INTERNATIONAL
Egypt’s Top Court Rules
Parliament Invalid
On 2 June Egypt’s Supreme Constitutional Court
invalidated the nation’s upper house of parliament and a panel that drew up the
constitution.The upper house, or Shura Council, holds legislative powers. It
will be dissolved after a new lower house is elected.The court dissolved the
lower house of parliament 2012 June.The constitution was drafted by an
Islamist-dominated assembly in 2012 November and approved by voters in
December.
Nigeria’s Parliament Passed a
Bill Criminalising Gay Marriage
On 2 June Nigeria’s parliament has passed a bill
criminalising gay marriage, making it punishable with a 14-year prison term.The
country’s lower house, House of Representatives, followed the action of the
Senate and endorsed the bill.
UN Finds Evidence Of Toxic
Chemicals and a Worsening War in Syria
On 3 June A United Nation’s (UN) human rights
investigation report ,finds some kind of chemical has probably been used on
Syria’s battlefield.Paulo Pinheiro, chairperson of the UN commission of inquiry
submitted their latest report at the UN in Geneva .
Obesity and Poor Nutrition Report
Released by UN FAO
On 4 June According to the UN’s Food and
Agricultural Organization (FAO) report ,obesity and poor nutrition weigh
heavily on the global economy and told governments that investing in food
health would bring big economic as well as social returns.Lost productivity and
spiralling health care bills linked to malnutrition “could account for as much
as five per cent of global gross domestic product (GDP),” equivalent to US$3.5
trillion (S$4.4 trillion) a year.In its yearly report, the Rome-based agency said
12.5 percent of the world’s population (some 868 million people) are
undernourished in terms of energy intake, while 26 percent of children
worldwide are stunted by malnutrition.Some two billion people suffer from
micronutrient deficiencies and 1.4 billion people are overweight – of which 500
million are obese.
US Slapped Economic Sanction on
Iran
On 4 June The US has slapped new sanctions on Iran
,targetting the country’s already-devalued currency and automobile
industry.This is the ninth set of sanctions that the Obama administration has
imposed against Iran.The executive order also empower the imposition of new
sanctions against those who intentionally engage in major financial or other
transactions for the sale, supply, or transfer to Iran of significant goods or
services used in connection with Iran’s automotive sector. Similar sanctions
were earlier imposed on Iran’s shipping, shipbuilding, and energy sectors.It is
for the first time that the US has directly targeted the Iranian currency.
U.S. and China Hold Bilateral
Talks
On 7 June The U.S. President Barack Obama and China
President Xi Jinping concluded their latest round of high-level trade talks.In
the meeting both countries agreed to inject new vitality to bilateral trade and
economic relations.The US and China will work together and with other countries
to use the expertise and institutions of the Montreal Protocol to phase down
the consumption and production of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), among other forms
of multilateral cooperation.Both nations agreed to work together on the crucial
cyber security issues that have spiraled tensions between the two nations.
Bangladesh Amends Anti-Terror Law
On 12 June Bangladesh’s parliament amended the
tough anti-terrorism law re-defining terrorism and allowing courts to accept
internet.The (anti-terror) bill suggests provisions to effectively control
terrorism through inter-state cooperation.It offers the central bank the
authority to freeze suspicious accounts without court orders.The law was first
enacted in 2009 after the December 2008 elections while it was amended last
year incorporating some provisions.The law was first enacted in 2009 when the
incumbent Awami League assumed office after the December 2008 elections while
it was amended last year incorporating some provisions.
EU Launched New Nuclear Safety
Rules
On 12 June The European Commission released a new
set of nuclear power safety rules aimed at eliminating the risk of a
Fukushima-type disaster in the region.The directive will require countries to
submit to an international review of their nuclear power systems every six
years, and fix any shortcomings discovered.There are 132 nuclear reactors in
operation in Europe.
Hasan Rowhani Elected As Iran’s
New President
On 15 June moderate cleric Hasan Rowhani elected as
Iran’s new President.Rowhani has won the country’s presidential
election.Rowhani won with 50.7 percent of the more than 36 million votes
cast.Other contenders such as Tehran Mayor Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf got 16.5
percent and Hard-line nuclear negotiator Saeed Jalili came in third with 11.3
percent of votes. Another conservative Mohsen Rezaei got 10.6 percent votes.
Kuwait’s Constitutional Court
Dissolved Parliament
On 16 June The Kuwait Constitutional Court has
dissolved the Kuwaiti parliament and ordered new elections.The Constitutional
Court had decided not to make a ruling on the constitutionality of the Emir
Sheik Al-Sabah’s change to the electoral laws after they had examined and
rejected the challenge.
Afghanistan Rejects Talks With
Taliban And U.S
On 19 June Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai
rejected peace talks with the Taliban in a new office in Qatar .Karzai also
suspended talks on a new U.S.-Afghan security deal that would allow some
American troops to remain in the country after the international combat mission
ends in 2014 to protest the fact that his government was being left out of the
initial process.
China – Russia “Cooperation 2013″
Held in Beijing
Chinese Armed Police Force and the Russian internal
security force’s “Cooperation -2013″ Joint training was held from 11th to
20th June in Beijing at Armed Special Police Academy.46 personnel from the Snow
Leopard Commandoes, an elite anti-terrorism force under the Chinese People’s
Armed Police Force (PAPF), and 29 from a special task force unit of Russia’s
domestic security force.Before this joint training held in Beijing, the two
sides previously conducted a joint anti-terrorism drill, “Cooperation 2007,” in
Moscow .
Russia and China Signed $270bn
Oil Deal
On 21 June Russia’s oil giant Rosneft and Chinese
state firm CNPC signed a agreement to supply China with $270bn worth of oil
over the next 25 years.The agreement was signed by Rosneft chief executive Igor
Sechin and CNPC head Zhou Jiping in the presence of Putin and visiting Chinese
Vice Premier Zhang Gaoli.
UK and China Signed Currency Swap
Agreement
On 23 June UK and China have signed a three-year
agreement worth 200bn to establish a renminbi currency swap to promote trade
between the two countries.The agreement was signed by The Bank of England and
the People’s Bank of China.Currency-swap agreements basically allow central
banks to swap currencies which can be used by firms to settle trade in local
currencies rather than in US dollars.
Kevin Rudd Re-elected As
Australian PM
On 26 June Kevin Rudd re-elected as Australian
Prime Minister.In these election Kevin Rudd defeated the present Leader
of the Labor Party and Prime Minister Julia Gillard.Kevin Rudd won 57 and Julia
Gillard got 45 votes.Before three years Julia Gillard became a Prime
Minister of Australia in place Kevin Rudd is the first Woman Prime Minister of
Australia.Now Kevin Michael Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia, as well as
Leader of the Labor Party.He was previously Prime Minister from 2007 to 2010,
and Labor Leader from 2006 to 2010.
Qatar’s Emir Transfers Power To
Son
On 25 June Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa
al-Thani has handed power to his son, Crown Prince Sheikh Tamim.On 26 June
Qatar’s new Emir formed a government from which he excluded powerful former
Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani , replaced him with the
former minister of state for internal affairs.Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin
Khalifa al-Thani was named both the Prime Minister and Interior Minister.Sheikh
Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani is a Qatari politician.In 2005,Nasser
Al-Thani he became the minister of state for internal affairs.
INDIA & WORLD
China, Pakistan, India Increased
Nuclear Arsenals
On 3 June According to the Stockholm International
Peace Research Institute annual report ,China, India, and Pakistan have
increased their nuclear arsenals over the past year.India and Pakistan have
each added around 10 new warheads to bring their totals to between 90 and 110
and between 100 and 120 respectively. China now has 250 nuclear warheads,
compared to 240 in 2012.Only the two old superpowers have cut their arsenals,
with the United States reducing its warheads from 8000 to 7700, and Russia from
10,000 to 8,500.
65 Countries Signed Arms Trade
Treaty
On 3 June More than 65 countries of the world
signed signed the Arms Trade Treaty and the United States announced it will
sign soon. key arms exporters including Russia and China and major importers
including India, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Egypt abstained and have given no
indication yet that they will sign it.The treaty will require countries that
ratify it to establish national regulations to control the transfer of
conventional arms and components and to regulate arms brokers, but it will not
control the domestic use of weapons in any country. It prohibits the transfer
of conventional weapons if they violate arms embargoes or if they promote acts
of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes.
India – Singapore Signed
Agreement On Joint Army Training
On 4 June India and Singapore have signed a fresh
agreement to extend the use of training and exercise facilities in India by the
Singapore Army for a further period of five years from August this year.The
agreement was signed between Defence Secretary Radha Krishna Mathur and his
Singaporean counterpart Chiang Chie Foo.A bilateral agreement for utilisation
of facilities in India by the Singapore Air Force and Army was signed in
October 2007 and August 2008 respectively.
348 Million Internet Users
Expected In India By 2017
On 5 June According to the Cisco’s Visuals
Networking Index (VNI) forecast (2012-17) report , India has the fastest
Internet traffic growth globally and is expected to have 348 million users by
2017.In India, there will be 348 million Internet users in 2017, up from 138
million in 2012.Internet traffic in India will reach 2.5 Exabytes per month in
2017.Worldwide, by 2017, the number of Internet users will rise to 3.6 billion,
which will be more than 48 per cent of the world’s estimated population of 7.6
billion.
US exempted India & Eight
Other Countries for Importing Oil from Iran
On 6 June United States exempted India and eight
other countries from sanctions for importing oil from Iran, noting that these
countries have significantly reduced their dependence on Iranian oil in the
last six months.US Secretary of State John Kerry announced ,India, China,
Malaysia, Republic of Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and
Taiwan have qualified for an exception to sanctions under America’s Iran
Sanctions Act.
India & Germany Signed
Development Cooperation Agreement
On 6 June India and Germany have signed an umbrella
agreement on financial and technical cooperation in the field of energy,
environment and management of natural resources.The agreement was signed by
German Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission Cord Meier-Klodt and India’s Joint
Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs Rajesh Khullar.
India Ranked 141 in Global Peace
Index 2013
On 11 June According to the ” Global Peace Index
(GPI) 2013″ released by Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) , India ranks 141st
out of 162 in this year’s Global Peace Index (GPI).Iceland (First Rank)
,Denamark (2nd rank) , Austria (3rd rank) ,Switzerland (5th rank).Other
important countries ranks in Global Peace Index (GPI) :- Japan (6th rank) ,US
(100th rank) ,China (101 rank) ,Bangladesh (105 rank) , Srilanka (110 rank)
,Iran (137th rank) ,Russia (155th rank) ,Pakistan (157th rank) , Iraq (159th
rank) and Afganistan (162 rank) ranks at bottom.The Global Peace Index (GPI) is
an attempt to measure the relative position of nations and regions
peacefulness.
World Population Projected To
Reach 9.6 Billion By 2050
On 14 According to the United Nations (UN) “World
Population Prospects: the 2012 Revision” report ,The current world population
of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by 1 billion over the next 12 years and
reach 9.6 billion by 2050.India is expected to become the world’s largest
country, passing China around 2028, when both countries will have populations
of 1.45 billion. After that, India’s population will continue to grow and
China’s is expected to start decreasing.
India, UK Signed MoU On
Cooperation In Healthcare Sector
On 14 June India and the United Kingdom have signed
a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for strategic and technical cooperation on
health care policy and practice.The MoU was signed by Department of Health
Research (DHR) Secretary V M Katoch and UK-based National Institute for Health
and Care (NICE) Excellence chief executive Andrew Dillon in London.
33% Of Women Suffer
Domestic Violence
On 20 June According to the World Health
Organization (WHO) survey ,In the first major global review of violence against
women, a series of reports released found that about a third of women have been
physically or sexually assaulted by a former or current partner.The rate of
domestic violence against women was highest in Africa, the Middle East and
Southeast Asia, where 37 percent of women experienced physical or sexual
violence from a partner at some point in their lifetimes. The rate was 30
percent in Latin America and 23 percent in North America. In Europe and Asia,
it was 25 percent.More than 38 percent of slain women are killed by a former or
current partner, six times higher than the rate of men killed by their
partners.
US Senate Passed Landmark
Immigration Bill
On 27 June The U.S. Senate has passe the landmark
comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill ,which provides a pathway to citizenship
to more than 11 million undocumented people, including over 240,000 Indians.The
immigration reform received a bipartisan support in the US Senate; the bill
received 88 votes in favour and 32 votes in against.For further approval, the
Bill has been sent to House of Representatives and after being approved in the
house it will be sent to US President, Barack Obama to be signed into a law.
China – India Hold Border Talks
On 28 June China and India held their 16th round of
border talks in Beijing.State Councilor and Special Representative Yang Jiechi
and Indian National Security Adviser and Special Representative Shiv Shankar
Menon attended the boundary talks, exchanging ideas for solving border problems
and developing bilateral relations.The China-India special representative
mechanism was established in 2003 and serves as an important platform for
solving border disputes between both sides.
NATIONAL
Union Cabinet Approved Real
Estate Regulatory Bill
On 04 June The Union Cabinet approved the
(Regulation and Development) Bill 2013.The bill seeks to make it mandatory for
developers to launch projects only after acquiring all the statutory clearances
from the relevant authorities.The Bill has provisions under which all relevant
clearances for real estate projects would have to be submitted to the regulator
and also displayed on a website before starting the construction.The proposed
legislation has tough provisions to deter builders from putting out misleading
advertisements related to the projects carrying photographs of the actual site.
Union Cabinet Approved Extension
Of The RSBY Scheme
On 4 June Union Cabinet has approved the extension
of the Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), to rikshaw pullers, rag pickers,
mine workers, sanitation workers and auto rickshaw drivers and taxi drivers.The
scheme became operational from 1 April 2008.
“Roshni” Scheme Launched In Naxal
Affected Districts
On 7 June Union Government of India launched a
placement linked skill development scheme ‘Roshni’ targeting 50,000 rural
men and women, mostly tribals, in 24 worst affected districts.Under the scheme,
national-level agencies will be designated to act as monitoring and
coordinating agencies in the Naxal-hit districts.The three-year initiative aims
at skilling and placement of 50,000 youth from 24 Naxalite-affected districts
in nine states.The funding for the ‘Roshni’ scheme would be in the ratio of
75:25 to be shared between the Centre and the states.
National Skill Development Agency
Constituted
On 7 June The Government has constituted the
National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) by subsuming the Prime Minister’s
National Council on Skill Development (PMNCSD), the National Skill Development
Coordination Board (NSDCB) and the Office of the Adviser to the Prime Minister
on Skill Development.The NSDA will endeavour to bridge the social, regional,
gender and economic divide by ensuring that the skilling needs of the
disadvantaged and marginalised groups like SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities.The NSDA
will be an autonomous body chaired by a person of the rank and status of a
Cabinet Minister supported by a Director General and other staff. The office of
the NSDA is located in the Ministry of Finance.
India’s First Dedicated Air
Ambulance Launched
On 8 June India’s first state-of-the art Air
Ambulance, Flying Doctors India, was launched in NewDelhi.The new aircraft is
tailor-made and equipped with a state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit on a
dedicated chartered aircraft. The goal is to provide critical care even when a
patient is in transit.
50 Lakh Child Labours In India
On 12 June According to the National Sample Survey
Organisation (NSSO) report , nearly 50 lakh children are eking out their
livelihood in the country, of whom 17.5 lakh are in Uttarakhand.The
second-largest share of child labourers comes from West Bengal (5.5 lakh),
Rajasthan (4.05 lakh) and Gujarat (3.9 lakh).The NSSO estimated this figures on
the eve of the World Day against Child Labour.
Central Cabinet Reshuffled
On 17 June Eight new ministers were inducted into
Union council of ministers headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.4 Cabinet
ministers and 4 Ministers of State were administered the oath of office and
secrecy by President Pranab Mukherjee in the Durbar Hall of Rashtrapati
Bhavan.Mallikarjun Kharge was given the charge of Railways Ministry.With the
new induction, the strength of the Union Council of Ministers has gone up to
77.
List of Four newly
appointed Cabinet Ministers and their Departments:-
* Sis Ram Ola
- Labour and
Employment Ministry
* Oscar Fernandes -
Road Transport and Highways Ministry
* Girija Vyas
- Housing and Urban
Poverty Alleviation
* Kavuru Sambasiva Rao
- Textiles Ministry
List of Four newly appointed
State Ministers and their departments:-
* Manikrao Gavit -
Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
* Santosh Chowdhury -
Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare
* Jesudasu Seelam -
Minister of State for Finance and
* E.M.S. Natchiappan -
Minister of State for Commerce and Industry
40 Percent Indian Women Use
Internet
On 20 June According to the Google study report
,About 40 percent of the 150 million internet users in the country are women
and close to 24 million of them log in everyday to check emails, interact on
social networking sites and shop online.Around 60 million women in India are
now online and use the Internet to manage their day-to-day life.75 percent are
in the 15-34 age group with over 24 million women accessing the Internet daily.
Union Government Launched New
Scheme For Pregnant Women
On 22 June The Union Minister for Health Ghulam
Nabi Azad launched a new scheme for the pregnant women across the country that
would cover all expenses of women from birth of a baby to treatment of the sick
child. Free medicines will be provided to new-born babies up to the age of one
month while expecting mothers, who deliver baby at government hospital, will
receive assistance as provided under the scheme.
Union Govt Banned Anti-Diabetes
Drug Pioglitazone and Painkiller Analgin
On 26 June The Union government has banned three
major medicines – the widely prescribed anti-diabetes drug pioglitazone,
painkiller analgin and anti-depressant deanxit.The decision to ban the drug was
taken in wake of health risks associated with them.
Union Cabinet Approved For
Setting Up Of Coal Regulatory Authority
On 28 June the Union Cabinet has approved the
setting up of a Coal Regulatory Authority meant to address controversial issues
like supply and quality.The coal authority would be empowered to specify
methodology for determining coal prices.Union Cabinet also approved Mumbai
metro line 3.The estimated cost for the metro project has been pegged at Rs
23,136 crore.
STATES
First All Women Police Station
Opens In Arunachal Pradesh
On 4 June the first all-women police station in
Arunachal Pradesh has started functioning in Itanagar to specifically deal with
crimes against women.To tackle crime against women, the state cabinet has also
approved the creation of separate cells in all the seventeen district
headquarters and the Police headquarters of the state.
Haryana Govt. Launched
“Priyadarshni Awaas Yojna”
On 8 June Haryana Chief Minister Bhupender Singh
Hooda launched “Priyadarshni Awaas Yojna” in the state at Karnal to
provide affordable housing facility to the people living in rural areas.People
eligible under Indira Awaas Yojna and those who get 100 square yard plot under
Mahatma Gandhi Gramin Basti Yojna would also be included in the scheme.
West Bengal Tops Chart For Crime
Against Women
On 14 June According to the National Crime Records
Bureau (NCRB) statistics ,West Bengal is the most unsafe place for women in
India.West Bengal tops the list with 30,942 such cases, followed by Andhra
Pradesh with 28,171 cases, UP 23,569, Rajasthan 21,106, Madhya Pradesh 16,832
and Maharashtra 16,353.
PM announced Rs 1000 crore Relief
Fund For Uttarakhand
On 19 June Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced
Rs 1,000 crore for disaster relief in Uttarakhand .Prime Minister also
announced an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of those
killed in the devastating floods and Rs 50,000 each to those injured from the
Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF). He also announced ex-gratia
assistance of Rs 100,000 each to those whose houses have been completely
destroyed and Rs 50,000 each to those whose houses have been damaged from the
PMNRF.
Maharashtra Govt To Set Up
Education Commissionerates For Tribals
In Month of June 2013 Maharashtra government has
decided setting up separate education commisionerates in order to provide
education to students of the tribal community.The Commissionerates for tribals
will be named by ” Adivasi Shikshan Ayuktalay ” and will first come up in four
divisons of the state and the head office will be in Nashik.
President Inaugurated Gas-based
Power Plant in Tripura
On 21 June The President Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has inaugurated
first Gas based Power Plant at Palatana in Tripura.The Palatana Gas Based Power
Project is the first such Power Company in India to be awarded with the Clean
Development Mechanism by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate
Change .The Rs 9000 crore project set up by ONGC.
Nitish Kumar Won Confidence Vote
In Bihar Assembly
On 19 June Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar won
the confidence vote in the state assembly, with the support of 126 MLAs ,after
parting away with BJP. The trust motion was opposed by 24 MLAs.Four members of
congress and one of CPI voted in favour of the trust motion. Four independent
MLAs also supported the motion. In the 243 member assembly, the ruling party
JD(U) has 118 MLAs and it needed just four MLAs to prove its majority.
PM Lays Foundation Stone For
GVK’s Ratle Hydel Plant In J&K
On 25 June Prime Minister Manmohan Singh laid
foundation stone for GVK Power’s 850 mw Ratle hydro-electric power plant on the
River Chenab in Jammu and Kashmir.The 850 MW Ratle project, which is the
nation’s first hydroelectric project that was bid out through tariff based
international competitive bidding, will cost Rs 5,500 crore.The project was
awarded to GVK Power which offered the lowest tariff for generating power.
Prime Minister Inaugurated
Banihal-Qazigund Rail Link In J&K
On 26 June Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and
UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi inaugurated the newly constructed railway line
between Banihal (Jammu region)-Qazigund (Kashmir valley) section.The Banihal-
Qazigund rail link is the 18 km long rail link, which also includes the 11km
long tunnel across Pir Panchal range. This is the longest tunnel of India and
second longest tunnel of Asia.The tunnel was constructed by making use of the
New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM). It is for the first time that the method
of this kind was used on a large scale in India. The project was implemented by
Hindustan Construction Company.
Rajasthan Launched A Scheme For
Energy Conservation
On 27 June the Rajasthan government launched a
unique scheme called “Mukhyamantri Bijli Bachat Lamp Yojna ” for energy
conservation. The State government will provide 2 CFL bulb free of cost to all
electricity consumers of villages and BPL consumers in urban areas. This unique
scheme will continue till August 2013.The state Government will spent 100 crore
rupees on this scheme.The purpose of this scheme is to save energy and
conservation of environment.
Karnataka Govt Launched Helpline
” Arogyavani “
On 30 June The Karnataka government has launched a
health information help line service ” Arogya Vani ” .The Call Centre has to
provide information on the nearest Government Hospital, before providing a
private-sector alternative.The main objective of this facility is to assist
people living in rural or remote areas who face difficulty in accessing the
service of qualified doctors and to provide information on any health problem.
CONFERENCES
Chief Minister’s Conference on
Internal Security held in New Delhi
Chief minister’s Conference on Internal Security
held in NewDelhi on 5th June 2013.The conference chaired by the Prime Minister
Dr. Manmohan Singh.In his address, the Prime Minister called for effective
coordination between the Centre and the States to face the challenges of
Internal Security.The Prime minister stated that the government has instituted
several measures in 34 Naxal-hit areas to combat the Naxal menace.The key
agenda of the chief ministers’ conference organised by Home Minister P
Chidambaram is the strengthening of anti-terror capabilities and intelligence,
Maoist violence, police reforms and capacity building.
39th G8 Summit Held in North
Ireland
The 39th G8 summit was held on 17 and 18 June 2013
at Lough Erne county, Northern Ireland .The leaders of the G8 countries –
Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the US, the UK ,attended the
summit.In the G8 countries Summit discussed on syria crisis and advancement of
trade, ensuring tax compliance and promoting greater transparency in the use of
natural resources among countries.At the end of the two day summit, the leaders
of G8 nations agreed on the seven point document and released a joint statement
on Syria.The G8 leaders also agreed on providing new fund of nearly 1.5 billion
US dollar to help the people affected by the raging conflict. Future of the
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was not made clear in the released
statement.Russia to hold next G8 Summit in Sochi on 4 – 5 June 2014.The
Group of Eight (G8) is a group made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy,
Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The European
Commission is also represented in the committee.
AWARDS & HONOURS
Sulabh Founder Pathak Received
French Award
On 4 June Environmentalist Bindeshwar Pathak,
founder of the famed Sulabh project that provides basic and affordable toilet
access to India’s poor, has been presented with the “Legend of Planet” award in
Paris.The award was presented to Pathak by the Vice-President of the French
Senate, Chantal Jourdan, at Palais du Luxembourg.
Hugo Chavez Awarded “Simon
Bolivar National Award of Journalism 2013 “
On 5 June The late Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
has been awarded the “”Simon Bolivar National Award of Journalism 2013 “”even
though he was accused of persecuting the press during his 14 years in
power.Chavez family will be given the award on June 27 at a ceremony in
Miraflores Palace, in Caracas.
Kiran Bedi Received ” Nomura
Award “
On 11 June Former IPS officer Kiran Bedi was
honoured with USD 10,000 ‘Nomura Award’ at Singapore for her outstanding
humanitarian works.Bedi was given the award constituted by Nomura Group of
Japan for improving the world for future generations. The group is one of the
leading financial services group.
Bill Clinton Awarded ‘Father of
the Year’
On 11 June Former President of the United States
Bill Clinton was honored as “” 2013 Father of the Year “” award from the
National Father’s Day Committee at a New York City , which benefitted
international NGO Save the Children.
Shabana Azmi Received Fourth
Doctorate
On 12 June National award-winning actress Shabana
Azmi received her fourth doctorate from Simon Fraser University in Vancouver
.Shabana has received doctorates from Leeds University in Britain, the Jamia
Millia Islamia in Delhi and the Jadavpur University in Kolkata, previously.
Delhi’s IGI Airport Get’s World’s
Second Best Airport Award
On 14 June Indira Gandhi International (IGI)
Airport has been named the world’s second best airport in the 25-40 million
passengers category by the Airport Council International. The airport also has
been adjudged as the fourth best in the world among 199 airports across all
categories.IGI has managed to retain its position of second best airport in the
25-40 million passengers per annum category for 2012 year.
Anish Kapoor Honoured With
Knighthood
On 15 June Indian-origin sculptor Anish Kapoor has
been honoured with knighthood, one of the highest honours in Britain, by Queen
Elizabeth II in her birthday honours list 2013 for services to Visual
Arts.Kapoor is famous for his monumental public sculptures and his enigmatic
sculptural forms that have been exhibited all over the world.
Tan Twan Eng Wins The “2013
Walter Scott prize”
On 14 June Malaysian writer author Tan Twan Eng has
won the “2013 Walter Scott prize” for Historical Fiction for his second novel
“The Garden of Evening Mists”.The Walter Scott Prize for the historical fiction
was founded in the year 2010.
Indian Artist Selected For Dubai
Art Prize
On 16 June Bangalore-based artist Anup Mathew
Thomas, whose works featured at the Kochi biennale, is among five winners of
Dubai Abraaj Group Art Prize.The Abraaj Group Art Prize was established in
2008.
Three Biotechnology Scientists
Awarded “2013 World Food Prize “
On 20 June Three biotechnology researchers were
named the winners of the 2013 World Food Prize for their independent,
individual breakthrough achievements in founding, developing, and applying
modern agricultural biotechnology.The three scientist are – Marc Van Montagu of
Belgium, and Mary-Dell Chilton and Robert T. Fraley .The Iowa based award is
often referred to as the “Nobel Prize for agriculture.The World Food Prize was
created in 1987 by the late Nobel Peace Prize winner, Dr. Norman Borlaug, and
is the foremost international award recognizing individuals who have
contributed landmark achievements in increasing the quality, quantity or
availability of food in the world.
Taj Mahal Ranked Third Among Top
Land Marks In The World
On 30 June According to the Trip Advisor’s 2013
Travellers Choice Attractions Awards,Travellers from across the globe have
ranked India’s Taj Mahal among the top three landmarks in the world, a leading
travel website has announced. Taj Mahal was ranked third in the list of Top 25
landmarks.The top two places were taken by Machu Picchu in Peru and Angkor Wat
in Cambodia respectively.
SPORTS & GAMES
Indian Won Six Medals In Slovakia
Junior Table Tennis
On 3 June Indian paddlers annexed four gold
and two silver medals in the Slovak Junior ITTF Open table tennis championship
in Slovakia.In the girls singles Sutirtha Mukherjee won the title.
Dhoni receives ICC ODI
Championship Shield
On 3 June India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni
received the prestigious ICC ODI Championship Shield for finishing as the No. 1
ODI team in the Championship table on the April 1, 2013 cut-off date.
French Open 2013 Tennis Title
Winners
Women’s Singles :- On 8 June Serena Williams from US
won the Women’s Singles title of French Open Tennis tournament. In the final,
she defeated Maria Sharapova .This is Serena’s second French Open title and
16th grand slam. It was the 31-year-old American’s 16th Grand Slam title win.At
31 years, 247 days she is the oldest women in the Open Era to win the French
Open title.
Men’s Singles :- On 9 June Rafael Nadal won his
8th Men’s Singles Tittle of the French Open Tennis Tournament. In the final at
Paris, Nadal defeated Spanish compatriot David Ferrer . With this, he became
the first player to win 8 Singles Titles at the same Grand Slam Tournament. It
was his 12th Grand Slam title overall.
Women’s Doubles :- Russian fourth seeds Ekaterina
Makarova and Elena Vesnina won the French Open women’s doubles title by
defeating top seeds Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci of Italy in the final.It was
a first Grand Slam title for the Russian pair.
Men’s Doubles :- American twins Bob and Mike Bryan
won the Men’s doubles .American twins extended their record by clinching their
14th Grand Slam trophy after defeated Michael Llodra and Nicolas Mahut of
France in the men’s doubles final.
Sebastian Vettel Won Canadian
Grand Prix Title
On 9 June Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel won the
Canadian Grand Prix at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal.Ferrari’s
Fernando Alonso took the second position followed by Lewis Hamilton of
Mercedes, who conquered the third position. This is the third win of the Garman
F1 driver, before the Canadian Grand Prix, Vettel won the Malaysia and Bahrain
Grand Prix of the year.
Srikanth Won Thailand Open
Badminton
On 9 June Indian shuttler Srikanth has won the
Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold Badminton trophy.In the Men’s Singles final
Srikanth defeated Boonsak Ponsana from Thailand.
Indonesia Badminton Tournament
2013 Winner
Men’s Singles :- On 16 June Lee Chong Wei
(Malaysia) won the Indonesia Badminton Tournament Men’s Singles title after
defeated Germany’s Marc Zwiebler in the final.
Women’s Singles :- Li Xuerui of China won the
title.In the women’s singles final Li Xuerui defeated Juliane Schenk from
Germany.
Singapore Open Badminton 2013
Winners
Men’s Singles :- On 23 June Indonesia’s
Tommy Sugiarto has won the Singapore Open badminton championship Men’s singles
title .Sugiarto defeated Boonsak Ponsana of Thailand in the final in Singapore.
Women’s Singles :- China’s Wang Yihan won the
women’s singles title , after defeated Li Xuerui in the final.
India Won ICC Champions Trophy
2013
On 23 June India has won the ICC Champions Trophy
2013 after defeated England at Edgbaston in Birmingham with a five-run
victory.Ravindra Jadeja was declared as the Man of the Match .He was also
awarded with the Golden Ball for grabbing maximum number of wickets in the
series.Sikhar Dhawan was declared as the Man of the Series. This was the second
Champions Trophy title of India.
Koneru Humpy Won FIDE Womens
Grand Prix
On 28 June Koneru Humpy won the FIDE Women’s Grand
Prix chess tournament at Dilijan, Armenia.Koneru Humpy finished her campaign
with a flourish, defeated Mongolia’s Tuvshintugs Batchimeg in the final
.Slovenia’s Anna Muzychuk finished second and Georgia’s Nana Dzagnidze
finished third.
Nico Rosberg Won British Grand
Prix
On 30 June Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg has won the
British Formula One Grand Prix.Red Bull’s Mark Webber got second position and
Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso claim third position.
ECONOMY
India 4th In World Steel
Production
On 5 June According to the World Steel Association
(WSA) data , India’s rank in the world order of steel production remained
unchanged at fourth slot with an output of 77.06 MT (million tonnes) steel
produced in 2012.China gets first ranked in world steel production .China
produced 716.05 MT in 2012.Japan produced (2nd rank) 107.02 MT and US (3rd
rank) 88.07 Mt in 2012.
Dhoni Ranked 16th On Forbes List
Of Highest Paid Athletes
According to the Forbes “List Of Highest Paid
Athletes “Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni,with earnings of $31.5
million, has been ranked at 16th place.Sachin Tendulukar got 51st place.This
list is prepared based on last year annual income.The annual income of MS Dhoni
is $31.5 million.But he earned $3.5 million from matches and remaining
amount from advertisements and other business.Sachin Tendulkar’s annual income
is $22 million . The Golfer Tiger Wood(America) got a 1st place in this list
with annual income of $78.1 million followed by tennis star Roger Federer at
$71.5 million. Kobe Bryant, American professional basketball player, is third
at $61.9 million.
World’s Highest Density Of
Millionaires In Qatar
On 10 June According to the Boston Consulting
Group’s (BCG) 13th Annual Global Wealth Management Report ,Qatar has the
highest density of millionaires in the world, with 14.3 pc of the oil-rich Gulf
nation’s population holding private wealth of $1 mn.The figure shows 143 out of
every 1,000 households in Qatar holding private wealth of at least $1 million,
much higher than the global average.Kuwait ranks third with 11.5%, while
Bahrain (4.9%) and the UAE (4.0%) rank seventh and ninth, respectively.
World Bank Expected India To Grow
5.7% In FY 13
On 13 June According to the World Bank “”Global
Economic Prospects (GEP) “” report ,Growth in India is projected to rise to 5.7
percent in the 2013 fiscal year and firm to 6.5 percent and 6.7 percent in
FY2014 and FY2015, respectively.Global GDP is expected to expand about 2.2
percent this year and strengthen to 3.0 percent and 3.3 percent in 2014 and
2015.
2011-12 Poverty and Household
Consumer Expenditure Indicators Released
On 20 June The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO)
in its 68th round survey has released the poverty and key indicators of
household consumer expenditure in India, generated from the data collected
during July 2011–June 2012 .The National Sample Survey Office’s (NSSO) 68th
round of survey is based on samples consisting of 7,496 villages in rural India
and 5,263 urban blocks except some remote areas.
Highlights of the Poverty
and Household Consumer Expenditure Indicators Data Report :-
* 5 per cent population on the bottom rung
had an average monthly per capita expenditure (MCPE) of Rs 521.44 in rural
areas and Rs 700.50 in urban areas.
* Poorest of poor in the country survive on barely
Rs 17 per day in villages and Rs 23 a day in cities.
* On the other end of the spectrum, top five per
cent of the population had an MPCE of Rs 4,481 in rural areas and Rs 10,282 in
urban areas.
* On an average on the all-India basis, MPCE was
around Rs 1,430 for rural India and about Rs 2,630 for urban India.
* For the average rural Indian, food accounted for
52.9 per cent of the value of consumption during 2011-12.Among non-food item
categories, fuel and light for household purposes (excluding transportation)
accounted for 8 per cent, clothing and footwear 7 per cent, medical expenses
6.7 per cent, education 3.5 per cent, conveyance 4.2 per cent, other consumer
services (excluding conveyance) 4 per cent, and consumer durables 4.5 per cent.
* For the average urban Indian, 42.6 per cent of
the value of household consumption was accounted for food, including 9 per cent
by beverages, refreshments and processed food, 7 per cent by milk and milk
products, and 6.7 per cent by cereals and cereal substitutes.Education
accounted for 6.9 per cent, fuel and light 6.7 per cent, conveyance 6.5 per
cent, and clothing and footwear 6.4 per cent.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
Lightest Alien Planet Outside
Solar System
On 3 June European scientists have discovered a new
alien planet orbiting a young star about 300 light years from Earth.The
exoplanet, ” HD 95086 b “, was observed directly by the European Southern
Observatory’s (ESO) Very Large Telescope in Chile.Nearly 1,000 exoplanets have
been detected indirectly through various means such as radical velocity and
transmit method.Of the 12 exoplanets ,the newly discovered HD 95086 b is
the least massive planet to have been directly observed outside the solar
system .HD 95086 b orbiting its parent star, HD 95086, is estimated to have a
mass of four to five times that of Jupiter.
Japan Unveiled 500 kmph Bullet
Train
On 5 June Japan has unveiled its new levitating
bullet train, designed to travel at speeds of upto 500 kmph.The track is being
extended to 43 kilometres to enable full-fledged test runs.Commercial runs of
the maglev train are scheduled to start between Tokyo and Nagoya in 2027.The
train magnetic levitation (maglev) as opposed to conventional wheels.The train
will travel at speeds of up to 500 kilometres per hour and will link the 2
cities in 40 minutes.
Researchers Leads To Discovery To
Create Early Warning System For Tsunamis
On 7 June Researchers from Stanford University
have identified key acoustic characteristics of the 2011 Japan earthquake
that indicated it would cause a large tsunami.In 2011, a magnitude 9.0 undersea
earthquake occurred 43 miles off the shore of Japan. The earthquake generated
an unexpectedly massive tsunami that washed over eastern Japan roughly 30
minutes later.Now, computer simulations by Stanford scientists reveal that
sound waves in the ocean produced by the earthquake probably reached land tens
of minutes before the tsunami. If correctly interpreted, they could have
offered a warning that a large tsunami was on the way.
China Successfully Launches Fifth
Manned Space Mission
On 11 June China successfully launched its fifth
and longest manned space mission with three astronauts, including a woman, on
board ‘Shenzhou-10′ as part of the Communist giant’s efforts to build a
permanent space lab of its own by 2020. Shenzhou-10 (Divine Craft) spaceship
carried the three astronauts blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch
Centre in Gansu province for a 15-day-long mission during which it would dock
with Tiangong-1 space lab orbiting round the Earth and conduct a host of
experiments.Now China’s fifth manned mission and would last a fortnight
compared to last year’s 13 days.Wang Yaping the second Chinese woman to go into
space after Liu Yang last year.
India and US Launched Space Solar
Power Initiative
In the month of June India and a top US
science body have forged an international organisation to develop space solar
power ,an initiative that has the potential of solving humanity’s energy needs
and greatly mitigating climate change.In his Address to the 2013 National Space
Society’s International Space Development Conference (ISDC 2013) Mark Hopkins
asserted to include specific mechanisms such as the Global Space Knowledge
Platform, the International Virtual Laboratory, and the International Advisory
Committee that Abdul Kalam has elaborated through discussion papers.
New Human Cornea Layer Discovered
On 12 June Indian researcher Harminder Dua,
Professor of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Nottingham University,
has found a previously undetected layer in the cornea , the clear window at the
front of the human eye – and named Dua’s layer.Scientists previously believed
the cornea to be composed of five layers, from front to back, the corneal
epithelium, Bowman’s layer, the corneal stroma, Descemet’s membrane and the
corneal endothelium.The new layer that has been discovered is located at the
back of the cornea between the corneal stroma and Descemet’s membrane.Although
it is just 15 microns thick – the entire cornea is around 550 microns thick .
Andaman Tsunami Warning System
Can Alert In 3 Minutes
On 12 June The Early Tsunami Warning System
installed at Rangachang in Andaman and Nicobar Islands can predict a tsunami
immediately after an earthquake.The system can predict tsunami within 3 minutes
after the occurrence of the initial tremors and send alerts.Following the
alerts sent from the Tsunami Warning System, the tsunami alerts can be issued
to the risk zones via Centre in consultation with Indian National Centre for
Ocean Information Services, INCOIS at Hyderabad.
IAF Gets “C-17 Globemaster-III ”
Airlifters
On 12 June The Indian Air Force (IAF) inducted the
first of the 10 “”C-17 Globemaster-III “” heavy airlifters it has purchased
from the US, and then order six more.Now the Indian Air Force on this milestone
as India joins the worldwide community of C-17 operators.Boeing is on track to
deliver four more C-17s to the IAF this year and five in 2014.India signed an
agreement with the U.S. in 2011, to acquire 10 C-17 airlifters, making India
the largest C-17 customer outside the U.S.
China Super Computer “Tianhe-2″
Named World’s Fastest Computer
On 17 June China’s National University of Defense
Technology developed world’s fastest supercomputer “Tianhe-2″. The Tianhe-2 has
a peak performance speed of 54.9 quadrillion operations per second.”Tianhe-2″
means Milky Way-2.This Chinese supercomputer Tianhe-2 and it replaced US
machine called Titan, which was earlier said to be the fastest computer of the
world.
World Bank Released ‘Global
Warming In India ‘ Report
On 19 June According to the World Bank new report
prepared by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate
Analytics, the report warns that global warming could lead to more extreme
droughts across large parts of India,over the next few decades.The impact of a
possible global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius in the next few decades
threatened to trap millions of people in poverty.Depicting life in a
not-too-distant future shaped by already present warming trends, the new report
warns that by the 2040s, India will see a significant reduction in crop yields
because of extreme heat.The warming will impact significant reduction in crop
yields and some 63 million people may no longer be able to meet their caloric
demand.
Scientists Discovered New
Language In Australia
On 19 June Scientists have discovered a new
language in northern Australia which contains rare grammatical innovations and
a unique combination of elements from other languages.The language, now known
as Light Warlpiri, is spoken by approximately 300 people in a remote desert
community about 644 kilometres from Katherine, a town located in Australia’s
Northern Territory.
Japan To Send Kirobo The Talking
Robot Into Space
Japan announced a humanoid robot named ” Kirobo
“will be used in the world’s first communication experiments between a human
and a robot in space.The pint-sized robot developed by Toyota Motor Corp ,the
University of Tokyo and venture firm Robo Garage.Just 13 inches tall and
weighing 2.2 pounds, Kirobo will launch aboard an H-IIB rocket in August from
the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture and head for the
International Space Station.
NASA Launched ” IRIS ” Spacecraft
To Study Sun’s Atmosphere
On 27 June NASA has launched ” Interface Region
Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS) ” spacecraft from Vandenberg Air Force Base,
California.The mission to study the solar atmosphere was placed in orbit by an
Orbital Sciences Corporation Pegasus XL rocket.The Pegasus XL carrying IRIS was
deployed from an Orbital L-1011 carrier aircraft over the Pacific Ocean at an
altitude of 39,000 feet, off the central coast of California about 100 miles
northwest of Vandenberg. The rocket placed IRIS into a sun-synchronous polar
orbit that will allow it to make almost continuous solar observations during
its two-year mission.
‘INS Trikand’ Commissioned Into
Indian Navy
On 30 June INS Trikand, the last of the three
Follow on Talwar Class frigates built in the Russian Federation, was
commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29th June at Kaliningrad, Russia by Vice
Admiral R. K. Dhowan, the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy.The
commissioning of INS Trikand marks the culmination of a three ship contract for
Follow on Talwar Class ships built in Russia. Her sister ships INS Teg and INS
Tarkash were commissioned in 2012.INS Trikand carries a state-of-the-art combat
suite which includes the supersonic BRAHMOS missile system, advanced Surface to
Air missiles Shtil, upgraded A190 medium range gun, Electro-optical 30 mm
Close-in Weapon System, Anti-Submarine weapons such as torpedoes and rockets
and an advanced Electronic Warfare system.
PERSONS IN NEWS
A) APPOINTMENTS
Justice Kaul Sworn in as Punjab
and Haryana High Court Chief
On 1st June Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia
administered the oath of office to Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul as the Chief
Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court at Haryana Raj Bhavan.Justice
Kaul, 54, earlier served as the senior most judge of the Delhi High Court and
was the acting Chief Justice there in September last year.the strength of
judges of Punjab and Haryana High Court has reached 41 as against the
sanctioned strength of 68 judges. Shortage of judges leads to pendency in the
cases and the ideal strength should be between 50 to 55.
Jagmohan Dalmiya is new Interim
President of BCC
On 1 June Cricket Association of Bengal president
Jagmohan Dalmiya , a former president of the BCCI and ICC, has been appointed
as the new interim president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI).BCCI chief N. Srinivasan agreed to step aside, with Cricket Association
of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya took over as the board’s interim
president.
Narayana Murthy Re-elected as
Executive Chairman in Infosys
On 1 June NR Narayana Murthy has been re-elected as
Executive Executive Chairman of the Board in Infosys.He would serve as board
chairman for 5 years.Narayan Murthy was appointed as the chairman for the
second time.Murthy, who founded Infosys in 1981, had stepped down from the
Board and became Chairman Emeritus in 2011. He has served as company’s CEO from
1981 to 2002.
Indian-Origin Diplomat is New
Australian Envoy to Israel
On 2 June 2013 Indian – origin diplomat appointed
Devanand Sharma appointed as a Australian envoy to Israel.Devanand Sharma has
made history by becoming the country’s youngest Ambassador after he was
appointed Canberra’s envoy to Israel.He got Medicine degree from Sydney
University.Mr Sharma’s prior international service includes postings as
Counsellor at the Australian Embassy in Washington.
Nawaz Sharif Sworn in as
Pakistan’s PM
On 5 June Nawaz Sharif has been sworn-in for a
record third term as Pakistan`s Prime Minister, after he was elected with 244
votes in the 342-seat Parliament.He was sworn-in by the President Asif Ali
Zardari at a function in an ornate hall at the Presidency.Sharif has served as
the Pakistani Premier during 1990-1993 and 1997-1999 but was ousted from office
before he could complete his term, once on corruption charges and later because
of a military coup led by Pervez Musharraf.
Virginius Xaxa is new National
Advisory Council Member
On 6 June Union government has reconstituted the
National Advisory Council by including prominent sociologist Virginius Xaxa into
the 12-member panel chaired by Sonia Gandhi.Virginius Xaxa was inducted with
the exit of Aruna Roy from the panel.Virginius Xaxa is a Professor at the Tata
Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati and has worked extensively on tribal
communities of the country.The NAC comprises distinguished professionals drawn
from diverse fields of development activity who serve in their individual
capacities.
TCA Raghavan is India’s new High
Commissioner To Pakistan
On 6 June TCA Raghavan has been appointed as the
new High Commissioner to Pakistan.A 1982-batch IFS officer, Raghavan is
currently serving as India’s high commissioner to Singapore.Raghavan will
replace Sharat Sabharwal, who was on an extension after he retired last year.
K R Kamath Re-elected as IBA
chairman
On 6 June Punjab National Bank’s (PNB) Chairman and
Managing Director K. R. Kamath was re-elected as Chairman of Indian
Banks’ Association (IBA) for 2013-14 tenure.Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) was
formed on 26 September 1946.It is an association of Indian banks and financial
institutions. It is based in Mumbai.
Justice Usha Mehra Becomes Full
Time Member Of Law Commission
On 13 June Justice Usha Mehra, retired Judge of the
High Court of Delhi, has been appointed as full-time Member of the 20th Law
Commission of India.Bijai Narain Mani, eminent law author, and Gurjeet Singh,
Director General of the National Law School and Judicial Academy Assam, were
appointed part-time members of the panel.The panel, which advices government on
complex legal issues, is headed by Justice D K Jain, former judge of the
Supreme Court.
S K Roy Appointed New Chairman of
LIC
S K Roy has been appointed as the Chairman of Life
Insurance Corporation of India (LIC).Roy succeed D.K. Mehrotra, and get a
five-year term as chairman.On May 31, 2013, he assumed charge as Managing
Director of LIC along with Thomas Mathew and Sarkar.Roy joined the largest insurance
company in the country in 1981.
John Ashe Elected UN General
Assembly President
On 15 June John Ashe, the ambassador to the United
Nations for Antigua and Barbuda has been elected President of the United
Nations General Assembly.He selected as the President of UN General Assembly
for its 68th session.
Ratan Tata is new Chief Advisor
of AirAsia India Board
On 16 June Ratan Tata has been appointed as the
chief Advisor to the board of AirAsia Indian, the joint venture between the
Tata Group and Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia.AirAsia has also named Mittu
Chandilya as the CEO of its Indian venture.
Manmohan Singh Takes Oath as
Rajya Sabha Member
On 17 June Prime Minister Manmohan Singh took oath
as member of Rajya Sabha.Manmohan Singh was re-elected a member of Rajya Sabha
from Assam for the fifth consecutive term on 30 May 2013.Another Congress
member from Assam Santius Kujur also took oath as member of Rajya Sabha.
Indian Named Editor Of “The
Independent”
On 17 June Indian-origin journalist Amol Rajan was
named the editor of The Independent,becoming the first non-white editorial head
of a UK national paper. Amol Rajan will replace Chris Blackhurst, becoming
Fleet Street’s first non-white newspaper editor.
S Ramadorai is AirAsia India new
Chairman
On 17 June Subramanian Ramadorai, former head of
the Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), has been appointed as the Chairman of
AirAsia India.Subramanian Ramadorai, holds the rank of cabinet minister in the
Government of India.
Indian-American Sri Srinivasan
Sworn In As Top US Court Judge
On 18 June Indian-American legal luminary Sri
Srinivasan was sworn in as a judge in the US Court of Appeals for the DC
Circuit, the second most powerful court in the United States after the Supreme
Court.Srinivasan from Chandigarh has become the first Indian American judge in
the second most powerful court of the country.
Krishna Chaudhary is new NDRF
chief
On 25 June Senior IPS officer Krishna Chaudhary has
been appointed as Director General, National Disaster Response Force and Civil
Defence.His appointment will take effect from the date he assumes charge of the
post and until his superannuation on June 30, 2017.
Kevin Rudd Sworns As Australian
PM For Second Time
On 27 June Kevin Rudd was sworn in as Australia’s
prime minister for second time ,replaced Julia Gillard who was removed in a
Labor Party caucus vote.He was sworn in at Government House in Canberra by
Governor General Quentin Bryce.Now Kevin Michael Rudd is the 28th Prime
Minister of Australia, as well as Leader of the Labor Party.
Justice P Sadasivam Appointed As
New Chief Justice Of India
On 29 June P. Sathasivam was appointed as the 40th
Chief Justice of India . He will take over the charge on completion of the
tenure of present incumbent Altamas Kabir which will end on July 18, 2013.As
the 40th CJI, Sathasivam will serve the nation till his 26 April
2014.Sathasivam joined as a permanent judge of the Madras high court in January
1996 after which he was transferred to the Punjab and Haryana high court in
April 2007.He was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on August 21, 2007.
B)RESIGNS
Rajiv Shukla Resigned as IPL
chairman
On 1st June 2013,Rajiv Shukla has resigned as the
Chairman of the Indian Premiere League.He has decided to quit in the wake of
recent controversies in the IPL Spot Fixing Scandal.
Union MinistersAjay Maken and CP
Joshi Resigned
On 15 June Union Housing and Urban Poverty
Alleviation minister Ajay Maken ,Surface Transport and Highways Minister as
well as Railway Minister CP Joshi, resigned from their offices.Their
resignation was accepted by the President Pranab Mukherjee.
Czech Republic Prime Minister
Petr Necas Resigned
On 17 June Czech Republic prime minister Petr Necas
has resigned ,after a fraud and spying scandal involving his closest aide,
pitching the European Union member state into a period of uncertainty.Petr
Necas is a former Prime Minister of the Czech Republic and leader of the Civic
Democratic Party. He was sworn into office in 2010.
Palestinian Prime Minister Rami
Hamdallah Resigned
On 23 June Palestinian Prime Minister Rami
Hamdallah announced his resignation ,following a dispute between the prime
minister and his two deputies, Mohammed Mustafa and Ziad Abu Amru, who also
serve as senior advisors to President Abbas.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
accepted the resignation of newly appointed Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah.Prime
Minister Rami Hamdallah takes charges on 2 June and he had served only 20 days.
C)DEATHS
British Comic Author Tom Sharpe
Died
On 6 June British comic novelist Tom Sharpe has
died in the coastal town of Llafranc in north-eastern Spain.His first two books
were satires about South Africa’s apartheid regime.Sharpe travelled to South
Africa in 1951 after leaving Cambridge, to work as a teacher and photographer.
Sharpe’s other books include “Riotous Assembly, “Indecent Exposure” and
“Porterhouse Blue,” all written in the 1970s.
World’s ‘Oldest Person Luo
Meizhen Died
World’s oldest person Luo Meizhen from China has
died on 11 June.Meizhen was born in 1885 and was 127 years old.But the Guinness
Book of World Records never recognized her claim.
Former Union Minister VC Shukla
Died
VC Shukla, a former Union minister and Congress
veteran from Chhattisgarh, died on 11 June in Gurgaon.Shukla was injured in
2013 May Chhattisgarh Maoist attack.He was elected to the Lok Sabha nine
times.He first became a minister in 1966, when he was 37 years old, in Prime
Minister Indira Gandhi’s cabinet.He held many important portfolios in his long
career span which includes Communications, Home, Defence, Finance, Planning,
Information & Broadcasting, Civil Supplies, External Affairs, Parliamentary
Affairs and Water Resources.
World’s Oldest Person Jiroemon
Kimura Died
On 12 June The world’s oldest person Jiroemon
Kimura has died in Japan.116-year-old Jiroemon Kimura was born on 19 April
1897.He became the world’s oldest person on December 17, 2012, following the
death of 115-year-old Dina Manfredini, who lived in the US state of Iowa.
Veteran Communist Leader Satyapal
Dang Died
On 15 June Veteran Veteran communist party leader
Satyapal Dang died in Amritsar.Satya Pal Dang was Born in 1920 in Gujranwala in
Pakistan and had married to Vimla, another CPI leader, in 1952. Vimla died in
2009.Dang had contested his first Vidhan Sabha election in 1966-67 from
Amritsar west constituency.He was elected four times to Punjab assembly from
Amritsar.Satypal Dang was awarded Padma Shri in 1998 for his contribution to
the social sphere, as he, along with Vimla, had fought many relentless battles
for the cause of the downtrodden.However, Satyapal Dang had returned the Padma
Bhushan and demanded abolition of all such awards contending a person’s
contribution to society is judged by his deeds and not by honours.
Former Union Minister Bhavna
Chikhalia Died
Former Union minister of state and the first woman
to get elected to the Lower House (Lok Sabha) from Gujarat for four consecutive
terms, Bhavna Chikhalia died on 28 June.She was union minister of state for
tourism, culture and parliamentary affairs from 1998-2003 in the NDA government
headed by Atal Behari Vajpayee. She was also the chairperson of the Railway
Convention Committee from 1999-02.Bhavnaben Chikhalia first got elected to the
Lok Sabha from 1991, before registering victories again in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
D)VISITORS
Union External Affairs Minister
Salman Khurshid Visited Iraq
Salman Khurshid, the Union External Affairs
Minister visited Iraq from 19 to 20 June 2013.During the visit Khurshid met
with the Prime Minister of Iraq Nouri al-Maliki and the two nations discussed
issues of bilateral and mutual interests including import of oil for energy
security along with the avenues of partnership.This is the first visit of any
Minister from Indian Union to Iraq after 23 years in the war-raved
country.Former Prime Minister of India, Inder Kumar Gujral visited Iraq in 1990
during his tenure as an External Affairs Minister of Indian Union.
U.S. Secretary Of State John
Kerry Visited India
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited India
from 23 – 25 June 2013.During the visit Kerry co-chaired the fourth India-US
Strategic Dialogue with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and discussed
on bilateral trade, defence and security cooperation besides energy and higher
education ,including India’s relations with Pakistan.On 24 June Kerry also met
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi.Both have discussed issues of mutual
interest.This is Kerry’s first visit in India after his appointment as the US
Secretary of State.
E)MISCELLANEOUS
Raghav Joneja Becomes Youngest Indian
To Climb Mt Everest
Raghav Joneja youngest Indian to climbed the Mount
Everest .He is one of the member in Laren’s school youngest team of
mountaineers in the world.Climbing at the age of 15 years and seven months
Raghav Joneja broke the record set by Nameirakpam Chingkheinganba of
Manipur’s, who climed the everest at the age 16 years seven months and 11
days.Lawrence School in Kasuali became the first school in the world to send a
team to the highest peak .
China Woman Astronaut Astronaut
Delivers First Space Lecture
On 20 June China’s second woman astronaut Wang
Yaping, who is currently orbiting the earth in an experimental space lab, has
become the country’s first space teacher as she delivered a lecture to over 60
million Chinese students about various aspects life in space.In a 45 minutes
lecture, Wang, an air force pilot assisted by her two male colleagues
demonstrated weightlessness and how it affects the Newton laws of gravity.
Ancient Chinese Documents On
Tibet Won UNESCO Recognition
On 21 June Historical Chinese documents describing
Tibet during China’s Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) and showing the ancient financial
and messaging service of the period, have won a major UNESCO recognition.The
documents showing how finances and messages were exchanged between overseas
Chinese and their domestic relatives in that era, were stored and recommended
for the UNESCO honour by the archives bureaus of Guangdong and Fujian
provinces, from which the first batch of overseas Chinese originated.
Italy’s Ex-Prime Minister
Berlusconi Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison
On 24 June Italy’s Ex-Prime Minister Former Italian
Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was sentenced to seven years in prison and
banned from public office for corruption and underage prostitution case.
Two Year Old Boy Becomes Youngest
Ever To Join Mensa
On 27 June A two-year-old boy Adam Kirby in UK has
become the youngest ever member of the genius club Mensa, after he scored an
incredible 141 on an IQ test.Adam Kirby scored 141 in the IQ test that reportedly
ranked him smarter than US President Barack Obama and British Premier David
Cameron.Adam Kirby was invited to join the elite group after demonstrating his
ability to read Shakespeare and understand Japanese, Spanish and French.
PLACES IN NEWS
Bangkok Ranked World’s Top Travel
Spot
On 2 June According to a ranking by the MasterCard
Index of Global Destination Cities study report ,Bangkok is this year’s number
one city for air travel.While London reached the top spot in 2012.Now Bangkok
becoming the first Asian city to earn the distinction.Visits to Bangkok were
expected to grow by 9.8 percent this year.If all of the top 10 cities
maintained their current growth rates, the index predicted that by 2016 Bangkok
and London would be followed by Istanbul in the No. 3 spot, with Paris at No. 4
and Dubai at No.5, with Singapore and New York behind them.The ranking was
based on a city’s expected international air travel arrivals and the amount of
money spent in the city by those arrivals.
Dubai Inaugurated World’s Tallest
‘Twisted’ Tower
On 13 June Dubai has inaugurated the world’s
tallest twisted tower named “”Cayan”" Tower built at a cost of 272
million US dollar, setting a yet another record for skyscrapers and other
engineering marvels. Earlier it was named the Infinity Tower.The tower was
inaugurated in Dubai Marina.The 310-metre (1,017-foot), 75-storey residential
“”Cayan”" Tower is twisted at 90 degrees from top to bottom.The developer
of this tower is Cayan Real Estate Investment and Development Company.
World’s Longest and Widest Cable
Bridge Inaugurated In China
On 18 June The world’s longest and widest
multi-pylon cable-stayed bridge named “Jiaxing-Shaoxing Sea Bridge” with a span
of 10km has opened in China after seven years of construction work.The
Jiaxing-Shaoxing Sea Bridge stretches 6.2miles (10 kilometres) over the
Hangzhou Bay, in Shaoxing, China.It is mainly supported by two cable-towers,
both of which reach 745ft in the air, and has a main body stretching 2,560ft
wide.The high speed bridge is designed for vehicles travelling exclusively
above 60mph and pedestrians, motorbikes and cars with a maximum speed below
45mph are not allowed to cross.
Earth Quake Hits Northern Italy
On 21 June 2013 a magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck
Italy,causing some minor damage in Casola in Liguana. The tremors were felt across
central and northern Italy. According to the national geophysics institute,the
epicenter of earthquake was between the towns of Massa and Lucca in Tuscany and
La Spezia in the Liguria region.
UNESCO Declared Six Rajasthan
Forts World Heritage Sites
On 22 June Six hill forts in Rajasthan have been
selected to be included in the Unesco’s World Heritage List. The hill forts are
Amber, Chittorgarh, Gangron, Jaisalmer, Kumbhalgarh and Ranthambore.
Thousand’s Of People Are Died In
Uttarakhand Floods
In the month of June 2013 the North Indian states
of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, some regions of Western Nepal and their
adjoining areas experienced heavy rainfall that triggered devastating floods
and landslides.More than thousand’s of people are died in Uttarakhand
state floods and landslides.This year’s early monsoon rains in the Uttarakhand
region are believed to be the heaviest in 80 years.Damage to bridges and roads
left over 70,000 pilgrims and tourists trapped in various places of whom, many
were rescued.
ABBREVIATIONS
BCCI ——– Board of Control for
Cricket in India
UNDP ——- United Nations Development
Programme
RSBY ——- Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna
FIFA – ——- Federation Internationale de
Football Association
WSA ——- World Steel Association
FCI ——— Food Corporation of India
APEC ——— – Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation
FICCI ————– Federation of India Chambers of
Commerce and Industry
BOOKS IN NEWS
” Dard-E-Dil Likhun Kab Tak ”
Book Released by Vice President of India
“On 6 June The Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari
released a book entitled “Dard-e-Dil Likhun Kab Tak” (in Urdu and Hindi)
authored by Rukhsar Amrohvi. The book is a compilation of poems composed by
poetess Rukhsar Amrohvi and some rare pictures of the historic moments of
Indian Cinema. This book is a valuable addition to the Urdu Literature.
” Ambedkar Speaks ” Book Released
On 20 June M Hamid Ansari, vice president of India
released a book titled ” Ambedkar Speaks ” in New Delhi.The book was authored
by by Dr. Narendra Jadhav.The book has been published by Konark
Publishers.”Ambedkar Speaks” is the first ever attempt at a systematic study of
Dr Ambedkar’s 537 speeches.The series is available in four languages – Marathi,
English, Hindi and Gujarati. The first series was first launched in Marathi.
” 1857-1947: Forgotten Heroes and
Martyrs of India’s Freedom Movement ” Book Released
On 24 June The book titled, “1857-1947: Forgotten
Heroes and Martyrs of India’s Freedom Movement”, is written by journalist Shivnath
Jha was launched on 24 June 2013 in Mumbai by former Bombay High Court chief
justice C S Dharmadhikari.The book will act as a campaign to highlight the
miserable conditions of descendants and families of freedom fighters as well as
an attempt to bring about a change.
“Distressing Encounters – Real
Life Stories ” Book Released
On 30 June Indian Ambassador to the UAE M. K.
Lokesh released a book titled Distressing Encounters – Real Life Stories from a
Reporter’s Diary by Dubai-based Indian journalist V. M. Sathish.The book
narrates real-life stories of distressed and marginalised expatriates from
different countries and cultures and the role played by the media, especially
the English media, in extending a helping hand to such people.
COMMITTEES
Anil Swarup Committee Set Up To
Re-start Stalled Projects
On 7 June Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram
announced a committee has been appointed to identify and help re-start as many
as 215 large projects worth over Rs 7 lakh crore which have been stalled for
years and assured that each of these projects will be off the ground at the
earliest.A committee headed by Anil Swarup.
Chandrashekhar Committee To Frame
Rules For Foreign Investors
The Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board
of India (Sebi) Committee under the chairmanship of Cabinet secretary KM
Chandrashekhar,submitted its report on 12 June.The committee has recommended
doing away with prior direct registration of foreign institutional investors
(FIIs) and sub accounts with Sebi. It also recommended merging FIIs, sub accounts
and qualified foreign investors (QFIs) into a new investor class to be called
the foreign portfolio investor.
Arvind Mayaram Committee
Recommends Rise In FDI Limit In Various Sectors
On 23 June The Union Government constituted a
committee to clearly define the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and Foreign
Institutional Investment (FII). The report of this committee was submitted to
the Ministry of Finance (FinMin) . The committee that was headed by the Arvind
Mayaram recommended raising the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) limit to 49
percent from 26 percent at present in almost all sectors through automatic
route.
IMPORTANT DAYS AND DATES
International Olympic Day
Celebrated Across the World on 23 June 2013
On 23 June International Olympic Day was celebrated across the world . The day is celebrated for promotion of participation of people in the sports all across the world, irrespective of athletic, gender or age ability.
On 23 June International Olympic Day was celebrated across the world . The day is celebrated for promotion of participation of people in the sports all across the world, irrespective of athletic, gender or age ability.
The International Day against Drug Abuse and
Illicit Trafficking Observed
On 26 June The United Nations General Assembly
declared 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit
Trafficking in the year 1987. The objective of observing this day is to
strengthen the action as well as cooperation in order to achieve the aim of a
society free of drug abuse.The General Assembly however found out that inspite
of increasing efforts by the international community to curb this menace, the
world problem of drug abuse increased. Drug abuse poses serious threat to
safety as well as well being of humanity as well as to the public health.
Eventually, the Commission and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC) was directed to continue its work towards international drug control.
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