Arunachal Pradesh government launched two new contraceptives – an injectable one and a pill – under separate programmes to expand people’s choice contraceptives.
The injectable contraceptive was launched under the ‘Antara’ programme and the pill under ‘Chhaya’.
Gynecologists of various districts of the state were also trained on the new contraceptives during a programme.
India was first country in the world to launch family planning programme as early as in 1952 with the aim of controlling its population.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched two new contraceptives in September last year.
INTERNATIONAL
· SpaceX Launches Its Most Powerful Rocket Towards Mars
The US-based SpaceXsuccessfully launched the world’s most powerful operational rocket Falcon Heavy towards Mars.
The rocket, carrying a Tesla Roadster car, will revolve around the Sun in a way that will repeatedly bring it close to the Earth and Mars.
The Falcon Heavy’s thrust and capacity are the highest since NASA’s Saturn V, which carried astronauts to the Moon.
Falcon Heavy successfully lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
India-UAE to ink 12 pacts during PM Modi’s visit
As many as 12 agreements will be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the UAE later this week as India and the oil-rich Gulf nation look to intensify economic cooperation.
The agreements will include areas like finance and skills development.
Modi will start his visit to three West Asian countries – Palestine, the UAE and Oman – on February 9 with focus on cooperation in key areas of defence, security and counter- terrorism.
The Prime Minister will participate in the 6th World Government Summit in Dubai on February 10-11 in which India is a partner country.
This will be PM Modi’s second visit to the UAE. He first visited the country in August 2015.
· Google launches #SecurityCheckKiya campaign
Search engine giant Google launched ‘#SecurityCheckKiya’ campaign in India to create awareness around Internet safety. It was launched on the ocean.
The campaign aims to protect first-time web users from account hijacking, safeguard Android devices from malicious apps and secure all their personal time.
Under the campaign, Google recommended three simple steps for Internet safety. It includes reviewing security settings and Google account activity.
Moreover ‘Google Play Protect’ service scans and checks Android devices for any harmful apps. Find My Device app from Google helps a user to easily long away.
NATIONAL
60 Solar Cities to be developed across country
The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy under its scheme “Development of Solar Cities” has approved/sanctioned 60 Cities including 13 Pilot and 5 Model Cities up to 12th Five-year Plan period.
In a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Minister of State (IC) for Power & New and Renewable Energy, Shri R K Singh informed that the master plans of 49 Solar Cities have been prepared.
The Stake-holders Committees have been constituted in 21 Cities and Solar City Cells have been created in 37 Solar Cities.
Solar PV projects with aggregate capacity of 8069.16 kWP and Solar Water Heating System with aggregate capacity of 7894 meter square collector area have been sanctioned under the programme.
While Rs. 101.64 crore has been sanctioned, Rs. 25.92 crore has been released under scheme “Development of Solar Cities” so far.
· Assam Government and Ola Sign MoU For River Taxi Service
Cab-hailing startup Ola and the Government of Assam have signed a MoU to pilot an app-based river taxi service in Guwahati.
The river taxis will be machine-operated boats and users will be able to book the rides through Ola’s app.
It’ll bring commute time down to 2-5 minutes from 45 minutes by road. This MoU was signed during the Global Investors Summit: Advantage Assam.
· Commerce Minister 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.
· President Ram Nath Kovind Inaugurates Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav
The President of India Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the 88th Mahamastakabhisheka Utsav of Lord Gomateshwarain 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 center and lakhs of tourists visit Shravanbelagola to see 57 feet tall monolithic stone statue that is anointed from head to feet during the Utsav.
· Union Government launches Start-up-India ranking framework
The Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP)under Commerce Ministry unveiled Start-up-India ranking framework to rank states/UTs based on measures regions that have taken to foster entrepreneurship.
It was launched by Union Minister of Commerce and Industry at a function held in New Delhi.
The framework aims to foster competitiveness and propel states/UTS to act proactively in startup matters.
This ranking will help states to bring progress made in their startup ecosystem and also make different states learn and replicate good practices.
Its objective is to encourage States/UTs to take proactive steps towards strengthening Startup ecosystems at the local level.
· Sushma Swaraj Visit To Saudi Arabia Attends Opening Ceremony Of Al-Janadriyah Fest
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the opening ceremony of the 32nd Al Jana-driyah festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
India has been invited as the Guest of Honour country for the festival.
Swaraj in her first engagement addressed Indian community members at a reception in Riyadh and spoke about the relations between the two countries.
During her three day visit, she will meet with the Saudi leadership to discuss bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.
IOC to invest Rs 3,400 crore in Assam to augment operations
Indian Oil Corporation will invest Rs3,400 crore in Assam over the next five years to expand its operations by setting up new units as well as upgrading the existing ones.
The company will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Assam Government to this effect at the two-day ‘Advantage Assam – Global Investors Summit 2018’, beginning in Guwahati.
They 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 (IndianOil-AOD), Dipankar Ray.
INTERNATIONAL
Maldives declares state of emergency
Maldivian President Abdulla Yameen has declared a 15-day state of Emergency, his aide Azima Shukoor announced on state television.
The move gives sweeping powers to security forces to arrest and detain suspects as Yameen refuses to comply with a Supreme Court order to release political prisoners.
The latest crisis was triggered when the Maldivian Supreme Court ordered the release of some opposition leaders, including former president Mohammed Nasheed, after overturning their “terrorism” convictions.
Dubai named the world’s busiest International Airport
Dubai International Airport says it has held on to its No 1 ranking as the world’s busiest airport for ‘international travel’, after seeing some 88.2 million passengers in 2017.
Dubai International Airport first surpassed London Heathrow as the world’s busiest airport for international traffic in 2014.
It has maintained the title ever since, with some 90 airlines flying into skyscraper-studded Dubai.
The airport is home to the long-haul carrier Emirates.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Georgia remains the world’s busiest airport overall.
· Japan Launches Smallest Rocket Ever To Carry Tiny Satellite into Orbit
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)launched the world’s smallest rocket with the ability to put a tiny satellite into orbit.
The rocket lifted off from the Uchinoura Space Center.
It carried a microsatellite TRICOM-1R, a three-unit CubeSat weighing about 3 kilograms.
This satellite launch was a re-flight of the TRICOM-1 mission, which was lost in SS-520’s failure in 2017.
The launch was aimed at testing the ability of JAXA to launch low-cost rockets that can put microsatellites into space at affordable rates.
NATIONAL
· India contributes $1 million to UN Development Partnership Fund
India contributed additional $1 million to India-UN Development Partnership Fund, earmarked for South-South cooperation.
The contribution aims to intensify its partnerships with other developing countries in the south.
India has pledged a multi-year contribution of $100 million to the fund establishment in June 2017.
The fund was set up on 9 June 2017 on occasion of the World Oceans Day as a partnership between India and United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation.
· International company Singtel to invest 2649 crores in Bharati Telecom
Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) spend up to 2643 crores on shares in India’s Bharti Telecom, lifting its stake slightly in the holding company for Bharti Airtel to just under half.
India’s telecommunications sector has been hit hard by a price war since the entry of carrier Reliance Jio, the telecoms arm of Reliance Industries Ltd, more than a year ago.
The purchase worth as much as 26.5 billion rupees could increase Singtel’s stake in Bharti Telecom by up to 1.7 percentage points to 48.9 percent and its holding in Bharti Airtel, the country’s biggest mobile carrier, by up to 0.9 percentage points to 39.5 percent.
The deal will be done via a preferential share allotment.
Maharashtra govt approves new wildlife sanctuary at Ghodazari
The Maharashtra government has approved Ghodazari in Chandrapur district as a new wildlife sanctuary in the state.
The decision was taken at the 13th meeting of the Maharashtra State Board for Wildlife, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
The sanctuary, in the North East of Tadoba, will include 159 sq km of Brahmapuri forest.
· India Successfully Test-Fires Nuclear-Capable Agni-I Missile
India successfully test-fired the indigenously developed short-range nuclear capable Agni-I ballistic missile.
The missile was fired from the Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast.
The test was conducted by the Strategic Force Command of the Indian Army.
The range of Missile is 700 km.
It was 18th version of Agni-I.
· Prime Minister Narendra Modi to go on 4-day visit to Palestine, UAE, Oman on February 9
Prime Minister Narendra Modiwill have a packed schedule during his four days visit to Palestine, UAE, and Oman from ninth of this month.
This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Palestine, and Prime Minister Modi’s second visit to UAE and first to Oman.
During the visit, the Prime Minister will hold discussions on matters of mutual interest with their leaders, apart from participating in many community events.
In Dubai, Prime Minister would be addressing the Sixth World Government Summit being at which India has been extended ‘Guest of Honour’ status. Joint Secretary (Gulf).
IWAI Signs Project Agreement With World Bank For Jal Marg Vikas Project.
Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI)signed a project agreement with the World Bank for Jal Marg Vikas Project on river Ganga.
The World Bank entered into a USD 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs, Union Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP).
Jal Marg Vikas Project, which is expected to be completed by March 2023, is being implemented with the financial and technical support of the World Bank.
