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Current Affairs 03 August 2020
Daily Current Affairs 03 August 2020: We have collected the latest current affairs for 03 August 2020 that are important for all competitive exams like Bank, SSC, IBPS, SBI exams. The GK current affairs will help you score more in these competitive exams. Improve your general knowledge with our daily online current affairs. You can also read the daily current affairs on our mobile app.
National News
Nitin Gadkari inaugurates refurbished upstream carriageway of Mahatma Gandhi bridge over river Ganga in Bihar
- The Union Minister for Road Transport, Highways and MSMEs Shri Nitin Gadkari virtually inaugurated the two completed lanes of the 4-lane Mahatma Gandhi bridge in Bihar on 31 July 2020, which is being renovated.
- Mahatma Gandhi bridge is a 5,750 metres long four lane bridge, lying at NH-19 between Patna and Hajipur. It is the third-longest river bridge in India.
- This is the first ever bridge in India which is being renovated using modern technology for improving the existing structure.
- The existing concrete superstructure of old bridge is being replaced by new steel deck superstructure.
- Work on this 4-lane bridge began in June 2017.
- The bridge is being renovated in two parts: Phase I- Upstream lane, Phase II- Downstream lane
- Upstream lane has been completed in July 2020.
- Now downstream lane shall be taken up and is expected to be completed by 2021.
- Overall cost of renovating the bridge is Rs 1742 crore.
Piyush Goyal Inaugurates National Digital Conference on “Easing Doing Business for Atmanirbhar Bharat”
- The National Digital Conference on ‘Easing Doing Business for Atmanirbhar Bharat’ was organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in partnership with the Department for Promotion of Investment and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on 30 July 2020.
- The event was inaugurated by the Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Shri Piyush Goyal, who was the Chief Guest at the event and delivered the inaugural address.
- The Conference deliberated on a range of issues like:
- Major regulatory reforms undertaken by the government across various indicators of doing business,
- Assess their on-ground implementation,
- Disseminate best practices from various states,
- Crucial policy issues requiring redressal and,
- Identify a sustainable action plan for improving the business environment across sectors and states.
International News
NASA Launches Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Mission to seek signs of ancient life
- On 30 July 2020, the NASA launched its boldest-ever Mars 2020 Perseverance rover mission.
- Purpose: Search for signs of ancient life on the planet, collect and store a set of rock and soil samples that could be returned to Earth in the future and deploy a miniature helicopter to benefit future robotic and human exploration of Mars.
- Launch Location: The car size Perseverance rover was launched atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida
- Landing: The rover will land on the Red Planet on February 18, 2021.
- Landing Site: The landing will take place on 28-mile-wide (45 kilometers) Jezero Crater, Mars
- Mission Duration: It will spend at least one Mars year ( around two Earth years (687 days)), exploring the landing site region.
- Technology Demo: Perseverance is accompanied by a 4-foot-long (1.8 kilograms) helicopter called Ingenuity, making the journey to Mars on the rover’s belly. Ingenuity is going to be a tech demonstrator for this particular mission, and attempt a few short flights.
UAE becomes first Arab country to produce nuclear energy
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has made a remarkable achievement by becoming the first country in the Arab World to produce nuclear energy, when the Unit 1 of the Barakah Nuclear Plant in Abu Dhabi, got operational on 31 July 2020.
- The plant is powered by South Korean technology and is situated in the Al Dhafrah region of Abu Dhabi.
- It will produce 5.6 gigawatts of electricity and meet up to 25% of the UAE’s electricity needs.
- The new plant is part of the UAE’s effort to become less reliant on oil and gas, which is the current source of the vast majority of its energy, and move towards sustainable energy sources
Agreement
India-UK collaborates for new 8 million pounds joint medicinal research
- Enhancing their science and research collaboration, India and the United Kingdom have partnered to undertake five new research projects to tackle anti-microbial resistance that can be helpful in the global fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes.
- The overall cost of the five projects is 8 million pounds. They are planned to be executed in September 2020.
- The UK will contribute 4 million pounds from the UK Research and Innovation Fund for International Collaboration, while India will also contribute 4 million pounds.
Banking News
Kotak Mahindra Bank launches ‘Kona Kona Umeed’ Campaign
- The private sector lender, Kotak Mahindra Bank, has announced the launch of a two-month long campaign called ‘Kona Kona Umeed’ with huge offers and discounts to lift up hope and optimism among its customers in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic .
- Under this Kona Kona Umeed campaign, the bank will provide a range of offers and deals on its products including loans, savings accounts, current accounts, corporate salary accounts as well as Kotak debit cards, credit cards and digital payments.
- Kotak has tied up with over 100 brands to provide exclusive deals to its customers in categories such as shopping, essentials, personal care, education, fitness, health & wellness, kids & parenting, entertainment, cyber care & security, among others.
Sports
Lewis Hamilton wins British Grand Prix 2020
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-Great Britain) has won the Formula One British Grand Prix 2020 held on August 02, 2020. He came first, despite a puncture during the last lap.
- Max Verstappen ended up second in this F1 race while Charles Leclerc came third.
- This is the third win for Hamilton in this season of F1 races.
Obituary
UP Cabinet Minister Kamal Rani Varun passes away of Covid-19 at 62
- Kamal Rani Varun, the Indian politician and Cabinet Minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh has passed away due to COVID-19. She was 62.
- Kamal Rani was the minister of technical education in the state government.
- Kamal Rani Varun had also served as an MP twice. Once in the Eleventh Lok Sabha and then Twelfth Lok Sabha.
Important Days
World Ranger Day: 31 July
- The World Ranger Day is celebrated every year on 31 July.
- Purpose: Commemorate the Rangers killed or injured while on duty and to celebrate the work that Rangers do to protect the world’s natural and cultural heritage.
- A Ranger is a person tasked with preserving and protecting parklands and natural protected areas. A Ranger typically refers to a forest ranger or a park ranger.
- It was on this day in 1992 that International Ranger Federation (IRF) was founded.
- The first World Ranger Day was observed in 2007, on the occasion of the 15th anniversary IRF.
World Sanskrit Day 2020: 03 August
- World Sanskrit Day, (also known as Sanskrit Diwas), is celebrated every year on Shraavanapoornima, that is the Poornima day of the Shraavana month in the Hindu calendar, which is also marked as Raksha Bandhan.
- In 2020, this day is being observed on 3 August 2020.
- The day commemorates the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit and aims to promote its revival and maintenance.
- The Government of India decided to celebrate World Sanskrit Day in 1969, on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan that falls on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravana.