Daily Current Affairs 3rd February, 2018

Daily Current Affairs 3 February 2018 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi inaugurates Global Investors’ Summit in Guwahati

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the two-day Global Investors’ Summit ‘Advantage Assam’ in Guwahati, Assam, a first of its kind initiative in the northeast.

• The two-day event, started on 3rd Feb, will showcase the state’s manufacturing opportunities and geostrategic advantages to foreign and domestic investors.

Environment Ministry launches ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign

Union Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change launched  ‘Green Good Deeds’ campaign. The campaign launched by the ministry aims to sensitise the people and students, in particular, about climate change and global warming.

• Environment Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan appealed to the teaching community to join the campaign. He said, a mobile application named Dr Harsh Vardhan developed to reach out to people across India on the campaign, has also been launched recently.

India contributes $1 mn to UN Development Partnership Fund

India has contributed an additional $1 million to the India-UN Development Partnership Fund earmarked for South-South cooperation.

• India has pledged a multi-year contribution of $100 million to the fund established in June 2017, according to the UNOSSC, and has already provided $6 million within the seven months since its launch.
• The fund focuses on the Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States.

32nd Surajkund crafts mela begins with Uttar Pradesh, the theme state for the first time

The annual Surajkund crafts mela has begun in Faridabad, Haryana. Launched in 1987 to showcase richness and diversity of the handicrafts and cultural heritage of India, the mela has attained international stature with about 29 countries participating this year

• Uttar Pradesh, which is the theme state for the first time, is focusing on religious tourism, rural tourism and spiritual tourism apart from showcasing its art, culture and heritage in the mela.
• Kyrgyzstan is the Partner Nation for 32nd Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2018.

Goa CM inaugurates Nobel Prize Series India 2018

The 2nd edition of ‘Nobel Prize Series India 2018 with a theme Science Impact Lives’ and the ‘Nobel Science Exhibition and the India Science Exhibition: Ideas Changes the world’ was inaugurated by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar in Goa.

International Conference on ‘DemetriosGalanos and His Legacy’begins in New Delhi

The International Conference on ‘DemetriosGalanos and His Legacy’ was inaugurated at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) in New Delhi. Many senior scholars and young researchers from Greece as well as from India are attending the conference.

• IGNCA is organizing the 8-days International Conference on, ‘DemetriosGalanos and His Legacy’. The 8-day long convention is being held in Delhi and Varanasi, in addition to organizing the exhibition and folk music of Greece.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Japan launches micro-satellite rocket

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) launched the world’s smallest rocket with the ability to put a micro-satellite into orbit, following a failed attempt and several postponements over the last year.

• The rocket, an improved version of JAXA’s SS-520, was carrying a micro-satellite weighing three kilograms and was developed by the University of Tokyo to capture images of the Earth’s surface.

BANKING & FINANCE

World Bank enters into US $ 375 million loan agreement with DEA

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed a project agreement with the World Bank, even as the latter entered into a US $ 375 million loan agreement with the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), Ministry of Finance for Jal Marg Vikas Project (JMVP).

CRISIL, SIDBI Launch India’s First MSE Sentiment Index

The Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Shri Arun Jaitley launched CriSidEx, India’s first sentiment index for micro and small enterprises ( MSEs) developed jointly by CRISIL & SIDBI.

• CriSidEx is a composite index based on a diffusion index of 8 parameters and measures MSE business sentiment on a scale of 0 (extremely negative ) to 200 ( extremely positive) .

BUSINESS

India-US trade estimated to touch $140 billion in 2017

Trade between India and the US is estimated to have jumped substantially from USD 118 billion in 2016 to USD 140 billion in 2017, according to an advocacy group that aims to promote bilateral trade.

• In 2016, India was the ninth largest trading partner of the US and one of the major countries with which America has had trade deficit of more than USD30 billion which is expected to continue in 2017 as well.

SPORTS

India lifts U-19 World Cup trophy for record 4th time; thrashes Australia by 8 wkts

India has lifted the ICC Under-19 World Cup for the record fourth time. They defeated Australia by eight wickets at bay oval at Mount Maunganui in New Zealand, who were also eyeing the title for the fourth time. India achieved the target of 217 runs, with 67 balls to spare. 

• India’s star batsman Manjot Kalra led his team to the victory as he made brilliant unbeaten century riding on eight fours and three sixes. He was adjudged Man of the Match and Shubman Gill Man of the Series.

Saurav Ghosal becomes the highest-ranked Indian squash player

India’s leading squash player, Saurav Ghosal jumped five places to No 14 to become the highest ranked Indian in the latest Professional Squash Association (PSA) rankings released.

• Ghosal beat Joshna Chinappa who slipped three places to No 17 while Dipika Pallikal Karthik remained on 20.

AWARDS

Filmmaker Shyam Benegal gets lifetime achievement award at MIFF

Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal was conferred with V Shantaram Lifetime achievement award at the 15th Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films.

• The filmmaker was honoured with the award for his outstanding contribution in the field of feature and documentary films. The award carries a trophy, a citation and cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.
• Austrian filmmaker Stefan Bohun’s documentary “Brother Jakob, Are You Sleeping?” won the prestigious Golden Conch award for the best documentary in the International Competition. The Golden Conch award carries a cash prize of Rs 10 lakh.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Wetlands Day: 2 February

World Wetlands Day occurs annually on February 2nd, marking the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on February 2, 1971.

• Established to raise awareness about the value of wetlands for humanity and the planet, WWD was celebrated for the first time in 1997 and has grown remarkably since then.
• The theme of World Wetlands Day 2018 is “Wetlands for a Sustainable Urban Future”.

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