Important Day

• Theme for International Women’s Day (8 March 2020) – “I am Generation Equality: Realizing Women’s Rights”.

International

• India partnered with this country / union to work on developing Integrated Local Energy System under Mission Innovation – European Union.
• President of the UN Security Council (UNSC) for the month of March 2020 – China.

National

• India’s rank in the Freedom in the World 2020 report by Freedom House – 83 (last in “free” category).
• First position in the Freedom in the World 2020 report – Finland (followed by Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg).
• Inaugural train to Goa that operated by an all women crew – Yeshwanthpur-Karwar-Vasco-Da-Gama express.
• On 07 March 2020, a National Conference on Women in Police and CAPFs organized by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPR&D) in – Delhi.
• On 07 March, ‘Conference on Empowering Women Entrepreneurs’ organized in – New Delhi.

Persons in News

• New chairman of the CII Northern Region for the year 2020-21 – Nikhil Sawhney.
• 104-year-old sprinter who will be conferred the prestigious Nari Shakti Puraskar for 2019 for her exceptional contribution towards women empowerment – Man Kaur.

State Current Affairs

• This state government would mull giving free toor daal under the Anna Bhagya scheme after discussion – Karnataka.
• Power Finance Corporation (PFC) has signed an agreement with this state government to construct a 100-bed hospital in the Mamit district – Mizoram.
• On 6 March 2020, this state Assembly passed the Urban Development and Housing Department’s budgetary demand of Rs 7,213.71 crore under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) scheme – Bihar.
• A Literacy Mission, titled as ‘I am also digital’ launched by – Kerala government.

Science

• Chinese medics found good success rate in treating coronavirus patients with drugs on trials, named – “Tocilizumab” (brand name Actemra).

General Knowledge

• The North East Venture Fund was formally launched in – 2017.
• First deluxe train introduced by the Indian railway – “Queen of Deccan’’ (“Dakkhan ki Rani’’).
• In 2015, Mission Innovation, aims at providing clean affordable energy to create commercial opportunities, was launched by – Bill Gates.
• United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – Founded: 1945; Headquarters: New York, USA.
• Five permanent members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – France, China, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
• Members of United Nations Security Council (UNSC) – 15 (including 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms).
• Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) was launched in – June 2015.
• Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) – Founded: 1895; Headquarters: New Delhi.