Today’s Current Affairs -20th -June-2018 – MyProgressCard

Important Days

1. World Refugee Day is observed globally today

• June 20th is declared as World Refugee Day by the UNO in 2000.
• This day is aimed at commemorating the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees.

Image Credit: World Refugee Day

• Theme for 2018: ‘Now More Than Ever, We Need to Stand with Refugees’

2. International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development 2018-2028

• Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation and Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Shri Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to visit the Republic of Tajikistan to represent India in the high-level Conference on “International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028” on 20-21 June 2018.
• United Nations and Government of the Republic of Tajikistan are jointly organizing the Conference to discuss key water related issues of sustainable development goals adopted by UN member countries.

Image Credit: UN.org

• Tajikistan is a strategic partner country in our extended neighbourhood.
• The country has a leading role in pioneering global water related issues.

National News

3. Anukreethy Vas From Tamil Nadu Crowned 2018 Femina Miss India

• Anukreethy Vas from Tamil Nadu has been crowned Femina Miss India 2018 in a grand ceremony in Mumbai hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar and actor Ayushmann Kurrana. She was previously crowned fbb Colours Femina Miss Tamil Nadu.
• Meenakshi Chaudhary from Haryana was the first runner-up while Shreya Rao Kamavarapu from Andhra Pradesh secured the second runner-up position.

Image Credit: Times Now

• Anukreethy Vas will now represent India at Miss World 2018 while the two runners-up will represent the country at Miss Grand International 2018 and Miss United Continents 2018 respectively.

4. Union HRD Minister dedicates the National Digital Library of India to the Nation

• The Union Human Resource Development Minister, Shri Prakash Javadekar launched the new digital initiative of HRD Ministry ‘National Digital Library of India’ on the occasion of National Reading Day in New Delhi.
• This National Digital Library of India (NDLI) is a project of the Ministry of Human Resource Development under the aegis of National Mission on Education through Information and Communication Technology (NMEICT).

Image Credit: English News – Dailyhunt

• The objective of NDL is to make digital educational resources available to all citizens of the country to empower, inspire and encourage learning.
• National Digital Library of India is developed by IIT Kharagpur.

5. Implementing the India National Strategy for Standardization was announced in 5th National Standards Conclave in New Delhi

• The 5th National Standards Conclave titled- Implementing the Indian National Strategy for Standardization was held in New Delhi.
• It was organized by Department of Commerce and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).
• Suresh Prabhu, Minister of Commerce and Industry said that unless products are standardised it becomes difficult to market them.
• Standardisation boosts both exports as well as domestic economic growth.

6. Shillong gets selected as the 100th Smart City under Smart City Mission

• Shillong has been selected as the 100th city to receive funds under the Centre’s flagship “Smart Cities Mission” launched by PM Modi in 2015.
• The total proposed investment in the finally selected 100 cities under the Smart Cities Mission would be Rs.2,05,018 crore.

Image Credit: Shillong News

• Under the scheme, each city will get Rs.500 crore from the Centre for implementing various projects.

Static/Current implications:

• Capital of Meghalaya – Shillong

• Chief minister of Meghalaya – Conrad Sangma

• Governor of Meghalaya – Ganga Prasad

7. Vice President receives the Book ‘Vedvigyan Alok’

• The Vice President of India, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has received the book “Vedvigyan Alok” (Maharishi Aitareya Mahidas Praneet – Aitareya Brahmina ki Vaigyanik Vyakhya) authored by Acharya Agnivarat Naishthik. The book is divided into four broad volumes. The Book Vedvigyan Alok is the scriptural verse in Vedas’ prose.

Image Credit: Indiablooms

8. World’s first International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics launched in Gujarat

• The world’s first International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics was launched at Gandhinagar in Gujarat. It is a joint venture of the Regional delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in India, Bhutan, Nepal and the Maldives and also Gujarat Forensic Science University.

Image Credit: DNA India

• The launch of the Centre was followed by an International Symposium on Humanitarian Forensics. International experts will participate in the symposium and discuss issues in the area of humanitarian forensics. Speakers from India, Ireland, Germany and Sri Lanka will speak at the symposium.

Static/Current implications:

• Capital of Gujarat – Gandhinagar

• Chief minister of Gujarat – Vijay Rupani

• Governor of Gujarat – Om Prakash Kohli

9. Women Wizards Rule Tech programme launched by NASSCOM to increase number of women in senior levels in IT industry

• Indian IT industry’s apex body NASSCOM (National Association of Software & Services Companies) has launched ‘Women Wizards Rule Tech’ programme to increase number of women in senior levels in Information Technology (IT) industry.
• The programme was announced in March 2018 at Nasscom Diversity and and Inclusion Summit in Chennai as joint initiative by Nasscom Sector Skills Council and Data Security Council of India.

10. Government declares national targets for off-shore wind power: 5 GW by 2022 and 30 GW by 2030

Image Credit: Business Standard

• The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has declared medium (5GW by 2022) and long-term (30GW by 2030) targets for offshore wind power capacity addition. The offshore wind power will add new element to already existing basket of renewable energy of the country.

11. Sikkim government announces A.R Rahman as its Brand Ambassador

• Renowned music composer A.R Rahman has been appointed as the Brand Ambassador of the Sikkim government.

Image Credit: Deccan Chronicle

• Mr. Rahman will promote and protect the state’s achievements nationally and globally.

Static/Current implications:

• Capital of Sikkim – Gangtok
• Chief minister of Sikkim – Pawan Kumar Chamling
• Governor of Sikkim – Shriniwas Patil

International News

12. US withdraws from United Nations Human Rights Council

• Nikki Haley, the US Permanent Representative to the United Nations announced the withdrawal of US from the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), accusing it of a “chronic bias against Israel,” a move that activists warned would make advancing human rights globally even more difficult.

Image Credit: Unian

13. 7th OPEC international Seminar

• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) will host the 7th OPEC International Seminar at the Imperial Hofburg Palace in Vienna, Austria, on 20−21 June 2018.
• Theme: ‘Petroleum – cooperation for a sustainable future’

Image Credit: AllEvents.in

• Seminar participants customarily include Ministers from OPEC Member Countries and other oil-producing and oil-consuming nations, as well as heads of intergovernmental organizations.

14. Restaurant Osteria Francescana Crowned World’s Best Restaurant for the 2nd time

• Italy’s Osteria Francescana was crowned the world’s best restaurant for the second time.

Image Credit: Hürriyet Daily News

• El Celler de Can Roca in Spain and Mirazur in France were ranked second and third respectively.

Static/Current implications:

• Capital of Italy – Rome,
• Currency of Italy – Euro
• Prime minister – Giuseppe Conte

15. Uber appoints Pradeep Parameswaran as new President of India and South Asia

• Pradeep Parameswaran is appointed the new President of Uber India and South Asia.

Image Credit: THE HANS INDIA

• This comes after Amit Jain was elevated to head the Asia Pacific region.
• Parameswaran was earlier CEO of Den Networks, a Cable TV company in his last stint.

Banking News

16. RBI revises housing loan limits under Priority Sector Lending

• RBI revised the upwards housing loan limits under Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to bring union of the PSL guidelines for housing loans with the Affordable Housing Scheme of the Union Government and to give a stimulus to low-cost housing for the economically weaker sections and low income groups. PSL loans are relatively cheaper than market interest rate.
• The housing loan limits for eligibility under priority sector lending will be revised to Rs 35 lakh in metropolitan centres and to Rs 25 lakh in other centres.
• Housing loans of up to Rs 35 lakh for residences costing less than Rs 45 lakh will now be treated as Priority Sector Lending (PSL) to give a boost to the low-cost segment.
• However, for being classified as priority sector, the overall cost of the residence in the metropolitan centre (with population of 10 lakh and above) and at other centres should not exceed Rs 45 lakh and Rs 30 lakh, respectively.

Image Credit: Times of India

• The existing family income limit of Rs 2 lakh per annum for availing of the loans for housing projects for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) and Low Income Groups (LIG) now stands revised to Rs 3 lakh per annum and Rs 6 lakh per annum, respectively.
• These changes have been done in alignment with the income criteria specified under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Sports News

17. England post record ODI total of 481/6

• Alex Hales and Jonny Bairstow both hit hundreds as England broke the record for the highest score in a men’s one-day international at Trent Bridge by scoring 481 for six against Australia.
• England surpassed their own previous all-time record men’s ODI total of 444 for three, also set at Trent Bridge, against Pakistan in 2016.

Image Credit: Times of India

• In reply, Australia could only manage to get 239/10.