 % jump in total sales at 3,53,147 units in January against 2,41,917 units in the same month last year.
- Overall domestic sales increased 50 % to 2,02,193 units.
- Total exports in January grew by 41 % to 1,50,954 units.
Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) received ₹173.06 crore capital infusion from government
- Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) said that it has received ₹173.06 crore capital infusion from the government in the current fiscal.
- IOB said it has received ₹173.06 crore as contribution of the central government in the preferential allotment of equity shares of the bank as government’s investment during the 2017-18 fiscal.
Indian Oil to invest Rs 3,400 crore in Assam to expand operations
- Indian Oil Corporation will invest Rs 3,400 crore in Assam over the next five years to expand its operations by setting up new units as well as upgrading existing ones, a senior IOC official said on Saturday.
- “We are signing an MoU with the state government that will empower us to invest Rs 3,400 crore in Assam over the next five years. This will be for various projects across the state,” Indian Oil Corporation, executive director Dipankar Ray told PTI at the Summit.
Reliance Industries to invest ₹ 2,500 crore in Assam
- Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani on Saturday announced an investment of ₹2,500 crore in Assam.
- The investment will be in various sectors, including retail, petroleum, telecom, tourism and sports.
- It will create jobs for at least 80,000 people over the next three years.
CBDT sends notices to individuals who deposited over Rs. 15 lakh but didn’t file return
- Central Board of Direct Taxes Chairman Sushil Chandra on Saturday said notices were sent to those who deposited more than Rs 15 lakh in banks during demonetisation but didn’t file any return.
- Over 1,98,000 notices were sent during December-January to pursue that everybody should file return who deposited more than Rs 15 lakh during demonetisation.
Apple overtakes Samsung in global smartphone market share in Q4
- Apple overtook Samsung as the largest smartphone maker in 4th quarter of 2017.
- According to a report by research firm IDC Apple’s sales gave the company 19.2% market share as compared to Samsung’s 18.4%.
Singtel to Invest $413 million in Bharti Airtel
- Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) said it would spend up to $413 million on shares in Bharti Telecom, lifting its stake slightly in the holding company for Bharti Airtel to just under half.
- With this investment, Singtel’s total stake in Bharti Telecom would increase to 48.90 percent.
Asian to get $21 million from CDC group
- CDC Group Plc, the U.K.’s development finance institution, has decided to invest $21 million (₹139 crore) in Asian Institute of Medical Services (Asian) to enable the healthcare service provider to expand to tier-2 and tier-3 cities in Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
- CDC’s long-term investment will support the company’s five-year plan to expand into tier 2 and 3 cities in Jharkhand, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where it will add 1000 beds at new and existing multi-specialty sites.
Emami may buy 26% in Brillare
- Consumer goods maker Emami Ltd on Monday said it had concluded a deal to acquire a substantial minority stake in Brillare Science Pvt. Ltd, valuing the company at Rs75-100 crore.
- Founded in 2009 and based in Ahmedabad, Brillare produces hair and skin care products, and sells them to professional salons.
Mining leases in Goa can’t operate from 15 March says Supreme Court
- The Supreme Court on Wednesday quashed 88 mining leases granted by the Goa government for violating procedure and ordered that fresh licences be granted through a bidding process.
- The court said the government’s process of renewing the mining permits was “in violation of law”.
I-T Department Sends Tax Notices To Cryptocurrency Investors
- The tax department is issuing notices to people who invested in crypto currencies like bitcoin but did not declare income or ‘profits earned’ from them, CBDT chairman Sushil Chandra said today.
- “People who have made investments (in crypto currency) and have not declared income while filing taxes and have not paid tax on the profit earned by investing, we are sending them notices as we feel that it is all taxable,” he said.
Imp Note : CBDT – Central Board of Direct Taxes
Chairman – Sushil Chandra
3. Current Affairs Sports
Under-19 cricket World Cup 2018
- The third place play-off match of Under-19 cricket World Cup 2018 between Pakistan and Afghanistan was washed out without a ball being bowled at the Queenstown Events Centre on Thursday.
- Pakistan were awarded a third place finish as they had finished atop their group while Afghanistan were second.
India wins 1st ODI against South Africa
- India beat South Africa by six wickets to take 1-0 lead in 6 match ODI series.
- Virat Kohli struck his 33rd ODI century off 105 deliveries.
- This was India’s first ODI win in Durban.
Leander Paes and Joe Salisbury in semi-finals of Dallas Challenger tennis
- Leander Paes and Joe Salisbury Herbert reached the semi-finals of Dallas Challenger tennis.
- The RBC Tennis Championships of Dallas is a professional tennis tournament played on indoor hard courts
India wins ICC Under19 Cricket World Cup
- India lifted ICC Under19 Cricket World Cup for the Fourth time after defeating Australia in the final played today in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand.
- India chased down 217 in 38.5 overs with 8 wickets remaining.
- Manjot Kalra who scored century was the Player of the Match.
- Player of the Series is Shubham Gill.
- India remained unbeaten in the tournament.
- With this win India became the country with most Under 19 World Cup trophies.
India Open boxing
- Mary Kom, Manish Kaushik won gold on final day of India Open Boxing.
- Satish Kumar was beaten by Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov and bagged silver.
- India collected total 40 medals in which 8 are gold medals.
Indian Open Badminton
- P. V. Sindhu won the opening game 21-13 in 20 minutes against former World champion Ratchanok Intanon in the second semifinal to reach final.
- In mixed doubles, the lone Indian pair of eighth seed Pranav Chopra and N. Sikky Reddy lost in straight games to their higher-ranked Danish rivals.
Taiwan Open Women’s Tennis Tournament
- Timea Babos won in straight sets against Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine to win the Taiwan Open title.
- This is her second title of 2018 after claiming the doubles trophy in Melbourne last month.
Shubhankar Sharma wins Maybank Championship title
- Shubhankar Sharma fired a stunning 10-under 62 in the final round to claim a two-stroke victory at the Maybank Championship on Sunday.
- The Maybank Championship is a golf tournament, co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the European Tour, to be played annually in Malaysia.
India beat South Africa to win second ODI
- India won the Second ODI against South Africa by 9 wickets.
- South Africa lost all their wickets in 32.2 overs with a score of 118.
- India achieved the target in 20.3 overs with 9 wickets in hand.
- Yuzvendra Chahal who took 5 wickets was the Man of the match.
India Open Final
- PV Sindhu lost the final to World No. 11 Beiwen Zhang of USA.
- The final was played at Siri Fort Complex in Delhi on Sunday.
- Sindhu lost the final in three games 18-21, 21-11, 20-22 in one hour and nine minutes.
Indian women cricket team beats South Africa by 88 runs
- The India women’s cricket team beat South Africa by 88 runs in the first ODI at Kimberley on Monday.
- India scored 213/7 in their 50 overs while SA collapsed to 125 all out in 43.2.
- Smriti Mandhana (84) and Jhulan Goswami (4/24) were the star performers.
Haryana stays at top in Khelo India school games
- Haryana with 52 medals with 20 gold, 16 silver and an equal number of bronze medals stays at top in Khelo India School Games.
- Delhi with 16 gold, 18 silver and 24 bronze medal are in second position followed by Maharashtra with 47 medals.
Viswanathan Anand to make Pro Chess League debut
- Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand will be making his debut in the second edition of the Pro Chess League.
- The Professional Rapid Online Chess League is an online rapid chess league operated by chess.com.
- The league comprises eight teams each bunched into four Divisions — Eastern, Central, Atlantic and Pacific.
4. Current Affairs World
SpaceX rocket launched communications satellite for NATO
- A SpaceX Falcon launched 9 rocket off from Florida on Wednesday.
- Rocket is carrying a Luxembourg-made communications satellite into orbit.
- It is designed to expand NATO’s surveillance reach and its capability to deter cyber attacks on alliance members.
- It was launched from Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, USA.
Imp Note : NATO – North Atlantic Treaty Organization
Hong Kong approves ban on ivory retail market
- Hong Kong lawmakers gave final approval on Wednesday to a government proposal banning local ivory trading in the Chinese territory by 2021.
- Banning Ivory is a major victory in the fight to save elephants for the conservation organisations.
- The proposal also includes significantly stiffer penalties to deter smuggling of ivory and other products of highly endangered species.
Rwanda becomes first poor country to provide eye care for all
- Rwanda has become the first low-income country to provide universal eye care for its 12 million population.
- The government has partnered with the organisation Vision for a Nation (VFAN) to train more than 3,000 eye care nurses based in 502 local health centres.
- Rwanda’s minister of health, Diane Gashumba, said: “Rwanda is leading the way in Africa by providing all its people with affordable eye care. This has been made possible by the great collaboration between the government of Rwanda and Vision for a Nation. The impact of this initiative has been enormous.”
Imp Note : Capital of Rwanda – Kigali
US State Department’s third ranking diplomat quits in latest departure under Donald Trump
- The US State Department’s third-ranking official, Tom Shannon, stepped down on Thursday.
- Tom Shannon served as under secretary of state for political affairs.
- In a note to staff he said he was resigning for personal reasons.
Canada Senate to make its national anthem gender-neutral
- Canada’s Senate passed a bill which will make Canada’s National Anthem gender neutral.
- The bill changes the phrase “in all thy sons command” to “in all of us command.”
Bhutan opens consulate in Guwahati on Friday
- Bhutan opened consulate in Guwahati on Friday.
- Bhutan has social, cultural and economic ties with Assam and it is lso pilgrimage destination for Bhutanese Buddhists.
- “Bhutan’s diplomatic relationship with Assam precedes that with India, and history refers to cordial relationship between the kings of Bhutan and medieval Assam. It is thus apt for us to set up our second consulate here in Guwahati,” said Bhutan’s Foreign Minister Damcho Dorji.
Imp Note : Capital of Bhutan – Thimphu
Prime Minister – Tshering Tobgay
Will work closely with India, Nepali leaders assure Sushma Swaraj
- External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj on Friday completed her two-day visit to Nepal.
- The new government in Kathmandu assured that it will work closely with New Delhi.
- Sushma Swaraj got the assurances from the three political stakeholders in Nepal (1) CPN-UML chairman and prime minister-in-waiting KP Oli (2) CPN(Maoist Centre) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda” (3) Madhes based leaders.
Nigeria claims complete victory over Boko Haram
- The Nigerian Army has completely defeated the Boko Haram insurgents in the restive northeast parts of the country, said Maj Gen Rogers Nicholas, head of a military operation.
- Nicholas, the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole said the collaboration between the two militaries was critical to the successful completion of the counter-insurgency campaign.
Australia Government Will Not Finance Rail Link For Adani Project
- The Australian government today said it would not finance a vital rail-link project that supports beleaguered Indian energy giant’s 16.5 billion dollars Carmichael coal mine.
- Adani has sought a 900 million dollar concessional loan for rail to link the Carmichael mine to port.
- Adani Australia currently employs over 800 people and has invested over 3.3 billion dollars in Queensland, which is the biggest investments by an Indian company in Australia.
Sri Lanka celebrates its 70th Independence Day
- Sri Lanka celebrated its 70th Independence Day at the Galle Face Green on 4 February.
- It got independence from British rule on February 04, 1948.
Imp Note : Capital of SriLanka – Colombo
President : Maithripala Sirisena
Prime Minister : Ranil Wickremesinghe
Mahmud Hossain sworn in as new chief justice ofBangladesh
- Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, a judge of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, has taken oath as the new chief justice of Bangladesh.
- Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, former chief justices, ministers, advisers to the prime minister, the chief whip, Supreme Court judges, the attorney general, senior lawyers, the chief election commissioner and chiefs of the three services were, among others, present at the event.
- The swearing-in ceremony was conducted by Cabinet Secretary Mohammad Shafiul Alam
US energy secretary to visit India
- U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry will visit India this month to enhance energy trade.
- Indian public and private sector companies have invested approximately $5 billion in shale assets in the U.S. Natural gas imports from the U.S are also on the rise.
First Afghan women coders create game on fight against drugs
- A group of young Afghan women coders in western Herat province became country’s first female coders in an overwhelmingly male-dominated tech field to create a game named “Fight Against Opium”.
- 20-year-old Khatera Mohammadi and her colleagues at the centre thought that if they create a game, it would raise awareness, especially among the young.
- Afghanistan is the world’s top cultivator of poppy, from which opium and heroin are produced. The country produces more opium than all other countries combined.
Maldives President declares 15-day state of emergency
- The Maldives government on Monday declared a state of emergency for 15 days.
- Former Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was arrested on Monday after the state of emergency was declared.
- President Abdulla Yameen’s office said: “During this time, though certain rights will be restricted, general movements, services and businesses will not be affected.”
SpaceX launches car in space
- SpaceX’s big new rocket blasted off on Tuesday on its first test flight, carrying a red sports car aiming for an endless road trip past Mars.
- The Falcon Heavy rose from the same launch pad used by NASA nearly 50 years ago to send men to the moon.
- SpaceX chief executive Elon Musk owns the rocketing Tesla Roadster, which is shooting for a solar orbit that will reach all the way to Mars.
‘Los Angeles Times’ to be sold
- Tronc Inc, the owner of the Los Angeles Times, is expected to announce a sale of the newspaper to billionaire biotech investor Patrick Soon-Shiong
- Mr. Soon-Shiong, a major shareholder in Tronc and chief executive of NantHealth Inc, will also buy the Times’ sister newspaper, the San Diego Union-Tribune
5. Current Affairs Miscellaneous
‘Speaking Truth To Power’ book launched
- Former finance minister P Chidambaram’s book ‘Speaking Truth To Power’ was launched on Tuesday in the national capital.
- During launch event he said “I urge many of you to speak, because not all can write and not all have inclination to write. But I think we all should speak, because if we do not speak truth to power, we will betray the mandate and legacy of our founding fathers”
EPFO makes new company registration paperless
- Now employers can update Form 5A online and submit with e-signatures.
- “Earlier, employers had to submit a physical copy of Form 5A to the concerned EPFO field office upon new registration of establishment and whenever there was any change in ownership details,” EPFO said on Tuesday.
Imp Note : EPFO – Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation
Auto Expo 2018
- Auto Expo 2018 will be held at two separate venues as (1)Auto Expo 2018 – Vehicles scheduled from 9 to 14 February 2018 at Greater Noida (India Expo Mart), UP, INDIA (2) Auto Expo 2018 – Components scheduled from 8 to 11 February 2018 at Hall 7A-H, 8-12A, Lake Hangar (Hall A-C), Pragati maidan, New Delhi, India.
WhatsApp to soon launch group voice, video calling feature
- WhatsApp will soon launch group voice and Video calling feautre. This new feature is currently in beta mode.
- WhatsApp currently supports voice and video calls for one-on-one chats only.
Literature and stage artist honoured
- Renowned stage artiste and playwright Sreepada Kumara Sharma, poet V.P. Chandan Rao and writer Nakka Vijaya Ramaraju were felicitated on Monday by local cultural organisation, Ragamalika.
- The were honoured for rendering service towards promotion of art, literature and culture in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Women police station in all taluks in Kerala
- All taluks in the State will have women police stations, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said.
- The move was part of enhancing the presence of women in the force.
- The government had drawn steps to increase the percentage of women in the force to 15.
Google launches ‘#SecurityCheckKiya’ campaign to protect data, devices
- To create awareness around Internet safety, Google India on Monday launched a public initiative “#SecurityCheckKiya”.
- Google will make this information available on its homepage www.google.co.in, encouraging users to take the first step of Security Check on Safer Internet Day which will be celebrated on February 6.
- Safer Internet Day (SID) is organised by Insafe in February of each year to promote safer and more responsible use of online technology and mobile phones, especially among children and young people in Europe and across the world.
US Air Force Chief Flies In ‘Made-In-India’ Tejas Aircraft In Jodhpur
- General David L Goldfein, Chief of Staff of US Air Force flew in India’s indigenous light combat aircraft, the Tejas.
- Special flight took off from the Jodhpur Air Force Station. The US Air Force chief was accompanied by Air Vice Marshal AP Singh as co-pilot during the 40-minute ride.
- General Goldfein is the first foreign chief commander to fly in the Tejas Aircraft.
Mumbai airport becomes world’s busiest single-runway airport
- On January 20, Mumbai airport created a new world record for single-runway operations by handling 980 arrivals and take-offs in 24 hours.
- With this, the Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport bettered its own feat of 974 flights in 24 hours, recorded on December 6, 2017.
World Cancer Day 2018
- World Cancer Day is an international day marked on February 4 to raise awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, detection, and treatment.
- The theme for observing World Cancer Day is ‘We Can. I can.’
Tata Group to begin 17 cancer care centres across Assam from 2019
- Tata group will setup 17 cancer care centres in Assaam from 2019.
- Tata Sons chairman Natarajan Chandrasekaran on Saturday said that the Tata Group will join hands with Assam government to roll out an elaborate cancer care programme across 15 districts of the state from next year.
- “Tata group has a long-standing relation with Assam. Assam is very close to us. Our cancer care programme will be launched in the state in coming days,” Chandrasekaran said.
17-day Surajkund craft fair begins
- The 32nd Surajkund International Crafts Mela started off on 2 February in Faridabad, Haryana.
- Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the event in the presence of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar.
- Over 1,500 artisans from 20 states of the country and 28 foreign countries will take part in the annual art and cultural festival.
- The 17-day fair will conclude on February 18.
‘Exam Warriors’, PM Narendra Modi’s Book for Students Launched today
- HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar & External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj launched ‘Exam Warriors’, a book written by PM Narendra Modi for students.
- The book is written in a fun and interactive style, with illustrations, activities and yoga exercises.
- The book will be a friend not only in acing exams but also in facing life.
Infosys Co-founder launches EduMentum
- Infosys co-founder SD Shibulal launched a startup incubor EduMentum.
- EduMentum aims to help early stage organisations working in the space of education transformation.