7 June

International News Affairs

• The United States today warned that it might withdraw from the United Nations Human Rights Councilunless reforms are ushered in including the removal of what it sees as an “anti-Israel bias”.
  • Important Note : The US earlier boycotted the body for three years on its stance on Israel under President George W Bush before rejoining under Barack Obama in 2009.
• US Defence Department Pentagon has said that China is likely to establish additional military bases in Pakistan and other countries with which it has friendly relationships.

• This reflects China’s growing influence and expansion of its armed forces, the Pentagon added.

• Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ravi Karunanayake on a visit to India.
  • He called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thanked him for India’s quick assistance in the aftermath of the recent floods and landslides.
  • He also called on External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj  and discussed a number of key issues besides exploring ways to further ramp up bilateral ties.
  • Note : This is his first visit overseas as Minister of Foreign Affairs

MOUs & Agreements

• India has signed an agreement with Sri Lanka to provide USD 318 million as line of credit for developing Sri Lanka’s railway sector.
  • The agreement was signed between Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Finance and Mass media, and Managing Director of India’s Export Import Bank in Colombo.

National News Affairs

• Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi today announced that the last date for nomination of candidates for Presidential elections is June 28 and the polls (if needed) will be held on July 17.
  • The vote counting for the elections will take place on 20th July 2017.
  • Note : The term of incumbent President Pranab Mukherjee will end on July 24.
• As a part of the government’s anti-plastic drive and Green-Kerala Mission, the Kerala State government has come out with a Green Protocol to make the weddings in the state more nature-friendly.
  • As per this protocol, plastic and other non-biodegradable articles including disposable glasses and plates and thermocol decorations will not be permitted to be used in wedding ceremonies.
  • Instead of these non-biodegradable articles, the marriage parties would be persuaded to use tumblers, plates and other utensils made of glass and environment-friendly metals.

New Appointments

• Hoshiar Singh, a 1994 batch officer of the Indian Telecom Service has been appointed as Registrar of Copyrights.

Awards & Honours

• Calvin Klein’s creative director Raf Simons won both the Menswear Designer of The Year and Womenswear Designer of The Year at the CFDA Fashion Awards.
  • CFDA – Council of Fashion Designers of America

Science & Technology

• The world’s first hybrid ‘Aeroboat’ which has been built by an Indo-Russian joint venture has been unveiled at a start-ups event organized by Russia’s state-run Skolkovo Foundation.

Banking, Business & Economic Affairs

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI)kept the Repo Rate unchanged at 6.25% during its bimonthly monetary policy review today.
  • This is the fourth time in a row that the repo rate has been kept unchanged.
  • The reverse repo rate also remains unchanged at 6%.
• India’s largest lender State Bank of India (SBI) launched the country’s largest institutional share sale programme today, to raise up to ₹15,000 crore.
  • With this, SBI looks to strengthen its capital base to increase loan growth and protect the balance sheet from bad loans.
  • SBI also broke its own record of 2014 when it raised ₹8,032 crore through qualified institutional placement (QIP).