10th August 2014 - Daily Current Affairs updates

10th August 2014 - Daily Current Affairs updates

• National Affairs
  

1. The festival of Raksha Bandhan, signifying the bond of love between brothers and sisters, was celebrated across the country today with traditional fervour.
2. In its effort to unearth black money stashed away abroad, India has received data on over 24,000 instances of alleged tax evasion and dubious funds which has been detected in foreign shores in the last financial year.
3. India and the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) are likely to sign the long-delayed free trade agreement in services and investments later this month when their economic and trade ministers meet at Myanmar.
4. Indicating that it takes the occasion of the Independence Day and its celebrations seriously and so should the states, the Narendra Modi government has spelt out guidelines to all states on how the August 15 function should be held this time, right up to the block and village level. 
5. Amidst speculation that India's highest civilian award Bharat Ratna may be conferred on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, a majority of his family members today disapproved of the idea and instead demanded that the mystery of his disappearance be solved first.  

• International Affairs

1. Typhoon Halong slammed into Japan's western main island early Sunday after Japan's weather agency issued its highest alert as the storm lashed the southwest of the country.
2. The U.S. military says American jet fighters and drones have conducted four more airstrikes on Islamic militants in Iraq, taking out armored carriers and a truck that were firing on civilians.
3. France, Britain and Germany on Saturday called on Israel and Hamas to agree on an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, according to a joint declaration from the three countries' foreign ministries.
4. Laurent Fabius - France
5. Philip Hammond - Britain
6. Frank Walter Steinmeier - Germany
7. Turkey voted in its first direct presidential election today, a watershed event in the 91-year history of a country where the President was previously elected by Parliament
8. India and the U.S. must turn from defense purchases to “co-development” and not allow “red tape” to halt the progress in defense ties, visiting American Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said today.

• Business & Economy

1. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has started preliminary discussions with the Finance Ministry on monetary policy framework, which includes targeting consumer price index-based inflation.
2. Nudging the RBI to cut interest rates to boost growth, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today said he had already made his mind clear and hoped the central bank will take decision after taking into account various factors. 
3. The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) is likely to announce rate of interest on PF deposits for the current fiscal year (2014-15) for its over 5 crore subscribers at a meeting of its trustees on August 26.
4. India to extend export benefits to rupee trade with Iran. Exports to Iran in Indian rupee will also be entitled for trade benefits as available to exporters realising proceeds in freely convertible currencies.
5. Paving the way for Rs 1 lakh crore fund inflows from foreign and domestic investors, Sebi today cleared new norms for setting up and listing of Real Estate and Infrastructure Investment Trusts.

• Science & Technology

1. World's most popular free email providers Gmail and Yahoo have made telephone number mandatory for creation of new email addresses in a bid to check spam.

Sports

1. Venus beat Serena in an all-Williams semifinal in the Rogers Cup.
2. Roger Federer advanced to the Rogers Cup final on Saturday night, beating Spain’s Feliciano Lopez.