*CURRENT AFFAIRS (08:07:2014)

1. NASA to launch world's first flying observatory aboard a Boeing 747
jetliner in 2015.
- The telescope called "Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared
Astronomy" (SOFIA) will have a life-span of 20 years.
- Its mobility will equip it to spot transient space events like
supernovae and comets.
- NASA says that the data provided by SOFIA cannot be obtained by any
other astronomical facility on the ground or in space.
- The telescope, built in association with German Aerospace Centre
(DLR), can easily be repaired or reprogrammed when needed.
2. Centre asks UNMOGIP to vacate its Delhi office; can continue its
activity from Srinagar.
- United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
(UNMOGIP) was meant to supervise the ceasefire line established under
the Karachi Agreement of July 1949.
- The free-of-charge government accommodation - 1AB, Purana Qila Road
- a Type VII bungalow spread over 7000 square feet — was allotted to
the UN mission on a temporary basis.
- Its noteworthy that UNMOGIP's primary role has been overtaken by the
Simla Agreement and the consequent establishment of the Line of
Control.
- India now views that the UNMOGIP is no longer relevant or have a
role to play; though they can resume their Srinagar-based office.
3. C Rangarajan panel revises poverty line at Rupees 32 per day in
rural areas and Rupees 47 in Urban areas.
- It means that a person spending below the given marks should be
considered a poor.
- The panel puts 29.5% of the population below the poverty line which
is an improvement from 38.2% in 2009-10.
- Earlier, Tendulkar Committee report had set the poverty line at 26
and 33 rupees per day for rural and urban areas respectively.
4. Eduard Shevardnadze, former President of Georgia and a renowned
Soviet Foreign Minister, is dead at 86.
- He was the diplomatic face of Mikhail Gorbachev's liberalising
policies of glasnost and perestroika.
- He played key role in many decisions that brought the Cold War to
end like withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1989, signing
of landmark arms control agreements, and in the German reunification
in 1990.
- He also served as the 2nd President of Georgia from 1995 – 2003.
- He was chased out of office following a series of public protests
known as the Rose Revolution in the wake of electoral fraud during the
2003 legislative election.
5. Granville Austin, eminent scholar of the Indian constitution,
passes away aged 87.
- His two books, "The Indian Constitution: Cornerstone of a Nation"
(1966) and "Working a Democratic Constitution: The Indian Experience"
(2000) gives the best account of formation, evolution and working of
Indian Constitution.
- He was awarded the Padma Shri in 2011 for his contribution.
6. Major General Delali Johnson Sakyi of Ghana is the new Chief
Military Observer and head of the UNMOGIP (United Nations Military
Observer Group in India and Pakistan)