Current Affairs Daily Updates: 18th and 19th June 2017

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Current Affairs Daily Updates: 18th and 19th June 2017
BANKING AFFAIRS
RBI initiates Prompt Corrective Action against Bank of Maharashtra as NPA mounts
  • The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) initiated prompt corrective action (PCA) on Bank of Maharashtra placing a restriction on the banking activities.
  • 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 initiated PCA on Central Bank of India, IDBI Bank, UCO Bank, Dena Bank and Indian Overseas Bank.
BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
SBI, Tirumala Milk Products tie up for providing loans to dairy farmers
  • State Bank of India (SBI) to tie-up with Tirumala Milk Products, a South- based company to provide loans to dairy farmers who supply milk to the latter.
  • 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 DAYS OBSERVED
JUNE 19th: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict
  • The International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed on June 19 across the world.
  • The theme for the year 2017 International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is “Preventing Sexual Violence Crimes through Justice and Deterrence”.
  • The day is observed in order to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence, to honor the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world.
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
China to have second biggest International Yoga Day celebrations in the world after India
  • The Third United Nations (UN) International Day of Yoga held in China where 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.
  • China also backed India's move in the UN to make June 21 as International Yoga Day, giving a rise to hundreds of yoga clubs and organizations.
Egypt gears up to spreading message of yoga on International Yoga Day
  • Egypt started to celebrate the third International Day ofYoga with several events lined up across the country to mark the day.
  • The Indian embassy in collaboration of Egyptian Government has organized several events to celebrate the UN International Day of Yoga on June 21.
  • The preparations of Yoga Day are really a preparation for spreading the message of yoga which is essentially about peace and harmony.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
Union Government announces 149 New Post Office Passport Seva Kendras
  • Sushma Swaraj announced the opening of 149 new Post Office Passport Seva Kendras (POPSKs). It will be set up in the second phase.
  • In the first phase 86 POPSKs were to be set up 52 of which are now functional.
  • The Government has planned to set a target and decided that no individual should have to travel more than 50 km for a passport.
Union Minister approves 20 lakh houses for urban poor approved under PM Awas Yojna
  • Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu construction of over 20 lakh affordable houses for urban poor in 4,720 cities and towns approved under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojna.
  • The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime approved the construction of only 13,82,768, houses during its 10-year rule.
  • The goal of ensuring housing for all by 2020 as a "challenging task" and expected the political and administrative leaderships in the State Governments.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY / DEFENCE AFFAIRS
Electric Propulsion to usher in new era of satellite launched
  • Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) working on a new propulsion system known as the Electric Propulsion (EP) system that is set to usher for cost effective satellite launches.
  • The Electric Propulsion (EP) system converts solar energy into electrical energy which in turn is used to change the velocity of a satellite in space.
  • This technology was first used as a technology demonstrator in Geostationary Communication satellite (GSAT-9) or the South Asia Satellite.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft passes key Safety Tests
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Orion spacecraft, designed to take astronauts to deep space destinations successfully completed a series of tests for its critical safety systems.
  • NASA engineers tested the abort motor for Orion’s Launch Abort System (LAS).
  • The launch abort system is an important part of making sure that crew members stay safe on the launch pad and on their way to space.
DGCA suspends Air Carnival’s flying permit
  • Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) suspended the flying license of Coimbatore-based carrier Air Carnival, which has not operated a single flight since early April.
  • 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.
  • DGCA is the regulatory body governing the safety aspects of civil aviation in India.
SPORTS AFFAIRS
Kidambi Srikanth won Indonesia Open Super Series Premier Title
  • India’s Kidambi Srikanth won the Indonesia Open Super Series badminton title at Jakarta.
  • He defeated Japan Kazumasa Sakai.
  • Indonesian Open Super Series is an annual badminton tournament organised by Persatuan Bulutangkis Seluruh Indonesia (PBSI).
Pakistan defeat India by 180 runs to won Champions Trophy title
  • Pakistan defeated India by 180 runs to win the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy 2017 final.
  • Pakistan had come into the tournament as the lowest-ranked team and lost heavily to India.
  • It is the first victory for Pakistan in the history where India won the ICC Champions Trophy in the year of 2013.