1) Chile beat Argentina to win 2016 Copa America Football tournament
a) Chile emerged victorious against Argentina in the finals of 2016 Copa America tournament.
b) No goals were scored during regulation time and extra time. The match went to the penalty shootout to decide the results.
c) In shootout, Chile dominated over Argentina and won the cup with a 4-2 total. Lionel Messi and Lucas Biglia missed their spot kicks for Argentina.
2) International Indian Film Academy awards 2016 presented
a) The 17th edition of International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards ceremony was recently held in Madrid, Spain.
b) The list of awardees is as follows:
Best Film: Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Best Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali for Bajirao Mastani
Best Actor (Male): Ranveer Singh for Bajirao Mastani
Best Actor (Female): Deepika Padukone for Piku
Best Actor in Supporting Role (Male): Anil Kapoor for Dil Dhadakne Do
Best Actor in Supporting Role (Female): Priyanka Chopra for Bajirao Mastani
Best Actor in Negative Role: Darshan Kumar for NH10
Best Performance in Comic Role: Deepak Dobriyal for Tanu Weds Manu Returns
Best Story: Juhi Chaturvedi for Piku
Best Playback Singer (Female): Monali Thakur for Moh Moh Ke Dhaage
Best Playback Singer (Male): Papon for Moh Moh Ke Dhaage
Best Lyrics: Varun Grover for Moh Moh Ke Dhaage
Special Award: Woman of the Year – Priyanka Chopra
Best Cinematography: Sudeep Chatterjee for Bajirao Mastani
Best Screenplay: Kabir Khan, Parveez Shaikh, V. Vijayendra Prasad for Bajrangi Bhaijaan
Best Background Score: Sanchit Balhara for Bajirao Mastani
3) Centre launches India’s first pilot programme to run two-wheelers on CNG
a) The Union government has launched a pilot programme to run two-wheeler vehicles on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) in New Delhi.
b) Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar & Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched this project.
c) Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) & GAIL India Ltd is jointly implementing this programme under Hawa Badlo movement (to curb air pollution).
d) Two-wheelers will get installed with the new 50 CNG kits, which are approved by Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) as well as Delhi’s Transport Department.
e) The CNG cylinders will have 4.8 litres of water capacity and each can be filled up with 1 kg of CNG. In a single fill, the vehicles can travel up to 120 km.
f) These two-wheelers will emit 75% less hydrocarbon and 20% less carbon monoxide than those running on petrol.
4) Noted Malayalam theatre artist Kavalam Narayana Panicker passes away
a) Kavalam Narayana Panicker, veteran Malayalam theatre artiste, recently passed away at the age of 88 in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
b) Madhyamaka Yogam, Kalidasa’s Vikramorvasiyam, Shakuntalam, Karnabharam, Bhasa’s Urubhangam, Swapnavasavadattam and Doota Vakyam are some of his notable works.
c) He had also directed two movies in Kutiyattam form, namely Mani Madhava Chakyar: The Master at Work, and Parvati Viraham.
d) He was awarded with Sangeet Natak Akademi award in 1983 and with Sangeet Natak Akademi fellowship in 2002. He also received the Padma Bhushan in 2007.
5) Sprinter Dutee Chand qualifies for Rio Olympics
a) India’s sprinter Dutee Chand finally won her battle against the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) and got qualified for the 100m event in the Rio Olympics.
b) She was prevented from competing in 2014 for failing a hormone test under the IAAF’s rules on hyperandrogenism, a condition which produces higher than normal testosterone levels in women.
c) IAAF has suspended the regulation for two years in order to gather evidence on whether athletes with hyperandrogenism do gain any performance advantage.
6) International Olympic Day celebrated on June 23
a) To mark International Olympics Day and spread word on the importance of Olympics, over 160 national Olympic committees from different nations and various sports organisations recently launched a series of events.
b) To mark this day, Rio de Janeiro in Brazil’s unveiled the Athlete’s Village.
c) International Olympics Day was initiated in 1948 to commemorate the beginning of the first-ever Olympics games on 23rd June 1894.
7) Nepal bans citizens from working in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Libya
a) Nepal has banned its nationals from working in Afghanistan, Iran & Syria. This government initiated this move after 13 Nepali security guards were killed by a Talibani suicide bomber in Kabul.
b) PM K P Oli has ordered a parliamentary panel to track down traffickers who send a large number of Nepali migrants to these war torn countries for employment.
c) Over 30% of the country’s GDP is due to remittances sent by Nepali workers working in Middle East, India and Malaysia.
8) Indian-origin lawyer Yasmin Sooka to chair panel on human rights in South Sudan
a) Indian-origin lawyer and human rights activist of South Africa Yasmin Sooka was recently appointed to chair a UN commission to monitor the human rights situation in South Sudan and suggest measures for improvement.
b) She will serve the commission along with Kenneth Scott from the US and Godfrey Musila of Kenya.
c) The commission aims to provide guidance to the South Sudan government on transitional justice, accountability and reconciliation issues.
d) Sooka is currently the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights (FHR) in South Africa. She had previously served the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) established by former President Nelson Mandela from 1996-2001. She was also a part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone from 2002-2004, as well as advising the UN Secretary General on accountability for war crimes committed during the final stages of the war in Sri Lanka.
9) Union Cabinet approves largest-ever spectrum auction
a) The Union Cabinet has approved the sale of all available spectrum which could bring around Rs. 5.5 lakh crores.
b) The 700 MHz band will be put on offer at a reserve price of Rs. 11,485 crore per MHZ pan India.
c) Apart from the 700MHz band, the airwaves will be sold in the frequencies of 800MHz, 900MHz, 1,800MHz, 2,100MHz, 2,300MHz and 2,500MHz.
10) Rare stone inscription on Kapalikas found
a) A professor of Kannada University recently discovered a 1000-year old rare stone inscription on Kapalikas.
b) Kapalikas were the worshippers of Bhairava, an incarnation of Shiva. The mysterious cult is believed to have practised human sacrifice and immolation.
c) The stone inscription found in Raichur district is presumed to have been be written around 1000 AD in ancient Kannada language.
d) This inscription refers to a ‘Kankala Gorava’ who had mastered Soma Siddhanta or Kapalika Siddhanta. This inscription will be very useful in throwing a light on Kapalikas cult where there are very less evidences available on them.
11) Legendary photographer Bill Cunningham passes away
a) Legendary street-style fashion photographer Bill Cunningham has passed away aged 87 in New York.
b) He worked for the New York Times for around 40 years. Being a street fashion photographer, Bill memorialised trends ranging from fanny packs to Birkin bags, gingham shirts and fluorescent biker shorts.
12) China launches first Dark Sky Reserve in Tibet to limit light pollution
a) China recently launched its first ever Dry Sky reserve in Ngari Prefecture in Tibet to limit light pollution and to preserve sites for making astronomical observations.
b) This dry reserve covers an area of 2,500sq.km. It is above 4,500 metres above sea-level in northwest Tibet which is why it is one of the best sites in the world for astronomical observations.
c) This dark reserve is jointly launched by the China Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development Foundation and the regional government of Tibet.
13) Anju Bobby George & Pullela Gopichand taken as members of Khelo India
a) Indian athlete Anju Bobby George and veteran badminton player Pullela Gopichand were named as the members of Khelo India.
b) Khelo India is a national programme launched by central government with an aim to develop sports in country.
c) Bothe the players are included in the seven member committee of Khelo India which is headed by sports secretary Rajiv Yadav.
14) International Day in Support of Victims of Torture observed
a) The International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was observed on 26th June.
b) On 12 December 1997, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June as the UN International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. It is observed to campaign for eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
c) In 2016, the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture also marks its 35th anniversary. It is a victim-focused mechanism that channels funding for the assistance of victims of torture and their families. It is administered by the UN Human Rights office in Geneva.
15) Lionel Messi retires from Argentina after Copa America loss to Chile
a) After the stunning defeat from Chile in the finals of Copa America 2016, Argentinian football ace Lionel Messi has announced his plans to retire from International football.
b) Messi made his debut for Argentina in 2005 and has hitherto played 113 matches for the team. He has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues with Spanish side Barcelona.
16) Colombia government, FARC rebels sign ceasefire pact
a) The leftist FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) rebels and the Colombian government have signed a ceasefire deal, thereby ending over five decades of conflict.
b) The ceremony was witnessed by Colombian president Juan Manuel Santos, FARC chief Timolen Timochenko Jiménez, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, Cuban president, Ral Castro and Venezuela’s Head of State, Nicolás Maduro.
c) The Cuban president, Ral Castro; while Venezuela that had the observer status played an important role in encouraging FARC to the negotiating table.
d) The peace talks had five core areas-reforms, the rebels’ future role in political life, a definitive end of hostilities, fighting the illegal drug trade and the situation of the victims.
17) Cabinet approves Rs.6,000 cr package for textiles
a) Union cabinet recently approved a Rs.6,000 crore special package for the textiles & apparel sector to attract investments worth $11 billion. This is with the aim of increasing exports worth $30.4 billion and to create 1 crore new jobs in 3 years.
b) The package includes incentives for duty drawback scheme for garments, flexibility in labour laws to increase productivity as well as tax and production incentives for job creation in garment manufacturing.
c) As the garment industry has around 70% women workforce, new jobs will mostly be for women.
18) Cabinet approves four-laning of Hubli-Hospet section of NH-63 in Karnataka
a) The Union Cabinet has given its nod for the four-laning of Hubli-Hospet section of NH-63 in Karnataka.
b) The total length of the road to be developed is approximately 144 kms. The work will be done under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase-IV on Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) basis.
c) This project will help to ease traffic and reduce travel time between Hubli to Hospet.
19) Cabinet approves pact for avoidance of double taxation with Belgium
a) The Union Cabinet gave green signal for the signing of a protocol amending the existing Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) with Belgium.
b) The aim is to curb the tax evasion and tax avoidance between the countries. This protocol will broaden the scope of the current framework of exchange of tax-related information between the two countries.
20) Union Cabinet approves establishment of Fund of Funds for start-ups
a) The Cabinet has approved establishment of Fund of Funds for Start-ups (FFS) at Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).
b) The fund aims to contribute to various Alternative Investment Funds (AIF), registered with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) which would extend funding to start-ups.
c) It is a part of India’s ambitious Start-up India Action Plan launched by the government in January 2016.
d) The corpus of FFS is Rs.10,000 crore. It is expected to provide employment to around 18 lakh people.
e) Further provisions will be made as grant assistance through Gross Budgetary Support by Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) which will monitor and review performance in line with the Start-up India Action Plan.