Current Affairs Daily Digest – February 26 2020
1. India and US sign defence deals worth 3 billion dollars
India and the United States yesterday finalized defence deals worth three billion dollars and signed three agreements, including in health and oil sectors. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed on mental health between the health departments of both the two countries.
2. MP becomes first state to launch unified vehicle registration card
Madhya Pradesh has become the first state in the country to introduce the unified registration card and the second state to launch the unified driving license after Uttar Pradesh. Chief Minister Kamal Nath distributed the unified cards, including vehicle registration and driving license, to six persons in a function held in Bhopal today.
3. BIMSTEC to connect 3000 km long power grid from Myanmar-Thailand to India
Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) is working on a project of connecting about 3,000 kilometre-long power grid from Myanmar-Thailand to India.
The above announcement was made during the inauguration of the Conference on Enhancing Energy Cooperation in the BIMSTEC Region, which was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The 3,000 kilometre-long BIMSTEC regional power grid will come up with various advantages. The member country’s demand of energy will be ensured with the introduction of power grid. It will also benefit consumers with uninterrupted power supply at economical prices.
4. New Zealand Deputy PM, FM arrive on four-day India visit
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister of New Zealand Winston Peters arrived in New Delhi yesterday on a four-day visit to India.
Today, he will attend the inaugural ceremony of New Zealand Centre at IIT Delhi and will give a speech on Indo Pacific at the Indian Council of World Affairs. Mr Peters is scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar this evening.
5. Bangladesh records sharp decline in Child malnutrition: UNICEF Survey
The child malnutrition rate in Bangladesh has declined sharply over the last six years. The finding was reported in the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2019, jointly conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNICEF.
The survey has also recorded improvement in many other areas related to health and nutrition, Child protection, hygiene and sanitation.
6. Canadian doctors use robot to perform surgery to treat brain aneurysm
In a first, Canadian doctors have used a robot to perform a surgery to treat brain aneurysm. The medical condition is a weakness in a blood vessel in the brain that balloons and fills with blood. The experimental procedure was described at the International Stroke Conference-2020, held in the United States. The surgery was performed on a 64-year-old female patient.
7. Dolphin population in Odisha’s Gahirmatha halves: Annual census
An annual census found the number of dolphins at Odisha’s Gahirmatha marine sanctuary has nearly halved over a year, pushing down the state’s overall count.
The January 2020 census spotted only 62 of the marine mammals at Gahirmatha — also the world’s largest rookery of sea turtles — down from 126 found last year. Gahiramatha is located within Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district.
8. CSR: Adani Foundation ties up with Lifology
Adani Foundation has launched a unique CSR activity among Kerala’s coastal communities in association with Lifology.com, an international career accelerator for youth. The project aims to provide career-building opportunities to students from less developed coastal areas using the Lifology.com platform.
9. Egypt’s former President Hosni Mubarak passes away at 91
Egypt’s former President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak, who ruled the country for 30 years, died yesterday. He was 91.
A former air force chief, Mubarak became Vice President of Egypt on 14 October 1981, and just eight days later, was sworn in as the President after Islamist militants assassinated his predecessor Anwar Sadat during a military parade.
10. Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ presents Chatra Vishwakarma Awards 2019
Union HRD Minister Shri Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank presents Vishwakarma Awards 2019 to the winners in New Delhi today. The valedictory function of Vishwakarma Awards 2019 was organised in All India Council for Technical Education. A total of 23 teams under various sub- categories were recipient of the Chatra Vishwakarma Awards (CVA). Six institutes were felicitated by the Union Minister under the Utkrisht Santhan Vishwakarma Award (USVA).
