Important Current Affairs 7th August

• Moon Express Cleared for Lunar Landing
  • Moon Express has become the first private firm to win US approval for an unmanned mission to the moon.
  • The mission was given the go-ahead by the Federal Aviation Administration’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation.
  • The plan is to send a lander to the moon in 2017.
  • The lander will be carried on a rocket made by Rocket Lab, a start-up firm which has not launched any commercial missions.
• China Launches Mobile Telecom Satellite
  • China has successfully launched the first satellite for mobile telecommunication.
  • The Tiantong-01 satellite was launched at southwestern China’s Xichang Satellite Launch Centre with the Long March-3B carrier rocket.
  • It will establish a mobile network with ground facilities, providing services for China, the Middle East & Africa.
  • Tiantong-01 was designed by China Academy of Space Technology.
• Japan Mark Hiroshima Bombing Anniversary
  • Japan marked the 71st anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima.
  • About 50,000 people attended the ceremony at Hiroshima’s Peace Park near the bomb’s epicenter.
  • The Aug. 6,1945, bombing killed 140,000 people in Hiroshima.
  • Another atomic bombing three days later in Nagasaki killed more than 70,000 people.
  • Obama in May embraced survivors as he made his visit to the city.
• B’desh Govt Blocks over 30 News Websites
  • Bangladesh government has blocked over 30 online portals and news websites.
  • The head of the national telecoms regulator Bangladesh Telecommunications and Regulatory Commission, BTRC said the websites were shut down on govt orders.
  • The list of blocked news portals included Sheershanews.com & Amar Desh online.
  • These portals linked to a pro-opposition Bengali daily that the govt shut down in 2013.
• Vijay Rupani Sworn in as New Gujarat CM
  • Vijay Rupani was sworn in as the Chief Minister while Nitin Patel as Deputy CM of Gujarat.
  • Governor O.P.Kohli administered the oath of post & secrecy.
  • Rupani represents Rajkot West seat &  joined Jan Sangh in 1971 & has been associated with BJP since its formation.
  • The new government was sworn in after former BJP CM Anandiben Patel resigned last week.
• Inauguration of IIT Jammu Campus
  • Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has  inaugurated the transit campus of Indian Institute of Technology at Jammu.
  • Jammu is among the six cities of the country where new IITs were sanctioned
  • Ninety students have been enrolled at IIT, Jammu for the first academic session.
  • The construction of transit campus spread over 25 acres within the actual site will start soon.
• PM Modi Launches PMO App
  • PM Modi has launched the PMO App at the Town Hall meeting on completion of 2 years MYGov.in.
  • The app can be used by citizens for discussions & direct submission of grievances to the PM’s office.
  • The proceeds from the sales of merchandise on this app will go to the Ganga cleanliness programme.
  • The MyGov portal was launched by the PM on 26 July 2014 as a part of the govt’s Digital India campaign.
• Venkaiah Launches Swachh Survekshan
  • Urban Development Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has launched Swachh Survekshan or Sanitation Survey 2017 of 500 cities in New Delhi.
  • He launched a web portal Swachhata App & Swachhta Helpline 1969.
  • The survey will assess & rank 500 cities based on levels of sanitation & efforts made to capture progress towards achieving Open Defecation Free status.
• Talgo’s Delhi-Mumbai 130 kmph Trial
  • Talgo’s train has finally completed its Delhi to Mumbai run in 12 hours 36 minutes beating Rajdhani Express.
  • Rajdhani Express normally takes around 15 hours and 50 minutes.
  • The maximum speed that attained during trial was 130 kmph.
  • Now, for the August 9 trial a maximum speed of 140 kmph will be tried, with the objective of taking 12 hours and 4 minutes.
• Festival of Films Focuses on Disability
  • The 13th edition of the We Care Film Festival on Disability Issues was concluded in New Delhi.
  • Films were divided into four categories based on their run time of under 1-min, 5-min, 30-min & 60-min.
  • Iranian films Here, Fish and I & Our Little Circle won the first prize respectively under 1, 5 & 60 min category.
  • Indian film The Deep Rising’ won the first prize in the 30 min category.
• 7-Aug: National Handloom Day
  • The second National Handloom Day celebrated all over the country on Aug7, 2016.
  • The objective to generate awareness about the importance of handloom industry and to promote handlooms.
  • The date Aug 7 has been chosen due to its special significance in India’s freedom struggle.
  • It was on this day in 1905 that the Swadeshi Movement was formally launched at a massive meeting in the Calcutta Town hall.
• Sri Lanka Clinch Historic Series
  • Off-spinner Dilruwan Perera bagged six wickets to fashion Sri Lanka’s historic series win over Australia in Galle.
  • Australia, which is the world’s number one side suffered a humiliating 229-run loss inside three days in the second Test in Galle.
  • Australia chasing a challenging 413 for victory were bundled out for 183.
  • Sri Lanka took an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
• Jitu Rai Finish 8th in 10m Air Pistol
  • It was a disappointing start for the Indian shooters at the Rio Olympics .
  • Jitu Rai finished a lowly eighth in the men’s 10m Air Pistol final.
  • He shot an overall 78.7 to finish eighth in the field of eight finalists to become the first shooter to crash out of the final round.
  • Apurvi Chandela and Ayonika Paul crashed out in the qualification round of their respective events.
• Thrasher Wins First Gold of Games
  • America Virginia Thrasher won the first gold medal of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
  • She won the gold in women’s 10m air rifle event.
  • She edged out China’s Du Li who won gold in Athens in 2004, with an Olympic-record score of 208 in the sport’s new finals format.
  • She is a NCAA champion at West Virginia competing in her first Olympics.
  • China’s Yi Siling took the bronze with a score of 185.4.
• US Jobs Growth Beats Forecasts
  • The US economy added a stronger-than-expected 255,000 jobs in July.
  • The figure was below June’s upwardly revised figure of 292,000 jobs, but was far higher than analysts’ forecasts of between 175,000 & 180,000.
  • The US unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.9%.
  • The US Fed recently signalled that it was on course to increase interest rates this year as  such slowing employment receded.
• IRDA Caps CEOs Salary at Rs 1.5 cr
  • Insurance regulator IRDAI has put a cap of Rs 1.5 crore on the annual salary of Chief Executive, which could be paid from the policyholders’ fund.
  • In case the annual remuneration of the MD/CEO/Whole Time Directors exceeds Rs 1.50 crore such excess shall be borne by shareholders’ account.
  • No revision in remuneration shall be permitted till the expiry of one year from the date of earlier approval.
• IDBI Bank to Raise Rs 4,000 cr
  • IDBI Bank plans to raise Rs 2,000 crore through infrastructure bonds & similar amount by issuing Basel III compliant tier-II bonds.
  • Rating agency Crisil has assigned AA/Negative rating to both instruments.
  • In March 2016, Crisil had downgraded the ratings on IDBI Bank’s debt instruments.
  • Asset quality deterioration is evident from the sharp increase in gross NPAs to 10.98% as on March 31, 2016.
• Trai Issues Consultation Paper
  • The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) has come out with a new consultation paper, which seeks to rework the process of assessing quality of service provided by the telecom companies.
  • Trai is looking to re-define parameters that are used to measure quality of service (QoS).
  • The regulatory body also explored the idea of monitoring the benchmarks at sub-service area level.
• Apple Buys Machine Learning Startup Turi
  • Apple has acquired Seattle-based machine learning startup Turi for nearly $200 million.
  • Turi offers tools that are meant to let developers easily scale machine learning applications.
  • Apple has recently bought some machine learning & AI startups like VocalIQ & Perceptio
  • Apple has recently been making a push into artificial intelligence through Siri personal assistant and related technologies.
• Takehiko Re-elected as ADB President
  • The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Board of Governors has unanimously re-elected Takehiko Nakao as President of ADB.
  • He was re-elected for a further five years beginning November 24, 2016.
  • He was first elected as president by the Board of Governors on April 28, 2013.
  • The ADB is a regional development bank established on 19 Dec 1966 to promote social and economic development in Asia.