Daily Current affairs - June 19th, 2017 for all competitive exams
19 June
19 June of each year the
International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict, in order
to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual
violence, to honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world
and to pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted their lives to
and lost their lives in standing up for the eradication of these crimes.
No GST on Tirupati laddu and
human hair
The Goods and Services Tax
(GST) Council has decided to exempt prasadam and human hair at the Tirumala
Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) from tax following a request by the Andhrapradesh
government.
- TTD was a reputed religious trust involved in services
to lakhs of devotees every day. Hence, the TTD be exempted from GST
registration. With regard to other services, the State would take
necessary action within its purview.
Ministry may roll back airport
charges
Airfares are set to become
cheaper as the Civil Aviation Ministry has recommended a rollback of an airport
charge increase, across all non-major airports operated by the Airports
Authority of India (AAI), which came into effect December last year.
- The Aviation Ministry asked the AAI to take back the
increase in aeronautical charges at non-major airports from July this
year.
- In December, airport charges were raised by 10% — a
first such hike in eight years. This was followed by a subsequent hike by
5% in airport charges beginning April 1.
‘No Indian fighting in
the Philippines’
Security agencies here have
denied that an Indian fought alongside the Islamic State (IS) at Marawi in
southern Philippines which was seized by the Islamist militant group a month
ago.
- Rumiyah, a propaganda magazine of the IS, in its
latest issue has dedicated a chapter on the Philippines’ fight and also
carries an interview with the Shaykh Abu Abdillah al-Mujahir, the amir
(chief) of the IS in East Asia.
India top remittance-receiving country in 2016: UN report
The report of the ‘One Family at a Time’ study by the UN International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) has been released. It talks
about the foreign remittances.
- The study is the first-ever of a 10-year trend in
migration and remittance flows over the period 2007-2016.
- India has become the top remittance-receiving
country surpassing China in 2016. Indians working across
the globe sent home USD 62.7 billion last year.
Global Innovation Index 2017
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has released its 10th
edition of the ‘Global Innovation Index
(GII)’.
- The Global Innovation Index (GII), co-published
by World-Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Cornell University and
INSEAD with CII as a Knowledge Partner since inception, has
been ranking world economies including India since 2007 according to their
innovation capabilities and outcomes using 82 indicators among a host of
other important parameters. It has established itself as both a
leading reference on innovation and a ‘tool for action’ for policy makers.
- India’s position in the 2017 Global Innovation Index
has moved up six ranks from last year to 60.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft passes key safety tests
NASA’s Orion spacecraft – designed to take astronauts to deep space destinations
such as the Moon and Mars – has successfully completed a series of tests for
its critical safety systems. Researchers tested the abort motorfor Orion’s launch abort system.
- The launch abort system is an important part
of making sure crew members stay safe on the launch pad and on their
way to space.
- The launch abort system is positioned on top of
the Orion crew module and will play a critical role
protecting future crews travelling to deep space destinations in Orion.
China-led AIIB touts ‘green’
growth
Leaders of the China-backed
Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank touted its growing membership and
commitment to sustainable development at its annual meeting, even as
environmental groups were disappointed by its openness to investing in coal
projects.
- The AIIB, which has 80 member countries, was set up
to help meet the estimated $26 trillion need for infrastructure spending
in Asia through 2030, while also demonstrating that a China-led
institution can meet international standards for best practice.
- The United States and Japan, both members of the
Manila-based Asian Development Bank (ADB), have not joined the AIIB.
India re-elected to UN body on economic, social issues;
Pakistan loses out
India has been re-elected to the UN’s principal organ on economic, social and environmental issues for another three-year term. India was among 18 nations to
win election to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). India obtained 183 votes,
the second highest after Japan in the Asia Pacific category. Election to fill
the 18 vacancies in ECOSOC.
- Having obtained the required two-thirds majority,
the nations elected members of ECOSOC for a three-year term beginning January
1 2018 are Belarus, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Ghana, India,
Ireland, Japan, Malawi, Mexico, Morocco, Philippines, Spain, Sudan, Togo,
Turkey and Uruguay.
- ECOSOC, one of the six main organs of the United
Nations, is the principal body for coordination, policy review,
policy dialogue and recommendations on economic, social and environmental
issues, as well as for implementation of the internationally agreed
development goals.
UN approves creation of new office on counter-terrorism
The UN General Assembly has approved the establishment of a new office to coordinate
counter-terrorism efforts, a move welcomed by India as a “much awaited
first step” that will align the world body with needs of the global community
in the fight against the menace.
- Under the new structure, the Counter-Terrorism
Implementation Task Force Office (CTITF) and the UN Counter- Terrorism
Centre (UNCCT), currently in the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA)
will be transferred to the new office, together with their existing staff
and all associated regular and extra-budgetary resources.
- The Secretary-General had proposed that the new
Under-Secretary-General would Chair the Task Force and Executive Director
of the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre.
Srikanth seals it with ease
Indian shuttler K. Srikanth
clinched his third Superseries title, lifting the Indonesia Open men’s singles
trophy with a straight-game victory over Japanese qualifier Kazumasa Sakai in
the final.
- World No. 22 Srikanth, who had reached the Singapore
Open final in April, outclassed Sakai, ranked 47th, 21-11, 21-19 in just
37 minutes to take home a cheque for $75,000.
Bhardhvaj claims under-19
title
Seventh-seeded B.M. Rahul
Bhardhvaj of Karnataka upset top seed Kartikey Gulshan Kumar of Delhi 21-15,
21-14 to win the boys’ under-19 title in the All-India junior ranking badminton
tournament at the TOSS indoor stadium.
- Purva Barve of Maharashtra won the girls’ under-19 title after scoring a 27-25, 21-13 win over Ashwini Bhat of Karnataka.
