Categories

International Current Affairs
International Current Affairs June 4th Week 2016
Category : International Current Affairs
posted Date :
Total No.of views :
Total No.of Comments :
Rating: 
0 / 5 (0 votes)
  1) Dedication of the Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna, renovated by India, to the people of Sri Lanka.

 

  • The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi and the President of Sri Lanka, Mr. Maithripala Sirisena, jointly dedicate to the people of Sri Lanka, the newly renovated Duraiappah Stadium in Jaffna.
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi joined the event through video-conferencing from New Delhi with President Sirisena present at the stadium in Jaffna.
  • The Duraiappah Stadium, named in honour of a former Mayor of Jaffna, the late Alfred Thambirajah Duraiappah, has been renovated by the Government of India at a cost of over Rs. 7 crore.
  • The renovated stadium has a seating capacity of 1850. It will provide the necessary infrastructure to promote sports and recreational activities, and assist the overall development of the youth of the Northern Province in Sri Lanka.
 

2) India, South Korea launch Korea Plus platform to promote investments.

 

  • India and South Korea launched a platform to promote and facilitate investments in India.
  • The platform `Korea Plus` was launched by Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her South Korean counterpart Joo Hyunghwan in New Delhi.
  • Korea Plus covers the entire investment spectrum including supporting Korean enterprises entering the Indian market for the first time, looking into issues faced by Korean companies doing business in India and policy advocacy to the Indian Government on their behalf.
  • Korea Plus will act as a mediator in arranging meetings, assisting in public relations and research/ evaluation and provide information and counselling in regard to Korean companies’ investing in India.
 
3) Dow Chemical first foreign company to get Saudi Arabia trading license.
  • Dow Chemical Co (DOW.N) became the first foreign company to receive a trading license from Saudi Arabia as the kingdom plans to diversify its economy and free its dependence on oil exports amid a slump in global oil prices.
  • Saudi Arabia`s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman held a meetings with U.S. lawmakers as part of a visit aimed at restoring frayed ties with Washington and promoting plan to wean the kingdom away from oil revenue.
  • The trading license will give the company 100% ownership in the country`s trading sector, as per the government`s new reform plan.
 
4) Iran reaches deal to purchase 100 Boeing planes.
  • Iran has reached an agreement with American aerospace giant Boeing to purchase 100 aircraft to renew its ageing fleet, though the deal must still be approved by the US government.
  • Head of civil aviation authority, Ali Abedzadeh Announced that country has 250 planes out of which 230 needs to be replaced.
 
5) Canada`s parliament passes assisted suicide bill.
  • Canada`s parliament has passed a contentious bill to allow medically-assisted death for terminally ill people.
  • The law was put forward after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on doctors helping the incurably sick to die.
  • Assisted suicide is currently legal in just a few countries, including Switzerland, the Netherlands, Albania, Colombia and Japan.
 
6) Foreign Secretary Jaishankar visits China.
  • Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar made an unannounced visit to Beijing on June 16-17 to enlist support for India’s bid for membership of the Nuclear Suppliers Group which is being opposed by China.
  • China has been strongly opposing India’s membership at the premier club arguing that it was not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).
  • India has been reaching out to NSG member countries seeking support for its membership of the bloc whose members are allowed to trade in and export nuclear technology.
 
7) Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue unveiled in Malaysia.
  • A bronze statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has been unveiled at the Indian cultural centre premises here in the presence of nine Indian National Army (INA) veterans.
  • During a visit to Malaysia Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced renaming of the Indian Cultural Centre in Malaysia as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre.
  • The bust was unveiled by the traditional lighting of the lamp which was sculpted by Ram Sutar and sponsored by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations.
  • The Indian Cultural Centre, inaugurated in 2010, showcases India’s rich heritage and promotes multi-layered cultural exchanges between peoples of India and Malaysia.
 
8) India, UAE to set up parliamentary panel to enhance ties.
  • India and the UAE will set up an Emirati-Indian parliamentary committee and exchange visits of lawmakers to boost parliamentary ties as part of their growing strategic partnership and unify their visions on various issues, including security and challenges facing the region.
  • A decision was taken in regard during a meeting between first woman speaker of UAE’s Federal National Council (FNC) Amal Abdullah Al-Qubaisi and the Indian ambassador T.P. Seetharam.
  • Both the sides mutually agreed to make a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of the parliamentary committee, and envisaged standing areas of cooperation in various political, economic, cultural and investment sectors.

9) China`s plan to cut meat consumption by 50%.

  • The Chinese government has outlined a plan to reduce its citizens` meat consumption by 50%, in a move that climate campaigner’s hope will provide major heft in the effort to avoid runaway global warming.
  • China’s health ministry recommend that the nation’s 1.3 billion population should consume between 40g to 75g of meat per person each day.
  • The measures, released once every 10 years, are designed to improve public health but could also provide a significant cut to greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Should the new guidelines be followed, carbon dioxide equivalent emissions from China’s livestock industry would be reduced by 1bn tonnes by 2030, from a projected 1.8 billion tonnes in that year.

 

10) EU `to extend sanctions` against Russia over Ukraine conflict.

  • The European Union’s Brussels envoys agreed to extend until the end of January the energy, financial and defence sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine.
  • Ambassadors from the 28 member states agreed unanimously to prolong the sanctions until 31 January 2017.
  • The EU wants more time to assess whether Russia is abiding by peace agreements signed at Minsk aimed at bringing peace to war-hit eastern Ukraine.
  • The union imposed sweeping sanctions against swaths of the Russian economy in July 2014 in response to Russia’s arming of the rebels in eastern Ukraine and failure to cooperate in the investigation over the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines jet MH17, which killed 298 people.

 

11) Finance Minister to leave on the five-day official visit to China.

  • The Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will leave on a five-day official visit to China from 23 - 27th June.
  • Finance Minister to attend the First Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors’ of Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank and 8th India-China Financial Dialogue.
  • During his stay in Beijing, the Finance Minister will also hold talks with Chinese investors and Bankers to seek investment in infrastructure and other sectors in India.
  • Finance Minister will also hold a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Mr. Lou Jiwei.

 

12) Nagpur and Jinan are now sister cities.

  • Nagpur and Chinese city of Jinan have tied up as sister cities to facilitate mutual exchange and benefit in different sectors.
  • A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the municipal executive heads of the two cities.
  • Jinan is capital of Eastern China’s Shandong province with a population of about 30 lakh and is known for its beautiful lakes.
  • The pact is part of a 2013 agreement between the two countries to develop the concept of sister cities.
  • Pact will allow for the exchange of ideas and technology in the field of education, urban development, youth planning, youth affairs and sports.
  • Financial assistant can be sought from Jinan for executing of few developmental projects in Nagpur. The agreement has been executed for five years and can be extended by another five year.

 

13) Moscow to explore high-speed Hyperloop commuter transport system.

  • Moscow has signed an agreement with Los Angeles-based company Hyperloop One to explore building a futuristic, high-speed transportation system known as a Hyperloop in the Russian capital.
  • A Hyperloop involves using magnets to levitate pods inside an airless tube, creating conditions in which the floating pods can shuttle people and cargo at speeds of up to 750 mph (1,200 kph).
  • A memorandum of understanding was signed at the St Petersburg international economic forum by Hyperloop One, the city of Moscow and Russian firm The Summa Group, which invests in infrastructure projects.

 

14) India, Switzerland enhance cooperation in skill development.

  • India and Switzerland signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish formal cooperation in the fields of skills development, vocational, professional education and training.
  • The MoU was signed between Switzerland’s State Secretary Mauro Dell’ Ambrogio and Union Minister for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Rajiv Pratap Rudy in Winterthur.
  • MoU is consistent with the strategy of the Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) on international cooperation in vocational and professional education and training. 

 

15) Colombia government, FARC rebels sign ceasefire.

  • Colombia’s government and the FARC guerrilla group reached agreement on a definitive ceasefire in Latin America’s longest civil war.
  • The national government and FARC delegations inform the public that they have successfully reached an agreement for a definitive bilateral ceasefire and end to hostilities.
  • The Colombian conflict started as a rural uprising in the 1960s. It has left 260,000 people dead, 45,000 missing and nearly seven million displaced.
16) China`s first dark sky reserve launched in Tibet.
  • China launched its first ``dark sky reserve`` for astronomical observation in the Tibetan prefecture of Ngari, bordering Nepal and India.
  • The reserve covers an area of 2,500 sq.km and aims to limit light pollution by stepping up protection of dark-sky resources for education and tourism development.
  • Dark sky reserve was jointly launched by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation and the regional government of Tibet.
  • The reserve will also try to seek accreditation from the International Dark-Sky Association, a nonprofit organization based in the United State that is devoted to preserving and protecting the night time environment and dark skies globally.
  • About dark sky reserve
  • It is an area that is kept free of artificial light pollution. The purpose of a dark sky preserve is generally to promote astronomy. It usually surrounding a park or observatory.
17) Sweden Opens World’s First Electric Highway.
  • Sweden inaugurated a test stretch of an electric road, making it one of the first countries in the world to conduct tests with electric power for heavy transports on public roads.
  • The line can provide up to 750 volts dc of electricity to a trucks.
  • A 22 kilometer stretch of the E16 road-which connects Oslo, Norway, to Gävle, Sweden-is fitted with power lines overhead, developed by Siemens, providing electricity to hybrid trucks.
  • The system works like a tram system. A current collector on the trucks will transfer energy from the power lines to the trucks’ hybrid electric motors
  • Electric roads have the potential to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions.
18) Sri Lankan Parliament passes Right to Information bill.
  • Sri Lanka parliament voted in favour of a Right to Information (RTI) bill, the RTI bill was unanimously passed in parliament.
  • The RTI bill seeks to give citizens access to public information which is in the possession, custody or control of a public authority.
  • The Right to Information (RTI) bill aimed at restoring transparency and good governance in the country.
  • The government also affirmed the bill will allow the public to get information on public officials and will be an important feature for the government to be responsible at a higher level.
 
19) The UK`s EU referendum.
  • The British people have voted to leave the European Union after a historic Brexit referendum.
  • In the Brexit referendum, the ‘Leave’ side won decisively by securing 51.9% of the total votes overturning ‘Remain’ side which secured 48.1% votes.
  • Britain voted to end its 43-year old association with the European Union in a landmark referendum.
  • Nigel Farage, leader of the eurosceptic UK Independence Party called for June 23 "to go down in history as independence day``.
  • British Prime Minister David Cameron announced his resignation after Britain voted to leave the European Union in a referendum.
20) Nepali migrants banned from working in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria.
  • Nepal has banned its nationals from working in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria after 13 Nepali security guards were killed by a Taliban suicide bomber in the Afghan capital.
  • The decision comes after a parliamentary panel ordered Prime Minister K.P. Oli`s government to crack down on traffickers who send thousands of migrants each year to conflict-torn countries where they can often face danger or exploitation.
  • Nepali nationals killed in Afghanistan were employed as security guards in the Canadian embassy in Kabul. They were killed when militants exploded a bomb in a minibus.
  • Decided to suspend issuing labour permits to Nepalese nationals in four conflict-hit countries, namely Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya.
21) US military `to lift transgender ban`.
  • The U.S will announce the repeal of a policy banning transgender people from serving openly in the military.
  • This comes five years after the US military ended its ban on gay and lesbian personnel serving openly.
  • Declaration to repeal the transgender ban comes after Eric Fanning joined the US Army as new secretary last week. It has been backed by campaigners for transgender rights.
  • Figures released by the National Center for Transgender Equality show that close to 15,000 transgender people currently serve in the US military.
  • Currently, the U.S. military disqualify transgender troops for medical reasons.
 
22) World`s tallest and longest tunnel slide opens.
  • The world`s longest and tallest tunnel slide, ArcelorMittal Orbit, which has 12 loops was opened to the public in London, UK.
  • The 584-feet long and 250-feet tall slide has been designed by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor and created by Belgian artist Carsten Holler.
23) U.S., Bangladesh agree to enhance counter-terror cooperation.
  • The United States and Bangladesh have agreed to deepen cooperation in counter-terrorism through capacity enhancement.
  • Decided during the fifth partnership dialogue between the two countries at the U.S. Department of State in Washington.
  • On the first day of the two-day dialogue, the three working groups on `Security Cooperation`, ‘Development and Governance Cooperation’, and ‘Trade and Investment Cooperation’ held in-depth discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest.