Daily Current Affairs 5 August 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

Read the most important current affairs of 5 August 2023. Today Current Affairs covers the headlines on Rajiv Gauba, World Bank, Israeli Spike Missiles, Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Alex Hales.

Top 15 Current Affairs and News Headlines of 5 August 2023

National News

1.MASI Portal for Monitoring CHILD CARE HOMES

• The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has developed The ‘MASI’ application for real-time monitoring of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and their inspection process across the country.
• The primary objective behind the development of the Monitoring App for Seamless Inspection (MASI) is to ensure the effective and efficient functioning of the inspection mechanism for CCIs as provided under the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
• The app aims to synchronize the monitoring of the system by various authorities, including Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), State Inspection Committees, District Inspection Committees, Members of Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs) and State Commissions for TNPCB to Hold Public Hearings amid Controversy Protection of Child Rights (SCPCRs).

2.Govt defers implementation of restrictions on imports of laptops, PCs and tablets to Nov 1

• In a significant late-night decision, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) announced the postponement of the licensing mandate for the import of laptops, tablets, and personal computers in India.
• The government had earlier imposed import restrictions on these products due to security concerns and to boost domestic manufacturing.
• However, in light of recent developments, the implementation of the restrictions has been deferred until November 1, 2023.

International News

3.U.S. Debt: Understanding the Impact of Losing a AAA Credit Rating

• In recent news, Fitch, one of the top-three global ratings agencies, downgraded the United States’ credit rating from AAA to AA+.
• The AAA rating is the highest possible rating, indicating a country’s strong ability to repay its debts. It signifies a strong ability to repay debts and reflects the economic and financial health of the borrower.
• The three major ratings agencies, S&P Global, Fitch, and Moody’s, use a similar letter-based system to rank credit ratings from AAA to D, with AAA being the highest and D indicating payment defaults.

State News

4.TNPCB to Hold Public Hearing on Adani Kattupalli Port Expansion Amid Controversy

• The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) is set to conduct a public hearing on the proposed expansion of Adani group’s Kattupalli Port in Tiruvallur district.
• The project, which was initially scheduled for a hearing in January 2021 but was delayed due to COVID-19, has drawn strong opposition from environmentalists and opposition parties.
• The expansion aims to transform the port into a multipurpose cargo facility with extensive reclamation, triggering concerns about its environmental impact on the Ennore-Pulicat backwaters and the Pulicat lake, one of India’s largest brackish-water ecosystems.

Defence News

5.Indian Air Force Gets Israeli Spike Missiles

• Indian Air Force (IAF) received air-launched Israeli Spike Non Line of Sight (NLOS) Anti-Tank Guided Missiles(ATGM) from Israel which can hit targets upto 50 km from a helicopter and 32 km from the ground.
• The NLOS missiles will be integrated with the fleet of Russian-origin Mi-17V5 helicopters, manufactured by Kazan Helicopters.
• It was designed by the Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems.
• It is available in various configurations, including man-portable, vehicle-launched, and helicopter-launched variants.
• Utilizes a fire-and-forget system with lock-on before launch and automatic self- guidance features.

6.India successfully concludes trials of anti-tank guided missiles

• India’s indigenous Nag Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) and the variant of HELINA (Helicopter-launched NAG) Weapon System called ‘Dhruvastra’ are set to be inducted into the Indian army and Indian Air Force (IAF) after clearing all the trials.
• Both the Nag ATGM and Helina (Dhruvastra) missiles are developed by Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO) and manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Limited(BDL). Nag is the surface-to-air missile and Dhruvastra is the air-to-surface missile.

Banking News

7.SBI Posts Highest-Ever Quarterly Profit Of ₹ 16,884 Crore

• State Bank of India (SBI), one of India’s largest public sector banks, reported its financial results for the April-June quarter of 2023-24. The bank achieved its highest-ever quarterly profit at ₹ 16,884 crore, representing a significant jump from ₹ 6,068 crore in the same period the previous year.
• This remarkable performance was attributed to a decline in bad loans and increased interest income.
• On a consolidated basis, SBI’s net income also saw substantial growth, rising more than two-fold to ₹ 18,537 crore compared to ₹ 7,325 crore a year ago.

Appointments News

8.Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba gets one-year extension

• Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba has been officially granted a one-year extension by the Central government, making him the longest-serving cabinet secretary in India’s history.
• The decision was made by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). This extension comes as a result of the relaxation of important rules, allowing him to continue in his position beyond August 30, 2023.
• With this extension, his tenure will surpass that of BD Pande, who held the position from November 2, 1972, to March 31, 1977, making Rajiv Gauba the longest-serving cabinet secretary in India’s bureaucratic history.

Agreements News

9.PNGRB and World Bank to draft a roadmap for hydrogen blending in natural gas

• The Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) and the World Bank have joined forces to develop a comprehensive roadmap for integrating hydrogen blending in natural gas and establishing the infrastructure for their transmission through gas pipelines in the country.
• This include proposing amendments to the regulatory frameworks to align with the national objective of achieving a hydrogen consumption target of 5 million metric tonnes per annum by 2030. The study is scheduled to be completed within 16 weeks.

Schemes News

10.Kerala to soon see off its overseas emigrants with Shubhayatra scheme

• The State government of kerala has launched a groundbreaking scheme called ‘Shubhayatra’. The scheme aims to provide much-needed financial support to first-time overseas emigrants from Kerala, facilitating a positive and productive migration ecosystem.
• With a financial assistance of up to ₹2 lakh, a tax holiday for six months, and attractive interest subvention, the scheme intends to help eligible candidates cover the incidental expenses associated with overseas employment.
• ‘Shubhayatra’ scheme will significantly enhance the quality of professional migration from Kerala.

11.PM Modi to Launch ₹24,470 Crore Revamp of 508 Railway Stations under Amrit Bharat Scheme

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to virtually lay the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across India on August 6. The ambitious project, executed under the Amrit Bharat Scheme, aims to enhance passenger amenities and improve railway infrastructure.
• With an estimated cost of ₹24,470 crore, the redevelopment work is a significant step towards modernizing the railway system.
• Out of a total of 1,309 stations, 508 have been chosen for the initial phase of redevelopment under the Amrit Bharat Scheme. The ongoing construction work at 24 stations in these states carries a budget of ₹11,136 crore.

Sports News

12.Alex Hales from England announces retirement from International Cricket

• Alex Hales has announced his retirement from international cricket with immediate effect, at the age of 34. He signs off from his England career as a T20 World Cup winner, having played his last game in their five-wicket win over Pakistan at the MCG in November last year.
• Hales played 11 Test matches, 70 ODIs and 75 T20Is, having made his international debut in a T20 match against India in Manchester in August 2011.
• Hales scored 2419 runs at an average of 37.79 and a strike rate of 95.72 in 70 ODI matches. He scored 2074 runs at a strike rate of 138.35 and average of 30.95 in 75 T20Is. Hales last played an ODI match in March 2019 and was not in contention to play in the World Cup later this year.

13.World Archery Championships 2023: India wins historic gold medal

• The Indian women’s compound archery team etched their names in history by clinching a gold medal at the World Archery Championships held in Berlin, Germany. This victory marked India’s first-ever gold at the archery world championships in any category.
• It was India’s first-ever gold at the archery world championships in any category. The triumphant team comprised Jyothi Surekha Vennam, Parneet Kaur, and Aditi Gopichand Swami.
• In the final round, they showcased an exceptional performance against the Mexican team, consisting of Dafne Quintero, Ana Sofia Hernandez Jeon, and Andrea Becerra. The Indian trio emerged victorious with a score of 235-229, demonstrating their prowess and precision in the sport.

Obituaries News

14.Padma Bhushan awardee and IAS officer N Vittal passes away

• The Padma Bhushan awardee and IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, 1960 batch, N Vittal passed away in Chennai.
• His experience of more than 40 years covered a wide spectrum with focus on industrial administration, science and technology and security.
• As Secretary of the Department of Electronics (1990-1996), he initiated policies for boosting software, setting up software technology parks and strategic alliance with the industry. This eventually led to the formation of the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI).

Miscellaneous News

15.Health Ministry prohibits sale of Ketoprofen and Aceclofenac

• According to a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on July 31, 2023, the production, sale, and distribution of ‘ketoprofen’ and ‘aceclofenac’, along with their formulations, for animal use is prohibited under section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 40).
• These are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) which are frequently employed to relieve pain and inflammation in both humans and animals. However, when vultures and other raptor species consume treated carcasses, it is still observed to have adverse effects on their health.
• The country was experiencing a significant decline in its vulture population during the 1990s, attributed to the use of diclofenac in cattle.

Important Current Affairs of 5th August 2023

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