IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 14, 2017

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF FEBRUARY 14, 2017

• Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today inaugurated the 11th biennial edition of International Aerospace and Defence Exhibition and declared the Aero India 2017 open at Air Force Station, Yelahanka in Bengaluru. 
• Highlights of this Event : 
• This edition of Aero India, for the first time, combines the defence and civil aviation segments into a holistic event with the co involvement of the defence and civil aviation ministries in the event.  
• This exhibition sees the participation of 549 companies with 53 Aircraft gracing the event. 
• The total area of the show has grown from 24,403 sqm to 27,678 sqm this year. 
• The gross area has also increased from 2,50,000 sqm to 2,60,000 sqm. 
• The Supreme Court today clarified that it was not necessary to stand during the National Anthem if it was a part of a movie or a documentary. 
• Note : The court recently directed theatre owners to play the National Anthem before movie screenings.
• Pakistan's permanent representative to the UN Tehmina Janjua was today appointed the country's first woman Foreign Secretary.
• She will replace incumbent Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, who will be taking charge as Pakistan's new ambassador to the US. 
• Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organisation Hamas has named top militant commander Yehiya Sinwar as its new Prime Minister in the Gaza.
• Turkmenistan's current President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov has won a fresh 7-year term against eight other opponents with nearly 98% of a weakly contested vote.
• Note : Berdymukhamedov had approved constitutional changes last year to increase the presidential term from five to seven years.
• After the Supreme Court sentenced AIADMK General Secretary VK Sasikala to four years imprisonment in the disproportionate assets case, Edappadi K Palanisamy has been named as the new legislature party leader.
• New Indian airline Zoom Air flew its inaugural flight from New Delhi to Durgapur today, where it was accorded the traditional water canon salute. 
• The flight was flagged off by Union Civil Aviation Minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju. 
• Note : The airline has become the 12th operational domestic carrier and will start commercial operations from Wednesday.
• Anil Ambani group led Reliance Defence and Engineering Limited (RDEL)has signed a Master Ship Repair Agreement (MSRA) with the US Navy to provide repair and alteration services for ships of the Seventh Fleet. 
• With this, RDEL became first Indian company (either public or private) to provide logistical support to the US military within Indian territory.
• The 28 hour countdown for ISRO - Indian Space Research Organisation's historic launch of PSLV C-37 carrying 104 satellites began today.
• The Indian Air Force today inducted its 1st indigenously developed all-weather airborne early warning and control system at the Aero India 2017 in Bengaluru. 
• Mounted on a Brazilian Embraer-145 jet, the surveillance plane has the capability to detect enemy aircraft and missiles. 
• The AeW&CS system has been developed by the DRDO and has a range of around 200 km.
• NASA has shortlisted three potential landing sites for the upcoming Mars 2020 mission. 
• They include Northeast Syrtis (a very ancient part of Mars' surface),Jezero crater (earlier a Martian lake), and Columbia Hills (potentially home to an ancient hot spring). 
• The rover will conduct tests for habitability, search for ancient life, and collect samples for a possible return to Earth.
• Young Indian racer Jehan Daruvala made history by winning New Zealand Grand Prix 2017 at Manfeild (New Zealand).
• The Refugee team which competed at the 2016 Rio Olympics won an award for sporting inspiration at the Laureus Awards, an annual event held to recognise achievements in sports, in Monaco today. 
• The refugee team consisted of ten athletes from South Sudan, Ethiopia, Congo and Syria, and participated in different events across athletics, judo and swimming.
• Australian batsman Adam Voges, who has the second-highest average in Test cricket, announced his retirement from international cricket.
• India is all set to host its first ever ITTF World Tour event at New Delhi from February 16-19.