Daily & Latest Current Affairs in 2025

Correct Answer :   Rs 14.56 lakh crore

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Banks have written off bad loans worth Rs 14.56 lakh crore in the last nine financial years starting 2014-15, Parliament was informed on Monday (7th August 2023).

Out of the total Rs 14,56,226 crore, written off loans of large industries and services stood at Rs 7,40,968 crore.

Scheduled Commercial Banks (SCBs) have recovered an aggregate amount of Rs 2,04,668 crore in written-off loans, including corporate loans, since April, 2014 and up to March, 2023, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Karad said in a written reply to Lok Sabha.

Loans written-off during the financial year, net of recovery in written-off loans during the financial year (net write-off) in public sector banks (PSBs) was Rs 1.18 lakh crore in the financial year (FY) 2017-18, which has declined to 0.91 lakh crore in FY 2021-22 and to Rs 0.84 lakh crore (RBI provisional data) in FY 2022-23, he said in another reply.

Net write-off loans by private sector banks stood at Rs 73,803 crore (RBI provisional data) in FY 2022-23, he said..

Source : Economic Times

Correct Answer :   7th August 2023

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William Friedkin, the groundbreaking US director of "The Exorcist" and "The French Connection," died on Monday (7th August 2023), a family friend told AFP. He was 87.

Friedkin passed away in Los Angeles after suffering unspecified health issues in recent years, said Stephen Galloway, a former Hollywood Reporter executive editor.

"He died this morning," confirmed Galloway, after speaking with Friedkin's wife.

The director had "been working until a few weeks ago," but "had been in declining health," he added.

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro led the tributes on Monday, calling Friedkin "one of the Gods of Cinema."

"Cinema has lost a true Scholar and I have lost a dear, loyal and true friend," he wrote on social media.

Fellow horror director Eli Roth posted a tribute on Instagram to "one of the most impactful directors of all time" who "set the course of my life in a different direction."

Actor Elijah Wood described Friedkin as "a true cinematic master whose influence will continue to extend forever."

Friedkin was among a crop of influential young "New Hollywood" directors in the 1970s who fundamentally reshaped the US film industry, upsetting a long-established system in which powerful studio producers had reigned supreme.

Alongside fellow auteurs such as Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, Friedkin exploded onto the Hollywood scene in 1971 with the gritty cop drama "The French Connection."

It won five Oscars, including for best director and best picture.

Friedkin followed that up with "The Exorcist," in 1973. It was a huge commercial and critical hit, as well as being deeply controversial.

The shocking film about a 12-year-old girl possessed by the devil was nominated for 10 Oscars, winning two, and grossed an eventual $440 million.

The movie has spawned multiple sequels, including an upcoming trilogy from horror producer Jason Blum in which Ellen Burstyn returns as the original film's heroine.

In a statement Monday, Blum said he was "personally indebted" to Friedkin..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   Rajasthan

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The Rajasthan government has greenlit the formation of 19 new districts and 3 new divisions. The proposal put forward by a high-level committee was approved by the Ashok Gehlot-led Rajasthan cabinet on Friday (4th August 2023).

The western state will now have 50 districts - up from 33 - and 10 divisions.


Following an official communique the state will now :

Jaipur district has been divided into Jaipur and Jaipur Rural, and Jodhpur district into Jodhpur and Jodhpur Rural.

The other new districts are Apoongarh, Balotra, Beawar, Deeg, Didwana-Kuchaman, Dudu, Gangapur City, Kekri, Kotputli-Behror, Khairthal-Tijara, Neem ka Thana, Phalodi, Slumber, Sanchore and Shahpura.

The new divisions are Banswara, Pali and Sikar.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot indicated that ministers in charge of the new districts will do a formal launch on August 7, 2023.

A high-level committee had been formed in March last year to give recommendations about the formation of new districts. Based on its recommendations the CM had told the state Assembly about the formation of 19 new districts and 3 divisions earlier this year (2023).

Gehlot said that the formation of new districts will improve governance and bring relief to people who have to cover long distances to go to district headquarters for various works. The tenure of the high-level committee has been extended for a period of six months so that people can send their suggestions to it..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Rs 9.8 Lakh Crore

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Domestic companies raised Rs 9.8 lakh crore from capital markets in the fiscal 2022-23, which was 4.6 per cent higher than the amount raised in the fiscal 2022, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) said in its annual report.

The capital markets regulator said that corporates or infrastructure entities raised funds via instruments such as equity (public, rights, preferential, QIP), debt (public and private placement), Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs).

Of the total resources mobilized, equity and debt segments accounted for Rs 9.2 lakh crore of capital formation, SEBI said in its annual report for 2022-23, released on Monday (7th August 2023).

The previous fiscal saw some moderation in in fund raising through equity route due to volatility in the secondary markets, uncertain macroeconomic environment and relatively subdued performance of many listed equities

In the debt segment, the primary source of resource mobilization was private placement of debt, which rose 28 per cent over funds raised in FY2022.

SEBI said in FY2023, the commitment raised by AIFs logged a growth of 30 per cent to Rs 8.34 lakh crore from Rs 6.41 lakh crore at the end of 2021-22. The amount of funds raised and investment made increased by 16.5 per cent and 19 per cent respectively in the last fiscal.

During the year, 203 new AIFs were registered, taking the number of registered AIFs to 1,088 at the end of 2022-23.

The net asset value being managed by REITs stood at Rs 70,614 crore whereas for InvITs it was Rs 1,76,957 crore as on March 31, 2023. Total funds raised by InvITs during FY2023 stood at Rs 6,360 crore..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Vaibhav Taneja

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Indian-origin Vaibhav Taneja has been named Tesla’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) as the previous finance chief Zachary Kirkhorn announced his decision to step down, the automaker said in a company filing on Monday (7th August 2023).



Taneja, 45, was appointed Tesla CFO in addition to his current role as Chief Accounting Officer (CAO) of the US-based electric car major on Friday (4th Aug 2023) after Kirkhorn, Tesla’s Master of Coin and finance chief for the last four years, stepped down from the post.

Kirkhorn’s 13-year tenure with the Elon Musk-led American EV giant was described as one of “tremendous expansion and growth” read the company filing.

“Tesla thanks Mr. Kirkhorn for his significant contributions. Mr. Kirkhorn will continue to serve Tesla through the end of the year to support a seamless transition,” it said.

“This morning Tesla announced that I’ve stepped down from my role as Chief Financial Officer, succeeded by our Chief Accounting Officer, Vaibhav Taneja,” Kirkhorn said in a LinkedIn post.

“Being a part of this company is a special experience, and I’m extremely proud of the work we’ve done together since I joined over 13 years ago. As I shift my responsibilities to support this transition, I want to thank the talented, passionate, and hard-working employees at Tesla, who have accomplished things many thought (were) not possible. I also want to thank Elon for his leadership and optimism, which has inspired so many people,” he said.

Taneja has served as Tesla’s CAO since March 2019 and as the Corporate Controller since May 2018. He served as the Assistant Corporate Controller between February 2017 and May 2018, and from March 2016, served in various finance and accounting roles at SolarCity Corporation, a US-based solar panel developer acquired by Tesla in 2016.

Before that, Taneja was employed at PricewaterhouseCoopers in both India and the US between July 1999 and March 2016, the company filing said..

Source : First Post

Correct Answer :   7th August

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In India, National Handloom Day is observed annually on August 7th to honour the handloom weavers and their significant role in the country's economy and culture.


National Handloom Day Theme 2023 :

The theme designated for National Handloom Day in 2023 is "Handlooms for Sustainable Fashion". This theme emphasises the significance of handloom weaving as an environmentally friendly and sustainable substitute for machine-made fabrics.

National Handloom Day History :

* The origins of National Handloom Day can be traced back to the Swadeshi Movement of 1905. This movement was aimed at boycotting British goods in favour of Indian-made products, and handloom textiles were one of the key products that were promoted during this time.

* The Government of India officially designated August 7 as National Handloom Day in 2015. The day is now celebrated all over India with a variety of events and activities.


National Handloom Day Significance :

National Handloom Day holds great significance for various reasons. Firstly, it is a day to commemorate the centuries-old tradition of handloom weaving in India. Secondly, it is an occasion to acknowledge the significant contribution of handloom weavers to the Indian economy, as they provide employment to millions of people. Lastly, National Handloom Day aims to promote sustainable fashion, as handloom textiles are produced using natural fibers and traditional techniques that have a minimal environmental impact.

Correct Answer :   August 7

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August 7 is celebrated as National Javelin Day in India. The Athletics Federation of India, the apex body for the athletics in India, took the decision to celebrate August 7 as the National Javelin Day to commemorate Neeraj Chopra's historic gold medal during the Tokyo Olympics.

It was on August 7 2021, that Chopra hurled javelin at a distance of 87.58m during the men's Javelin Throw final of the Tokyo Games to win the gold medal.

Chopra scripted history as it was India's first-ever gold medal in Track and Field events in Olympics. With the gold medal at Tokyo, Chopra also became the second individual gold medalist from India after Abhinav Bindra's gold-medal winning performance at the 2008 Beijing Games.

“Apart from celebrating Neeraj’s feat, AFI will also promote the sport at the grassroots level through this initiative,” AFI President Adille J. Sumariwalla had said while declaring August 7 as the National Javelin Day.

Since winning the gold medal 25-year-old Chopra has  produced two other historic firsts last year. In July 2022 Chopra became the first Indian athlete to clinch a silver medal at the World Athletics Championships with a throw of 88.13m.

Chopra then capped off 2022 by being the first India to win the prestigious Diamond League by winning the Diamond League Final in Zurich with a throw of 89.09.

Chopra is currently preparing for this year's World Athletics Championships and the Asian Games..

Source: CNBC

Correct Answer :   Hun manet

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Hun Manet, the eldest son of Cambodia's longtime leader Hun Sen, has been appointed by the country's king as the next prime minister and will take the reins later this month.

Prime Minister Hun Sen released a royal decree on Monday (7th August 2023) from King Norodom Sihamoni detailing the long-awaited transition that heralds the first change in leadership since 1985. The document follows a request from the ruling Cambodian People's Party, which won 96% of seats in an election last month widely seen as a sham after their only credible rivals were barred from running.

The decree, which comes into force on Aug. 7, states that the King has named Manet as "Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia for the 7th legislature of the National Assembly."

Manet now has to prepare the composition of the government for approval of the National Assembly, Cambodia's parliament, which will convene for a vote on Aug. 22 to finalize the transition.

Hun Sen, who turned 71 on the weekend, appears to have sped up the transition to his eldest son after announcing his plans to step down in the days following the widely panned election. The certification of the election results was released on Saturday, significantly faster than for previous ballots..

Source : Asia.nikkei

Correct Answer :   Nirmala Sitharaman

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Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday (6th August 2023) laid the foundation stone for an archeological museum at Adichanallur in Tamil Nadu’s Tuticorin district.

Adichanallur was one of the five archaeological sites declared to be developed as ‘Iconic Sites’ in the Union Budget 2020-21. Adichanallur is an archaeological site located on the banks of river Tamirabarani in this district.

“The main objective of the museum would be to focus on establishing the significance of the archaeological sites identified as part of the cultural landscape of the Tamirabharani valley, not limiting to the site of Adichanallur. The museum will be built as a tribute to the history of Iron Age culture in Southern India, in the context of Adichanallur,” her office said in one of a series of tweets.

Sitharaman was accompanied by local MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi among others.

The museum will house the excavated artefacts, the archaeological significance of the site and history of the region, another tweet on her official handle said.
The building will house display galleries, an audio-visual hall, a souvenir shop, a cafeteria apart from administration spaces.

As part of the development plan, fresh exploration/excavation of archaeological remains has been taken by the ASI, Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) Circle.

“The extensive urn burial site at Adichanallur was first discovered by Dr Jagor of Berlin Museum in 1876. Englishman Alexander Rea excavated a good number of urns during 1910s and discovered gold diadems with parallels from Mycenae, bronze objects, notably lids with exquisite finials depicting many animal forms, iron objects besides thousands of potsherds,” her office said.

The excavation was resumed during 2003-04 and 2004-05.

“Carbon dating of samples excavated in 2004 from the Adichanallur site has revealed that they belong to the period between 1000 BC and 600 BC. In 2005, around 169 clay urns containing human skeletons were unearthed that date back to at least 3,800 years. The archaeological excavation at Adichanallur again commenced on October 10, 2021 as part of Iconic Site development,” it added.

Meanwhile, an official release quoted Sitharaman as saying that as part of a concerted effort to preserve India’s rich cultural heritage, the government was working tirelessly to repatriate artefacts belonging to Adichallanur from abroad with a focus on items currently held in Berlin, Germany.

So far, the government’s efforts have resulted in the return of over 350 ancient artefacts and items of historical importance to India.

She also highlighted various comprehensive efforts taken by the Centre to honour, preserve, and showcase India’s rich cultural heritage for both present and future generations.

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, numerous heritage sites, including Somnath, Kashi Vishwanath Temple, have been revitalised.

She further stated that over 3.3 lakh manuscripts containing 3.4 crore pages have been digitised..

Source : Daily Excelsior

Correct Answer :   Tata Play

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More than a year after French firm Arianespace’s Ariane-5 put into space PSU NewSpace India Limited’s (NSIL) GSAT-24, the first satellite that was dedicated fully for a private firm is set to go live Monday (7th August 2023).

GSAT-24 is a dedicated satellite for Tata Play’s (formerly TataSky) direct-to-home (DTH) services. In an exclusive interview with STOI, TataPlay MD and CEO Harit Nagpal confirming the satellite would go live Monday(7th August 2023), said the satellite will increase its channel carrying capacity, improve signal reception and picture quality for customers.

“We’ve used four Isro satellites so far. But in the past, Isro launched satellites and then looked for customers. Depending on who wanted the transponders at the time, Isro would move satellites to an orbital slot customers wanted,” Nagpal said.

“...This meant that if we wanted to expand capacity, we had to wait for the satellite and then for it to go to our orbital slot. If it wasn’t designed for an orbital slot of a specific geography, it wouldn’t be effective in the fringe areas of that geography. For instance, we used a satellite earlier that could not cover Andamans, another one whose reach in the northeast wasn’t very strong,” he added.

TataPlay’s — then TataSky — bid for GSAT-24 was made nearly a decade ago, when Isro first mooted such a model. “About 7-8 years ago, Isro reached out to platforms and asked for requirements over the next 10 years. We bid for this satellite then and Isro built it for our needs, which is covering all areas of India from our orbital slot. That’s the advantage of having a custom-built satellite. It covers Andamans, Lakshadweep, northeast, Kashmir and every part of India. From our end, we’ve signed off on the life of the satellite and committed to pay for it until its life ends,” Nagpal said.On how customers could benefit, Nagpal, while reiterating that additional satellite provides additional bandwidth, said the firm already had 24 dedicated transponders which gives its customers 600 channels and services...

Source : Times of India