- Mukul Rohatgi to step down from Attorney General’s post
Attorney General of India (AGI) Mukul Rohatgi has written to the government, stating his disinterest in continuing as the top law officer. Rohatgi’s decision comes days after the Centre extended his term along with Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar and Additional Solicitor Generals (ASGs) for indefinite period.
- Paytm appoints VP Amit Sinha as COO of Paytm Mall
Amit Sinha, a vice-president overlooking business and human resources at One97 Communications Ltd, the company behind the Paytm app, has been appointed as the chief operating officer (COO) of its e-commerce business Paytm Mall.
Sinha has been associated with Paytm since December 2007 and has served in several key business roles. At Paytm Mall, he will be responsible for overall operations, hiring, category management and logistics.
- Kolkata to get India’s first underwater Metro
Kolkata will soon have an underwater Metro which will pass through tunnels several feet under the Hooghly. The first underwater transportation tunnel of India is ready with the second one nearing completion.
The Kolkata Metro transportation tunnel is unique to India because never before in the history of the country has a tunnel been made under a flowing river.
- CSIR signs Agreement with the Metal Industries Development Institute (MIDI), Ethiopia
The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has entered into an agreement with the Metal Industries Development Institute (MIDI), Ethiopia to implement a twinning programme. The same is aimed at R&D capacity building of MIDI.
CSIR has clinched this multi-million US dollar assignment through a process where many international organisations were considered.
The twinning is one of the largest programs (in terms of contractual amount) between a CSIR institute and a foreign entity. It should also facilitate CSIR’s future collaborations with African Organizations.
- TCS, Intel join hands to tap businesses in IoT, Cloud, AI
India’s largest IT services company Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will collaborate with chipmaker Intel to design a reference architecture that could be used for rolling out Internet of things (IoT), cloud, 5G and AI by its customers.
The partnership will also see both companies jointly investing in Centres of Excellences (CoEs) across India and the US to provide industry specific solutions for optimising cost and improving productivity.
- EU, France grant ₹25 crore to India to curb emissions
Aiming to reduce emissions and promote sustainability to help India’s smart city programme, France and the European Union have extended a grant of 3.5 million euros under the ‘Moblise Your City’ (MYC) initiative.
Three Indian cities — Nagpur, Kochi and Ahmedabad — will get the grant as part of the EU’s commitment under the Paris Climate agreement, French Development Agency (AFD) officials said.
- INS Sahyadri on Overseas Deployment to Papua New Guinea
In pursuance of India’s Act East policy, Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri is on an overseas deployment to the South East Asia and Southern Indian Ocean. The ship would be on a port visit to Moresby from June 12 to 15.
The visit of the Indian Naval Ships seeks to underscore India’s peaceful presence and solidarity with friendly and harmonious countries towards ensuring good order in the maritime domain and to strengthen existing bonds between Papua New Guinea and India.
- World’s largest floating Solar Farm launched in China
China flicked the switch on the world’s largest floating solar energy plant. The massive waterborne plant is expected to generate 40 megawatts at one time and could supply electricity for over 15,000 homes.
The pioneering project, located in eastern China, is thought to cement China’s status as a top producer of solar energy in the world. The plant has been built in Huainan city, Anhui Province, by Sungrow Power Supply, a Chinese company specialised in renewable energy.
- Israel approves largest West Bank construction in 25 years
Israel has greenlighted plans for over 8,000 new homes in the West Bank, with over a third for “immediate” construction, the defense minister revealed making it the largest expansion of Jewish settlements in the area in 25 years.
Plans for 8,345 new housing units have been approved by the Israeli authorities so far this year, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency writes, citing Liebermann. Out of these, 3,066 have been given final approval and will soon be built.
- The book “Indira Gandhi – A life in Nature” released
The book “Indira Gandhi – A life in Nature”, was launched by Congress president Sonia Gandhi at the Indira Gandhi Memorial in the presence of former ministers, bureaucrats and environmentalists who worked closely with her to frame some of country’s landmarks wildlife and environment laws.
Renowned mountaineer Capt Manmohan Singh Kohli recalled how Gandhi once told him “please call me as a daughter of the mountains”.
- Shashikant Kutwal wins gold at world chess championship for differently-abled
Shashikant Kutwal has won the gold medal at the 17th World Individual Chess Championship for differently-abled.
The World Chess Championship was held in Slovakia. Shashikant Kutwal is a railway employee with Pune Division.
- Rafael Nadal wins 10th French Open title
Rafael Nadal described his 10th French Open title as one of his most special. He became the first player in the Open Era to lift 10 titles at a grand slam tournament.A crushing 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 victory over Stan Wawrinka on Court Philippe Chatrier made the 31-year-old Spaniard the most successful player at a single Slam in the professional era.
- Lewis Hamilton registers 6th Canadian Grand Prix title
Lewis Hamilton revived his bid for a fourth driver’s world title when he cruised to victory in the Canadian Grand Prix ahead of his Mercedes team-mate Valtteri Bottas.
It was the three-time champion’s sixth victory at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve — where he claimed his maiden triumph in 2007 — as well as his third this season and the 56th of his career.
- Jeje Lalpekhlua wins AIFF Player of the Year award
India and Mohun Bagan striker Jeje Lalpekhlua were received the All India Football Federation’s inaugural player of the year 2016 award.
Lalpekhlua received the award in the presence of the national team, the head coach Stephen Constantine and AIFF president Praful Patel, general secretary Kushal Das and senior vice president Subrata Dutta.
- S Korea offers to host 2030 FIFA World Cup with North Korea
South Korea’s new liberal president has offered to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with rival North Korea and other Northeast Asian countries as part of efforts to promote peace in the region.
The organizers of the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, hope North Korea will take part in the Winter Games.
- Jitu Rai, Heena Sidhu win World Cup gold in mixed team event
ISSF World Cup at the Karni Singh Ranges in New Delhi, as pistol shooters Jitu Rai and Heena Sidhu teamed up to win the ‘gold badge’ on the fifth day.
The 11 Gurkha Regiment shooter, Jitu Rai, who was the only shooter to clinch gold at the 2014 Asian Games at Incheon and has several World Cup medals to his credit, teamed up with Heena Sidhu in the ‘Mixed team Event’ to clinch the ‘badge’ for India.
- Jnanpith awardee writer and poet C Narayana Reddy passes away
Eminent poet, litterateur and Jnanpith awardee C. Narayana Reddy, popularly known as CiNaRe, passed away. CiNaRe was known for his use of Telugu in its pure form, and would not be swayed by filmmakers on the use of the language.
He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1977 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992. His compilation of poems, titled ‘Viswambhara’, got him the Jnanpith award in 1988. In 1997, he was nominated as a Member of the Rajya Sabha.
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