18 June 2019 - Daily Current Affairs
1. Autistic Pride Day is observed on 18th June
- Autistic Pride Day observed every year on 18th June, to recognises the importance of pride for autistics and understands it not as a disease but as a difference.
- ‘Autism Spectrum Disability’ is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized by social impairments, communication difficulties, restrictive and repetitive pattern of behaviour.
- It is a lifelong condition which usually occurs in the first three years of life.
- The exact cause of autism is not known but it is known to be associated with genetic and environmental factors.
- Autistic Pride Day was initiated by Aspies For Freedom, a group that raises public awareness about autism rights.
International Affairs
2. Bahrain to ban plastic products from next month
- Bahrain will start phasing out the use of plastic products from 21st of next month.
- The first phase will focus on single-use plastic bags as well as banning the import of non-biodegradable plastic bags.
- Later phases will witness a permanent ban on the use of plastic bags at certain malls and supermarkets.
- Bahrain has joined several leading countries in banning the import of plastic waste, following the United Nations' call to mitigate ocean pollution and climate change.
Banking and Finance
3. Fitch cuts India growth forecast to 6.6% for 2019-20 fiscal
- According to Credit rating agency ‘Fitch’, India’s growth forecast from 6.8% to 6.6% for the current fiscal as the manufacturing and agriculture sectors showed signs of slowing down over the past year.
- In its latest Global Economic Outlook, Fitch retained its GDP growth forecast for the next fiscal 2020-21 at 7.1% and 7.0% for 2021-22.
- Fitch Ratings Inc. is one of the big three credit rating agencies (other two -Moody's and Standard & Poor's).
- It is one of the three nationally recognized statistical rating organizations (NRSRO) designated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in 1975.
- Fitch Ratings is dual-headquartered in New York (US) and London (UK).
Appointments
4. J P Nadda appointed BJP working president
- Senior BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader J P Nadda has been appointed as the BJP working President (till January 2020).
- The decision was taken at the BJP Parliamentary Board meeting held at party headquarters in New Delhi.
- Mr Nadda will remain the working president till the BJP’s membership drive and organisation elections are over.
- The BJP's origins lie in the Bharatiya Jana Sangh (formed in 1951) by Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
- In 1977, the Jana Sangh merged with several other parties to form the Janata Party (dissolved three years later) after which the members of the erstwhile Jana Sangh reconvened to form the BJP.
5. Lt General Faiz Hameed appointed Pakistan ISI Chief
- Lt General Faiz Hameed has been appointed as the new Director General of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (military-led spy agency).
- Earlier, He was serving as the head of the Counter-Intelligence wing in the ISI.
- Lieutenant General Hameed replaces current head Lieutenant Gen Asim Munir.
- The Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) is the premier intelligence agency of Pakistan, operationally responsible for gathering, processing, and analyzing national security information from around the world.
- The ISI consists primarily of serving military officers drawn on secondment from the three service branches of the Pakistan Armed Forces (Army, Air Force, and Navy).
Obituaries
6. Egypt′s former President Mohammed Morsi passes away in court
- Former president of Egypt ‘Mohammed Morsi’(67-years) passed away after collapsing during a session in court.
- Morsi was on trial for espionage and had just addressed the court when he blacked out.
- He was country's first democratically elected president and a member of Egypt's most powerful Islamist group, the now-banned Muslim Brotherhood.
- Morsi had been in custody since his removal by the military after mass protests in 2013.
National Affairs
7. Centre decides to send another high-level team to Bihar in view of Encephalitis
- The Union Government has decided to send another high-level multi-disciplinary team to Bihar in view of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES).
- The team will undertake the necessary groundwork for setting up the state-of-the-art multi-disciplinary research centre at Muzaffarpur.
- Earlier, the Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan reviewed the situation arising out of the reported cases of AES and Japanese Encephalitis at a high-level meeting in New Delhi.
- The research team will investigate various aspects of the disease including periodicity, the cycle of disease, environmental factors and metrological data, besides other factors.
- Encephalitis is an inflammation (swelling and irritation) of the brain.
8. World Food India to be held in New Delhi on Nov 2019
- The ‘World Food India’ will be held in New Delhi from 1st to 4th November 2019.
- According to Food Processing Industries Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Event will position India as Food Processing Destination of the World.
- Indian Food Processing Industry has grown tremendously recording 11% growth rate, which is twice the pace of Global Industry.
- The Food Processing sector has recorded a double-digit growth rate across all major sub-segments of the sectors both in terms of value and volume.
9. Assam govt to set up Skill University at Darrang district
- Assam government will set up a ‘Skill University’ at the cost of 850 crore rupees at Darrang district in the state.
- According to Mission Director of Assam Skill Development Mission, AP Tiwari, 80% seats will be reserved for Assam and rest 20% for other North Eastern states.
- This will be perhaps the first skill university of the country with a capacity of 10 thousand seats.
- The admission test for the first batch of the North East Skill Centre will be held on 30th June 2019.
10. Assam Transport Minister launches State Transport Corporation's ‘Chalo’ app
- Assam Transport Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary launched the State Transport Corporation's ‘Chalo’ app for Guwahati.
- The app will help commuters to know about the live arrival time of their bus so they can plan their travel accordingly.
- People can also track the live GPS position of their bus on a map.
- Mr Patowary also unveiled a one-of-a-kind transport map for the State Transport bus network in Guwahati that has been developed by Chalo.
Sports
11. India beat South Africa 5-1 to win FIH Series Finals
- India thrashed South Africa 5-1 in the summit clash to win the FIH Series Finals hockey tournament.
- India and South Africa have already qualified for the final round of the Olympic qualifiers before summit clash.
- Earlier, Asian Games champion Japan defeated USA 4-2 to finish third in the competition.
12. Gary Woodland wins the 2019 US Open Trophy (golf)
- Gary Woodland (35-years) has won the 2019 US Open (119th),
- He captured his first Major title after defeating two-time defending champion Brook Koepka.
- The 2019 United States Open Championship was the 119th U.S. Open, played at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California.
13. Virat Kohli becomes the fastest batsmen to reach 11,000 runs
- Indian skipper Virat Kohli (30-years) became the fastest batsman to reach the 11,000 runs (in 230 ODIs) mark in the ODI cricket.
- Virat Kohli broke Tendulkar's record, achieved the 11000 runs mark against England in 2002 in his 284th ODI.
- He achieved the feat in the match between India and Pakistan in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup.
| S. No | Player | Match Date | Inns |
| 1. | V. Kohli (India) | 16th Jun 2019 | 222 |
| 2. | S. Tendulkar (India) | 28th Jan 2002 | 276 |
| 3. | R. Ponting (AUS) | 24th Feb 2008 | 286 |
| 4. | S. Ganguly (India) | 11th Jan 1992 | 288 |
| 5. | J. Kallis (SA) | 9th Jan 1996 | 293 |
14. Joshna Chinappa has won record 17th National Title in Squash
- The top-seeded Joshna Chinappa (27-year) won a record 17th national squash title after outplaying Tamil Nadu's Sunayna Kuruvilla in the final.
- Chinappa won the match 11-5, 11-4, 7-11, 11-5.
- She broke a 27-year-old record set by Bhuvneshwari Kumari (won 16 titles) between 1977 and 1992.
- In the men's category, top seed Mahesh Mangaonkar lived up to his billing to emerge as the winner.
- In the final, Mangaonkar outplayed second-seeded Abhishek Pradhan 12-10, 11-7, 11-9.
