09 June 2018 - Daily Current Affairs
1. PM Modi reaches China to attend SCO Summit
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi heads to Qingdao to participate in the SCO summit as a full-fledged member for the first time.
- PM Modi will hold nearly half a dozen bilateral meetings with leaders of other SCO countries.
- The focus of SCO members is in the areas of security cooperation, countering terrorism, economic development as well as cultural exchange.
- India has participated in all meetings and events since joining up.
Note:
- The SCO was founded at a summit in Shanghai in 2001 by the presidents of Russia, China, Kyrgyz Republic, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.
- India and Pakistan became its members last year.
National Affairs
2. World Bank approves Rs. 6,000 crore Atal Bhujal Yojana
- The World Bank has approved Atal Bhujal Yojana (ABHY), a Rs.6000 crore Central Sector Scheme of the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
- The scheme is to be implemented over a period of five years from 2018-19 to 2022-23, with World Bank assistance.
- The scheme proposal has already been recommended by the Expenditure Finance Committee and the Ministry will be seeking Cabinet approval for the project shortly.
3. Andhra Pradesh inks pacts with Singapore consortium to develop Amaravati
- Andhra Pradesh state govt. and Singapore has signed several pacts for the development of a start-up area (1,691 acres) in the new capital, Amaravati to transform it into a world-class city.
- Amaravati Development Corporation and Singapore Amaravati Investment Holdings Limited which together constitute the Amaravati Development Partners (ADP).
- A special purpose vehicle for the startup area development signed the Concession Agreement and Development Agreement (CADA) and the Shareholders Agreement for the development of 6.84 sq km area (1691 acres) in three phases over the next 15 years.
- The Singapore consortium will have 52% and ADC 48% stake in ADP, which will take up development projects in 656 acres in the first phase in the next five years.
4. India and Norway sign MoU to extend health cooperation
- The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extend the cooperation within the health sector.
- The cooperation will be extended through the Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) for a period of three years starting from 2018 to 2020.
- The partnership shall also include areas related to maternal, newborn, child health, and shall build on experiences from NIPI phase I and II.
- The cooperation will continue to focus on innovative, catalytic and strategic support, and stride in taking the Indian Government’s Intensification Plan for Accelerated Maternal and Child Survival in India.
Science
5. NASA approves mission extension for Juno
- NASA has approved an extension of Juno’s science operations until July 2021.
- The decision was taken after an independent panel of experts confirmed in April that Juno is on track to achieve its science objectives and is already returning spectacular results.
Note:
- The NASA space probe ‘Juno’ was launched on August 5, 2011, as a part of NASA’s New Frontiers program to begin a scientific investigation of Jupiter.
- It successfully entered the polar orbit of Jupiter on July 5, 2016.
Obituaries
6. Legendary Brazilian tennis player Maria Bueno passed away in Sao Paulo
- Legendary Brazilian tennis player Maria Bueno (78-year) passes away in Sao Paulo.
- Maria Bueno won three Wimbledon and four US championship singles titles.
7. Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain passed away
- US celebrity chef & TV personality Anthony Bourdain (61-year) has been found dead in his hotel room in France.
- Mr. Bourdain was an American celebrity chef, author, travel documentarian, and television personality who starred in programs focusing on the exploration of international culture, cuisine, and the human condition.
- He was considered one of the most influential chefs in the world by many commentators.
Sports
8. Sports ministry approves the upward revision of pension to meritorious Sportspersons
- The Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports ‘Col Rajyavardhan Rathore’ has approved the upward revision of pension to meritorious Sports persons.
- Now, the medal winners at the Olympic and Para-Olympic Games will get Rs 20000 as a pension.
- The Gold medallist at World Cup and World Championship will be given Rs 16000, while Silver & Bronze medallist will get 14 thousand rupees.
- The Gold medallist in Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Para Asian Games will be given 14 thousand rupees while the Silver and Bronze medallist will get 12 thousand rupees as a pension.
Note: As per the revised scheme, the sports-person should retire from active sports career and attain the age of 30 years at the time of applying pension.
9. New Zealand women's cricket team posted highest ever total in ODI
- New Zealand women's cricket team posted the highest ever total in One-day cricket by scoring an incredible 490 for four against Ireland in Dublin.
- New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates leading from the front with a blistering 151 off 94 balls.
- The total posted by the 'New Zealand ' is the highest ever in ODIs including men's matches.
- In men's cricket, the highest total in ODI is 444 for three, made by England against Pakistan in August 2016 at Nottingham.
- In January 1997, New Zealand women team bettered world record of 455 for five against Pakistan at Christchurch.
