Current Affairs - August 3, 2018 Current Affairs

The indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Naval Prototype 2 (NP2) successfully landed on the Shore Based Test Facility (SBTF) in Goa. This trial is a milestone towards completion of CCT trials of LCA Navy. The Arrestor Hook System (AHS) for Ship Deck operations of LCA Naval version was designed and developed by Aircraft Research and Design Centre (ARDC) wing of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The combined effort by HAL, Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), Center for Military Airworthiness & Certification (CEMILAC), Regional Director Aeronautical Quality Assurance (RDAQA) and Navy led to the success. Navy will conduct a series of such trials and the Naval LCA is expected to be on INS Vikramaditya by the end of 2018.s

The 39-year-old Sashi Cheliah from Adelaide earned 93 out of 100 points to beat fellow contestant Ben Borsht, who scored 77 out of 100. He earned a prize money of $250,000 (almost Rs 1.7 crore). Cheliah has served in the Singapore police force for over a decade and then relocated to Australia, where he started working as a prison guard in a women's prison. MasterChef Australia 2018 is the popular culinary reality show.

C B Ananthakrishnan took charge as Director (Finance) of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). He joined HAL as Chief Manager (Finance) at Helicopter Division, Bengaluru, in 2004. He was also HAL nominee Director in the Board of three joint ventures of HAL.

Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes won the Hungarian Grand Prix for the 6th time, at the Hungaroring circuit, in Hungary. This is the 67th career victory for Lewis Hamilton. Daniel Ricciardo was named Driver of the Day by Formula One for finishing at fourth position after starting from the 12th position.

Apple Inc. became the first U.S.-based company with a market value of $1 trillion, four decades after it was co-founded by Steve Jobs in a Silicon Valley garage and later revolutionized the worlds of computing, music and mobile communications. The iMac desktop computer, the iPod, iPhone, and iPad were smash hits. Apple CEO - Tim Cook.

Earth Overshoot Day 2018 was observed on Aug 1st. Earth Overshoot Day is an initiative of Global Footprint Network. Global Footprint Network is an international research organization that is changing how the world measures and manages its natural resources. The date of Earth Overshoot Day is calculated from data of Global Footprint Network. Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when we all have consumed more from nature than our planet can renew in the entire year.

Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) and BSNL have signed an MoU for extending benefits in customer services. BSNL will use the smart card services of LMRC for collection of post-paid bills. It will also involve sale of pre-paid products like recharge vouchers and electronic top-up at LMRC Ticket Office Machine (TOM) station counters.

The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has launched a dedicated portal to connect cargo owners and shippers with real-time data on the availability of vessels. The portal has been named as the Forum of Cargo Owners and Logistics Operators (FOCAL). This is designed by the IT Department and the traffic wing of IWAI.

The Karnataka government has made Yoga mandatory for all colleges and universities in the State. It was decided at a meeting of Vice-chancellors and other officials of state universities which was chaired by State Higher Education Minister G T Devegowda. According to the officials, all government, aided and private degree colleges in the state must conduct yoga for 20-minutes. It also said that a proposal to recruit 5,000 teaching staff has been approved by the Chief Minister and the Finance Department of the State.

RIL's telecom subsidiary Reliance Jio partnered with State Bank of India (SBI) to extend the next generation of digital banking and payments services to customers. MyJio platform will enable SBI YONO's digital banking features and solutions for a seamless, integrated and superior customer experience. It will also extend the financial services capabilities of SBI and Jio Payments Bank.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for AYUSH Shri Shripad Yesso Naik laid the foundation stone of the 2nd Phase of Construction of North East Institute of Ayurveda & Homeopathy (NEIAH) at NEIAH Campus in Mawdiangdiang, Shillong. The estimated cost of the construction is Rs 40.80 crore. The estimated cost of the construction is Rs 40.80 crore. It will have residential accommodation for students, doctors and staff and guest house.

To provide financial assistance to commodity traders and farmers, StarAgri Finance signed MoU with private lender Karur Vysya Bank. Micro-lending would be provided to traders and farmers in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. The assistance would be provided against the commodities stored in warehouses of StarAgri Finance.

NHAI will ink a pact with State Bank of India (SBI) for a long-term unsecured loan to the tune of Rs 25,000 crore. This is SBI's highest long-term unsecured loan to any entity and also the largest ever loan sanctioned to NHAI. NHAI is getting an unsecured loan from SBI for 10 years with 3 years of moratorium on repayments.

NITI Aayog is set to host an Investors' Conference for the Holistic Development of Islands, at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi. This Conference will be inaugurated by Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog. It is expected to gain investment for the sustainable development of eco-tourism projects in Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands. The Conference is organized by NITI Aayog along with the respective UT Administration. NITI Aayog has been mandated to look over the Holistic Development of Islands program, along with the respective UT administration and State Governments.

The Andhra Pradesh government has launched 'Mukhya Mantri-Yuva Nestham', a scheme through which an allowance of Rs 1000 per month will be provided to unemployed youth in the state. About 12 lakh youths in the age group of 22-35 years will get the benefit of the scheme. The scheme will be extended to all those eligible even if there are more than one beneficiary in a family.