Daily Current Affairs 8 August 2023, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update)

Read the most important current affairs of 8 August 2023. Today Current Affairs covers the headlines on International Day Of The World’s Indigenous Peoples, World Nagasaki Day 2023, Quit India Movement.

Top 13 Current Affairs and News Headlines of 8 August 2023

National News

1.Cabinet approves Rs 1.39 lakh cr for connecting 6.4 lakh villages with broadband

• The Union Cabinet has approved the final phase of the last-mile optical fiber-based broadband connectivity plan, covering 6.4 lakh villages across India under the BharatNet project. This initiative is supported by a budget of Rs 1.39 lakh crore.
• Through this enhancement, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) seeks to accelerate the endeavor of linking all 6.4 lakh villages within the upcoming two and a half years. The ongoing progress has seen nearly 1.94 lakh villages already integrated into the BharatNet project.
• BBNL (Bharat Broadband Network Limited) will provide customer premise equipment and additional fibre required for connecting homes while local entrepreneurs have been tasked with maintaining the network.

International News

2.New COVID variant Eris spreading rapidly in UK; know signs and symptoms

• A new COVID variant Eris or EG.5.1 is rapidly spreading across the country United Kingdom. Startlingly, one out of every seven COVID-19 cases in the UK is now linked to this variant.
• The spread of Eris is not limited only to UK but also across Europe, Asia and North America, marking its impact globally.
• The Eris variant is believed to have originated from the Omicron lineage of the COVID-19.

3.Cambodian King appoints Hun Sen’s son as new Prime Minister

• Cambodia’s King, Norodom Sihamoni issued a royal decree appointing Hun Manet as Prime Minister, after Mr. Hun Sen had announced last month that he was stepping down and handing power to his eldest son.
• Mr. Hun Sen, one of the world’s longest­serving leaders made the announcement days after a landslide victory in July polls that were widely decried as a sham, after main challenger the Candlelight Party was barred from participating.
• Cambodia Capital: Phnom Penh, Cambodia Currency: Cambodian riel, Cambodia Official language: Khmer.

Banking News

4.Profit Of PSU Banks More Than Doubles To Rs 34,774 Cr In Q1

• The public sector banks (PSBs) have registered an impressive profit of over Rs 34,774 crore in the first quarter of June 2023 showcasing a substantial increase that more than doubles their previous earnings.
• As per the quarterly data published by public sector banks, the collective profit reported by the 12 state-owned banks amounted to Rs 15,306 crore, during the corresponding April-June period in the prior fiscal year.
• Punjab National Bank achieved the highest percentage growth, marking a substantial 307 percent increase in profit, from Rs 308 crore to Rs 1,255 crore, in comparison to the corresponding quarter of the previous year.

Business News

5.IndiaFirst Life Insurance launches new G.O.L.D. plan

• In a move to provide enhanced financial security and stable income to its policyholders, IndiaFirst Life Insurance Company has recently launched a groundbreaking insurance product – the Guarantee of Life Dreams (G.O.L.D.) Plan.
• This non-linked and non-participating insurance plan is designed to offer regular, long-term income to policyholders to ensure a prosperous and worry-free future.
• Policyholders can choose from premium payment terms of 6, 8, or 10 years, depending on their financial preferences and goals. IndiaFirst Life Insurance offers policy terms of 30 years and 40 years for the G.O.L.D. Plan.

Schemes News

6.SC to Appoint All-Woman Panel to Oversee Relief in Manipur

• Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud has announced the formation of an all-women panel to help bring healing and relief to the violence-stricken region in Manipur.
• The panel will consist of three former High Court judges, with Justice Gita Mittal as its head. The panel aims to provide healing touch to the situation in Manipur.
• The committee’s main task is to oversee relief and rehabilitation efforts, restore homes and places of worship and improve the overall relief work in the violent-affected areas.

7.Chhattisgarh CM transfers Rs 15 crore as part of Godhan Nyay Yojana

• As part of the flagship Godhan Nyay Yojna (GNY) initiated by the Chhattisgarh government, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel conducted online transfers exceeding Rs 15 crore to support cattle rearers, women’s self-help groups (SHGs), and ‘gauthan’ committees.
• This initiative has empowered SHG women and surged farmer engagement in cattle rearing. The program has garnered national recognition, inspiring other states to adopt similar initiatives.
• Introduced in July 2020 by the Chhattisgarh government, the Godhan Nyaya Yojana involves the procurement of cow dung at a rate of Rs. 2 per kg within the state’s gauthans.

Appointments News

8.Tesla appoints India-origin Vaibhav Taneja as its CFO

• Indian-origin Vaibhav Taneja has been named Tesla’s new Chief Financial Officer as the previous finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn announced his decision to step down.
• He was appointed Tesla CFO in addition to his current role as Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) of the US-based electric car major after Kirhorn, Tesla’s Master of Coin and finance chief for the last four years, stepped down from the post.
• Taneja is a commerce graduate. He did his Bachelor of Commerce degree from Delhi University between 1996 and 1999. His Tesla’s journey began in 2017 as he switched from a dynamic solar energy firm, SolarCity, which had been acquired by Tesla.

Important Days News

9.International Day Of The World’s Indigenous Peoples 2023: Date, theme, Significance and History

• The United Nations’ (UN) International Day of the World’s Indigenous People is observed on August 9 each year to promote and protect the rights of the world’s Indigenous population.
• Also known as World Tribal Day, this event also recognises the achievements and contributions that Indigenous people make to improve world issues such as environmental protection. This year’s theme is: Indigenous Youth as Agents of Change for Self-determination.
• In December 1994, the United Nations General Assembly decided that the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples should be observed on August 9th each year.

10.World Nagasaki Day 2023: Date, Significance and History

• Nagasaki Day, observed annually on August 9th, holds a somber significance in global history. It marks the day when the Japanese city of Nagasaki was devastated by an atomic bomb during World War II. This day serves as a reminder of the immense destructive power of nuclear weapons and the need for lasting peace.
• On August 9, 1945, a second atomic bomb, codenamed “Fat Man,” was dropped on Nagasaki. The bomb detonated above the city, causing widespread devastation and loss of life.

11.Quit India Movement: Date, History and Significance

• The Quit India Movement was a historic event in India’s struggle for Independence from British colonial rule.
• The year 2023 marks the 81^st anniversary of this momentous movement that changed the course of India’s history. As we commemorate this significant milestone, it is essential to reflect the ideals and sacrifices of the past, drawing inspiration for the present and the future.
• The Quit India Movement, also known as the August Movement, was initiated by the Indian National Congress on 8^th August, 1942, led by Mahatma Gandhi, who called for “Do or Die” in the struggle for India’s independence.

Sports News

12.Indian wrestlers win 11 medals at World u­17 championships

• India ended their 2023 World Cadet Wrestling Championships, meant for under-17 grapplers, with a total of 11 medals, including a gold, at Istanbul, Turkey.
• Savita, who entered the event as the defending champion, won the only gold medal for India at Istanbul in the women’s 61kg weight division.
• India finished sixth in the men’s freestyle and fourth in men’s Greco-Roman team rankings as well. However, it was the women’s freestyle where India shone best by finishing third, only behind Japan and USA, with 118 points in the team rankings

Science and Technology News

13.Five percent of birds in India are endemic: Zoological Survey of India publication

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) unveiled a recent publication titled “75 Endemic Birds of India” on the occasion of its 108th foundation day. This publication highlights a surprising fact: A remarkable 5% of India’s bird species are confined solely within the nation’s boundaries, making them true avian treasures that are not reported anywhere else on the planet.
• With an impressive collection of 1,353 documented bird species, India boasts a significant share of the global avian diversity, accounting for approximately 12.40%. Among these feathered inhabitants, a total of 78 species, or 5% of the avian population, are exclusively endemic to the Indian subcontinent.

Important Current Affairs of 8th August 2023

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