1) Ken Miyauchi takes charge as President and COO of SoftBank Group
a) Ken Miyauchi has been appointed as the President and COO of SoftBank Group. He will replace Nikesh Arora.
b) Ken currently serves as the head of the group’s Japanese telecommunications operations.
2) AIFF to launch ‘Mission 11 Million’ for football
a) The All India Football Federation is set to launch a football programme targeting 11 million children across India.
b) ‘Mission 11 Million’ will start in October 2016 and will be launched across 30 cities.
c) AIFF hopes to tap the Indian diaspora in countries that already have a strong football infrastructure (Germany, US, Australia).
d) The success and popularity of the under-17 World Cup, which India is hosting in October 2017, will be incidentally a year after ‘Mission 11 Million’ and may indeed be shaped by this programme.
3) Aadhaar to be linked with caste, domicile certificates
a) To speeden the allotment of scholarships and to avoid harassment to SC/ ST students, all state governments have been asked to link Aadhaar with caste and domicile certificates that are issued to school students.
b) A first of its kind initiative, it will help students avail benefits or concessions and facilities available to the category of students concerned.
c) The state government may also try to get the information of students fed into the meta data to be made online and may link it to Aadhaar enabled data.
d) The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) issues Aadhaar which is a 12-digit number that acts as a proof of identity and address, anywhere in the country.
4) BCCI appoints Anil Kumble as head coach of Indian Cricket Team
a) BCCI has appointed Anil Kumble as the Head Coach of Indian Cricket Team.
b) Kumble, former India Test captain and the country’s most successful bowler will begin his one-year tenure with India’s four-Test tour of the West Indies in July.
c) Anil Kumble will replace former coach Ravi Shastri whose contract ends this year.
5) A Life in Diplomacy authored by MK Rasgotra
a) A Life in Diplomacy, written by former Indian diplomat Maharaja Krishna Rasgotra, has been released.
b) The book provides a view of the beginnings of ethnic violence in Sri Lanka, the last years of the Cold War, the negotiations on the formation of SAARC, Indira Gandhi’s assassination and the Bhopal gas disaster.
c) Rasgotra served several important posts in Indian diplomatic missions abroad and in the Ministry of External Affairs. He also worked as the Chairman of the National Security Advisory Board between 2005 and 2007.
d) His other books include – America in the Asian Century, The New Asian Power Dynamic and Science and Technology in China: Implications and Lessons for India.
6) LIC Chairman S K Roy resigns
a) Chairman of Life India Insurance (LIC) S K Roy has resigned from his post recently.
b) He was appointed as the LIC’s Chairman on 29th June, 2013 for a five year term.
c) S K Roy joined LIC in 1981 as direct recruit officer.
7) Aveek Sarkar resigns as Chief Editor of ABP Group of Publications
a) Aveek Sarkar has resigned from the post of Editor-in-Chief of the ABP Group Pvt Ltd. He has also resigned as the Editor-in-chief of The Telegraph and AnandBazar Patrika.
b) He will take up the position of vice-chairman. R.Rajagopal has been appointed as the editor of The Telegraph; Anirban Chattopadhyay as the editor of Anadabazar Patrika, and Ebela.
8) Andy Murray wins record fifth Queen’s Club title
a) Britain’s Andy Murray has bagged 2016 Queen’s Club title for the fifth time in his career, defeating Canada’s Milos Raonic.
b) Murray won the final match 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3.
c) With this, he has equalled the record of winning the Queen’s Club title five times with veteran tennis players like John McEnroe, Boris Becker and Roy Emerson.
9) Darjeeling zoo to receive snow leopard from London’s Dudley Zoological Gardens
a) One of the highest high altitude zoos in the country, the Padma Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling will soon receive a snow leopard from London’s Dudley Zoological Garden.
b) This snow leopard is named as Makalu. He is named after the world’s highest peak at 27,765 feet situated on the southeast side of Mount Everest.
c) Snow leopard (Panthera uncial) is listed as endangered species in International Union of Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list.
10) Artemi Panarin wins 2015-2016 Calder Memorial Trophy
a) Hockey winger of Russian Hockey team Artemi Panarin has bagged the 2015-16 Calder Memorial Trophy. Artemi plays for Chicago Blackhawks team.
b) He received votes on all 150 ballots and he was the top choice on 88 for 1258 voting points. Shayne Gostisbehere of the Philadelphia Flyers stood at the second position and Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers bagged the third place.
c) In the total 80 matches played by Artemi in 2015-16, he scored 30 goals, 47 assists, 77 points, 8 power play goals, 24 power play points and 7 game winning goals.
d) He also created history by becoming the fourth rookie in franchise history to reach the 30-goals milestone.
11) World Hydrography Day 2016 observed
a) World Hydrography Day 2016 is annually observed on 21st June.
b) The theme for the WHD 2016 was ‘Hydrography – the key to well-managed seas and waterways’ which drew attention to the fundamental importance of hydrography.
c) The day also demarcates the 95th anniversary of the establishment of the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO).
12) International Widows’ Day 2016 observed on June 23
a) International Widows’ Day, first recognised by the UN in 2010, is observed on 23 June.
b) It was introduced to address poverty and injustice faced by widows and their children in many countries.
c) It was initiated by the Loomba Foundation in 2005 in the welfare of widows.
13) United Nations Public Service Day 2016 observed
a) United Nations Public Service Day is celebrated annually to mark the invaluable contribution and efforts of the public servants and administrators throughout the world.
b) The 2016 United Nations Public Service Day was celebrated at the UN Headquarters in New York with a high-level knowledge-sharing panel onLeaving No One Behind: Innovative Institutional Approaches and Public Service Delivery.
c) Africa Public Service Day is celebrated in Africa to coincide with the United Nations Public Service Day.
14) PayPal appoints Anupam Pahuja as India Country Manager and MD
a) Global payments platform, PayPal has appointed Anupam Pahuja as Country Manager and MD for its India operations.
b) Pahuja has been with the company for six years and was head, technology for Paypal in the APAC region. He will be responsible for all aspects of PayPal’s business in India and for further strengthening the company’s operations.
15) Pakistani Sufi singer Amjad Sabri shot dead in Karachi
a) Renowned Pakistani singer Amjad Sabri was shot dead in the southern city of Karachi.
b) According to reports, Sabri, 45, was travelling in a car with an associate in a car when unknown gunmen on motorbikes opened fire at his vehicle in the city’s Liaquatabad area. His driver has also been reportedly shot and is critical.
c) Sabri was the son of renowned qawwali Ghulam Farid Sabri whose family is famous in the subcontinent for their contribution to this Sufi art and mystic poetry. Known for his soul-stirring renditions of mystic poetry, he was one of the finest Pakistani qawwali singers.
16) Union Cabinet approves MoU between India and Germany
a) The Union Cabinet recently approved an MoU with German company Steinbeis GmbH Co. KG for Technologietransfer on technology resourcing in manufacturing, including sub-sectors of capital goods.
b) This Mou was signed during the Industrial Exhibition Hannover Messe 2016 in Hannover, Germany.
c) The two parties will collaborate in profiling of specific technologies, technology road-mapping for specified capital good sub-sectors, assessment of technology status of Capital Goods Cluster, cooperation in events on technology, upgrading existing technology institutes / setting up Greenfield institutes in India and other technology related co-operation and collaboration.
17. EU reached agreement on new border force to tackle migrant crisis
a) An agreement for setting up a new Border and Coast Guard Force to curb the influx of migrants recently received a nod from European Union.
b) The EU parliament will soon take up a vote on this issue.
c) This force is considered as the expansion of the size and task of the existing Warsaw based Frontex border agency. This force will bear the right to intervene in front line countries like Greece and Italy.
18. Tech Mahindra Ltd acquires UK-based BIO Agency Ltd
a) UK based BIO Agency was recently acquired by Tech Mahindra in an all cash deal of an enterprise value value of up to 45 million pounds.
b) BIO services brands across financial services, retail, property, travel, and technology sectors. BIO Agency was incorporated in April, 2006. For year 2015-16, it had revenues of 12.3 million pounds.
19) Nagpur and China’s Jinan become ‘sister cities’
a) Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and Jinan, Municipal People’s Republic of China, have signed an agreement to develop sister city relationship between the two cities. This is for the first time that a city has developed sister city concept with any foreign city.
b) The agreement, which will be executed for five years, also allows Nagpur to seek financial assistance from Jinan to execute development projects.
c) Jinan has an urban population of over 46 lakh similar to Nagpur in terms of agriculture produce market, textile industry, flour mills, steel units, IT industry and educational facilities. Thus the concept is to have a regular exchange in various areas.
d) The pact is signed as a part of a 2013 agreement between the two countries to develop the concept of sister cities.
20. Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey 2016 released; Mumbai costliest in India
a) As per the recently released Mercer’s Cost of Living Survey 2016 Mumbai is still most expensive city in India. Mumbai (82nd position) is followed by New Delhi & Chennai. Kolkata is the India’s cheapest city to live.
b) As per the report, Hong Kong is the most expensive city in the world for expatriates. It has pushed Angola’s capital Luanda to the 2nd position. The 3rd and 4th position is given to Zurich and Singapore.
c) The data helps Mercer derive the cost of living allowance for expatriates coming into the country .Data is collected each year in March and the rankings are released in May-June.
21. Britain decided to exit from European Union
a) In a historic referendum, 51.9% voters of UK have voted for Brexit. Over 48.1% of UK voters have favoured to remain in European Union.
b) Northern Ireland, London and Scotland were staunchly supporting to stay back with the EU. Wales and English shires supported the brexit instead.
c) The brexit might weaken Europe’s unity and stability which is required to face the issues like Greek’s financial crisis and huge influx of refugees in Europe.
d) This move of UK has triggered all the major stock markets in the world to fall down. The international price of oil has decreased ut the price of gold has shown a sharp rise.
e) India BSE sensex index has also notified a fall upto 4.04 percent. Indian rupee has also fallen to its lowest since february 2016 to 68.14 against a dollar.
f) The PM of UK David Cameron has announced his resignation few hours after the brexit vote. Cameron and his conservative party advocated to remain with the EU.