Current Affairs 7th August 2014

Current Affairs 7th August 2014

Updated : 03-Sep-2014

Current Affairs 7th August 2014 - Important Points
Current Affairs 7th August 2014 - Details
Mizoram Governor Kamla Beniwal removed
On 6th August 2014, President of India Pranab Mukherjee removed Governor of Mizoram Kamla Beniwal. Her Tenure was about to end after two months.

Governor of Manipur Mr. Vinod Kumar Duggal was directed to take charge of functions of the Governor of Mizoram too till new Governor is appointed.
Lok Sabha passed Securities Laws Amendment Bill, 2014
On 6th August 2014, Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill 2014 was passed in the Lok Sabha by voice vote. This bill will empower and strengthen, SEBI to crackdown on fraudulent investment schemes and seeks information from any entity related to a probe.
This bill is aimed to track ponzi menace. The Securities Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2014 was important to brought as many small investors were getting duped by any fraudulent investment schemes, as much talked Saradha scam.
It empowers Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to call for relevant information and records from any person. SEBI will be able to carry out search-and-seizure operations related to investigations under a designated court located in Mumbai.
Cabinet clears Juvenile Justice Act amendments
On 6th August 2014, The Union cabinet approved the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Bill, 2014 to amend the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Act, 2000. The Union government plans to introduce the bill in the Monsoon session of Parliament.
- The bill will treat minors above the age of 16 as adults, who are accused of heinous crimes like rape and murder. The JJ Act, 2000 treats any person below the age of 18 as juvenile.
- The bill empowered the Juvenile Justice Board to decide whether a minor would be tried in a regular court or sent to a correctional centre.
- The bill provides that if a minor is sent to regular court, he would not be sentenced to life or death if found guilty. Currently, the maximum punishment under the Juvenile Justice Act is three years confinement at correctional homes.
Vladimir Putin signed decree baning imports of agricultural products from West
On 6th August 2014, President of Russian Vladimir Putin signed a decree that bans imports of agricultural products from all countries that have imposed sanctions on Russia over the crisis in Ukraine. Major sanctions were made by the US and EU.

Putin by targeting the western food exports aims to ensure the safety of Russia and this move threatens to upset trade worth tens of billions of dollars.
Ban on the food imports, should continue for up to one year. The decree that immediately came into force asked the government to draw up a detailed list of products that would be banned.
Wrestling Federation of India suspends arrested referee Virender Malik
The Wrestling Federation of India has suspended international wrestling referee Virender Malik as he was arrested in Glasgow during the 2014 Commonwealth Games on charges of sexual assault.
The decision of his suspension was taken by the President of WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. But the Federation would wait for details from Scotland police before making his ban, a permanent one. If the reports will satisfy the federation, then Malik will be suspended permanently from all national and international tournaments.
Justice Dr. Chellur sworn in as CJ of Calcutta HC

On 5th August 2014, Justice Dr Manjula Chellur was sworn in as the first woman Chief jJustice of Calcutta High Court.
Governor KN Tripathi administered her the oath of office at the High Court in the presence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. In her speech, Dr Chellur said it was an honour for her to serve the state. She prayed to God to give her the strength to carry out her duties in a proper fashion. "Upholding justice is of utmost importance to any person holding this position," she said.
Do you Know :
Calcutta High Court is the oldest high court in the country.

Union Cabinet approved raising FDI cap in defence to 49 per cent from 26 percent
On 6th August 2014, Union Cabinet raised the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit in Defence sector from 26 percent to 49 percent.
The FDI ceiling in the sensitive defence sector was hiked with the condition that control in joint ventures for manufacturing of defence equipment will remain in Indian hands.
Currently, the domestic defence sector imports 70 percent of its military hardware. The move is aimed to boost the domestic industry. Foreign investment in defence will be through the approval route. The investment will be cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB).
The FDI hike in defence is intended to cut imports by indigenising defence production as India is one of the world's largest arms importers.
Deaf educator and pioneer Robert Panara dies at 94
The poineer of deaf studies Robert Frederick Panara passed away in Rochester, US on 20th July 2104 due to heart ailments. He was 94 years old.
Panara was a writer, a poet, a professor who later went on to become the first deaf teacher within the mainstream Higher Education in America.
As a Shakespearean scholar, he helped translate into sign language Shakespeare's Macbeth, Hamlet and Othello.
Panara's career included teaching at Gallaudet University and the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he was a founder of the school's National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID). He also was a founder of the National Theater of the Deaf in Connecticut.
Construction of world's tallest railway bridge began at Noney in Manipur
The construction work of the world's tallest railway bridge began on 28th July 2014 near Noney in Manipur, India. Northeast Frontier Railway Construction Organisation (NFRCO) will be administering the whole project.
At 141 meters, the height of the tallest pillar of the bridge of Jiribaum - Tupul - Imphal railway line is slated to become the tallest bridge in the world from viewpoint of pillar's height. The height of the other piers of this 700 metres bridge varies between 50-90 metres
The first phase of the project from Jiribam to Tupul (84 Kms), which include this bridge, is slated for completion by March 2016..