Latest Current Affairs – June 04 2018
1. Syrian President to become 1st international leader to meet Kim in N Korea
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad plans to visit North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. He will become the first head of state to meet Jong-un in North Korea since he came to power in 2011. Praising the North Korean leader, Assad said recent developments on the Korean peninsula were a result of Jong-un’s “wise leadership”.
2. Heli-taxis launched to cut Shimla-Chandigarh travel time to 20 min
Himachal Pradesh CM Jairam Thakur flagged off a helicopter taxi service that will reduce the travel time between Shimla and Chandigarh to 20 minutes, against the nearly 3.5 hours by road. The service, operated by Pawan Hans, can accommodate 19 persons on each sortie and will charge ₹2,999 per person.
3. IDBI Bank CEO Mahesh Jain appointed RBI Deputy Governor
The government has appointed IDBI Bank’s Managing Director and CEO Mahesh Kumar Jain as a Deputy Governor at the RBI. Jain, who has more than 30 years of experience in banking, has previously served as the CEO of state-run Indian Bank. The post of RBI Deputy Governor fell vacant after SS Mundra retired at the end of July 2017.
4. SpaceX launches communications satellite on Falcon 9 rocket
Elon Musk-led space exploration startup SpaceX on Monday launched its pre-flown Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the SES-12 satellite to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO). The satellite, which was deployed about 32 minutes after liftoff, will provide data and video services throughout the Asia-Pacific region. However, SpaceX did not attempt to recover Falcon 9’s first stage after launch.
5. Govt may merge 4 banks to create India’s second-largest bank
The government is reportedly planning to merge at least four state-run banks including IDBI Bank, Bank of Baroda, Central Bank of India, and Oriental Bank of Commerce. The merged entity would become India’s second-largest bank after SBI, with combined assets of ₹16.58 trillion. The government is also planning to sell 51% stake in IDBI Bank for ₹9,000-10,000 crore, reports said.
6. India gets first automated vehicle scrapping and recycling facility
India’s first automated and organised vehicle scrapping and recycling facility is up and running in Greater Noida. The five-acre facility, set up by M&M through a joint venture with government owned company MSTC, went on stream in April this year. Construction of five more facilities at different locations of the country is underway and expected to become operational by March next year.
7. Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra Gets Additional Charge Of DRDO Chairman
Eminent scientist S Christopher has completed his term as the chief of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra was given additional charge of the post.
Mr. Christopher was in May 2015 appointed as Director General of the DRDO for a two-year term. He was then working as Distinguished Scientist and Programme Director (airborne early warning and control system) and Director, Centre for Air-Borne Systems in the DRDO.
8. India Successfully Test-Fires SFDR Propulsion Based Missile
Making a breakthrough in missile technology, India successfully carried out the flight test of Solid Fuel Ducted Ramjet (SFDR) propulsion based missile, according to the Defence Ministry. The technology demonstrator flight test was conducted from the Launch Centre-III of Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.
9. India Ranked 113th On Childhood Index
According to a Save the Children’s “End of Childhood Index 2018”, India ranks 113 among 175 countries with regards to where childhood is threatened as a result of poor health, malnutrition, exclusion from education, child labor, and child marriage. The child marriages in India have come down to 15.2% from 21.1% in 2017.
India jumped three positions up from 116 last year with improvement in India’s overall score by 14 points from 754 to 768 on a scale of 1000.
Singapore and Slovenia are placed at the top sharing the first place in the index and Niger figures at the end of the list at 175.
10. 14th century Maori village discovered in New Zealand
Scientists have discovered the peripheries of a 14th century Maori village in New Zealand, containing tools and food items that can shed more light on the lifestyle of the settlers. The site was located on the edge of an old riverbed. The obsidian (volcanic glass) was used by early Maori settlers as simple cutting tools. The materials found are estimated to date back to the early 1300s.
11. India receives first shipment of cheapest LNG from Gazprom Russia
India received its cheapest LNG under a long-term deal as Russia began shipping natural gas at a delivered price of close to $7 per million British thermal unit.
At current oil prices, the Russian rate is $1.5 per mmBtu less than the price at which Qatar, India’s oldest supplier, delivered liquefied natural gas (LNG). Russian supplies are also cheaper by $1-1.5 per mmBtu than the LNG sourced from Australia and the U.S.
12. 29th Anniversary of Tiananmen Massacre Observed
Tens of thousands of pro-democracy activists turned out in Hong Kong to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing, observing an event that goes largely unmentioned in mainland China.
The protesters marking the Tiananmen anniversary in Hong Kong have seen their numbers dwindle in the years since the Occupy Central pro-democracy movement gripped Hong Kong in 2014.
13. Taj Declaration to Beat Plastic Pollution adopted in Agra
Taj Declaration to Beat Plastic Pollution was adopted as part of which efforts would be made to make the 500-metre area around the historic ivory-white marble monument litter-free and phase out single-use plastic.
The adoption of the declaration – in presence of Minister of State for Environment Mahesh Sharma, UN Environment Programme Executive Director Erik Solheim, UNEP Goodwill Ambassador Diya Mirza – came ahead of the World Environment Day on June 5.
14. Financial Literacy Week starts with theme ‘Customer Protection’
The Reserve Bank of India has chosen customer protection as theme for the Financial Literacy Week. This week long event ending on June 8 will focus on creating awareness among customers of banks about financial products and services, good financial practices and going digital.
The week will focus on four consumer protection messages like ‘know your liability’ for unauthorised electronic banking transaction and Good practices for a safe digital banking experience.
15. June 4 – International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression
International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is observed on June 4 every year since 1982.
The purpose of the day is to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse.
The International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression is celebrated by various groups and organisations to protect and preserve the rights of children. Like the “Say Yes for Children” campaign took several actions to improve the lives of children.
16. HDFC Bank recognized for best practices in payment security
HDFC Bank has been recognized with the Champion Security Award at the 14th Visa Asia Pacific Security Summit. For the second time in a row, the bank has won the award in the India and South Asia category. The Award is a mark of excellence reflecting leadership in risk management and payment security performance.
