VINTAGE

IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF JUNE 3^rd& 4^th, 2019

              IMPORTANT CURRENT AFFAIRS OF JUNE 3^rd & 4^th,2019

1.      3rd June is observed as World Bicycle Day.

a.       In April 2018, the United Nations General Assembly declared 3 June as International World Bicycle Day. 

b.       The resolution for World Bicycle Day recognizes "the uniqueness, longevity and versatility of the bicycle, which has been in use for two centuries, and that it is a simple, affordable, reliable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation.

2.      4th June is observed as International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression.

a.       This day affirms the UN's commitment to protect the rights of children.

3.      The 30th anniversary of Tiananmen Square protests / massacre is being observed in China. 

a.       On this day (4th June) in the year 1989, the Chinese troops had violently retook the Tiananmen Square in Beijing from the pro-democracy protesters.

4.      Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has announced women can travel free of cost on all DTC buses, cluster buses and metro trains. 

a.       The move aims that the maximum number of women can use public transport. 

b.       Public transport is said to be the safest for women," Kejriwal said. 

5.      Subhash Kak, Regents Professor Emeritus in electrical and computer engineering at the prestigious Oklahoma State University, received Padma Shri, India’s 4th highest civilian award, from India’s Consul General Dr Anupam Ray. 

a.       Ray, along with Deputy Consul General Surendra Adhana, handed over the citation and medal to Prof Kak, who couldn’t travel to India for investiture ceremony in March.

b.       Note : Nearly 50,000 nominations were received for the 2019 Padma awards and 112 awards were made out of which four, which included Kak, were in the area of science and engineering. 

c.       Technology winners from outside India have included Bill Gates of Microsoft in 2015, John Chambers, former CEO of Cisco Systems in 2019, and Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe, in 2019.

6.      Google Maps has added new features to let India users check live bus travel times in 10 cities and also see live status of trains. 

a.       It will also offer mixed-mode commute suggestions that now combine auto-rickshaw and public transport. 

b.       Google revealed it worked with Sigmoid Labs, a Bengaluru-based startup it had acquired in 2018, for the live train tracking feature.

7.      Oil and gas producer ONGC has overtaken Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) to regain the tag of India's most profitable Public Sector Undertaking (PSU). 

a.       ONGC reported a 34% jump in its 2018-19 fiscal net profit to ₹26‎,716 crore compared to IOC's ₹17,274 crore net profit during the same period. 

b.       In the previous two financial years, ONGC lost the tag to IOC.

8.      The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has barred SR Batliboi & Co, a member firm of EY, from auditing commercial banks for a year starting April 1, 2019. 

a.       The regulator found certain lapses in an audit assignment carried out by the firm. 

b.       Note : SR Batliboi is the statutory auditor to private lenders HDFC Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Bandhan Bank and the South Indian Bank.

9.      The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has urged the government to cut the corporate tax rate to 25% when its budget for 2019-20 is presented next month. 

a.       It added that the current rates, which run from 32-35%, damage the competitiveness of firms. 

b.       This comes as the country's economic growth between January-March slipped to 5.8%, the lowest in over four years.

10. Jay-Z has been named the world's first billionaire rapper by Forbes. 

a.       Apart from a $100 million (over ₹691 crore) stake in subscription-based streaming service Tidal, the 49-year-old rapper's assets also include shares in Uber and an art collection worth $70 million (around ₹484 crore) each. 

11. The Oriental Bank of Commerce has written to the Finance Ministry saying that it is ready for a merger and proposed Indian Bank and Corporation Bank as possible partners. 

a.       Now the Finance Ministry will make the final decision.

12. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently revealed that over 6,800 cases of bank fraudinvolving an unprecedented ₹71,500 crore were reported in 2018-19. 

a.       This is 74% higher than the amount involved in 5,916 such cases reported in 2017-18.

b.       In the last 11 fiscal years, 53,334 cases of fraud involving ₹2.05 lakh crore were reported, RBI said.

13. To encourage digital payments, the Nandan Nilekani committee has suggested a host of measures, including elimination of charges, round the clock RTGS and NEFT facility and duty-free import of point-of-sales machines. 

a.       The committee, which was appointed by the RBI, had recently submitted its suggestions on promoting digital payments to Governor Shaktikanta Das.

14. Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) Rajiv Mehrishi has been elected as External auditor of the World Health Organization (WHO) for 4 years.

15. BJP leader Nitin Gadkari took charge of Road Transport and Highways, and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Ministries.

16. Smriti Irani and Ravi Shankar Prasad took charge as the Union Women and Child Development Minister and Law and Justice Minister respectively. 

17. BJP MLA Rajesh Patnekar was elected as the Speaker of Goa Assembly.

18. Puducherry Deputy Speaker and Lawspet legislator VP Sivakolundhu was elected as the new Speaker of the Union Territory Assembly. 

19. Ajit Doval has been given Cabinet rank in the Government of India in recognition of his contribution in the national security domain. 

a.       His appointment will be for 5 years. 

b.       However, Doval, under whose supervision the 2016 surgical strikes after Uri attack and the 2019 Balakot strikes took place, will continue to be the country's National Security Advisor (NSA).

20. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) appointed Yousef Aldobeay of Saudi Arabia as its special envoy for Jammu & Kashmir. 

a.       The decision was taken at the 14th OIC Summit held in the holy city of Makkah, in Saudi Arabia.

21. A book titled "Cricket World Cup: The Indian Challenge" authored by veteran broadcaster and writer Ashis Ray has been formally unveiled by the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, Tom Harrison.

a.        Published by Bloomsbury, the book takes the readers through India's beautiful journey witnessed ever since West Indies won the 60-over World Cup held in England in 1975.

22. World number one Novak Djokovic has become the 1st ever male tennis player to reach 10 consecutive French Open quarter-finals. 

a.       Overall, it will be Djokovic's 44th Grand Slam quarter-final.