Daily Current Affairs – June 16 & 17, 2019
2019 Daily & Monthly Current Affairs
Important Days
June 16 – World Sea Turtle Day
- June 16 is World Sea Turtle Day. Sea turtles have existed for more than 100 million years and are critical to a healthy ocean ecosystem, playing a key role in the marine environment. All seven species of sea turtles depend on the health of the oceans and land to reproduce and survive. Yet with everything from climate change to pollution, habitat loss and the illegal wildlife trade threatening their very existence, many species of sea turtles are being pushed closer to extinction.
June 16 – The International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR)
- The International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR) is a universally-recognized observance adopted by the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/72/281) and celebrated every year on 16 June. The day recognizes the contribution of over 200 million migrants to improve the lives of their 800 million family members back home, and to create a future of hope for their children.
June 17 -World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought
- The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed every year to promote public awareness of international efforts to combat desertification. The day is a unique moment to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality is achievable through problem-solving, strong community involvement and co-operation at all levels.
- The anniversary campaign runs under the slogan “Let’s grow the future together” supported by the global observance of WDCD and the 25th anniversary of the Convention on 17 June 2019 in Ankara, hosted by the government of Turkey. Desertification is the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas. It is caused primarily by human activities and climatic variations.
- 2019 Theme “Let’s Grow the Future Together”
National Affairs
Assam
Assam government to set up Skill University at Darrang district
- Assam government will set up a Skill University at the cost of 850 crore rupees at Darrang district. Mission Director of Assam Skill Development Mission, AP Tiwari said that the proposed institution will be known as Skill City. This will be perhaps the first skill university of the country with a capacity of 10 thousand seats.
Jammu & Kashmir
J&K approves 2nd phase of comprehensive plan for flood management work on Jhelum
- The Jammu and Kashmir administration has approved the second phase of a comprehensive plan for flood management work on the Jhelum river at a cost of over 5,400 crore rupees. This multi-pronged strategy was adopted for flood mitigation in Kashmir Valley following the devastating floods of September 2014 and on the recommendations of a high-level committee, constituted by the Centre
Kerala
Exclusive zones in lakes to conserve ‘Karimeen’
- The Fisheries Department is to set carve out protected reserves in the estuaries of Ashtamudi and Vembanadu lakes to aid the large scale breeding and conservation of vulnerable brackish water fish, particularly pearl spot (Karimeen), a pricey variety considered a delicacy.
- Pesticide and fertilizer runoff from paddy fields, high waves and pollution caused by powered boats, loss of mangrove cover, disruption of migratory waterways, sand-mining, exploitative fishing and illegal use of stake net during tidal ingress have caused inland fish stocks to decline drastically.
International
China’s largest ever Picasso exhibition
- The largest Picasso exhibition ever held in China opens, featuring more than 100 works,many of them from the artist’s early years. Featured works include paintings, sculptures and drawings, and are accompanied by photos of the young Pablo in Barcelona and Paris. The first Picasso exhibition in China was held in 1983. This year’s exhibition, which runs until September 1 at the UCCA Center for Contemporary Art in Beijing, focuses on the artist’s first 30 years.
Science
NCRA to host International Pulsar Timing Array meet
- The city-based National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) in pune is all set to host the five-day annual International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) meet from June 17 to 21. The meet is a collaboration of radio astronomers from a dozen countries across the globe. India has been an associate member of the IPTA since the last four years. But this is the first time that India is hosting the annual meeting
- The IPTA is a collaboration of radio astronomers from a dozen countries across the globe. It uses more than 12 radio telescopes all over the world with an aim to detect ultra-low frequency gravitational waves. More than 40 expert international astronomers and 30 international students are expected to participate in the event, besides several Indian participants.
Summit
G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth
- The G20 Ministerial Meeting on Energy Transitions and Global Environment for Sustainable Growth being held in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, Japan on 15-16 June, 2019. Shri RK Singh, Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy (IC) and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship highlighted the pathbreaking achievements in household electrification and providing energy access to all in India. The Minister also mentioned about the progressive steps towards the achievement of our target to fulfill our commitment made in Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
MoU & Cabinet Approvals
Punjab to prepare water management plan with Israel
- Punjab Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sarkaria met a team of experts from Israel in Chandigarh to prepare a comprehensive water management master plan for the state. Earlier, the Israeli team visited various parts of the state to assess the present situation and the challenges in the water sector in the State. The National Water company of Israel M/s Mekorot and Punjab Government had signed an agreement in April 2019 after the visit of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh to Israel in October 2018.
Appointments
Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed is new ISI chief
- Pakistan appointed a hard-liner general as new chief of the powerful Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy agency, replacing its current head, Lieutenant General Asim Munir, after only eight months on the job. Lieutenant General Faiz Hameed, a former senior ISI figure, was appointed Director-General of the agency.
Zuzana Caputova sworn in as president of Slovakia
- In Slovakia, anti-corruption campaigner Zuzana Caputova was sworn in as country’s first female president.
Defence
“Operation Sunrise 2”
- The armies of India and Myanmar carried out a three-week-long coordinated operation from May 16 in their respective border areas, targeting several militant groups operating in Manipur, Nagaland and Assam. The first phase of “Operation Sunrise” was conducted three months ago along the Indo-Myanmar border, during which a number of camps of north-east-based militant groups were busted.
- During “Operation Sunrise 2”, the armies coordinated with each other to bust camps of militant outfits, including the Kamtapur Liberation Organisation, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland(Khaplang), the United Liberation Front of Assam (I) and the National Democratic Front of Boroland.
Awards
UNEP recognition for a school in Kerala
- The Garden Valley EM Higher Secondary School, Kuttippala, near Kottakkal, has won the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s recognition for its activities promoting the environment consciousness in the students. The school had planted 2,000 bamboo saplings along the shores of the Tirur river as part of the World Environmental Day celebrations early this month.
App & Web Portal
Assam State Transport Corporation’s Chalo app
- Assam Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary launched the State Transport Corporation’s Chalo app for Guwahati. The app will help commuters to know about the live arrival time of their bus so they can plan their travel accordingly. People can also track the live GPS position of their bus on a map. It will also ensure safe travel with features such as Emergency SOS.
Sports
Archery World Championships
- The Indian men’s recurve team bagged a silver medal in the Archery World Championships at Den Bosch in The Netherlands. The men’s recurve team was playing in the final of World Championships after a gap of 14 years.
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