VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 15^th, 2019

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 15^th, 2019

1.      At least 44 CRPF jawans were martyred in a suicide attack by terrorists at Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. .

a.      A terrorist named Adil Ahmad Dar from Pulwama, targeted two vehicles of the 70-vehicle CRPF convoy carrying 2,500 personnel and hit one bus with his car carrying 350 kg IED explosives. 

b.      This attack was claimed by Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

c.      Following this attack, India has withdrawn the MFN (Most Favoured Nation) status that it had granted to Pakistan. 

i)      India had granted the status to Pakistan in 1996, a year after WTO's formation.

ii)    What is MFN ?

(1) In international economic relations and international politics, Most Favoured Nation (MFN) is a status or level of treatment accorded by one state to another in international trade. 

(2) MFN means the country which is the recipient of this treatment must nominally receive equal trade advantages as the "most favoured nation" by the country granting such treatment.

d)    Some of the Recent Terror Attacks :

i)      February 2018 : 7 Army personnel were martyred after suspected JeM terrorists attacked Sunjwan military station.

ii)    September 2016 : At least 18 soldiers were martyred in Uri Army camp attack.

iii) November 2016 : Attack at Army base in Nagrota claimed lives of 7 security personnel

iv)  January 2016 : 7 were martyred in attack on Air Force base in Pathankot.

2.     Prime Minister Narendra Modi is going to launch the ₹75,000-crore cash transfer scheme for farmers on 24th February 2019 in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur.

a.      The first instalment of ₹2,000 each would be transferred to about one crore beneficiaries. 

b.      Under the scheme, ₹6,000 will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares.

3.     The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-Dhan scheme will be implemented from today.

a.      Under the scheme, workers of the unorganised sector will receive a minimum assured pension of 300 rupees per month after attaining the age of 60 years.

b.      The workers whose monthly income is 15 thousand rupees per month or less and belong to the entry age group of 18 to 40 years are eligible for the scheme.

4.     PM Narendra Modi today flagged off India's fastest train, Vande Bharat Express (Train 18), from New Delhi. 

a.      The fully air-conditioned 16-coach train, built at a cost of ₹97 crore, will run between Delhi and Varanasi at a maximum speed of 160 km per hour. 

5.     US space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) today announced a new mission titled SPHEREx.

a.      Launching year of SPHEREx : 2023.

b.      Aim of SPHEREx : To explore the origins and evolution of the universe.

c.      Cost : $242 million, excluding launch costs.

6.     American actor and filmmaker Bradley Cooper won animal rights organisation PETA's 'Oscat' Award for "promoting kindness to animals". 

7.     Former President Pranab Mukherjee released the book "Selected Speeches : Volume - 1" containing selected speeches of Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu at a function in New Delhi today.

a.      The book is a compilation of 92 speeches of Mr Naidu.

8.     Former Goa Deputy CM and BJP MLA Francis D'Souza (64) passed away.

a.      He was elected to Goa Legislative Assembly for 5 terms from Mapusa constituency.

9.     Arun Jaitley today resumed charge as the Finance Minister and Minister of Corporate Affairs.

a.      Note : Jaitley had missed presenting the Union Budget 2019, it was presented by interim finance minister Piyush Goyal.

10.The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted flight lieutenant Hina Jaiswal as its 1st woman Flight Engineer. 

a.      As a Flight Engineer, Hina will be posted to operational helicopter units of the IAF and routinely called to operate in demanding and stressful conditions.

11.Sushil Chandra has assumed charge as the new Election Commissioner of India in New Delhi today. 

a.      The poll body now has Sunil Arora as Chief Election Commissioner and Ashok Lavasa and Sushil Chandra as Election commissioners.

12.William Barr was sworn for second time as the  United States’s Attorney General.

13.Former champions Saina Nehwal, Parupalli Kashyap and Sourabh Verma advanced to the semifinals of the 83rd Yonex-Sunrise Senior Badminton Nationals in Guwahati today.