5th June 2015 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on 5th June to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth.
- It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
- This day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 on the day that United Nations Conference on the Human Environment began.
- Themes of World Environment Day :
- - Theme of the year 2015 - “One World, One Environment”.
  - Theme of the year 2014 - “small island developing states” or “SIDS” and “Raise your voice, not the sea level”.
  - Theme of the year 2013 - “Think. Eat. Save.” And slogan was “Reduce Your Foodprint”.
  - Theme of the year 2012 - “Green Economy: Does it include you?”.
  - Theme of the year 2011 - “Forests: Nature at your Service”.
  - Theme of the year 2010 - “Many Species. One Planet. One Future”.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi to embark on two day visit to Bangladesh on 6th June 2015
- Trade, connectivity and people to people contact to be high on agenda.

National Affairs

On the occasion of Environment Day Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways
and Shipping, Nitin Gadkari inaugurated the India's first of its kind State-of-the-Art Tier-I Oil Spill Response Centre for Mumbai & JNPT Harbour.
- The project is vetted by Mumbai port trust with the approval from Indian coast guard.
To mark International Day of Yoga, Maharashtra government has decided to initiate from June 21 physical, mental and spiritual training for prisoners across the state to help inmates come out of depression.
Maharashtra Govt is considering to have an Internal Security Act wherein all stakeholders will be made accountable for maintaining law and order.
- The proposed act will make it mandatory for the authorities owning public and private places, government and semi-government establishments, malls, hotels, irrigation dams, electricity towers to ensure security of these places.
- The Internal Security Act, modelled on the lines of Public Safety Act in Andhra Pradesh is still being formulated adding that punishment/penalty will be levied against those who do not comply with the security provision.
- The aim is to remove some burden from the police department and make them available for important tasks like crime investigation and maintaining law and order.
- Principal Secretary (Home) : B K Upadhyay

New Appointments

Former Intelligence Bureau director Syed Asif Ibrahim was appointed as Special Envoy for counter-terrorism and extremism.
- Ibrahim's role will be to help the Narendra Modi government in evolving strategies to deal with radicalisation of youths in India due to rise of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and security challenges in Af-Pak region.
- He will be in the rank of Secretary to the government and will hold the post for a period of three years or until further orders, it said.

Science & Technology

Facebook has released Facebook Lite, a Lite version of its application.
- The application is tailored for people using Android smart phones in places where wireless data bandwidth is scarce.
- Facebook Lite is built to use less data and work well despite potentially constrained tele - communications network conditions in developing countries.
- Facebook has begun rolling Lite out in Asia and said that the application will be available in parts of Europe, Africa, and Latin America in coming weeks.

Business & Economy

India has signed a deal with the World Bank for a $400 million loan for an urban development project in Tamil Nadu.
- The loan pact was signed by Raj Kumar, joint secretary, department of economic affairs, ministry of finance and Onno Ruhl, country director, World Bank (lndia).
- Note : The size of the project is $600 million, of which $400 million would be financed through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
- The project’s objective is to improve urban services in urban local bodies of Tamil Nadu.
- The project will support improvement in services including water, sewerage, municipal solid waste, urban transportation, sewerage management and storm water drainage, said the release.

Sports

India's Sundaram Ravi was inducted into the Elite Panel of International Cricket Council (ICC) Umpires for 2015-2016, commencing from July 1, 2015, following the annual review and selection process.
Machettira Raju Poovamma and Liksy Joseph won silver each on the second day of the 21st Asian Athletics Championships.

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