Latest Current Affairs – June 08 2018
1. World Ocean Day – June 08
World Oceans Day is observed on 8th of June every year. It has been celebrated unofficially since its original proposal in 1992 by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. World Oceans Day is an annual observation to honor, help protect, and conserve the world’s oceans.
Theme of world oceans day 2018 : ” preventing plastic pollution and encouraging solutions for a healthy ocean “
2. World Brain Tumor Day – June 08
World Brain Tumor Day is observed on June 08 every year. The day is aimed at raising awareness about brain tumor and educating people from all sections of the society about this kind of cancer which is not very common. Brain tumor occurs in brain cells, which multiply in an abnormal way or way in which it cannot be controlled. World Brain Tumor Day was started by German Brain Tumor Association, a non-profit organisation which provides all necessary information and support to brain tumor patients.
3. Indian, US, and Japanese maritime forces begin Malabar exercise
Naval ships, aircraft and personnel from India, Japan and the US have begun exercise Malabar 2018. During this exercise, they will practice surface and anti-submarine warfare operations and combined carrier strike group operations off the coast of Guam island in the western Pacific. Malabar will be done in two phases: ashore and at-sea training. The harbour phrase will occur at Naval Base Guam from June 7 to 10 and the sea phase from June 11 to 16 in the Philippine Sea.
4. 17th round of foreign office consultations between India & Myanmar hold in New Delhi
Senior officials of India and Myanmar met for the 17th round of Foreign Office Consultations during which various aspects of bilateral relations including security concerns were discussed at length. The two sides also discussed developments in the Rakhine State and Myanmar’s efforts for repatriation of Rohingya refugees. India has major concerns with regard to security in the bordering areas with Mayanmar. India is helping Myanmar with financial aid for the resettlement of Rohingyas following their repatriation.
5. Punjab Govt launches ‘ Business First Portal’
In a bid to give a big push towards the ease of doing business in the State, Punjab Government has launched a “Business First Portal” which was unveiled by Industry Minister Sunder Sham Arora. The Minister said that online portal would facilitate the industrialists for Regulatory Clearances and Fiscal Approvals , real time tracking of applications at common platform. The Minister said that the State Government is committed for ensuring 100% VAT refund to industrialists by the end of this year.
6. Nepal’s Chief of Army Staff on six-day visit to India
Nepal’s Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Rajendra Chhetri has left on a six day visit to India. He is visiting India at the the invitation of COAS General Bipin Rawat. General Chhetri will attend the Officer Cadet’s ‘Passing Out Parade’ as Chief Reviewing officer at Indian Military Academy in Dehradun. During his visit General Chhetri will call on Defense Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and meet National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Air Force and Navy chiefs and other senior officers.
7. Andhra Pradesh is ODF now, declares CM Chandrababu Naidu
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has announced that Andhra Pradesh is Open Defecation Free (ODF) State. The State achieved the national cleanliness goal by constructing 2.77 lakh individual toilets. In October 2106, all of Andhra Pradesh’s urban areas were declared as open defecation free on the occasion of MK Gandhi’s birth anniversary. In December 2016, Guntur was given the tag of the first city to be Open Defecation Free (ODF) in the Amaravati capital region in Andhra Pradesh.
8. Biopic ‘Making of the Mahatma’ screened in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
The screening of a biopic “Making of a Mahatma” marked the opening of a three-day series of events to commemorate the historic incident 125 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha. On the night of June 7, 1893, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, a young lawyer then, was thrown off the train’s first class compartment at Pietermaritzburg station for refusing to give up his seat.
The incident led him to develop his Satyagraha principles of peaceful resistance and mobilize people in South Africa and in India against the discriminatory rules of the British. The film, a co-production between India and South Africa, was made in 1996, soon after Nelson Mandela ascended to the position of South Africa’s first democratically-elected President.
9. President declares ‘Queen Pineapple’ as state fruit of Tripura
President Ram Nath Kovind declared Tripura’s queen variety pineapple as state fruit and said its export was a major step in connecting the state with world trade. The state holds good potential in world trade. Tripura exported its first consignment of one tonne pineapples to Dubai earlier this month.
10. Andhra Pradesh is set to become first state in India to use auto-disable syringes
The Andhra Pradesh Government has decided to make usage of AD syringes mandatory for all clinical purposes. Andhra Pradesh would be the first state in the country to take this move, which will be enforced from the World Hepatitis Day (July 28). Auto Disable Syringe are Syringe that cannot be reused. They incorporate a mechanism to break or lock the plunger when the injection is given to make the syringe inoperable for being used for second time.
11. Sarita Nayyar appointed to World Economic Forum Managing Board
Sarita Nayyar has been appointed to the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Managing Board. In addition to her role as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the World Economic Forum LLC, Nayyar will help lead the international expansion of the Forum’s centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Network. Nayyar joined WEF in 2007, where she has held various directorships including responsibility for engagement with the consumer industries, MD and COO of WEF LLC and Deputy Head of Industries.
12. Operation Nistar successfully culminates with safe disembarkations of 38 Indian Nationals
Indian Naval Ship Sunayana entered Porbandar harbour after successfully evacuating 38 Indian Nationals at/ off Socotra Islands during a swift Humanitarian and Disaster Relief Operation (HADR), code named Operation NISTAR. The Indian Nationals were stranded for nearly ten days after severe Cyclonic Storm – Mekunu devastated the area around Socotra Island. INS Sunayna was diverted from Gulf of Aden deployment to Socotra Island for search and rescue operations after Indian Navy received a distress call from Directorate General of Shipping and Indian Sailing Vessels Association.
13. Portal for job seekers and employers launched in Kerala
A new portal, providing single window facility for job seekers and employers, was inaugurated. The facility has been conceived and developed by Kerala Academy for Skills Excellence (KASE), the umbrella agency for skill development initiatives in the state, leveraging the possibilities of Information Technology.
14. Hyderabad ranks 3rd in sound polluted cities list
Hyderabad ranks number three in the list of sound polluted metropolitan cities. The city was earlier listed on top 10 most air polluted metropolitan cities. The increasing numbers of cars, traffic jams, sound pollution, and congestion in the city has risen sharply over the years. The Pollution Control Board suggests that noise pollution is exceeding the permissible levels in various parts of the city.
15. World first EPR nuclear reactor begins work in Taishan, China
A third generation EPR reactor in China carried out its first nuclear chain reaction, an initial start up which is a world first for the much-delayed European technology. The European Pressurised Reactor (EPR) in Taishan, southern China “carried out its first chain and therefore it has started,” tweeted Xavier Ursat, head of new nuclear projects for EDF, which has a 30 per cent holding in two reactors under construction in the city.
16. Smriti irani launches GIAN to boost higher education with International collaboration
To boost the quality of higher education in India, government has launched Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN). The initiative is to improve the quality of higher education through international collaboration. IIT Kharagpur is the nodal institution and national coordinator for this flagship programme. Irani said that the courses will have a credit-based approach.
17. Rajinikanth starrer ‘Kaala’ became the 1st Indian film to release in Saudi Arabia
Kaala has become the first Indian film to release in Saudi Arabia. Interestingly, Black Panther was the first film to release in the county in 35 years. Saudi Arabia was exhibiting films earlier, but films were later banned due to the strict Islamic laws. Now, after the ban lift, Kaala has become the first film to release in the country.
