CURRENT AFFAIRS 1st August, 2014

DOWNLOAD PDF

1. United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) will set up a first of its kind Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurship Training in association with EMPRETEC and West Bengal government. EMPRETEC is a United Nations programme by UNCTAD's Division of Investment and Enterprise to promote the creation of sustainable small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

2. The HSBC Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) , compiled by Markit, rose to 53.0 in July from 51.5 in June. Indian factory activity expanded at its fastest pace in 17 months in July due to economic recovery even as input prices rose.

3. According to global employer branding firm Universum’s 2014 Most Attractive Employers in Asia Pacific Ranking, Google has emerged as the most desirable employer among business, as well as engineering and IT students in the APAC region.

4. The WTO talks on trade facilitation agreement failed as the member nations did not agree to the new proposal India had suggested for breaking the deadlock. The new proposal contained interim relief, called the peace clause, which ensures developing countries like India could continue with their public food stockholding programmes until a permanent solution was found and not to be challenged through the WTO dispute settlement mechanism in case they breached the 10 per cent limit prescribed by the WTO.

5. The government will provide broadband connectivity to 225,000 gram panchayats, or village blocks, with 100Mbps speed in the next three years. It is a part of new government's "digital India" policy. Three PSUs— Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), Railtel and Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) have been asked to survey 250,000 village blocks.