Current Affairs Daily Digest – June 12 2019

1. 2 Indian women named in IBM’s list of top 40 women in AI

Two Indian women have been featured on American multinational IT firm IBM’s list honouring 40 women in Artificial Intelligence (AI) from 15 different countries. The list includes Harmeen Mehta, Chief Information Officer for Bharti Airtel. Seema Gaur, Executive VP and Head IT for IF

2. China appoints its ex-envoy to Pak as new Ambassador to India

China has appointed its former envoy to Pakistan, Sun Weidong, as the new Ambassador to India. Sun is currently the Director General of the Policy Planning Department at China’s Foreign Ministry. Sun succeeds Luo Zhaohui as the Ambassador to India after he was appointed as China’s Vice Foreign Minister.

3. I V Subba Rao continues as secretary to Vice President

I V Subba Rao continues as secretary to Vice President. IV Subba Rao continues as secretary to Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu as per an order issued by the Ministry of Personnel. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the continuation of Rao. He is a retired IAS officer

4. International Day Against Child Labour observed on June 12

International Day against Child Labour observed on June 12. International Labour Organization (ILO) started to celebrate World Day Against Child Labour in 2002

Aim:

• To focus attention on the global extent of child labour and the action and efforts needed to eliminate it.
  The 2019 theme is Children shouldn’t work in fields, but on dreams!
• The day brings government employers and workers organizations, civil society, as well as millions of people from around the world to highlight the plight of child labourers.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by world leaders in 2015 to include a renewed global commitment to ending child labour.

5. Amazon clinches top spot in the world’s most valuable brand ranking

Amazon clinches top spot in the world’s most valuable brand ranking. Amazon clinched the world’s most valuable brand in cloud computing, consumer tech and movie production. It is founded by the world’s richest man Jeff Bezos. According to the 2019 BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands rankings, Amazon online retailer set its brand value quintuple in the past five years to reach $315.5billion.

6. BJP MP Virendra Kumar to be pro-tem speaker of Lok Sabha

BJP MP Virendra Kumar to be pro-tem speaker of Lok Sabha. Virendra Kumar, a seven-time MP from Tikamgarh in Madhya Pradesh chosen as the pro tem speaker of the 17th Lok Sabha.

He was MoS in the ministry of women and child development He was also in the minority affairs ministry in the previous government. He is likely to be administered the oath of office at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 17, the day where newly elected Lok Sabha commences its first session.

7. Mekathoti Sucharitha appointed as the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh

Mekathoti Sucharitha appointed as the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh. Sucharitha, A Dalit Women was inducted into the Congress by the late Dr Y S Rajashekara Reddy (YSR) spotted her during his historic ‘padayatra’ in 2003. Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy appointed Mekathoti Sucharita as the state home minister She is one among five ministers to be selected from SC community

8. Thawarchand Gehlot appointed as Leader of Rajya Sabha

Thawarchand Gehlot, Union Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment was recently appointed as Leader of Rajya Sabha (Council of States).

The Leader of the Rajya Sabha is appointed by the party in power at Centre.This position was occupied by senior BJP leader and former Union Finance Minister, Arun Jaitley in previous Narendra Modi-led government (2014-2019).

9. Kailash Mansarovar Yatra 2019: EAM flags off 1st batch of yatris

S Jaishankar, Union Minister of External Affairs flags off the first batch of pilgrims (yatris) from New Delhi, for this years’ Kailash Mansarovar Yatra. The duration of pilgrimage is 24 days for each batch including 3 days in Delhi for preparatory work.

10. IAAF to rebrand as World Athletics

World athletics’ governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) will re-brand itself as World Athletics. The rebranding would be operational from October 2019.IAAF’s new brand identity as World Athletics will begin its rollout in October 2019 following the completion of world championships in Doha, Qatar and after congress grants approval of change to federation’s legal name.