Daily Current Affairs 15th June, 2019

Daily Current Affairs 15 June 2019 for Banking/Insurance/SSC and other related exams.

NATIONAL NEWS

PM Modi gets special invite from French President Emmanuel Macron to attend G7 Summit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to attend the G-7 Summit this year as a Special Invitee by French President Emmanuel Macron, confirmed the Ministry of External Affairs. The ministry further mentioned that the Prime Minister has accepted the invitation to attend the event which will also include a bilateral component between India and France.

• “The PM has accepted the invitation to attend the event which will also include a bilateral component,” added the ministry spokesperson.

India gives 200 million dollar line of credit to Kyrgyzstan : PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a 200 million dollar line of credit to Kyrgyzstan after wide-ranging talks with Kyrgyzstan President Sooronbay Jeenbekov in Bishkek. He said that this will ensure India’s increasing participation in business, development and economy of Kyrgyzstan.

Central India gets its first Sikh museum in Raipur

A museum exhibiting Sikh culture and tradition has opened in the heart of state’s capital city Ranchi.

• The museum, Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Sikh Museum, located at Gurudwara Gurusingh Sabha in Guru Nanak Nagar was inaugurated by Chief Minister Bhupesh Bhagel on the ‘Shahidi Divas’ of Sikh’s Guru Arjun Dev on June 7.
• The museum enlightens visitors about the ten Sikh gurus and other personalities related to the religion. It also has a library and theatre in its 5,000 square feet premises.

Culture Ministry inaugurates the exhibition ‘Astitva’ in Delhi

Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Minister of State (I/C) of Culture & Tourism, Government of India inaugurated the exhibition titled “Astitva: The Essence of Prabhakar Barwe”, at National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi.

• Highlighting the significance of museums, the Culture Minister said that museums are required ‘to look into our past thereby helping us to move forward in life by learning things from the past’. The Minister also added the museums act as a ‘symbol of respect for our ancestors’.

Shillong gets its first ever orchidarium

In a major move towards enhancing the growth of eco-tourism, the Institute of Bio-Resources and Sustainable Development (IBSD) opened state-of-the-art orchidarium in Upper Shillong.

• The orchidarium which was constructed within a span of three months has over 20 varieties of orchids which are found in Meghalaya and its neighboring states.
• There are also a variety of species of orchids which are found in full abundance in the state. Of 17,000 species of orchids in the world, about 1,250 occur in India, of which nearly 300 are found in Meghalaya.

India slips 5 places to 141 on Global Peace Index 2019; Iceland again tops

India’s rank has slipped five places to 141 among 163 countries on the Global Peace Index 2019, while Iceland remains the most peaceful country and Afghanistan the least peaceful nation, says a report.

• Australian think tank Institute for Economics & Peace ranks countries according to their level of peacefulness based on three thematic domains — the level of societal safety and security, the extent of ongoing domestic and international conflict and the degree of militarisation.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

16th Asia Media Summit held in Siem Reap Province, Cambodia

The 16th Asia Media Summit was held in the Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, attracting approximately 600 media representatives from 42 countries and regions.

• Speaking at the opening ceremony of the summit, Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said the country was greatly honored to host the summit to exchange views on present-day science and modern technology evolution for the strategy development in the information sector.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

Government reduces rate of ESI contribution from 6.5% to 4%

The Government of India has taken a historic decision to reduce the rate of contribution under the ESI Act from 6.5% to 4% (employers’ contribution being reduced from 4.75% to 3.25% and employees’ contribution being reduced from 1.75% to 0.75%). Reduced rates will be effective from 01 July 2019. This would benefit 3.6 crore employees and 12.85 lakh employers.

• The reduced rate of contribution will bring about a substantial relief to workers and it will facilitate further enrollment of workers under the ESI scheme and bring more and more workforce into the formal sector.

Blackstone completes acquisition of Aadhar Housing Finance Company

Blackstone (Asset management company) announced that private equity funds managed by it have acquired a 97.7 per cent stake in Aadhar Housing Finance Limited (Aadhar), including the entire stake held by the existing controlling shareholders, Wadhawan Global Capital Limited (WGC) and Dewan Housing Finance Limited.

• As part of the transaction, Blackstone has also infused Rs 800 crore primary equity capital into Aadhar to fund the company for future growth.

SPORTS

FIFA Rankings: India remains at 101, Belgium on top

India remains unmoved at 101 position, after FIFA, the apex body of football, released the latest team rankings.

• Belgium strengthens their top position adding nine points to the previous standings.
• India was not able to improve their rank as they remained at the same spot and their points too were unchanged from the previous standings of 1219 points.

IAAF to be renamed World Athletics

The IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Council approved the global governing body’s new name and logo at the 217th IAAF Council Meeting in Monaco.

• The athletics body’s new name, ‘World Athletics’, builds upon the organisation’s restructuring and governance reform agenda of the past four years to represent a modern, more creative and positive face for the sport.
• The new logo design is comprised of three main elements: the ‘W’ of World, which is also a symbol of an athlete’s arms raised in victory; the ‘A’ of Athletics, which also represents an athlete’s focus as they prepare for the road ahead; and an arc over both to represent the entire athletics community coming together.

APPOINTMENTS

Tokayev sworn in as new President of Kazakhstan

Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was sworn in as the President of Kazakhstan, following resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev, 78, after almost 30-year rule.

Casio India appoints Tiger Shroff as the G-Shock India Brand Ambassador

Casio India, has announced to rope in Bollywood actor Tiger Shroff as the brand ambassador for its popular range of G-Shock watches.

• As part of the brand ambassador engagement, Casio will launch the campaign #ChallengeTheLimits across different touch points including television, media, digital and social.

AWARDS/RECOGNITIONS

Bhushan Kumar receives Guinness World Records certificate

Composer, Bhushan Kumar has been felicitated with an official certificate from Guinness World Records as T-Series became the first YouTube channel to reach 100 million subscribers.

OBITUARIES

Renowned Indian-origin writer Ahmed Essop passes away

Ahmed Essop, renowned author and educationist of Indian-origin has died in South Africa. He was 88.

• He was a beloved teacher of English who clashed with the apartheid authorities and was barred from teaching.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Albinism Awareness Day

International Albinism Awareness Day is observed annually on 13th June.

• People with albinism face multiple forms of discrimination worldwide. Albinism is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically. The physical appearance of persons with albinism is often the object of erroneous beliefs and myths influenced by superstition, which foster their marginalization and social exclusion. This leads to various forms of stigma and discrimination.
• “Still Standing Strong” is the theme for this year’s International Albinism Awareness Day.

World Blood Donor Day

Every year on 14 June, countries around the world celebrate World Blood Donor Day (WBDD). The event, established in 2004, serves to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products, and to thank blood donors for their voluntary, life-saving gifts of blood.

• The theme for Blood Donation Day in 2019 is ‘Safe Blood For All’.

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

The United Nations (UN) has designated June 15 as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). The day aims to focus global attention on the problem of physical, emotional, and financial abuse of elders.

• It also seeks to understand the challenges and opportunities presented by an ageing population, and brings together senior citizens, and their caregivers, national and local government, academics, and the private sector to exchange ideas about how best to reduce incidents of violence towards elders, increase reporting of such abuse, and to develop elder friendly policies.
• The theme of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is “Lifting Up Voices”.

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