22nd February, 2024 Current Affairs

NATIONAL
Malta Becomes 119th Country to Join International Solar Alliance

• India has welcomed Malta as the 119th country to join International Solar Alliance.
• Permanent Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ministry, Malta, Christopher Cutajar signed the ISA Framework Agreement in the presence of Head of Depository and Joint Secretary (Economic Diplomacy), Abhishek Singh in New Delhi.
• The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is an action-oriented, member-driven, collaborative platform for increased deployment of solar energy technologies.
• Its basic motive is to facilitate energy access, ensure energy security, and drive energy transition in its member countries.
• The ISA was conceived as a joint effort by India and France to mobilize efforts against climate change through deployment of solar energy solutions.

Japan Commits 232.2 Billion Yen for Nine Development Projects in India

• Government of Japan has committed Official Development Assistance loan of an amount of about 232.2 billion Japanese Yen for nine projects in various sectors in India. Department of Economic Affairs, Additional Secretary Vikas Sheel and Ambassador of Japan to India, Suzuki Hiroshi exchanged notes on the agreement today.
• Delineating on the projects, Ministry of Finance said that the road network connectivity projects aim to improve infrastructure development in India’s North East region, while the Chennai peripheral ring road project aims to alleviate traffic congestion and strengthen connections to the southern part of the state. The project in Nagaland will help develop tertiary level medical service delivery by developing a Medical College Hospital contributing towards universal health coverage.
• It futher added that the project in Telangana will help discover entrepreneurial skills with focus on women and rural population and support business expansion of MSMEs. In Haryana, the project will promote sustainable horticulture and improve farmer's income by promoting crop diversification and infrastructure development. The Ministry said that the forestry project in Rajasthan will enhance ecosystem services through afforestation, forest and biodiversity conservation. In the mountainous state of Uttarakhand, the project aims to provide stable water supply to urban towns. The fifth tranche of the Dedicated Freight Corridor project will help in construction of new dedicated freight railway system and bring about modernisation of intermodal logistics system enabling handling of increase freight traffic.

Also Read: National: Weekly Current Affairs Bitbank (January 29 to February 4, 2024): In which Indian state the 4th Rusoma Orange Festival was held in 2024?

                         >> Download Current Affairs PDFs Here

                              Download Sakshi Education Mobile APP

INTERNATIONAL
International Court of Justice Hears Case on Legal Consequences of Israel’s Occupation of Palestinian Territories

• In Hague, Netherlands, International Court of Justice (ICJ) is hearing a case on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. South Africa, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, the Netherlands, Bangladesh and Belgium presented their arguments.
• According to media reports, more than 50 states and at least three international organisations will address judges at the United Nations’ top court until February 26th. A nonbinding legal opinion is expected after months of deliberation by the judges.
• Palestinian representatives presented their arguments on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip. The occupation is illegal and must be brought to an immediate, unconditional and total end, they argued.
• Israel is not attending the hearings but sent a five-page written statement saying an advisory opinion would be “harmful” to attempts to resolve the conflict because questions posed by the UN General Assembly are prejudiced.

India-Greece Bilateral Cooperation: Strengthening Ties Across Multiple Fronts

• During a two-day visit to India, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis engaged in extensive discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bolster cooperation between the two nations. The visit marks the first by a Greek head of state to India in 15 years. The talks primarily focused on expanding strategic collaboration in various sectors, including trade, defense, and counter-terrorism efforts, with an emphasis on doubling bilateral trade by 2030.
• Plans were outlined to celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Greece in 2025, with an action plan in preparation for the milestone event.
• The celebration aims to showcase shared heritage and achievements on the global stage, further strengthening the bond between the two nations.

ECONOMY
Morgan Stanley Projects India’s GDP growth for FY25 to 6.5%

• In its latest analysis, Morgan Stanley Research projects India’s GDP growth for FY25 to moderate to 6.5%, down from the 6.9% projected for FY24. Despite this moderation, the report maintains a constructive outlook on the Indian economy, citing improvements in domestic demand and macro stability.
• Meanwhile, ICRA forecasts a sequential moderation in year-on-year GDP growth to 6% in Q3 FY24 from 7.6%, primarily influenced by the agriculture and industry sectors. The report also notes a slowdown in investment activity, with government capital expenditure witnessing a slight dip in the last quarter.

AWARDS
Alex Dawson Captures the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024 Award

• Swedish photographer Alex Dawson has clinched the prestigious title of Underwater Photographer of the Year 2024. His winning entry, ‘Whale Bones’, is a mesmerizing image that transports viewers beneath the icy expanse of the Greenland ice sheet, where a diver is seen exploring the skeletal remains of a minke whale.
• This striking composition not only showcases Dawson’s exceptional photographic skills but also highlights the haunting beauty of the underwater world.

Published date : 22 Feb 2024 04:16PM