INTERNATIONAL NEWS Affairs
- Today (20th June 2017) is World Refugee Day.
- This day is observed by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- This day is dedicated to raising awareness of the situation of refugees throughout the world.
- The decision to observe the day, coinciding with Africa Refugee Day, was made by the UN in December 2000.
- The first World Refugee Day marked the 50th anniversary of the UN Refugee Convention.
- Theme of 2017 : With Refugees
- Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called up PM Narendra Modi today, with both leaders discussing the Paris Climate Agreement.
- Modi congratulated Trudeau on the 150th anniversary of the Canadian Confederation this year, besides reaffirming India’s commitment to climate change and implementation of the Paris Agreement.
- India has become the 71st nation to join the United Nations TIR (Transports Internationaux Routiers) Convention.
- Note : India’s decision to join the convention is part of its multi-modal transport strategy that aims at integrating Indian economy with global and regional production networks through better connectivity.
National news Affairs
- For the first time in India, Indore has installed a 14-foot-tall robot to control traffic.
- It’s equipped with a public address system and can take photos of traffic violators to generate e-challans when connected to police control room.
- Developed by Shri Venkteshwar Institute of Technology, the robot took two years and ₹20 lakh to complete.
- Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh has announced the following :
- The government will establish wellness mohalla (ward) clinics across the state along with initiating the process of providing health insurance to all citizens.
- Free education for girls in government schools and colleges in the state from Nursery to PhD, fulfilling a poll promise.
- A waiver of more than ₹20,000 crore in farmer loans, in a move expected to benefit 10.25 lakh farmers.
- Note: The amount is double the relief announced by Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra.
- Minister of State for Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy and Mines has launched the Energy Conservation Building Code 2017 (ECBC 2017).
- This has been developed by Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE)with technical support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the S.-India bilateral Partnership to Advance Clean Energy – Deployment Technical Assistance (PACE-D TA) Program.
- This Code prescribes the energy performance standards for new commercial buildings to be constructed across India.
- Minister for Science & Technology Dr. Harshvardhan has launched a Mobile App titled “Celebrating Yoga”.
- The aim of the app is to popularise Yoga and encourage people to practice yoga for a scientifically healthy living.
New Appointments
- The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has appointed 19-year-old Muzoon Almellehan as its newest and youngest Goodwill Ambassador on World Refugee Day.
- With this, she became the first refugee to become an Ambassador for the organisation.
MOUs & Agreements
- American global aerospace, defense, security and advanced technologies company Lockheed Martin and India’s Tata Advanced Systems have signed an agreement to produce F-16 fighter planes in India.
Science & Technology
- NASA’s Kepler space telescope has discovered 219 new planet candidates, 10 of which are Earth-like and orbit in their star’s habitable zone, the distance at which liquid water can exist.
- To date, Kepler has identified 50 near-Earth-size habitable zone candidates, of which over 30 have been verified.
- Further, it has identified 4,034 planet candidates, with 2,335 being verified as exoplanets.
BANKING & FINANCE
- IDBI Federal Life partners with SunTec for GST roll out
- IDBI Federal Life Insurance has announced that it has partnered with SunTec.
- It will help facilitate in computing and invoicing of debit tax and credit tax that will be GST compliant.
- Under the agreement, for the debit tax mandate SunTec will help in analysing data from various sources for computation and invoicing purposes.
About IDBI
♦ Founded: 1 July 1964
♦ HQ: Mumbai
♦ MD & CEO: Mahesh Kumar Jain
- India and ADB Sign $275 Million Loan for Upgrading Urban Services in 64 Small Towns in Madhya Pradesh
- The GOI and Asian Development Bank has signed USD 275 million loan for a piped water supply project for rapidly urbanising small towns. It will cover 3 lakh households in 64 small towns in Madhya Pradesh.
Key Points:
- The state government will provide a USD 124 million counterpart support for the project.
- As per ADB it will be completed by June 2022.
- According to ADB reports the urban population in the state is expected to increase from 28 per cent in 2016 to 35 per cent by 2026.
- It will develop sustainable, inclusive and climate resilient water supply in 64 small and midsized towns.
- It will also provide integrated storm water and sewerage infrastructure in two heritage towns — Khajuraho and Rajnagar.
- The loan pact was signed by Raj Kumar, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Finance and L B Sondjaja, Deputy Country Director ADB India Resident Mission.
- Vivek Aggarwal, Secretary, Urban Development, Madhya Pradesh inked the project agreement.
About MP
♦ Capital: Bhopal
♦ Governor: Om Prakash Kohli
♦ CM: Shivrajsingh Chouhan
CURRENT Sports news
- Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has bought the Cape Town-based side in Cricket SouthAfrica’s new T20 league.
- The team, which will be called Cape Town Knight Riders, is Khan’s third team in T20 leagues after IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders and Caribbean Premier League’s Trinbago Knight Riders.
- Note: GMR Group, Delhi Daredevils’ owners, have also bought a team in the league.
- The International Cricket Council (ICC) today announced the Team of the Champions Trophy 2017, which includes 7 players from the finalists of the tournament, India and Pakistan. They are,
- Shikhar Dhawan (India) (338 runs)
- Fakhar Zaman (Pakistan) 252 runs)
- Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh) (293 runs)
- Virat Kohli (India) (258 runs)
- Joe Root (England) (258 runs)
- Ben Stokes (England) (184 runs and three wickets)
- Sarfraz Ahmed (Pakistan) (captain) (wicketkeeper) (76 runs and nine dismissals)
- Adil Rashid (England) (seven wickets)
- Junaid Khan (Pakistan) (eight wickets)
- Bhuvneshwar Kumar (India) (seven wickets)
Hassan Ali (Pakistan) (13 wickets)