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Daily Current affairs - June 26th and 27th, 2018 for all competitive exams


June 26 - International Day against Drug abuse and illicit trafficking
International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is a United Nations International Day against drug abuse and the illegal drug trade. It is observed annually on 26 June, since 1989.
  • The theme for 2018 is: “Listen First – Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe.”
  • The observance was instituted by General Assembly Resolution 42/112 of 7 December 1987. It is often referred to by Anti-Drug campaigners as 6/26.
The General Assembly of United Nations has decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

UN MSME Day 2018
UN MSME Day is celebrated on June 27th across the world.
  • The General Assembly, in 2017, recognizing the need to improve small business access to microfinance and credit, decided to designate 27 June as Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day.
  • The goal is to encourage member states to facilitate observance of the day by increasing awareness and actions to support small business.
The resolution was introduced by the delegation of Argentina, co-sponsored by 54 member states and adopted without a vote by the 193-member General Assembly on 6 April 2017.
Last year on 27 June we celebrated for the first time the Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day. According to the data provided by the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), formal and informal Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) make up over 90% of all firms and account on average for 60-70% of total employment and 50% of GDP. The General Assembly, recognizing the importance of these enterprises, decided to declare 27 June the Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day to raise public awareness of their contribution to sustainable development.
Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises are the backbone of most economies worldwide and play a key role in developing countries.
According to the data provided by the International Council for Small Business (ICSB), formal and informal Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) make up over 90% of all firms and account on average for 60-70% of total employment and 50% of GDP.

President inaugurates Udyam Sangam-2018 to mark UN SME day
President of India, Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the Udyam Sangam-2018 in New Delhi. It is a step forward towards consolidating the convergence and synergy of all the government initiatives relating to MSME Sector.
  • The Mission has been approved by the Government of India for which the MSME Ministry will disburse subsidy of Rs. 550 crores to the artisans. A portal of the Ministry of MSME called “Sampark” was also unveiled by the President. 

EAM Sushma Swaraj introduces 'Passport Seva App'
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj launched the new Passport Seva App.
Now, people can apply for a passport from any part of the country through the App.
  • EAM Sushma Swaraj has launched Mobile Passport Application on the occasion of Passport Seva Divas (26 June) in New Delhi.
  • Police verification will be done on the address, provided by the applicant on the app and passport will be dispatched on the same address.

Ministry of Women and Child Development launches report on ‘Women in Prisons’
Ministry of Women and Child Development has come up with its report titled ‘Women in Prisons’ which aims to build an understanding of the various entitlements of women in prisons, the various issues faced by them and possible methods for resolution of the same.
  • The report contains a comprehensive list of 134 recommendations for improving the lives of women under incarceration, addressing a wide range of issues pertaining to pregnancy and childbirth in prison, mental health, legal aid, reintegration in society and their caregiving responsibilities among others
  • Bail should be granted to those under-trial women who have spent one-third of their maximum possible sentence in detention, by making necessary changes in Section 436A of the CrPC which provides for release after half of the maximum sentence has been served.
As of 2015, there are 4,19,623 persons in jail in India, of which, 17,834 (about 4.3%) are women. Of these, 11,916 (66.8%) are undertrial prisoners.
There is an increasing trend in the number of women prisoners – from 3.3% of all prisoners in 2000 to 4.3% in 2015.
A majority of female inmates are in the age group of 30-50 years (50.5%), followed by 18-30 years (31.3%).

Of the total 1,401 prisons in India, only 18 are exclusive for women, housing 2,985 female prisoners. Thus, a majority of women inmates are housed in women’s enclosures of general prisons.

Government proposes 3000 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras
Government proposes to set up 3000 Van Dhan Kendras involving 30,000 SHGs across the country.
  • The initiative aims to promote MFPs-centric livelihood development of tribal gatherers and artisans. It mainstreams the tribal community by promoting primary level value addition to MFP at grassroots level.
  • Through this initiative, the share of tribals in the value chain of Non-Timber Forest Produce is expected to rise from the present 20% to around 60%.
  • The scheme will be implemented through Ministry of Tribal Affairs as Nodal Department at the Central Level and TRIFED as Nodal Agency at the National Level.
  • As per the plan, TRIFED will facilitate establishment of MFP-led multi-purpose Van Dhan Vikas Kendras, a cluster of 10 SHGs comprising of 30 tribal MFP gatherers each, in the tribal areas.

Manufacture of Oxytocin to be banned from July 1
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has restricted the manufacture of Oxytocin formulations for domestic use to public sector only from 1st July 2018. 
It has also banned the import of Oxytocin and its formulations.
  • Oxytocin’s misuse is widespread in the dairy industry, where livestock are injected with oxytocin to make them release milk at a time convenient to farmers.
Oxytocin is a naturally-occurring hormone which causes uterine contractions during labour and helps new mothers lactate.

Tamilnadu assembly adopted special resolution on Dam safety bill
Tamil Nadu Assembly has unanimously adopted a special resolution urging the Centre to keep the Dam Safety Bill, 2018, in abeyance until the concerns raised over the legislation by Tamil Nadu and other States are addressed.
  • Tamil Nadu contended that certain clauses of the Bill affected the interests of Tamil Nadu and could potentially affect the State’s rights on control and maintenance of dams located in neighbouring States.
  • Tamil Nadu is worried because the draft Bill, in the guise of facilitating dam safety, would affect the State’s prospects in controlling the Mullaperiyar, Parambikulam, Thoonakkadavu and Peruvaripallam dams.
Highlights of Dam Safety Bill, 2018:
The Bill provides for proper surveillance, inspection, operation and maintenance of all specified dams in the country to ensure their safe functioning.
The Bill provides for constitution of a National Committee on Dam Safety which shall evolve dam safety policies and recommend necessary regulations as may be required for the purpose.
The Bill provides for establishment of National Dam Safety Authority as a regulatory body which shall discharge functions to implement the policy, guidelines and standards for dam safety in the country.
The Bill provides for constitution of a State Committee on Dam Safety by State Government.

Ministry of health signs an MoU with IGNOU
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, signed an MoU with Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to scale up the short term healthcare courses through its available robust platform.
  • The signing ceremony was presided over by Shri J P Nadda, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare. 
  • The combined objective under this MoU is to scale up the health programs to create trained personnel in the healthcare sector and to set up a dedicated cell for developing, implementing and certifying the skill-based programs at IGNOU.

Maharashtra government forms study committee for floating solar power plant
Maharashtra government has set up a committee to study issues related to the development of a 1,000-MW floating solar power plant at Ujani dam in Solapur district.
  • The committee will be headed by the Director (Commercial) of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL), Satish Chavan.
  • Among other things, the committee will study the environmental impact of the project and monitor the month-wise water level of the dam. Ujani is among the largest dams in Maharashtra.

Health cover under Odisha's Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana increased
Odisha government decided to raise the health cover from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) for women. 
  • This was announced by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik while interacting with the people of four districts during a video conferencing on Ama Gaon Ama Bikash Yojana.
  • On the occasion, the chief minister also sanctioned Rs 31.54 crore for 154 panchayats in seven blocks of six districts under Ama Gaon Ama Bikash Yojana at the block level.

Power Discom BYPL signs MoU with Finnish company
Power distribution company BYPL (BSES Yamuna Power Limited) has signed an MoU with Business Finland, a Finnish government agency, for collaborative activities in different areas, including energy efficiency and electric vehicles.
  • The three year MoU on 'cooperation in the power distribution sector' will encompass joint studies, pilot projects, knowledge-sharing and consultancy, research projects for inducting future and emerging technologies at the distribution utility level.

ISA plans Global solar bank to finance power projects
ISA is planning global solar bank to finance $150 billion of power projects.
  • International Solar Alliance (ISA) plans to approach multilateral development banks (MDBs) such as Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to create a special purpose vehicle (SPV) to specifically finance solar projects. This SPV aimed at financing $150 billion would become a World Solar Bank.
  • The proposal for a World Solar Bank comes against the backdrop of ISA’s mission to undertake joint efforts required to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology. It needs to mobilize more than $1,000 billion of investments by 2030 for massive deployment of solar energy and pave the way for future technologies.
The Paris Declaration establishes ISA as an alliance dedicated to the promotion of solar energy among its member countries.
The ISA’s major objectives include global deployment of over 1,000GW of solar generation capacity and mobilisation of investment of over US$ 1000 billion into solar energy by 2030.
When the ISA Framework Agreement entered into force on December 6th, 2017, ISA formally became a de-jure treaty based International Intergovernmental Organization, headquartered at Gurugram, India.

World’s largest multilateral Naval exercise RIMPAC begins
World’s largest multilateral naval exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) begun off Hawaii in the Western Pacific Ocean.
  • The two-month long biennial exercise is likely to be attended by navies of 26 countries including India.
  • Indian Naval Ship Sahyadri has already reached the Pearl Harbour in Hawaii to participate in the 26th edition of RIMPAC exercise. 
RIMPAC is held biennially during June and July of even-numbered years from Honolulu, Hawaii. It is hosted and administered by the United States Navy's Pacific Fleet, headquartered at Pearl Harbor, in conjunction with the Marine Corps, the Coast Guard, and Hawaii National Guard forces under the control of the Governor of Hawaii. The first RIMPAC, held in 1971, involved forces from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Australia, Canada, and the US have participated in every RIMPAC since then. Several observer nations are usually invited, including China, Ecuador, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and Russia, who became an active participant for the first time in 2012

Europe’s first solar panel recycling plant
Europe’s first solar panel recycling plant was recently inaugurated in France. The new plant is located in Rousset, southern France.
  • Waste management firm Veolia signed a contract with solar recycling group PV Cycle France to recycle 1,300 tonnes of solar panels this year.
  • The plant in Rousset uses robots to take panels apart and recover glass, silicon, plastics, copper and silver, all of which can be reused to create new panels.
  • Solar panels have an estimated lifespan of 25 to 30 years, meaning that many of the first generation built in the 1990s are now being decommissioned. The huge growth in solar power in recent years also means that finding a sustainable and circular solution to ageing panels is of prime importance.

China bans HBO after UK comedian criticises President Xi Jinping
China has banned US film and television production company HBO’s website following UK comedian John Oliver’s critique of Chinese President Xi Jinping on his show. 
  • Oliver had compared the Chinese President to cartoon character ‘Winnie the Pooh’.

China launches spy bird drone to boost Government surveillance
China has launched bird-shaped drones fitted with a camera, GPS antenna, and satellite communication capability, to monitor citizens living in different parts of the country.
  • The program reportedly code named “Dove”, is run by Song Bifeng, a professor at Northwestern Polytechnical University.

British Queen Elizabeth approves Brexit Law
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth granted royal assent to Prime Minister Theresa May’s flagship Brexit legislation, ending months of debate over the legislation that will formally end the country’s European Union membership.
  • The EU withdrawal bill, passed by both houses of parliament, has been signed into law by the monarch, to cheers from Conservative lawmakers The EU (Withdrawal) Bill repeals the 1972 European Communities Act through which Britain became a member, and transfers decades of European law onto British statute books in a bid to avoid any legal disruption.
Brexit is the impending withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU). In a referendum on 23 June 2016, 51.9% of the participating UK electorate voted to leave the EU, out of a turnout of 72.2%. On 29 March 2017, the UK government invoked Article 50 of the Treaty on the European Union. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 declares "exit day" to be 29 March 2019 at 11 pm UTC

First satellite to demonstrate technology to clean up space junk deployed
The first satellite named, RemoveDEBRIS has been successfully deployed from International Space Station (ISS).
  • It aims to demonstrate a range of innovative technologies to clean up space debris orbiting Earth. It was transported to ISS via SpaceX CRS-14 launch in early Apr 2018.
  • The satellite was designed, built and manufactured by consortium of space companies and research institutions led by Surrey Space Centre at University of Surrey, United Kingdom.

Board of management for cooperative banks
Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has come out with draft guidelines on constituting a board of management (BoM) in addition to the board of directors, for urban cooperative banks (UCBs), with the aim of strengthening the governance in these banks.
  • As UCBs are accepting public deposits, it is imperative that a separate mechanism be put in place to protect the interests of depositors.
  • Existing UCBs with deposit sizes exceeding Rs100 crore shall put in place the BoM within one year, while others banks may take two years. UCBs with deposit sizes up to Rs100 crore will have BoMs of a minimum of three members, while those with deposit sizes of more than Rs100 crore will have at least five members in the BoMs. The maximum number of members in the management shall not exceed 12.
It will consist of members with special knowledge and practical experience in banking to facilitate professional management and focused attention to banking related activities of UCBs.
  • The circular also said that at least 50% of the members of the BoM should have specialisation or practical experience in fields such as accountancy, agriculture, law.
  • The chief executive officer of the bank will be an ex-officio member of the BoD and BoM and he will be under the general superintendence, direction and control of the board.
  • The BoM will be responsible for credit, risk and liquidity management of the bank. It will be responsible for the day-to-day functions, including considering loan proposals, recovery of bad loans, borrowings and overseeing audit and inspection functions.

E Sreedharan committee to lay down standards for Metro Rail systems
The government has set up a committee under former Delhi Metro chief E Sreedharan to lay down standardisation norms for components with an aim to cut costs in the construction and operation of metro rail systems in the country and bring them under the Make in India umbrella.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the proposal, following a meeting at the PMO to review ongoing and upcoming metro projects.
  • The standards, once finalised by the committee, will be mandatory for all metro projects coming up with central assistance.

India is still a poor country
India is no longer the country with the largest number of people living in extreme poverty as per the latest World Poverty Clock study compiled by Brookings Institute.
  • The dislodging of India from the ignominious number one position is a feat that took over fifty years to achieve.
  • Definition: The study defines poverty as living on less than $1.9 a day.
  • India has finally shed the dubious distinction of being home to the largest number of poor, with Nigeria taking that unwanted position in May 2018.
  • Nigeria had about 87 million people in extreme poverty, compared with India’s 73 million. What is more, extreme poverty in Nigeria is growing by six people every minute.
  • The estimates of extreme poverty reduction may not match with Indian numbers because of differences in how poverty is measured. According to the World Bank, between 2004 and 2011 poverty declined in India from 38.9% of the population to 21.2% (2011 purchasing power parity at $1.9 per person per day).

India is World’s most dangerous country for women, US 3rd: Thomson Reuters Foundation Survey
India is the world's most dangerous country for women due to the high risk of sexual violence and being forced into slave labour, according to a poll of global experts.
  • War-torn Afghanistan and Syria ranked second and third in the Thomson Reuters Foundation survey of about 550 experts on women's issues, followed by Somalia and Saudi Arabia.
  • The only Western nation in the top 10 was the United States, which ranked joint third when respondents were asked where women were most at risk of sexual violence, harassment and being coerced into sex.

London is the most desirable city in the world for overseas workers
According to a survey conducted by the Boston Consulting Group and totaljobs.com, London beat New York, Berlin and Barcelona to take the top spot as the most desirable city in the world for overseas workers.
  • Meanwhile, the UK overall has dropped three places in the country rankings, falling from second in 2014 to fifth.

PM Modi inaugurates 3rd AIIB meeting in Mumbai
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inaugurated the third annual meeting of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) at Mumbai's National Centre for the Performing Arts.
  • The theme for this year's meeting is "Mobilising finance for infrastructure: innovation and collaboration". 
Moving out of Asia first time, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB)’s Fourth Annual Meeting will be held in Luxembourg in July 2019.
Luxembourg is a founding member of AIIB as well as a leading international financial centre and facilitator of investments between Europe and Asia.

15th India-Australia joint ministerial commission held in Australia 
The 15th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission (JMC) was held in Canberra, Australia. 
  • The meeting was jointly chaired by Minister of Commerce & Industry and Civil Aviation, Suresh Prabhu and Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Steven Ciobo.
  • Both the sides agreed to have greater collaboration between Austrade, the Australian Trade and Investment Commission and Invest-India, which is the National Investment Promotion and Facilitation Agency of India. The talks culminated in the signing of an MoU between Austrade and Invest-India in order to facilitate bilateral investment flows.

UAE to hold first-ever World Tolerance Summit
United Arab of Emirates (UAE) will host a two-day “World Tolerance Summit” in November.
  • The International Institute for Tolerance part of Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has announced the launch of the ‘World Tolerance Summit’, a two-day conference to be held at the Armani Hotel, Dubai, from November 15th-16th, 2018, to coincide with the International Day of Tolerance on November 16th.
  • The theme of the summit is “Prospering From Pluralism: Embracing Diversity through Innovation and Collaboration”
  • World Tolerance Summit is the world’s first-of-its-kind event that tackles tolerance, peace and cultural understanding among mankind.

US ambassador to UN Nikki Haley visits India
US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley is in India for the 2-day visit. During her two-day visit, Haley will meet with senior Indian government officials, NGO leaders, and the interfaith community to underscore the United States’ shared values and strong alliance with the people of India.
  • Haley, the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Punjab, is the first Indian-American to serve in a Cabinet-level position in any US presidential administration.

S Ramesh appointed cshairman of CBIC
Senior bureaucrat S Ramesh has been appointed as chairman of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the apex policy-making body for indirect taxes. He succeeded Vanaja N Sarna.
  • Ramesh is at present the member in the board, mandated with the responsibility of implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST).

MS Dhoni signed as the first brand ambassador of Sumadhura Group
Sumadhura Group, one of South India’s city-based realty majors, has roped in MS Dhoni as its first brand ambassador to represent the brand in all their national campaigns, in a multi-year engagement.



Pakistan’s National security advisor Nasser Khan Janjua resigns
Pakistan’s National Security Advisor Nasser Khan Janjua resigned from his post.
Succeeding Sartaj Aziz, Janjua took over as Pakistan’s NSA in October 2015, he served as the NSA since then.

Pallavi Darua crowned as India's 1st 'Tribal Queen'
Pallavi Durua, who belongs to Odisha's Koraput district, was crowned as the first Tribal Queen at the Adi Rani Kalinga Tribal Queen competition held at Utkal Mandap.
  • Panchami Majhi of Titlagarh and Rashmirekha Hansdah of Mayurbhanj were declared as the first and second runners-up of the beauty pageant, respectively.

Vice President launches the book “Human Rights, Values and Cultural Ethos
Hon’ble Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu has launched the book “Human Rights, Values and Cultural Ethos” on 26 June.
  • It is a collection of essays and lectures written by Dr. R.P. Dhokalia.

Kalki Koechlin conferred with French honour
Kalki Koechlin was conferred with the French distinction of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters (Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres), for her contribution in enhancing Indo-French ties in cinema.
  • The honour comes in recognition of an actor, who has interpreted striking roles in the Indian film industry, experimented with various forms of films as well as shown an abiding commitment to important social issues.

Economist Lawrence Haddad, Dr David Nabarro awarded World Food Prize
Lawrence Haddad, who is a British economist and food policy researcher, and Dr David Nabarro, who has worked with the World Health Organization and United Nations on health and hunger issues, were named the 2018 World Food Prize recipients in a ceremony at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington. 
  • The World Food Prize was awarded this year to two men who have dedicated their careers to improving the availability of nutritious food for pregnant women and children in an effort to reduce the effects of malnutrition in developing countries.
  • The World Food Prize was created by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Norman Borlaug in 1986 to recognize scientists and others who have improved the quality and availability of food.
The World Food Prize is considered one of the most prominent global awards for individuals whose breakthrough achievements alleviate hunger and promote global food security.
It carries $250,000 cash prize. The Prize is presented each October on or around UN World Food Day (October 16).
Norman E. Borlaug, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his work in global agriculture, envisioned a prize that would honor those who have made significant and measurable contributions to improving the world’s food supply.

ISSF Junior World Cup: Saurabh Chaudhary sets World record, wins Gold
Sixteen-year-old Indian shooter Saurabh Chaudhary set a new world record on the way to winning a gold medal in the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. Saurabh shot a total of 243.7 in the 10m air pistol event in the ongoing International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF) tournament.
  • In the women’s 25m pistol final, Manu Bhaker was fifth with 19 hits and Devanshi Rana was eighth with five. With 8 gold medals, 1 silver and 5 bronze, India continued to top the medal standings.

Lewis Hamilton wins French Grand Prix 
Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) reclaimed the world championship lead with a dominant victory in the French Grand Prix. 
  • The Mercedes driver led from start to finish other than one lap around his pit stop to move 14 points ahead of Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel, who finished fifth. Max Verstappen of Red Bull finished 2nd in the race.

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