World Milk Day: 1st June

i. World Milk Day is an initiative of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, to celebrate the contribution of the dairy industry around the globe on 1st June.ii. The Day provides an opportunity to focus attention on milk and to publicize activities connected with milk and the milk industry.  The first World Milk Day was held in 2001.

Static Takeaways-

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (UNFAO) is an agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation Headquarter is in Rome, Italy.

India to strengthen bilateral cooperation with Spain to fight terrorism

i. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signed seven agreements with Spain PM Mariano Rajoy to strengthen bilateral cooperation to fight against terrorism after the visit from Germany.

The seven agreements and MoUs are as follows-

1. Agreement for Transfer of Sentence Persons

2. MoU on Cooperation in Organ Transplantation

3. MoU on Cooperation in Cyber Security

4. MoU on Cooperation in Renewable Energy

5. MoU on Technical Cooperation in Civil Aviation

6. Agreement on visa waiver for holders of diplomatic passports

7. MoU between Foreign Service Institute and Diplomatic Academy of Spain.

Static Takeaways-

PM of Spain is  Mariano Rajoy and its Capital and Currency is Madrid and Euro Chancellor of Germany Angela Markel and its President is Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

India to be first in world to run all government ports on green energy 

i. All 12 major domestic ports will soon switch to renewable energy to meet their entire power requirements, making India the first country to have all government-owned ports running on solar and wind energy. ii. The government plans to install almost 200 megawatt solar and wind power generation capacity at the ports by 2019.iii. Almost 150 mw of this will be solar power and 50 mw wind power generation capacity. The capacity could be ramped up to 500 mw in the next few years.

Static Takeaways-

Few major Government Ports are Listed Below:

1. Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra.

2. Visakhapatnam Port, Andhra Pradesh.

3. Kochi Port, Kerala.

4. New Mangalore Port, Karnataka.

5. Mundra Port, Gujarat.

6. Kandla Port, Gujarat.

7. Port of Quilon - The oldest and second largest port in Kerala

70th World Health Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland

i. The 70th World Health Assembly was held recently (22nd-31st May) in Geneva, Switzerland. In the meeting member nations agreed to increase their assessed contributions by 3 percent.ii. Member states also agreed on a five-year action plan that will initiate collaboration between WHO, the International Labor Organization (ILO) and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in tackling shortfalls in global health and social workforce.

Static Takeaways-

The currency of Switzerland is Swiss Franc Doris Leuthard has been elected to the Swiss presidency for 2017 Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is the newly appointed Director-General of World Health

Organization.

Delhi Police launch bicycle patrol

i. The Delhi Police launched patrolling on bicycle to improve policing in congested localities in trans-Yamuna region of the city. The move is also being billed as a green initiative. ii. The bicycle patrols will complement and supplement the existing motorcycle and PCR patrols which focus mainly on crime prevention along the arterial and main roads of Delhi. 

Static Takeaways For SBI PO Mains Exams-

Hansraj Gangaram Ahir the Union minister of state for home affairs Amulya Patnaik is the current Commissioner of Police, Delhi Sh. J. N. Chaturvedi was the first commissioner of Delhi Police

Arun Jaitley inaugurates Telangana solar plant

i. Defence Minister Arun Jaitley inaugurated a grid-connected solar power plant of 16 MW capacity at the Ordinance Factory in Telangana’s Medak district.ii. He also dedicated a 9 MW capacity windmill project installed at Dammur in Karnataka at a cost of Rs 53 crore by Bharat Earth Movers Limited (BEML).iii. The solar power plant at Medak has been set up at a cost of Rs105 crore by Bharat Electronics Limited. 

Static Takeaways for SBI PO Mains-

Telangana is the 29th state of India formed in 2014 The capital of Telangana is Hyderabad K Chandrasekhar Rao is the CM of Telangana Governor of Telangana is E S L Narsimhan KBR National Park and Mrugavani National Park are located in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Indian Railways to launch 'buy now, pay later' feature for tickets

i. To attract more passengers to buy online train tickets, Indian Railways has introduced a service ‘Buy Now, Pay Later’ which allow passengers to make payment for tickets booked online within a window of 15 days. ii. To buy tickets from the IRCTC website and pay later will decrease the difficulties involved in the payment process at the time. iii. ePayLater, a Mumbai-based fintech firm has joined hands with IRCTC for adding the new feature to Indian Railways ticket booking services.

Static Takeaways For SBI PO Mains Exam-

Suresh Prabhu is the Railway Minister of India The First Railway Minister of India is John Mithai.

Shaktikanta Das retires as Economic Affairs Secretary; Tapan Ray to take over

i. Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das announced his retirement as the Corporate Affairs Secretary. Shaktikanta Das has been associated with the Government of India as the Economic Affairs Secretary for nearly 37 years.ii.  He will be succeeded by Tapan Ray, who will take the additional charges as the new Economic Affairs Secretary.

Static Takeaways for SBI PO Mains Exam-

First Finance Minister of  Independent India is Ramasamy Chetty.

ADB and PNB sign $100 million loan to finance Solar Rooftop projects 

i. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Punjab National Bank (PNB) signed a $100 million loan to be guaranteed by the Government of India that will finance large solar rooftop systems on industrial and commercial buildings throughout India.ii. This is the first tranche loan of the $500 million multi-tranche finance facility Solar Rooftop Investment Program (SRIP) approved by ADB in 2016.iii. The first tranche loan of $100 million would be financed entirely from the Clean Technology Fund  CTF.

Static Takeaways for SBI PO Mains Exam-

Sunil Mehta is a New MD and CEO of PNB ADB President is Takehiko Nakao and its headquarter is in Phillippines.

India signs loan agreement of 36 million dollar with World Bank

i. India has signed a loan agreement of 36 million dollars with the World Bank for Himachal Pradesh Public Financial Management Capacity Building Programme.ii. The project aims to improve the efficiency of public expenditure management and tax administration in Himachal Pradesh.iii. The agreement was signed by Joint Secretary of Department of Economic Affairs Raj Kumar and the Bank's Country Director Junaid Kamal Ahmad.

Static Takeaways for SBI PO Mains Exam-

Jim Yong Kim is the President of World Bank and its headquarter is in Washington, D.C, USA World Bank was founded in 1944.

India’s GDP in Q4 grows 6.1%, loses fastest growing economy tag

i.India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 6.1 percent year-on-year during the January-March, 2017 period according to government data. With this, India loses its status of the world's fastest growing economy. China's GDP grew 6.9 percent during the same quarter.ii. The GDP growth rate for the full year (2016-17) came in at 7.1 percent in line with official estimate compared to a revised growth figure of 8 per cent in FY16.

Static Takeaways for SBI PO Mains Exam-

Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the market value of all final goods and services produced in a period (quarterly or yearly).

India, Russia sign St Petersburg Declaration for enhanced ties across the board

i. India and Russia have signed Saint Petersburg Declaration as a roadmap to enhance cooperation after the 18th annual bilateral summit.ii. The Declaration was signed following the annual bilateral summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both the leaders have signed 12 agreements including the Saint Petersburg Declaration.iii. Both the countries had agreed to interact closely on various fields including economy, manufacturing, energy etc.

Static Takeaways-

PM of Russia is Dmitry Medvedev The capital of Russia is Moscow and Currency is Russian Ruble.

Prithvi-II missile successfully test-fired

i. India successfully test-fired its indigenously developed nuclear-capable Prithvi-II missile from a test range in Odisha as part of a user trial by the Army. ii. The trial of the surface-to-surface missile, which has a strike range of 350 km, was carried out using a mobile launcher of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Chandipur, Odisha. 

Static Takeaways-

DRDO was formed in 1958 Dr S Christopher is the current Chairman of DRDO Dr. Abdul Kalam Island, formerly known as Wheeler Island is located in Odisha.

Telangana launches T-Wallet for people with and without mobile phones

i. The Telangana Government has launched a digital wallet, named T-Wallet, which doesn’t charge transaction fee from consumers.ii. T-Wallet is bi-directional in nature. While consumers use it for public and private transactions, the government can use it to make payments to various beneficiaries. It also can be used over the web version. iii. One can top up the wallet using credit or debit cards, Internet banking or through cash at Mee Seva centres. It allows a maximum transaction of Rs1 lakh for e-KYC (know your customer) users. For non-KYC users, the limit is set to Rs20,000.

Static Takeaways-

Telangana was formed on 2 June 2014 and its CM is Sri K.Chandrashekar Rao Governor of Telangana is Sri ESL Narasimhan.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis launches portal for job seekers, employers

i. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis launched a web portal 'Mahaswayam' that will cater to job seekers, employers, entrepreneurs, and training institutes who can avail details regarding skill development and employment.ii. Earlier, the state government ran three different portals- Maharashtra State Skill Development Society (MSSDS) portal for Skill Development, 'Maharojgar' for employment and 'Mahaswayamrojgar' for entrepreneurship.iii. These three have now been merged into 'Mahaswayam', making it easier for all beneficiaries as well as the state to keep a track of the demand and supply of workforce.

Static Takeaways-

Governor of Maharashtra is C.Vidyasagar Rao. Sanjay Gandhi National Park is situated at Mumbai in Maharashtra.

 Inauguration of MITS Mega Food Park at Rayagada, Odisha.

i. The first Mega Food Park in the state of Odisha MITS Mega Food Park Pvt. Ltd. at Rayagada has been inaugurated by Smt. Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Minister of Food Processing Industries.ii. To give a major boost to the food processing sector by adding value and reducing food wastage at each stage of the supply chain with particular focus on perishables, Ministry of Food Processing Industries is implementing Mega Food Park Scheme in the country.

Static Takeaways-

India's First mega food park 'Srini' was opened at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. List of five important National Parks and WLS in Odisha

1. Chilika Wildlife Sanctuary

2. Kotagarh Wildlife Sanctuary

3. Hadahgarh Wildlife Sanctuary

4. Nandankanan Zoological Park

5. Simlipal National Park.

Road ministry launches online platform INAM PRO+ for infra raw material

i. Minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari has launched 'INAM PRO+'. It is an e-commerce platform for construction and infrastructure raw material for government and private procurement.ii. The website 'inampro.nic.in' launched by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL). iii. INAM PRO+ is an updated version of the INAM portal, which was launched by the ministry of road transport and highways in 2015, to procure cement. The INAM portal has already done sales worth Rs32 crore in two years.

Static Takeaways- National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDC) is a fully owned

company of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India. Shri Sanjay Mitra is the Chairman of NHIDC. Headquarter of NHIDC is in New Delhi.

RBI appoints Ganesh Kumar as ED

i. Reserve Bank of India has appointed S. Ganesh Kumar as Executive Director. His appointment is consequent upon voluntary retirement of Chandan Sinha.ii. The central bank currently has 11 Executive Directors. Prior to being promoted as ED, Ganesh Kumar was Chief General Manager-in-Charge, Department of Information Technology in the Reserve Bank.

Static Takeaways- Urjit Patel is the 24th governor of RBI RBI was nationalized in 1949 and its headquarter is in Mumbai.

Sanjiv Singh takes over as IOC Chairman

i. Sanjiv Singh has taken over as the Chairman of the country’s biggest company Indian Oil Corporation. He replaces B Ashok. ii. Prior to his elevation, Mr.Singh was Director (Refineries) on the IOC board since July 2014. Concurrently, he will also be Chairman of Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) and Hindustan Urvarak and Rasayan Ltd (HURL), a joint venture company set up to revive the fertilizer plants at Gorakhpur, Sindri and Barauni.

Static Takeaways- IOC was established in 1959 and its headquarter is in New Delhi.

UN General Assembly elects Slovakia's Miroslav Lajcak as next president 

i. The UN General Assembly elected Slovak foreign minister Miroslav Lajcak to be the next president of the 193-member powerful body.ii. Lajcak was elected by acclamation as President of the 72nd session of the UN General Assembly at a special session. The 72nd session of the United Nations General Assembly will commence from September 12, 2017.

Static Takeaways-

9th Secretary-General of United Nations is Antonio Guterres and its headquarter is in New York City, USA.

India ranked 137th in the Global Peace Index 2017

i. India has ranked 137th out of 163 countries on Global Peace Index 2017 published by The Institute of Economics and Peace. This is the eleventh edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI). ii. Iceland has been named the world's most peaceful country, topping the Global Peace Index for the tenth consecutive year followed by New Zealand and Portugal at second and third position while Syria has been named the least peaceful country.

Static Takeaways- The Global Peace Index (GPI) is an attempt to measure the relative position of nations and

regions peacefulness across the world.

Nirupama Rao appointed Public Policy Fellow to US Think-Tank

i. Nirupama Rao has been appointed as the public policy fellow of Sino-India ties a top American think-tank based in Washington. ii. She was India's first woman ambassador to china and also served as India's foreign secretary from 2009 to 2011.

Static Takeaways- Donald Trumph is the current and 45th President of USA The Capital of USA is Washington, D.C and its Currency is US Dollar

Vinay Dube named Jet Airways CEO 

i. Jet Airways has announced the appointment of Vinay Dube as its Chief Executive Officer (CEO). ii. The appointment is subject to receipt of all requisite government /regulatory approvals, including his security clearance. Mr. Dube is currently senior vice-president, Asia Pacific, Delta Air Lines.

Static Takeaways- Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju is the Union Minister for Civil Aviation 

NAAC receives Asia Pacific Quality Network Award 2017

i. National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), has received Asia Pacific Quality Network Award 2017 for International Co-operation in Quality Assurance.ii. The award was received by NAAC Adviser Dr. Jagannath Patil in a special ceremony held in Moscow, recently. APQN Quality Award is among the most prestigious International Awards in quality assurance of higher education.

Static Takeaways- The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is an autonomous body

established by the University Grants Commission (UGC) of India The NAAC was established in 1994 with its headquarters at Bangalore Prof. Ved Prakash is the President - General Council of NAAC.

BEML product bags award

i. Defence public sector BEML Ltd has bagged the Raksha Mantri’s Award for Excellence for design and development of 180-tonne electric hydraulic excavator BE1800E. ii. Deepak Kumar Hota, CMD, BEML received the award from Defence Minister Arun Jaitley.

Static Takeaways- BEML full form is Bharat earth Movers Ltd

 Japan launches satellite for high-precision positioning system

i. Japan launched a satellite to help build a high-precision geolocation system that will complement the US-operated GPS.ii. A 'H-IIA' rocket blasted off from the Tanegashima space center in southern Japan carrying the 'Michibiki' No.2 satellite.  The Michibiki system is capable of covering the Asia-Oceania region and works with the US-operated Global Positioning System (GPS). 

Static Takeaways-

PM of Japan is Shinzo Abe The Capital of Japan is Tokyo and its Currency is Yen.

World Environment Day: 5 June

i. World Environment Day (WED) is the biggest annual event for positive environmental action and takes place every on 5 June. This year’s host country is Canada.ii. The theme for World Environment Day 2017 is "Connecting People to Nature".

Static Takeaways-

The World Environment Day is an important part of Canada’s 150th birthday celebrations The WED is organized around the world by United Nations The WED was celebrated for the first time in 1974 The host country for 2016 was Angola.

India successfully test-fires 1st all weather tracked-chassis QR-SAM

i. India has successfully test-fired its first all weather tracked-chassis Quick Reaction Surface-to-Air Missile (QR-SAM) from a mobile launcher at Integrated Test Range at Chandipur in Odisha.ii. The test was carried out for validating various parameters of the sophisticated weapon system to further strengthen its air defence system.

Static Takeaways-

APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha was previously called as Wheeler Island General Bipin Rawat is the 27th Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army.

SEBI forms committee on corporate governance

i. Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has set up a committee under the Chairmanship of Uday Kotak, Executive Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank to help improve the standards of corporate governance of listed companies in India.

ii. Besides Kotak, the panel comprises of 20 members including representatives of Corporate India, stock exchanges, professional bodies, investor groups, chambers of commerce, law firms, academicians and research professionals.

Static Takeaways-

Ajay Tyagi is the current Chairman of SEBI SEBI is Headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra Kotak Mahendra Bank is Headquartered in Mumbai and it was founded in 2003.

States agree to GST rollout from July 1

i. The GST (Goods and Services Tax) Council has cleared the pending rules, including transition provisions and returns, with all the States agreeing to the July 01st 2017 rollout of the tax. Transition rules have been cleared and everybody has agreed for a July 1 rollout,” according to Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac.ii. The GST Council last month fitted over 1,200 goods and 500 services in the tax brackets of 5, 12, 18 and 28 per cent. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has chaired the 15th meeting of the GST Council, which is scheduled to decide on the tax rate of six items, including gold, textiles and footwear.

Static Takeaways-

GST is one indirect tax for the whole nation, which will make India one unified common market. In 2003 the Kelkar Task Force on indirect tax had suggested a comprehensive Goods and

Services Tax (GST) based on VAT principle.

AP's Vizianagaram bags MGNREGA national award

i. The Ministry of Rural Development has selected Vizianagaram district in Andhra Pradesh as one among the 17 districts across the nation for the MGNREGA annual award ii. The award was given for effective implementation of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (MGNREGA) Act during 2015-16.

Static Takeaways-

MGNREGA was set up on Feb 2, 2006 from district Anantapur in the state of Andhra Pradesh Coringa National Park is situated in Andhra Pradesh Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam (Tiger Reserve) is in AP.

India slips to 45th spot in IMD's World Competitiveness list

i. India has been ranked 45th, down four notches from last year, in terms of competitiveness in the annual rankings compiled by IMD which saw Hong Kong topping the list. The list was compiled by the International Institute for Management Development's (IMD) World Competitiveness Center.ii. Switzerland and Singapore were ranked second and third respectively, with the USA at the fourth spot.

Static Takeaways-

Top three Ranked countries in the list are Hong Kong, Switzerland and Singapore The rank of India for 2016 was 41st The IMD World Competitiveness Center is a research group at International Institute for

Management Development (IMD) business school in Switzerland It was formed in year 1989 by Prof. Stephane Garelli.

RCom-Aircel merged wireless company to be called Aircom

i. Reliance Communications (RCom) Chairman Anil Ambani has announced that the merged entities of RCom and Aircel will be called Aircom. These merged entities are Reliance Communications and Maxis Communications Berhad (MCB).ii. The merged company will be one of India’s largest private sector companies. It will have an asset base of over 65000 crore rupees and net worth of 35000 crore rupees.

Static takeaways-

The Group was founded by Shri Dhirubhai H. Ambani (1932-2002) Anil Dhirubhai Ambani is the Chairman of Reliance Group

TATA Projects launches initiative to promote green cover

i. TATA Projects has announced the launch of Green Thumb, an initiative to enhance the green cover. This new initiative of the infrastructure company coincides with World Environment Day (05th June).ii. TATA Projects planted over 42,000 saplings across over 100 locations during 2016-17.

Static Takeaways-

TATA Projects headquarters in Hyderabad Vinayak Deshpande is the Managing Director of TATA Projects.

Mumbai Metro One ties up with Google Maps

i. Reliance Infrastructure-promoted Mumbai Metro One Private Limited (MMOPL) has partnered with Google to display its services in Google Maps application.ii. To bring convenience for the commuters, MMOPL has collaborated with Google Maps to publish authentic timetable information and associated geographic information of the Metro One stations in the app.

Static Takeaways-

Parent organization of google is Alphabet Inc. CEO of google is Sundar Pichai.

Real Madrid first to win back-to-back UEFA Champions League titles

i. Never in the history of the UEFA Champions League had a team won the title in consecutive seasons. That is until now — Real Madrid has done it. Now, they stand alone as the only team in the history of the competition to win back-to-back titles.ii. Unsurprisingly, it was Cristiano Ronaldo who found himself at the centre of attention in both wins.

Static Takeaways-

Madrid is the Capital of Spain

B Sai Praneeth rallies to win Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold title

i. B Sai Praneeth has clinched the Thailand Open Grand Prix Gold badminton title by defeating Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie in a closely-fought final in Bangkok.ii. In April, the ward of national coach Pullela Gopichand had defeated Kidambi Srikanth in an all-Indian Singapore Open Grand Prix final to claim his maiden Grand Prix title.

Static Takeaways for BOI SO Exam-

Bangkok is the Capital city of Thailand. Currency of Thailand is Thai baht.

Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer first Indian to be inducted in ITTF URC

i. Ganeshan Neelakanta Iyer, the only assigned competition manager of International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF), has become the first Indian to be nominated as a member of the Umpires and Referees Committee (URC).ii. Ganeshan’s term as URC member is for a period of two years. Ganeshan is also the chairman of the South Asian Federation technical committee and a member of the Technical Committee of the Commonwealth Table Tennis Federation.

Static Takeaways for RBI Phase-I Exam - 

Mr. Thomas Weikert of Germany is the President of ITTF Executive Commision Headquater of ITTF is in Lausanne, Switzerland.

EESL takes up first rural LED streetlighting project in Andhra Pradesh

i. Energy Efficiency Services Ltd. has initiated a French Agency-funded project to retrofit 10 lakh conventional street lights with LED lights in Gram Panchayats of 7 districts in Andhra Pradesh.ii. This is the first project for rural LED street lighting in the country under the Centre’s Street Lighting National Project (SLNP).iii. The entire capital cost of this project is being funded by French Development Agency, Agence Française de Développement (AFD).iv. Under the project, EESL has agreed to carry out the entire annual maintenance and warranty replacement in these gram panchayats for a period of 10 years.

Static takeaways-

Saurabh Kumar is the Managing Director, EESL Andhra Pradesh was the first state to seek assistance from EESL to replace conventional

street lighting with LED lighting in Visakhapatnam. EESL is registered under the companies Act, 1956 in 2009 and the commencement of

business certificate is obtained in 2010. E. S. L. Narasimhan is the governor of Andhra Pradesh N Chandrababu Naidu is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

Telangana launches single-woman pension scheme, first in India

i. Telangana government has recently launched the single-women pensions scheme across the state. Single women will be given Rs 1,000 per month. It is the first such scheme in India.ii. The government had also increased the Kalyana Laxmi and Shaadi Mubarak scheme amount from Rs50,116 to Rs75,116. Children of single women would be admitted into all Telangana Residential Educational Institutions without having to write an examination or waiting for the lottery system.

Static Takeaways-

Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve is located in Telangana K. Chandrashekar Rao is the CM of Telangana and governor is E S L Narasimhan Pakhal Lake is situated in Telangana.

India’s first public bicycle sharing project launched in Mysuru

i. Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah has recently launched India’s first public bicycle sharing (PBS) initiative 'Trin Trin' in Mysuru.ii. The World Bank, Global Environmental Fund, and state govt have jointly funded the initiative.iii. Mysuru is the first city in India to have a public bicycle sharing system. A total of 450 bicycles can be borrowed from 48 docking stations set up across the City for a nominal fee.

Static Takeaways-

Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala is the present Governor of Karnataka Kempegowda International Airport is located in Karnataka Magod Falls are situated in Karnataka

NSDC signs MoU with Bird Academy for skilling of unemployed youth

i. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Bird Academy have signed an MoU to skill more than 30 thousand unemployed youth from across states in the aviation and aerospace sectors.ii. According to an official release, NSDC and Bird Academy will set up training centres and centres of excellence with an aim of increasing employability of youth in these sectors.

Static Takeaways-

Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) jointly launched the SMART

SMART is abbreviated as Skill Management and AccReditation of Training Centres.

TRAI launches three new apps

i. Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recently launched three new apps to help customers rate quality of services, speed and performance.ii. The three new apps are Mycall app, MySpeed app and 'Do not disturb (DND 2.0)' app. The apps are being launched with the motive that there is more transparency between the consumers and the service providers.iii. The MyCall app, is an Android application for crowdsourced voice call quality monitoring.iv.  MySpeed app will enable TRAI to obtain test-data from users in all service areas, without any action by the users. v. The DND service app will enable users to register their mobile number under DND to avoid unsolicited commercial communication/telemarketing calls/SMS.

Static Takeaways-

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) established with effect from 20th February 1997 by an Act of Parliament, called the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Act, 1997

R.S.Sharma is the present Chairman of TRAI Head Office of TRAI is in New Delhi.

India overtakes China to top global retail index: GRDI

i. India has surpassed China to secure the top position among 30 developing countries on ease of doing business, according to a study that cited India’s rapidly expanding economy, relaxation of FDI rules and a consumption boom as the key drivers.ii. The GRDI was titled as ‘The Age of Focus’, ranks China in second place. Malaysia was in the third position in the list.

Static Takeaways-

Top three countries in the list are India China and Malaysia The GRDI 2017 was titled as 'The Age of Focus' The capital of Malaysia is in Kuala Lumpur.

RBI kicks off financial literacy week

i. To emphasize the importance of financial literacy, the Reserve Bank of India is observing June 5-9, 2017 as Financial Literacy Week across the country.ii. The Week will focus on four broad themes, viz. Know Your Customer (KYC), Exercising Credit Discipline, Grievance Redress and Going Digital.

Static Takeaways-

Shri B.P. Kanungo is the newly appointed Deputy Governor of RBI The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions

of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934. RBI was nationalized in 1949.

NSE launches international exchange at GIFT City

i. Leading bourse National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched its international exchange in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). NSE IFSC Ltd, the global exchange promoted by NSE, will remain operational for a longer period than NSE during a trading day.ii. All the trades will be cleared and settled through NSE IFSC Clearing Corporations Ltd. Several products from the currency, commodity and equity segments are expected to get listed on the new exchange which may also introduce other innovative products in line with Sebi regulations.

Static Takeaways-

Gujarat International Finance Tec-City is the full form of GIFT City.

'Ministry of Utmost Happiness' authored by Arundhati Roy launched

i. The book “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” has been authored by Arundhati Roy, was released recently.ii. It is fiction-based novel and will be published by Hamish Hamilton UK and Penguin India.

Static Takeaways-

Roy became the first Indian woman to win the prestigious Booker Prize with her 1997 work.

UDAN scheme: Tamil Nadu govt signs MoU with Aviation Ministry

i. The Government of Tamil Nadu has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Union Civil Aviation Ministry for the implementation of the UDAN scheme in the state.ii. Under the Regional Air Connectivity scheme UDAN, three of the tier-two industrial towns such as Hosur, Salem and Neyveli are to be developed in the first phase where airstrips are available, though not in use.Static Takeaways-

Amaravathi Dam is situated in Tamil Nadu CM of Tamil Nadu is Edappadi K. Palaniswami C. Vidyasagar Rao is the Governor of Tamil Nadu.

P.Ashok Gajapathi Raju is the Civil Aviation Minister.

Ministry of AYUSH inaugurates 2nd National Health Editors' Conference on Yoga

i. The second National Health Editors’ Conference on Yoga has begun in New Delhi. The conference aimed at giving insight to the journalists about the scientific aspects of yoga and its benefits for health.ii. The theme of the conference is 'Yoga for Health and Harmony'. The event was inaugurated by Minister of State for AYUSH Shripad Yesso Naik.Static Takeaways-

The Ministry of AYUSH was formed on 9th November 2014  Earlier it was known as the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homeopathy

(ISM&H) which was created in March 1995  It was renamed as Department of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and

Homoeopathy (AYUSH) in November 2003.  Shripad Yasso Naik is the Minister of Ministry of AYUSH.

India signs OECD pact to check tax evasion by MNCs

i. India signed the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) multilateral convention that aims to check cross-border tax evasion by multinational companies.ii. Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley signed the multilateral convention in Paris, France to implement tax treaty- related measures to prevent base erosion and profit shifting.iii. The Multilateral Convention is an outcome of the OECD/G20 Project to tackle Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) which is resorted to by MNCs through tax planning strategies by exploiting gaps and mismatches in tax rules.Static Takeaways-

The Organisation for European Economic Cooperation (OEEC) was established in 1948 OECD Headquarters in Paris, France. Secretary-General of OECD is Angel Gurria.

Indian American Raja Chari among 12 new astronauts chosen by NASA

i. NASA has chosen 12 new astronauts, including an Indian American named Raja Chari, from a record number of over 18,000 applicants, who will be trained for missions into Earth orbit and to deep space.ii. The 12 new candidates include six military officers, three scientists, two medical doctors, a lead engineer at SpaceX and a NASA research pilot.iii. Lt. Col. Raja Chari is the first Indian American after Kalpana Chawla to be chosen by NASA for one of its missions at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. This is the largest group NASA has selected in almost two decades.Static Takeaways-

Robert M. Lightfoot Jr. is NASA Acting Administrator NASA was established in 1958.

Shri J P Nadda launches Skill for Life, Save a Life initiative to promote skill development in the health sector

i. Shri J P Nadda has launched 'Skill for Life, Save a Life' initiative to promote skill development in the health sector. The Initiative aims to upscale the quantity and quality of trained professionals in the healthcare system.ii. Under this initiative, various courses are planned to be initiated targeting specific competencies for healthcare professionals as well as for the general public.

Static Takeaways-

Rajkumari Amrit Kaur was the first Health Minister of India.

Lakshmi Vilas Bank appoints B K Manjunath as part-time chairman for 3 years

i. Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) has appointed B K Manjunath as a part-time chairman for three years.ii. Manjunath is a member of Institute of Chartered Accountants of India and a practicing charted accountant for the last 25 years.Static Takeaways-

LVB is Headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. LVB was founded in 1926.

Axis Bank, first to issue biodegradable prepaid gift cards

i. Axis Bank Ltd has announced biodegradable prepaid gift cards on the occasion of World Environment Day (05th June).ii. With this, the bank has become the first to introduce biodegradable cards in the country. The card has the look and feel of regular plastic cards and can be used in PoS terminals and ATMs. Biodegradable cards can also be recycled. Static Takeaways-

According to a circular issued by the Reserve Bank of India on 1 July 2014, the maximum validity of pre-paid gift instruments is three years.

Shikha Sharma is the MD and CEO of Axis Bank. Headquarter of Axis bank is in Mumbai.

Civil Aviation Ministry to roll out ‘DigiYatra’ for air travellers

i. Civil Aviation Ministry is adding a digital experience for Air travelers through 'DigiYatra' Platform in New Delhi. This initiative aims at bringing together entire industry to develop a digital ecosystem that will deliver customers a seamless and paperless service experience at every stage of journey.ii. Minister of State for Civil Aviation Jayant Sinha stated that the initiative envisages providing airline travelers in India, a digitally unified flying experience across all stages of their journey.Static Takeaways-

Minister of State for Civil Aviation is Jayant Sinha.

Virat Kohli sole Indian in top 100 of Forbes list of world’s highest paid athletes

i. Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli is the sole sportsperson from the country to feature in the world’s 100 highest paid athletes in the latest Forbes list topped by soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo.ii. Virat Kohli has been ranked 89th on the 2017 Forbes list of ‘The World’s highest paid athletes’ with a total pay of $ 22 million that includes $ three million from salary and winnings and another 19 million from endorsements.iii. Tennis star Serena Williams is at the 51 spot with $ 27 million, the lone female athlete to make the cut this year.

Takeaways from above News-

Current ICC ranking of Virat Kohli is Third Cristiano Ronaldo is from Portugal and plays for the Team of Real Madrid

Ramkumar Ramanathan lifts ITF men’s Futures tennis title

i. India’s Ramkumar Ramanathan lifted the ITF (International Tennis Federation) men’s Futures tennis title after outplaying Raymond Sarmiento of the USA in straight sets in Singapore.ii. The top-seeded Indian beat the second seeded player 6-2, 6-2 in the final of the event. It was the first title of the season for Ramkumar.Static Takeaways for IBPS PO Exam-

ITF Futures Tennis Title was held in Singapore. The currency of Singapore is Singapore Dollar.

Muttiah Muralidaran becomes first Sri Lankan to be inducted into ICC Hall of Fame

i. Muttiah Muralidaran, the most successful bowler in Tests and One-Day Internationals, was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in London.ii. The Sri Lankan spin great was honored during the innings break of the India versus Sri Lanka Champions Trophy match at The Oval.iii. He became the first player from Sri Lanka and the 83rd overall to be inducted into the Hall of Fame when ICC CEO Dave Richardson presented him with a commemorative framed cap. Static Takeaways for IBPS PO-

There are four Indian Players in the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame viz. Bishan Bedi, Kapil Dev, Anil Kumble, and Sunil Gavaskar.

Read more: http://www.bankersadda.com/2017/06/current-affairs-daily-gk-update-09th-june-2017.html#ixzz4kWg00neh

Indian-origin Leo Varadkar becomes Ireland’s youngest PM

i. Leo Varadkar, a 38-year-old Indian-origin doctor, scripted history by becoming Ireland’s youngest and the first openly gay Prime Minister of the Catholic-majority country.ii. Varadkar, the country’s first Indian-origin premier, officially took over from Enda Kenny as Taoiseach, as the Irish prime ministerial title is known, after a parliamentary vote in Dublin confirmed him as the leader by 57 votes to 50, with 47 abstentions.

Takeaways from above News-

Ireland became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage through popular vote.

Dublin is the capital of Ireland and its currency is Euro.

Recent Cabinet Approvals- 14th June 2017

i. The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has given its approval in the various fields and has also approved some important MoUs. The important approvals of the Cabinet are as follows-The Cabinet has approved-

1. The Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS) for farmers for the year 2017-18: This will help farmers getting short term crop loan up to Rs. 3 lakh payable within one year at only 4% per annum. The Government has earmarked a sum of Rs. 20,339 crore for this purpose. 

2. Ex-post facto approval to the MoU between Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and the Ministry of Agriculture in the State of Palestine on agriculture cooperation. 

3. The proposal to introduce a Financial Resolution and Deposit Insurance Bill, 2017: The Bill would provide for a comprehensive resolution framework for specified financial sector entities to deal with bankruptcy situation in banks, insurance companies, and financial sector entities. 

4. The signing of MoU between India and Armenia on cooperation on youth matters 

5. The signing of MoU between India and Bangladesh for promoting cooperation in the field of Information Technology and Electronics.

India to be Co-Partner Country in ANUGA 2017

i. Minister of Food Processing Industries Smt Harsimrat Kaur Badal addressed a Joint Press Conference with the organizers of ANUGA - an international business platform for Food Industry to be held in Cologne, Germany.ii. She also signed the Memorandum of Understanding for Participation in the ANUGA Exhibition with Ms Katharina C Hamma, Chief Operating Officer, Koelnmesse GmBH (Organizers of ANUGA).

About ANUGA in Brief:

ANUGA - an acronym for Allgemeine Nahrungs Und Genußmittel Ausstellung ( General Food and Non essential Provisions Exhibition) is the world’s biggest and most important trade fair for Food and beverage trade. 

It takes place bi-annually (every 2 years).  ANUGA 2017 is the 34th edition.  It offers an extensive supporting programme with Lectures, Special exhibition and attractive

industry events  ANUGA is the leading export platform with 7,189 exhibitors from 109 countries with over 85%

of Exhibitors from abroad. 

Railway Ministry launches Mission Retro-Fitment to enhance the passenger experience

i. To enhance the passenger's experience by upgrading existing fleet of coaches with better furnishing, aesthetics & amenities and better safety features with a view to provide a safe and comfortable travel, Minister of Railways Shri Suresh Prabhu has launched MISSION RETRO-FITMENT in Rail Bhavan, New Delhi.ii. Mission Retro-Fitment is an ambitious program to upgrade the level of furnishing & amenities in the coaches of Indian Railways. This is one of the largest retro fitment project in the world as Indian Railways’ 40,000 coaches will be refurbished and retrofitted in the next five years.

Static Takeaways from Above News-

The first Railway Minister of India was John Mathai. The first train in India ran between Bombay and Thane in 1853.

Government announces Indian envoys to European Union, Italy, Belgium and Denmark

i. India has announced a number of new diplomatic appointments in its missions abroad, including envoys to the European Union, Italy, Belgium, and Denmark.

1. Gaitri Issar Kumar, joint secretary in the President’s Secretariat, was named as India’s Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union which has its headquarters in the Belgian capital of Brussels.

2. Reenat Sandhu was named as India’s new Ambassador to Italy. He has replaced Anil Wadhwa.

3. Ajit Vinayak Gupte, joint secretary in the external affairs ministry, has been named India’s Ambassador to Denmark. He will take over from Rajeev Shahare.

Static Takeaways from Above News-

Rome is the Capital of Italy. Copenhagen is the Capital of Denmark.

Brussels is the Capital of Belgium.

World Bank approves over $500 million for Afghanistan to boost economy

i. The World Bank has approved financing worth more than 500 million dollars for Afghanistan to support a string of projects to boost the economy, help improve service delivery in five cities and support Afghan refugees sent back from Pakistan.ii. The international troop withdrawal, which began in 2011, and political uncertainties have impacted Afghanistan’s economy deeply. The largest chunk of the package, some 205.4 million dollars, will go toward supporting communities affected by refugees returning from Pakistan.

Important Takeaways for IBPS PO Exam-

Jim Yong Kim is the President of World Bank and its headquarters is in Washington, D.C, USA. Kabul is the Capital of Afghanistan. Ashraf Ghani is the Present President of Afghanistan.

IDBI Bank only PSB to get ‘high’ rating for code compliance

i. According to the Code Compliance Rating of banks done by the Banking Codes and Standards Board of India (BCSBI) 2017, only one (IDBI Bank) out of 26 public sector banks and eight out of 17 private sector banks got ‘high’ rating for their adherence to code compliance.ii. The eight private sector banks that got ‘high’ rating are- Axis Bank, DCB Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBL Bank and YES Bank. The three foreign banks are Citibank, HSBC and Standard Chartered Bank, that were surveyed got ‘high’ ranking.

Banking Takeaways from Above News-

The Chairman of BCSBI is  A C Mahajan. The Headquarter of IDBI Bank is in Mumbai. CEO of IDBI bank is Mahesh Kumar Jain.

India-Australia naval exercise ‘AUSINDEX 17’ begins

i. Indian warships began a week-long naval exercise off the coast of Western Australia. The second AUSINDEX exercises are aimed at increasing interoperability between Australian and Indian naval forces, executing complex naval manoeuvres.ii. The first AUSINDEX was held in the Bay of Bengal in 2015.

Important Takeaways from above News-

In May 2017, Singapore and India held a maritime bilateral exercise 'SIMBEX 17' Canberra is the Capital of Australia and its currency is Australian dollar. Marise Payne is Australia’s 53rd Minister for Defence. Malcolm Turnbull is the present PM of Australia.

DRDO successfully test fires third generation anti-tank ‘Nag’ missile in Rajasthan

i. The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has successfully test fired the anti-tank missile “Nag” in a desert in Rajasthan’s western sector.ii. The Nag missile is a third generation “fire and forget” anti-tank missile. It has reportedly also been equipped with highly advanced Imaging Infrared Radar (IRR) seeker and has integrated avionics technology in its arsenal. 

Important Takeaways from Above News-

The Chairman of DRDO is Dr. S Christopher.  The indigenous nuclear capable Prithvi-II had been successfully testing fired from a range in

Odisha, in May 2017.

Read more: http://www.bankersadda.com/2017/06/current-affairs-daily-gk-update-15th-june-2017.html#ixzz4kWgGhVBp

AIIB approves membership of Argentina, Madagascar, Tonga 

i. The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved the membership of Argentina, Madagascar, and Tonga at its second annual meeting of Governors. The AIIB’s Board of Governors adopted resolutions approving the three applicants to join the bank at the second annual meeting, which kicked off earlier in the day in South Korea’s southern resort island of Jeju. ii. The first meeting was held in Beijing in 2016. The approved applicants included one regional prospective member of Tonga and two non-regional members of Argentina and Madagascar. 

Important Takeaways-

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) headquarters in Beijing, China. Mr. Jin Liqun is the President of AIIB.

World’s second biggest celebrations of International Yoga Day to be held in China after India 

i. In China, ahead of the third UN International Day of Yoga, thousands of Chinese would participate in scores of events organized across the country. As per the official report, it will the second biggest yoga day celebration in the world after India. ii. However, yoga has become immensely popular over the years in China vying with ancient indigenous physical fitness martial art form Tai Chi. China also backed India’s move in the UN to make June 21 as International Yoga Day, giving a fillip to hundreds of yoga clubs and organizations.

Static Takeaways- 

The capital of China is  Beijing and its Currency is Renminbi. The President of China is Xi Jinping. UN International Day of Yoga is celebrated on 21st of June.

All you need to know about Arun Jaitely’s four days visit to South Korea 

i. The Union Minister of Finance, Defence and Corporate Affairs, Shri Arun Jaitley was on a four-day official visit (14th to 17th June) to Republic of Korea (ROK) and participated in the India-Korea Strategic Economic Dialogue and the 2nd Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

The Key Points of the visit are-

1. China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has approved USD 150 million equity investment loan to the India Infrastructure Fund. It is the bank's first such loan to fund private projects.

2. India, South Korea agree to increase investment to push infrastructure, bilateral tradeThe two countries have signed agreements to establish 9 billion US dollar in concessional credit and 1 billion dollars in Official Development Assistant, ODA funding for infrastructure development projects in India. With this, Republic of Korea became one of the first non-G-7 countries to become an ODA contributor in India.

3. India-Korea Financial Dialogue in SeoulBoth sides agreed that in the face of uncertainty and the risk of rising protectionism, there was a need for the two countries to increase efforts to stimulate investment flows, support for infrastructure development, and bilateral trade among others. The dialogue was followed by the signing ceremony of Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) agreement between India and South Korea and thereafter, an MOU was signed between EXIM Bank of India and South Korea’s KEXIM Bank.

4. 2nd Annual Meeting of Board of Governors of the AIIBThe second annual meeting of the AIIB was held on June 16, 2017, in South Korea’s Jeju Island. The theme of this year’s annual meeting was “Sustainable Infrastructure”. During this second annual meeting of governors, AIIB approved the membership of Argentina, Madagascar, and Tonga.

5. India to host 2018 AIIB Annual Meeting

The Board of Governors of the AIIB announced that the Bank’s third Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors will be held in Mumbai, India in June 2018.

About AIIB in Brief-

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) is a new multilateral development bank founded to bring countries together to address the daunting infrastructure needs across Asia.

AIIB headquarters in Beijing, China. Mr. Jin Liqun is the current President of AIIB. AIIB commenced its operation in January 2016 and has now grown to 80 approved members

from around the world.

Government sets up GST facilitation cell in DIPP 

i. The government has set up a GST facilitation cell in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) to facilitate the rollout of Goods and Services Tax. The cell is headed by Economic Advisor Sudhansu Sekhar Das.ii. The cell will remain in constant touch with major industry and business associations relating to the Department. It will be the first point of contact for addressing any issue being faced by any sector related to the Department.

Important Takeaways-

DIPP comes under the Government of India- Ministry Of Commerce & Industry. Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman is the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry (Independent

Charge). The Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion was established in 1995 and has been

reconstituted in the year 2000.

Atal Pension Yojana (APY) can now be subscribed digitally 

i. Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) has now introduced “APY@eNPS” which involves a complete digital enrolment process.ii. This is the latest in the series of various initiatives taken by PFRDA for expansion of outreach of  Atal Pension Yojana (APY), to give the additional push to cover the as yet unreached population with greater ease. PFRDA has conducted meetings with Banks and Dept of Post at Kolkata, Bengaluru & Mumbai respectively for the earliest roll out of the facility call.

Important Takeaways from above News:

National Pension System (NPS) which is administered and regulated by Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) created by an Act of Parliament. 

PFRDA is authorized by Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services. The Headquarter of PFRDA is in New Delhi.

RBI initiates Prompt Corrective Action against Bank of Maharashtra as NPA mounts 

i. The Reserve Bank of India has initiated prompt corrective action (PCA) on Bank of Maharashtra placing a restriction on the banking activities. This RBI has said that the action is taken on the bank in view of the high level of bad loans.ii. This is the sixth bank to be placed under PCA by the RBI and of this five banks were placed under PCA in the last three months. RBI has initiated PCA on Central Bank of India, IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Dena Bank and Indian Overseas Bank. The move will restrict the bank from announcing the dividend, opening branches, hiring and giving loans to companies rated below investment grade.

Banking Takeaways-

The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935, in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.

RBI was nationalized in 1949. R. P. Marathe is the Managing Director & CEO of Bank of Maharashtra. The Head Office of BoM is in Pune, Maharashtra.

 SBI, Tirumala Milk Products tie up for providing loans to dairy farmers

i. State Bank of India has entered into a tie-up with Tirumala Milk Products, a South- based company which was acquired by Groupe Lactalis in 2014, to provide loans to dairy farmers who supply milk to the latter.ii. France-based Groupe Lactalis, which also acquired Indore-based Anik Dairy in 2016, wants to double the number of dairy farmers under its fold to three lakh and ramp up the amount of milk it procures daily to 25 lakh litres by 2020 from 14 lakh litres now.

Important Takeaways from above News:

01st April 2017 was the record date in India as the merger of State Bank of India took place (SBI) with five of its associate banks and Bhartiya Mahila Bank. 

State Bank of India has entered the league of 'Top 50 Global Banks' with a balance sheet size of Rs. 41 trillion.

SBI was earlier placed at 54th rank globally but after the merging, it moved to the 44th position making it in the top 50 leading banks globally.

The total customer base of the bank reaches 37 crores with a branch network of around 24,000 and nearly 59,000 ATMs across the country.

Connaught Place is ninth most expensive office market in world, Mumbai lags 

i. Connaught Place in the national capital is the most expensive prime office market in India and the ninth most expensive office market in the world, with an occupancy cost of $153.89 per square feet, according to the bi-annual Global Prime Office Occupancy Costs survey of US-based CBRE.ii. Acc. to the survey, Mumbai’s Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) moved one place up from nineteen to 20 while the CBD of Nariman Point ranked thirty-third on the list of the top 50 most expensive office markets around the world.iii. Hong Kong (Central) became the world’s highest-priced office market with an occupancy cost of $302.51 per sq ft per annum. Asia continues to dominate the list of the world’s most expensive office locations, accounting for seven of the top ten markets, according to the survey.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

In 1994, CBRE was the first international real estate services firm to set up an office in India.

Govt ropes in Amitabh Bachchan to promote GST 

i. The government has roped in Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan to promote Goods and Services Tax (GST), ahead of the sweeping tax reform’s implementation scheduled from July 1.ii. The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) will be making the 74-year-old Bachchan brand ambassador for GST. The megastar has been roped in just as the rollout of the biggest tax overhaul since independence entered its final phase. Ace badminton star PV Sindhu was previously the GST ambassador.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

GST Council is Headed by Finance Minister of India Arun Jaitley.

DGCA suspends Air Carnival’s flying permit

i. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended the flying licence of Coimbatore-based carrier Air Carnival, which has not operated a single flight since early April.ii. With this, Air Carnival has become the third regional carrier, after Air Pegasus and Air Costa, whose air operator permit has been suspended by DGCA in the last eight months. The DGCA has suspended Air Operator Permit (AOP) of Air Carnival after it failed to satisfy the regulator in its response to the show-cause notice.

Important Takeaways from above News:

DGCA is the regulatory body governing the safety aspects of civil aviation in India.  Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju is the Union Minister for Civil Aviation. 

Kidambi Srikanth lifts Indonesia Open

i. India’s Kidambi Srikanth has lifted the Indonesia Open Super Series badminton title by defeating Japanese qualifier Kazumasa Sakai in straight games 21-11, 21-19 in the Men’s Singles final at Jakarta, Indonesia.ii. For World No.22 Srikanth, it is his third Super Series title. He had earlier won the 2014 China Open and 2015 India Open.

Important Takeaways from Above News-

Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia. Joko Widodo is the President of Indonesia.

‘Harry Potter’ Actor Sam Beazley Dies At The Age Of 101

i. Actor Sam Beazley, who played Professor Everard in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, has passed away at the age of 101.

ii. Beazley began his professional acting career as a teenager in 1930s and featured in films like Hamlet, and Romeo and Juliet.