Current Affairs 07 February 2018 1. Mumbai airport becomes world’s busiest single-runway airport ● Mumbai airport becomes world’s busiest single-runway airport. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport sets record with 980 flights in 24 hours, or almost one flight every minute. ● With this, the Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International airport bettered its own feat of 974 flights in 24 hours, recorded in December 2017. ● While Gatwick, the U.K.’s second-largest airport, remains the most efficient single-runway airport in the world.
2. Jerome Powell sworn in as 16th US Federal Reserve chairman ● Former investment banker Jerome Powell was sworn in as the 16th US Federal Reserve chairman, taking a key role in overseeing the world’s largest economy. ● Perhaps the wealthiest Fed chair ever, 65-year-old Powell takes the reins of monetary policy just as a decade of economic recovery has begun to crest, and as analysts are pointing to challenges on the horizon. ● Powell, who is the 16th person to hold the position, was nominated by US President Donald Trump in November 2017. US Senate approved him in late January to lead the central bank in a term of four years.
3. World’s Biggest rocket soars towards Mars after perfect launch ● The world’s most powerful rocket, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy, blasted off its highly anticipated maiden test flight, carrying CEO Elon Musk’s cherry red Tesla roadster toward an orbit near Mars. ● Screams and cheers erupted at Cape Canaveral, Florida as the massive rocket fired its 27 engines and rumbled into the blue sky over the same NASA launchpad that served as a base for the US missions to Moon four decades ago.
4. Sweden commits record $370m of aid to UN World Food Programme ● Sweden and the United Nations World Food Programme signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement committing an unprecedented $370 million dollars to WFP over the next four years. ● The contribution for the period 2018-2021 is the biggest ever made by a donor within a WFP Strategic Partnership Agreement. ● For almost a decade, the Swedish government has been the largest donor of flexible funds to WFP whereas 90 percent of government funding to WFP is earmarked for specific operations or activities. Important points: Sweden ➢ Capital: Stockholm ➢ Currency: Swedish krona ➢ Prime Minister: Stefan Löfven World Food Programme ➢ Headquarters: Rome, Italy ➢ Head: David Beasley ➢ Founded: 1961
5. Suresh Prabhu kicks off consultations on the New Industrial Policy ● Commerce and Industries Minister Mr Suresh Prabhu set off a series of nation-wide consultations with the industry on the proposed new Industrial Policy. The first consultation was held at Guwahati in February 2018. ● The event, organized by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) in partnership with Federation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), was attended by more than 120 industrialists from the North East in addition to government officials from the North Eastern States.
6. President Kovind to inaugurate the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav
● President Ram Nath Kovind to inaugurate the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav of Lord Gomateshwara in Shravanabelagola in Hassan district of Karnataka. ● Mahamastakabhisheka of Gomateshwara, who is also known as Bahubali takes place once in 12 years. It is an important Jain pilgrimage centre and lakhs of tourists visit Shravanabelagola to see 57 feet tall monolithic stone statue. Important points: Karnataka ➢ Capital: Bengaluru ➢ Chief Minister: Siddaramaiah ➢ Governor: Vajubhai Vala
7. CSE ranked top environment policy think tanks in India ● The Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has been ranked the top environment policy think tanks in India while it has secured the 16th position in global rankings, climbing up two positions from the last year. ● The rank was given by The Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program (TTCSP) of the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania. ● In the ‘Energy and Resource Policy Think Tanks’ category, CSE has been ranked the second in India and 38th in the world. ●
In the ‘Best Independent Think Tanks’ category, the green body has been ranked 6th and 123rd in the world.
Important points Centre for Science and Environment ➢ Founder: Anil Agarwal ➢ Founded: 1980
8. UP Government In Association With UNICEF Launches DASTAK Campaign
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Uttar Pradesh (UP) government in association with UNICEF has launched massive door to door campaign DASTAK to eradicate deadly Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) and Japanise Encephalitis (JE) disease in the state.
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The war cry of DASTAK is ‘Darwaja Khatkhatao, AES aur JE ko bhagao’.
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In DASTAK campaign, whole state machinery with the help of UNICEF will now literally go door to door in 38 JES and AE affected districts which mostly fall in the Tarai region.