Important Current Affairs 1st August

Exim Bank Raises $1bn from Overseas

1. Export-Import Bank of India (Exim Bank) has said it has raised $1 billion via a 10-year bond issue at a coupon rate of 3.375%.
2. The funds raised will be used to support Indian project exports.
3. Initially announced for $500 million, the issue was upsized to $1 bn based on strong demand from the investors.
4. Exim Bank is a government-owned export finance institution&  had commenced operations in 1982.

SEBI’s New Enterprise Portal Goes Live

1. Markets regulator Sebi has initiated the first phase of its new enterprise portal to facilitate accurate and timely dissemination of information.
2. The new portal would replace the regulator’s existing portal in a phased manner.
3. The portal provides an e-Platform to communicate in secure,transparent & paperless.
4. The new portal, which would replace the regulator’s existing portal in a phased manner.

ICICI, Axis Join Swift Payment Initiative

1. ICICI and Axis bank have become the first Indian banks to join global payment network Swift’s cross-border payment innovation initiative.
2. Swift’s initiative already involves 70 other banks worldwide.
3. The initiative aims to enhance cross-border payments by leveraging Swift’s messaging platform.
4. In the first phase, the initiative will focus on business-to-business payments.

NRIs/PIOs can now send Funds Online

1. NRIs & Persons of Indian Origion (PIOs) will now be able to make monetary contributions online for government’s flagship programmes .
2. It include like Swachch Bharat& Clean Ganga among other social sector projects.
3. This was said by external affairs min Sushma Swaraj while chairing a meeting of the India Development Foundation of Overseas Indians.
4. It is a not-for-profit trust established by Govt.

Finance Minister calls for more FDI

1. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has called for more Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
2. He has also emphasized on stable and credible tax system.
3. He was delivering 1st memorial lecture at Dr A P J Abdul Kalam Memorial Lecture in New Delhi.
4. His lecture focused on the vision of the man whom the country fondly remembered as people’s president.

India to Host Kabaddi World Cup in Oct

1. India will host the Kabaddi World Cup this year, featuring 12 countries, in October.
2. USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Iran, Poland, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Korea, Japan and Kenya will be playing in the event.
3. Kabaddi became a part of Asian Games in the year 1990 and India have won all the gold medals since.
4. Star Sports was selected to broadcast the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup

Halep Wins Rogers Cup Women’s Single

1. Romanian Simona Halep beat out Madison Keys to win the final match of Montreal’s annual Rogers Cup tennis tournament.
2. She won 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 to claim her third title of the year.
3. Halep has three singles titles this year and 14 overall.
4. Halep walks away with the $2.4 million grand prize and will jump to third in WTA rankings.

Patna Pirates Lift Trophy for 2nd Time

1. Patna Pirates beat Jaipur Pink Panthers in the season 4 in the Pro Kabaddi League.
2. Patna Pirates beat Jaipur Pink Panthers 37-29
3. The Patna unit made history as they became the only team to lift the trophy twice in the tournament’s history of four editions.
4. Telugu Titans’ Rahul Chaudhari was awarded as the most successful raider in the touranment with 146 points.

Lewis Hamilton Wins German Grand Prix

1. Mercedes rider Lewis Hamilton has won his fourth consecutive grand prix after clinching victory in Germany
2. He crossed the line 6.9 seconds ahead of Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo.
3. The Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo finished in second place, with teammate Max Verstappen just behind him
4. It was Hamilton’s sixth victory in the last seven races and fourth in succession.

Djokovic Wins 4th Rogers CupTitle

1. World number one Novak Djokovic has won in the men’s final of the Rogers Cup in Toronto.
2. He defeated third-seeded Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 7-5.
3. Djokovic has seven singles titles this year and 66 overall, a record 30 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events such as the Rogers Cup.
4. He has 12 Grand Slam titles, winning this year in Australia and France

Ashwin Joins Kumble in Record Feat

1. Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin tormented the West Indies  to claim a second consecutive five-wicket innings haul.
2. He dismisses the home side for 196 on the opening day of the second Test at Sabina Park in Jamaica.
3. He became just the third Indian bowler to have five-wicket innings hauls in three consecutive Test.
4. He now matches after fellow spinners Bhagwat Chandrasekhar & Anil Kumble.

Prabhu Flag off Tripura Sundari Express

1. Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu has flagged off maiden broad-gauge train service between Agartala & Delhi.
2. It will cover a distance of 2461 kms in 46 hours& 50 minutes.
3. With the launch of the passenger train, the state of Tripura has now been connected with the national capital via Guwahati.
4. The RM will also lay the foundation stone of the Agartala-Akhaura International Rail link Project.

New CJ of Patna High Court Sworn In

1. Justice Iqbal Ahmed Ansari was sworn in as the 39th Chief Justice of Patna High Court.
2. He was administered oath by Bihar Governor Ramnath Kovind at a function herein Raj Bhawan.
3. Justice Ansari had worked twice as Acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court since December 2014.
4. He did his B.Sc. from Darrang College, Tezpur & completed graduation in law from Tezpur Law College.

Centre Relaxes Norms For Visiting Ladakh

1. The Centre has decided to relax the requirement of a Protected Area Permit for foreigners visiting various parts of Ladakh including the Nubra valley.
2. The notification has been issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs in this regard.
3. At the intervention of J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, Union Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to relax the Protected Area Permit for foreigners.

Study First, Pay Later: IIT-Kharagpur

1. IIT Kharagpur has found a new way to raise funds through a “Learn-Earn-Return Fund” scheme.
2. In this scheme students will get a fee waiver if they pledge to donate money after getting a job.
3. It will be launched from this new academic session,
4. The scheme will help students to learn without burden and shape their career to earn and give back to their alma mater.

Rani Nair set to be new CBDT Chairperson

1. Senior Indian Revenue Service(IRS) officer Rani Singh Nair is set to be appointed the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) chairperson, with incumbent Atulesh Jindal retiring.
2. Nair is a 1979-batch IRS officer &  is presently working as member (legislation and computerisation) in CBDT.
3. CBDT is responsible for framing policy & administrative issues related to direct taxes & the Income Tax dept.

Tokyo Elects First Woman Governor

1. Former Defence Minister Yuriko Koike has been elected governor of Tokyo,the first woman to lead Japan’s capital.
2. She received more than 2.9 million votes in election.
3. One of her key challenges will be curbing the financial problems plaguing Tokyo’s preparations to host the 2020 Olympic Games.
4. One of her first duties will be to travel to Rio de Janeiro to accept the Olympic flag as the next host.

New Horizons Pluto Stamp Earns Record

1. United States postal service made history after a stamp was send to Pluto which they placed on New Horizons spacecraft.
2. The stamp had travelled 5,250,843,896 km becoming the stamp to travel longest distance ever in history.
3. After the arrival of spacecraft at Pluto, the stamp earned a Guinness World records title.
4. New Horizons spacecraft was launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida on 19 Jan 2006.

IOM becomes Part of United Nations

1. The UN General Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution approving an agreement to make the International Organisation for Migration part of the UN.
2. It is declared that upon signature of the agreement on 19 Sept 2016, IOM will become a related organization of the United Nations system.
3. It was Founded in the wake of the World War II to resettle refugees from Europe

Teen Choice Awards 2016 Winners

1. Pop star Selena Gomez & hit TV series Pretty Little Liars were big winners at the 2016 Teen Choice Awards.
2. Pretty Little Liars picked up six surfboard trophies including Choice TV drama,
3. Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez claimed the choice male & female music artists.
4. Justin Timberlake accepted the “Decade Award” from ex-Laker Kobe Bryant.
5. The awards were voted on by viewers aged 13 through 19.