4th June 2016 - Important Current Affairs updates

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International Affairs

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi today embarked on a 5-country visit, starting with Afghanistan. 
• • Modi along with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani inaugurated the ₹1,700 crore Afghan-India Friendship Dam in the Herat province, which has been funded by the Government of India. 
  • Further, Modi's itinerary also includes an official visit to Qatar, Switzerland, the USA and Mexico.
• As many as 60 nations, including India, have agreed on a general framework for the first time to use satellites and coordinate methods of monitoring greenhouse gas emissions. 
• • The nations will now inter-calibrate their satellite data to create easily accessible ‘big space data’. 
  • Note : 26 of the 50 essential climate variables that are monitored can only be measured from space.
• India and Singapore have agreed to enhance the scale of existing bilateral military interaction and decided to expand the interaction between the armed forces. 
• • Decision in this regard, was taken at inaugural Singapore-India Defence Ministers’ Dialogue (DMD). 
  • The Dialogue was co-chaired by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his Singapore counterpart Dr. Ng Eng Hen.
• Asia’s largest annual security forum Shangri-La Dialogue was inaugurated in Singapore to talk about security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. 
• • The forum has been organised by the London-based International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS). 
  • The three day event will be attended by at least 20 Defence Ministers from Asia-Pacific countries including India represented by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar.

National Affairs

• The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has chosen the occasion of Vijay Dashami (October 11) this year, for adopting their new uniform, as the cadre was formed on Vijay Dashami in 1925. 
• • Earlier in March, RSS had decided to shun their khaki half pants and replace it with brown full-pants.
• The Indian Army, under its welfare and development initiative Operation Sadbhavna, has tied up with Tata Motors for the training of youth from Kashmir as automobile service technicians. 
• • The first thirteen-week certified training course under the initiative with 29 youth from the state has been scheduled at Tata Motors' facility in Ropar, Punjab.
• The Population Foundation of India (PFI) today announced that, India should increase its family planning budget to at least ₹15,800 crores to meet its Family Planning 2020 (FP2020) pledge. 
• • Note : FP2020 is a global partnership for the protection of reproductive rights of women and girls. 
  • India has pledged to meet the contraception need of 48 million couples by 2020.
• HRD Minister Smriti Irani today announced that the government will start a national-level competition to promote research and innovation among students from August 15. 
• • Under this, students will submit their research proposals and contribute their ideas directly to the central government. 
  • Addressing an event in Pune, Irani asked students to suggest a name, logo, and slogan for the competition.
• Assam Assembly has passed Assam Ease of Doing Business Bill, 2016 to facilitate ease of doing business in the state. 
• • The bill seeks to attract fresh investment in the state through an easy computerised clearance system.
• Haryana Government has launched Asia’s first ‘Gyps Vulture Reintroduction Programme’ at the Jatayu Conservation Breeding Centre at Pinjore.
• • It was launched by state Chief Minister Manohar Lal by releasing 2 captive bred Himalayan Griffons vultures in the pre-release aviaries close to the breeding centre at Pinjore.

Business & Economy

• The New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS countries is set to issue its first yuan-denominated bonds to finance sustainable development projects. T
• • he NDB’s first five-year yuan-denominated bonds (or green bonds) will be issued after receiving a rating from international ratings agencies as well as getting authorities’ approval.

MOUs & Agreements

• The Indian government today signed an agreement with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the latter to loan $200 million to upgrade 176 km of state roads in Jharkhand. 
• • The total cost of the project, due to be completed by December 2019, is $306.25 million. 
• India and the US have signed a Memorandum of Understanding which will provide speedy security clearances for pre-approved, low-risk Indian travellers on arrival in the US, at selected airports. 
• • The MoU was signed by Indian Ambassador to the US, Arun K Singh and Deputy Commissioner of US Customs and Border Protection Kevin K McAleenan.
• India and Tunisia have signed two Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for co-operation in Information Technology (IT) and promotion of traditional handicrafts. 
• • These MoUs were signed in the presence of Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari and Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid in Tunis. 
  • Note : Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari visited Tunisia on the final leg of his two- nation trip after visiting Morocco.

Awards & Honors

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi was today conferred with Afghanistan's highest civilian honour, the Amir Amanullah Khan Award. 
• The India Post released a ₹5 stamp called 'My Stamp' today, to mark the third anniversary of the ​online marketplace, Amazon India’s services across the country. 
• Indian sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik today won the Gold medal in the People's choice category at the World Sand Art Championship in Bulgaria. 
• • Pattnaik won the prize for his sand sculpture titled 'Drugs Kill Sports' where he depicted cyclist Lance Armstrong and tennis player Maria Sharapova, who have faced charges of using drugs to enhance performance​.

New Appointments

• N.K.Chari took charge as the new Managing Director of State Bank of Mysore (SBM).
• Goa-born Sayonara Luxton has taken charge as the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead in Southeast England.
• JD(U) Chief Sharad Yadav, Supreme Court lawyer Ram Jethmalani and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s daughter Misa Bharti were elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Bihar today. 
• • The other two candidates who made it to the Upper House unopposed from the state included JD(U) nominee Ramchandra Prasad Singh and BJP nominee Gopal Narayan Singh.
    

Deaths

• Boxing legend Muhammad Ali (74) passed away today after a 32-year-long battle with Parkinson’s disease. 
• • He had won the World Heavyweight Championship thrice between 1964 and 1978, while also winning a gold medal in the Light Heavyweight category in the 1960 Rome Olympics.
• Tamil actor and director, Balu Anand (61) passed away. 
• • The actor has appeared in in some 100 films like Pistha, Anbe Sivam, Anna Nagar Mudhal Theru among others. 
  • He has also directed a few Tamil movies.

People in News

• Shigemi Hirata, a 96-year-old Japanese man, has been recognised by the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest university graduate. 
• • Hirata received a degree in ceramic arts from the Kyoto University of Art and Design on 19 March 2016. 
  • He was enrolled in the university at the age of 85 in 2005 and took 11 years to complete the course.

Sports

• Former World Cup silver medallist Seema Tomar of India finished fifth in women’s trap event at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup today. 
• • Australia’s Emma Elizabeth Cox won the Gold medal, USA’s Corey Cogdell bagged Silver while Carole Cormenier of France clinched the bronze in the women’s trap event.

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