13 June 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. PM Modi reaches Kyrgyz capital Bishkek to attend SCO summit
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Bishkek (capital of Kyrgyzstan) to attend the meeting of Council of Heads of States of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).
- Presidents, Prime Ministers (8 member countries) and 4 head of states as observers are participating in this multilateral international forum.
- The China-led SCO meets once a year and adopts decisions and guidelines on all important matters of the organisation.
- Prime Minister Modi had also attended the last CHS meeting in Qingdao (China) on 9-10th June 2018.
Note:
- In July 2015 in Ufa, Russia, the SCO decided to admit India and Pakistan as full members and both the countries officially joined SCO as full members during the Astana Summit in 2017.
- Afghanistan will also be one of the focus areas in the summit.
Source: AIR News
2. UAE and Germany reaffirm joint commitment to fight against terrorism
- The United Arab Emirates and Germany have reaffirmed their joint commitment to fight against terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms.
- A Joint statement issued in Berlin at the end of the two-day visit of Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Germany.
- The two sides agreed on rallying efforts on counter-terrorism issues, exchanging of expertise and information on combating terrorism and strengthening individual training and capacity-building in that regard.
Source: AIR News
Important Days
3. International Albinism Awareness Day observed on 13th June
- The International Albinism Awareness Day is being observed on 13th June with an aim to end multiple forms of discrimination that is faced by people who suffers from albinism.
- The theme of the 2019 International Albinism Awareness Day is ‘Still Standing Strong’.
- Albinism is a rare, non-contagious, genetically inherited difference present at birth, and it is still profoundly misunderstood, socially and medically.
Source: Un.org
Obituaries
4. Veteran journalist Rajanath Singh 'Surya' passes away
- Veteran journalist and former Rajya Sabha MP Rajanath Singh ‘Surya’ (82-years) passed away after a brief illness in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.
- A staunch RSS leader Mr Surya had worked in various newspapers and he was a well-known columnist.
National Affairs
5. Amitabh Bachchan pays off loans of 2,100 Bihar farmers
- Megastar Amitabh Bachchan (76-year) helped to clear outstanding loans of over two thousand farmers from Bihar.
- Bachchan called on some of the farmers to his residence and donated the amount at the hands of his children Shweta and Abhishek.
- The farmers from Bihar who had outstanding loans picked 2,100 of them and paid off their amount with an OTS with the bank.
Note:
- Earlier, Mr. Bachchan had supported 1,398 farmers from Uttar Pradesh and 350 from Maharashtra by paying off their loans.
Source: Indian Express
6. Cabinet approves Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019
- Union Cabinet has approved the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill 2019 to replace Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Ordinance 2019.
- This will enable UIDAI to have a more robust mechanism to serve the public interest and restrain the misuse of Aadhar.
- After the amendment, no individual will be compelled to provide proof of possession of Aadhaar number or undergo authentication for the purpose of establishing his identity unless it is so provided by a law made by Parliament.
- For the convenience of the general public in the opening of bank accounts, the proposed amendments will allow the use of Aadhaar number for authentication on a voluntary basis as an acceptable KYC document.
- The Bill will be introduced in the ensuing session of Parliament.
Source: AIR News
7. Cabinet approves Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Bill 2019
- The Union Cabinet has approved the introduction of Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) Bill 2019.
- It will allow filling up of more than 7,000 existing vacancies by direct recruitment in Teachers' cadre.
- The amendment will also ensure providing 10% reservation to Economically weaker section.
- The move is expected to improve the teaching standards in the higher educational institutions by attracting all eligible talented candidates belonging to SCs, STs, Socially and Educationally Backward Classes and economically weaker section.
- The bill will replace the Central Educational Institutions (Reservation in Teachers' Cadre) ordinance 2019 and will be introduced in the forthcoming Parliament session.
Source: AIR News
8. Union Cabinet extends the President’s rule in J&K for another six months
- The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the extension of President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir for another six months (from 3rd July).
- President's rule is the suspension of state government and imposition of direct central government rule in a state.
- Jammu Kashmir has been under President's rule since 20th December 2018.
- According to Election commission, Assembly elections in J&K will be held after Amarnath Yatra ends in August 2019.
Note:
- Under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, if a state government is unable to function according to constitutional provisions, the Central government can take direct control of the state machinery.
- Subsequently, executive authority is exercised through the centrally appointed governor, who has the authority to appoint other administrators to assist them.
- Chhattisgarh and Telangana are the only states where the president's rule has yet to be imposed.
Source: Indian Express
Appointment
9. China appoints Sun Weidong as new envoy to India
- China has appointed veteran diplomat Sun Weidong (former envoy to Pakistan) as its new envoy to India.
- He will succeed Luo Zhaohui, who has been appointed as Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs.
- Currently, Sun Weidong is the Director General of the Policy and Planning Department of the Foreign Ministry.
Source: Business Standard
10. Kassyam-Jomart Tokayev takes oath as the new president of Kazakhstan
- The career diplomat Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (66-year) took the oath of office as the new president of Kazakhstan during a ceremony at the Palace of Independence in the capital, Nur-Sultan.
- He was acting president following the surprise resignation of Nursultan Nazarbayev (78-years) in March 2019.
- The transition comes amid rising dissent in Kazakhstan.
Note:
- The President of the Republic of Kazakhstan is the head of state, commander-in-chief and holder of the highest office within the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Source: Economic Time
Sports
11. Indian team for Senior Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships announced
- Gymnastics Federation of India (GFI) has announced the Indian team for the Senior Asian Artistic Gymnastics Championships to be held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (19th to 22nd June 2019)
- The four men's team comprises Rakesh Kumar Patra, Yogeshwar Singh, Debang Dey and Arik Dey.
- Pranati Nayak, Shraddha Talekar, Pranati Das and Papiya Das are in the women's team.
Source: AIR News
12. Indian men's archery team secure Olympic quota for the 2020 Tokyo Games
- Indian men's archery team (Tarundeep Rai, Atanu Das and Pravin Jadhav) secured the Olympic quota for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
- Indian team storming into the quarterfinals of the World Championships with a 5-3 win over Canada in the Netherlands.
- This is for the first time after 2012-London Olympics that Indian men could secure a team quota.
Source: AIR News
13. Badminton star Lee Chong Wei retires after cancer battle
- Malaysian badminton star Lee Chong Wei (36 years) announced his retirement after Cancer battle.
- Lee Chong Wei (three-time Olympic silver medallist) was diagnosed with early-stage nose cancer last year but despite intensive treatment in Taiwan.
- Lee was ranked first as a singles player for 199 consecutive weeks from 2008 to 2012.
- He collected a swathe of honours but never won a world or Olympic title.
Source: The Hindu
