Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 03 2020
1. Matla Abhiyan: Coastal Security Exercise conducted by Indian Navy
The Indian Navy recently launched a unique coastal security exercise in Kolkata. The exercise was conducted to create awareness about the coastal security to the local community.
The Indian Navy conducted the Coastal Security Exercise, Malta Abhiyan in the Sunderbans region and the exercise is unique of its kind.
2. India-Maldives sign MoU to establish Addu Tourism
India and Maldives signed 5 Memorandum of Understandings to establish Addu Tourism in 5 islands of Addu atoll. The tourism is to be developed at a cost of 2.49 million USD. Addu is a city in Maldives that contains several inhabited Islands.
The Agreements were signed by the High Commissioner of India Sunjay Sudhir, Addu Council and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.
3. Baftas 2020: Sam Mendes and 1917 emerge victorious with seven awards
Sam Mendes’s nerve-shredding war drama 1917 was the big winner at the 2020 Bafta film awards, on an evening when the movie industry’s diversity problem hovered ominously in the background.
1917, which tells the story of two young soldiers sent on a perilous, near-impossible mission to prevent an otherwise certain massacre, won seven Baftas including best film and outstanding British film, best director for Mendes, sound, production design, special visual effects and, for Roger Deakins, best cinematography – his fifth Bafta.
4. Mohammed Allawi appointed new Iraq PM
Anti-government protesters in Iraq have been quick to dismiss President Barham Salih’s appointment of Mohammed Tawfiq Allawi as prime minister-designate, as rallies took place in the capital, Baghdad, and cities in the country’s southern provinces.
5. Bangladesh: PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates month long Ekushey Book Fair
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh on Sunday inaugurated the month long Ekushey Book fair at the Bangla Academy premises in Dhaka.
Ekushey Book Fair is the biggest and longest book fair of Bangladesh. It is organised every year in February commemorating the martyrs of the language movement during which eight people laid down their lives on February 21, 1952 for establishing Bangla as the official language of the then East Pakistan.
6. Budget 2020: Indian Railways’ operating ratio for FY20 at 98.41%
In FY2019-20, the Indian Railways spent about Rs 98.41 to earn every Rs 100, according to the revised estimates in the Union Budget 2020, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1.
This pegs the Railways’ operating ratio at 98.41 percent compared to 98.30 percent in the year ago period
7. Budget 2020-21 announces largest ever science mission: A 8000 cr National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications
The government in its budget 2020 has announced a National Mission on Quantum Technologies & Applications (NM-QTA) with a total budget outlay of Rs 8000 Crore for a period of five years to be implemented by the Department of Science & Technology (DST).
8. India raises import tax on crude palm oil to 44%
India has raised import tax on crude palm oil to 44% from 37.5%, a government notification said, as the world’s biggest palm oilNSE -0.89 % importer tries to boost local oilseed production.
The notification confused traders as on Dec. 31, India cut import tax on crude palm oil imported from Southeast Asian (ASEAN) countries to 37.5% from 40%, said the Solvent Extractors’ Association (SEA), a trade body.
9. Australian Open: Novak Djokovic wins his record 8th Men’s singles title
In tennis, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic won his record 8th Men’s singles title in Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. He beat first-time Australian Open finalist Dominic Thiem of Austria.
The men’s doubles title was clinched by Joe Salisbury of UK and American Rajeev Ram who beat Australia’s Luke Saville and Max Purcell.
10. India’s Gita Sabharwal appointed UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand
India’s Gita Sabharwal has been appointed by the United Nations as its Resident Coordinator in Thailand. She was appointed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres with the host Government’s approval on January 29, 2020.
The UN Resident Coordinators are the highest-ranking representatives of the UN’s country-level development system. The Resident Coordinators are designated representatives of the UN Secretary-General and they report directly to him.
