18 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

18 January 2017 - Daily Current Affairs

India successfully test-fired indigenously developed Agni-5

• Today, India successfully test-fired indigenously developed long-range surface-to-surface ballistic missile ‘Agni-5’ from the Abdul Kalam Wheeler Island, Odisha.
• The three-stage solid propellant Agni-5 missile has a strike range of over 5,000 kilometers and can carry a nuclear warhead of more than one tonne.
• The missile is about 17 meters long, 2 meters wide and has a launch weight of around 50 tonnes.
• The missile has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Note: The latest one ‘Agni-5’ is the most advanced having new-technologies incorporated with it in terms of navigation and guidance, warhead and engine.

‘Namaste Shalom’: Magazine to mark Israel PM's Mumbai visit

• Today, Monthly magazine titled ‘Namaste Shalom’ has been launched to mark Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Mumbai visit.
• The magazine has been launched at the Magen David Synagogue at Byculla in south Mumbai.
• The magazine is planned to carry forward the great initiative of Mr. Modi and Mr. Netanyahu to strengthen India-Israel relations.
• It will provide a platform for exchanging views between Indians and Jews the world over.

Maharashtra cabinet approves 1% reservation for orphans in govt jobs

• According to the state Minister for Women and Child Development Pankaja Munde, the state cabinet has approved 1% reservation for orphans in government jobs under general category.
• The provision will help in the rehabilitation of these kids and help secure their future.
• The state cabinet has also approved the Maharashtra State Innovation and Startup policy, to attract investment of 5,000 crore rupees.

Maharashtra Governor inaugurates annual Mahalaxmi Saras exhibition

• Maharashtra Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao has inaugurated the annual Mahalaxmi Saras exhibition-cum-sale of products manufactured by women’s self-help groups in Mumbai.
• The fest will see 511 stalls at the exhibition, along with around 70 stalls selling food.
• This annual exhibition will continue until 29th of this month.

PFRDA relaxes withdrawal norms under NPS

• The Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has permitted partial withdrawal under the National Pension System for the purchase of residential premises, treatment of critical illness, higher education and marriage of children.
• National Pension System (NPS) subscribers who have contributed for three years can now withdraw up to 25% of the corpus for meeting specified expenses.
• The withdrawal will be permitted only three times during the tenure of the subscription.

EC announces poll schedule for Tripura, Meghalaya & Nagaland

• The Election Commission (EC) has announced the schedule for the Assembly elections in Tripura, Meghalaya & Nagaland.
• In Tripura (60 - assembly seats), the polling will take place on the 18^th Feb.
• In Meghalaya (60 - assembly seats) and Nagaland (60 - assembly seats) will go to polls on 27^th February.
• The counting of votes for all the three states will be held on 3rd March.
• VVPATs will be used with EVMs during the polling in the three states. 

Defence expo 2018 will be held near Chennai from 11 to 14 April

• According to the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitaraman, the Defence Minister ‘Nirmala Sitaraman’ Defence Expo -2018 will be held in Mahabalipuram near Chennai from 11-14th of April this year.
• Around 80 countries will participate in this expo.
• The newly introduced Make-2 initiative in Defence procurement will greatly help small Industries to involve themselves in Defence Equipment Manufacturing.

Govt announces USD 350 mn Solar Development Fund for Solar Projects Financing

• Power and New and Renewable Energy Minister RK Singh have announced around USD 350 million Solar Development Fund by the government for Solar Projects Financing at ISA Forum in Abu Dhabi.
• India has one of the fastest growing Renewable Energy programmes in the world and would achieve the 175-Gigawatt target of installed Renewable Energy capacity well before 2020.

President presents sangeet natak akademi awards 2016

• President Ram Nath Kovind has presented the Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Fellowships (Akademi Ratna) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards (Akademi Puraskar) for 2016 at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi.
• This year, the four Fellowships (Akademi Ratnas) has been conferred on Arvind Parikh, R Vedavalli, Ram Gopal Bajaj and Sunil Kothari and 43 artists will receive the Akademis Awards.
• The Fellows receive a purse of three lakh rupees, an angavastram, and a tamrapatra.
• The artists to be honoured with the Sangeet Natak Akademi Awards for 2016 receive a purse of one lakh rupees, an angavastram, and a tamrapatra.

Note:

• These national honours bestowed by the government on performing artists as well as teachers and scholars in the field of performing arts.

Winter Olympics: North and South Korea to march under unified Korea flag

• North and South Korea have agreed to march together under a single unified Korea flag at next month's Winter Olympics in the South.
• They also agreed to field a joint women's ice hockey team in rare talks at the truce village of Panmunjom.
• It marks a thaw in relations that began in the new year when North Korea offered to send a team to the games.

Note: The games will take place between 9^th and 25^th February in Pyeongchang in South Korea.