Current Affairs Today: June 18 2015

Dear Readers, We cover some important news in Current Affairs Today Section, which are not covered in Daily Detailed News, More Current Affairs coverage will helpful in upcoming exam.

• Read Our Current Affairs Today 
• Try Our Daily Current Affairs Quiz 

Try Our Current Affairs Quiz – June 18 2015

Indian Affairs 

• Govt. plans 20 million houses for urban poor
• Govt order seeks to reduce number of Antyodaya beneficiaries
• Cabinet revises solar power target to 1 lakh Mw by 2022
• Election Commission suspends recognition of PA Sangma-led National People’s Party
• TCS launches Center Of Excellence (CoE) for Next Gen Technology Solutions
• China factor: Centre hikes steel import duty

India third in global doping report for 2013 by WADA

• India has been ranked 3^rd in a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report for 2013.  Russia and Turkey are ahead of India in this list.
• Russia has maximum number of dope offenders with 212 testing positive for using banned substances. The figures for Turkey and India were 155 and 91 respectively.
• The report compiled by the WADA based mainly on the information received from National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs). The comprehensive report, which dealt with testing of 207513 samples, covered 115 nationalities and 89 sports.

Gujarat to introduce compulsory voting in local body polls: CM

• Gujarat is all set to introduce compulsory voting in the upcoming local bodies elections, which are likely to be held in October.
• Chief Minister Anandiben Patel said, “We are in the process of notifying rules for compulsory voting bill. It will be implemented in Gujarat in corporation and the district Panchayat elections.”

Visa requirements for diplomatic passports holders between India, Spain to be abolished

• The Union Cabinet gave its approval for signing of an agreement on the abolition of visa requirement for diplomatic passports holders between India and Spain.
• The agreement will ease visa-free travel for diplomatic passport holders of one country while entering into, transiting through, exiting from or staying for up to 90 days in the territory of the other country with additional safeguards.

ASCI launches mobile app to curb misleading advertisements

• Advertising Standard Council of India (ASCI) launched its consumer complaint mobile application – ASCIonline, to provide consumer complaint services on a mobile app besides providing the facility online.
• The mobile app is currently available on android and iOS platforms.

International Affairs 

• India ranked 143 out of 162 countries on 2015 Global Peace Index

South Korean lawmakers approve new premier

• The National Assembly of South Korea approved the appointment of Hwang Kyo-ahn for Prime Minister.
• He was the choice of President Park Geun-hye.

Russia, Saudi Arabia to discuss broad oil cooperation agreement

• Russia and Saudi Arabia plans to discuss a broad cooperation agreement at an economic forum in St Petersburg.
• Saudi Arabia is the top producer in the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and the world’s top oil exporter, while Russia, which is not an OPEC member, is the second biggest oil supplier to the global markets.

Awards 

Hindi writers Babusha Kohli, Upasana won 10th Navlekhan Award of Bharatiya Jnanpith

• 10th Bharatiya Jnanpith Navlekhan Price was awarded to writers Babusha Kohli and Upasana 16 June 2015. They were recognized for poem “Prem Gilhari Akhrot Dil” and novel “Zindagi Ek Ek Ek Script Bhar” respectively.
• The awards ceremony was held at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi .Navlekhan award was established with a goal to award young authors writing in Hindi.
• The Jnanpith Award (also spelled as Gyanpeeth Award) is a literary award in India. Along with the Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, it is one of the two most prestigious literary honours in the country. The award was instituted in 1961. Eligibility is restricted to any Indian citizen who writes in one of the 22 languages listed in Schedule Eight of the Indian constitution.

Business

India to sign free trade pact with EAEU

• India will sign a free trade agreement with Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) to boost trade and economic ties with the region.
• The agreement will be signed at the St Petersburg International Economic Forum.

Acquisitions

SunEdison Inc acquired Singapore-based Continuum Wind Energy Ltd

• Solar technology firm SunEdison India has acquired Singapore-based Continuum Wind Energy for an undisclosed sum.
• SunEdison has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Continuum Wind Energy, Singapore with assets in India,

Appoinments

Archana Ramasundaram out of CBI, appointed Director of NCRB

• Senior IPS officer Archana Ramasundaram has been moved out of the CBI and appointed as Director, National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).
• Archana, a 1980 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, was appointed as Additional Director in CBI in February last year amid controversy.

Gurucharan Gets Additional Charge Of Bureau Of Indian Standards As DG

• Senior IAS officer G Gurucharan gets additional charge of Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) for three months.
• He is presently Additional Secretary in Department of Food and Public Distribution.
• He will hold the additional charge till the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders.

Aakar Patel new head of Amnesty International India

• Aakar Patel has joined Amnesty International India as its new Executive Director from today.
• Journalist and writer Aakar Patel will head Amnesty International India’s operations.

Sports

Mary Kom to be chief guest for Yoga event in Dubai

• MC Mary Kom will be the chief guest for the Yoga event, which is being organised by Indian Consulate in Dubai.
• Indian Olympic medallist boxer and five-time World Boxing Champion Mary Kom will join the event which is organized on the occasion of first ever International Yoga day on June 21.

Sharad Pawar re-elected as President of Mumbai Cricket Association

• Veteran leader of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Sharad Pawar was on 17 June 2015 re-elected as the President of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA).
• In the biennial polls held for the post, Pawar defeated Vijay Patil by 34 votes to retain the president’s post. Former Indian cricketer Dilip Vengsarkar along with Ashish Shelar was elected as Vice-President of the MCA.
• He defeated Pratap Sarnaik who got 124 votes compared to 195 seats secured by Vengsarkar.
  Nitin Dalal was elected as Treasurer who defeated Mayank Khandwala for the post.

ECB to pump £3m into Women’s Cricket Super League

• Cricket is one of our most favorite sports for us mostly boys.But in England,Today marks a major step for the women’s game in England said ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) chief executive Tom Harrison.
• The new tournament is set to comeout the Women’s Big Bash League, which begins in Australia
• The plan is to attract the world’s women’s Cricket player to England’s leading female.For this £3m funding will pay for coaching and facilities as well as promotion of the competition and prize money.

Obituary 

Kirk Kerkorian, billionaire Las Vegas mogul passes away

• Kirk Kerkorian, the son of Armenian immigrants who became a billionaire Las Vegas mogul, has died at the age of 98.
• The veteran US businessman was the largest shareholder in MGM Resorts International, which owns the MGM Grand and Bellagio hotels in Las Vegas.