CURRENT AFFAIRS PACKAGE-2

CURRENT AFFAIRS PACKAGE-2

1. Indian Railways has reduced Advance Reservation Period (ARP) booking period of rail tickets from from existing 120 days to 60 days (excluding the date of journey) from May 1, 2013.
2. The Abu Dhabi-based carrier Etihad Airways took a 24 % minority stake in Jet Airways for USD 379 million. This investment by Etihad Airways is the first in an Indian airline after the govt relaxed restrictions on overseas carriers buying into its aviation industry in 2012 i.e. since the change in FDI policy.
3. “Nirbhay”:

• First cruise missile of India
• Long-range (1,000-2,000 km) strikes targets more than 700 km away carrying nuclear warheads
• Subsonic (below the speed of sound, 1,236 kmph) cruise missile.
• can fly at tree-top level making it very difficult to detect on radar
• Unlike other ballistic missiles like the Agni, Nirbhay has a wing and pronounced tail fins. It launches like a missile and in early flight the small wings get deployed. It then flies like an aeroplane and can even hover near the target, striking at will from any direction.
• The missile has a fire-and-forget system that cannot be jammed and can be launched from a mobile launcher.

4. Ahmedabad became the First city in South Asia to create a comprehensive early warning system and plan to prepare for extreme heat events fuelled by climate change

5. Ajay Devgn (Bollywood actor), Runa Laila (Bangladeshi singer) and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy ( Oscar-winning Pakistani filmmaker) have been named as SAARC Goodwill Ambassadors for HIV/AIDS ‘ for advocacy and awareness on HIV/AIDS in SAARC member states.

• January 2009: The SAARC goodwill ambassador for HIV/ AIDS programme commenced.
• Bollywood actress Shabana Azmi was the first mascot for the SAARC goodwill ambassador for HIV/ AIDS programme.