GK and Current Affairs Updates

World Refugee Day was observed on 20 June 2016. It is observed annually to draw attention to the plight of refugees, celebrate their courage and resilience and renew commitment to solve refugee problems.
•    It also recognizes contributions of the refugees made to the countries that host them.
•    According to the United Nations 1951 Refugee Convention, refugee is a person who fled his or her home and country owing to a well-founded fear of persecution because of his/her race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion.
•    Many refugees are in exile to escape the effects of natural or human-made disasters.
•    Developing countries host four-fifths of the world’s refugees. The 48 Least Developed Countries provide asylum to 2.3 million refugees.
•    The UN General Assembly via its resolution 55/76 on 4 December 2000 decided to observe the World Refugee Day on 20 June every year. 
•    On this day of adoption of the resolution the General Assembly also noted that 2001 marked the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, and that the Organization of African Unity (OAU) had agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with Africa Refugee Day on 20 June.
•    As per United Nations, every minute eight people leave everything behind to escape war, persecution or terror.

Businessman Bipin R Patel was on 18 June 2016 appointed as the President of Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) for the term 2016-17. He succeeds Rohit J Patel.
•    The decision in this regard was taken during the annual general meeting (AGM) of the GCCI. In another development, Shailesh Patwari was appointed as the Senior Vice-President of the chamber.
•    The Chamber was founded in 1949 by Kasturbhai Lalbhai and Amrutlal Hargovandas, pioneers of industrial Gujarat
•    It is registered as a Society under the Society Registration Act, 1860.
•    It works to create and sustain an environment conducive to the growth of industry and trade in Gujarat, partnering both of them through advisory processes.
•    It has 2983 direct members which include over 176 Trade and Industry Associations and leading Chambers of Commerce of the State.

International Cricket Council (ICC) on 19 June 2016 suspended Sri Lanka’s fast bowler Shaminda Eranga from bowling. He was suspended after an assessment of his bowling action.
•    The assessment revealed that all deliveries exceeded the 15 degrees level of tolerance permitted under the regulations.
•    The test was performed on 6 June 20156 at the National Cricket Performance Centre in Loughborough, which is an ICC accredited testing centre.
•    Eranga, who has played 41 times for Sri Lanka across all three formats, was reported after the second Test against England at Chester-le-Street on 31 May 2016.
•    In accordance with Article 6.1 of the regulations, Eranga’s international suspension will also be recognized and enforced by all National Cricket Federations for domestic cricket events played in their own jurisdiction. But he can play domestic cricket in Sri Lanka, with the consent of the country's cricket board.
•    He can also apply for a re-assessment after modifying his bowling action in accordance with clause 2.4 of the Regulations for the Review of Bowlers Reported with Suspected Illegal Bowling Actions.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on 17 June 2016 unveiled the iconic X-57 Hybrid Electric Research Plane nicknamed as Maxwell.
•    The plane is fixed with 14 electric motors turning propellers and all of them are integrated into a uniquely-designed wing. NASA will use this plane to test new propulsion technology.
•    The airplane is named after James Clerk Maxwell, the 19th century Scottish physicist who did groundbreaking work in electromagnetism.
•    The artist's concept of the X-57 shows the plane's specially designed wing and 14 electric motors.
•    NASA Aeronautics researchers will use the Maxwell to demonstrate that how electric propulsion can make planes quieter, more efficient and more environmentally friendly.
•    Maxwell will be powered only by batteries, eliminating carbon emissions and demonstrating how demand would shrink for lead-based aviation fuel still in use by general aviation.
•    Energy efficiency at cruise altitude using X-57 technology could benefit travellers by reducing flight times, fuel usage, as well as reducing overall operational costs for small aircraft.
•    Moreover, X-57’s electric propulsion technology is expected to significantly decrease aircraft noise, making it less annoying to the public.
•    With the return of piloted X-planes to NASA’s research capabilities, the general aviation-sized X-57 will take the first step in opening a new era of aviation.
•    The first X-plane was the X-1, which in 1947 became the first airplane to fly faster than the speed of sound. 
•    The X-1 project defined and solidified the post-war cooperative union between US military needs, industrial capabilities and research facilities.

Union Ministry of AYUSH released a Yog Geet (Song) on 17 June 2016 in connection with the celebration of International Day of Yoga–2016.
•    The song is of 3 minutes and 15 seconds in Hindi language.
•    The song is written and produced by Deeraj Saraswat.
•    Gandhar TD Jadhav and Gatha Jadhav were given their voice.
•    The Music of the song is composed by Sumanto Ray.
•    As part of celebration of 2nd International Day of Yoga a National level competition for selection of a Yog Geet was organised by the Ministry of AYUSH.
•    About one thousand entries were received for Yog Geet out of which the Committee OF Yoga Experts constituted for the celebration of International Day of Yoga–2016 under the chairmanship of Dr HR Nagendra selected released one.

Australia on 18 June 2016 won Hero Hockey Champions Trophy 2016 at the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre in London. It defeated India 1-0 in a shoot-out.
•    The game finished with the score locked at 0-0 but later Australia scored a goal in the shoot-out reducing the score to 1-0 and won the final match to win the Gold medal. 
•    Australia’s Blake Govers missed a penalty stroke, while India was dominant in the third and fourth quarter before losing the shoot-out.
•    With this victory, Australia claimed the Champions Trophy title for the 14th time.
•    Germany defeated Great Britain to win the bronze medal.
1: Australia
2: India
3: Germany
4: Great Britain
5: Belgium
6: Korea
•Best player: Tobias Hauke (Germany)
•Best junior player: Harmanpreet Singh (India)
•Best goalkeeper: George Pinner (Great Britain)
•Top scorer: Marco Miltkau (Germany)

India and South Korea on 18 June 2016 launched a special initiative, Korea Plus. The initiative aims at promoting and facilitating Korean Investments in India.
The platform was launched by the Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Joo Hyunghwan, the Minister of Trade, Industry & Energy, Government of Korea.
•    The mandate of Korea Plus covers the entire investment spectrum including supporting Korean enterprises entering the Indian market for the first time.
•    It will look into issues faced by Korean companies doing business in India and policy advocacy to the Union Government on their behalf.
•    It will act as a mediator in arranging meetings, assisting in public relations and research/evaluation
•    It will provide information and counseling in regard to Korean companies’ investing in India.
It comprises of a representative from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Energy, Government of Korea and representative from Korea Trade Investment and Promotion Agency (KOTRA). Besides, it also includes three representatives from Invest India.
The two nations inked a MoU for establishing Korea Plus in January 2016. This MOU came as an outcome of the visit of the Indian Prime Minister to South Korea in May 2015.

The Indian mixed recurve team of Deepika Kumari and Atanu Das on 19 June 2016 won silver at the Archery World Cup in Antalya, Turkey.
•    In the final clash at Konyaalti Beach Park, the Indian team lost to South Korea 1-5.
•    Indian team trailed 0-2 in the first set against the top-seed Korean pair of Choi Misun and Ku Bonchan and went down 1-5 in the final.
•    The Sixth seeded Indian duo reached final after beating second-seeded pair of Mauro Nespoli Guendalina Sartori 5-1 in straight sets in the semi-finals.
•    Earlier, the women's recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Bombayla Devi Laishram and Laxmirani Majhi also went down in the bronze medal clash to Italy 1-5.

The Union Cabinet has approved a bill seeking to amend the debt recovery laws with an overall objective of improving the ease of doing business.
•    Cabinet approves ex facto 'The Enforcement of Security Interest and Recovery of Debts Laws and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, 2016.
•    The bill aims to improve ease of doing business, facilitate investment leading to higher economic growth and development, it added.
•    Introduced in Lok Sabha last month, the bill seeks to amend four legislations — Securitization and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (Sarfaesi) Act, 2002, the Recovery of Debts due to Banks and Financial Institutions Act, 1993, the Indian Stamp Act, 1899 and the Depositories Act, 1996.
•    A parliamentary joint committee has invited views and suggestions from various stakeholders and public on the provisions of the bill by June 22.
•    Around 70,000 cases are pending in debt recovery tribunals (DRT) and the proposed amendments would facilitate expeditious disposal of recovery applications

India-Bangladesh transit facility under the revised Inland Water Transit and Trade Protocol became operational between Kolkata-Ashuganj-Tripura on 16 June 2016.

The transit facility was signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka in June 2015 to boost trade and facilitate seamless movement of goods in the Bangladesh region.
The trans-shipment operations were launched at the Ashuganj port with a cargo vessel unloading the maiden consignment to be transported to Tripura through Bangladeshi territory.
The first ship from Kolkata carrying 1000 tonnes of steel and iron sheets reached Ashuganj river port in Bangladesh.
•    The facility that runs through Bangladesh territory cuts the Kolkata-Agartala via Siliguri’s ‘chicken neck’ distance from 1600 kilometers to 800 kilometers.
•    It will reduce the time of the journey from 30 days to 10 days.
•    It will reduce the transportation costs from 67 US dollars to 35 US dollars per tonne while transporting from mainland India to the north-eastern states.
•    India pays transit fees of 192.25 dollars per tonne as negotiated between India and Bangladesh.
•    Inland Water Transit & Trade Protocol
•    The revised Inland Water Transit & Trade Protocol under India-Bangladesh Bilateral Trade Agreement gives India and Bangladesh the right to each other’s territory for transiting goods to third countries.
•    The Kolkata-Ashuganj-Tripura transit route gives mainland India easier and cheaper access to the seven northeastern states.
•    Bangladesh can use Indian Territory to transit goods to Nepal and Bhutan while India can access Myanmar via Bangladesh.
•    The protocol facilitates trade and development not only between India and Bangladesh but in the entire sub-region facilitating trade and development in the sub-region.