Current Affairs - June 11, 2018 Current Affairs

David Douglas Duncan, a photographer who changed the role of war photography by projecting the sufferings of soldiers in Korea and Vietnam, passed away after suffering from a lung infection, in France. He became a combat photographer during World War II. His major was during the Korean War. He released those photos as a book named This is War!. He donated the earnings from that to widows and orphans of soldiers.

India start producing first indigenous Lithium Ion batteries. A memorandum of understanding for transfer of technology for India's first Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Battery project was signed yesterday between CSIR's Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd. In a release Ministry of Science and Technology said, at present India depends on countries like China, Japan, and South Korea for import of Lithium-Ion batteries. India imported Li-Ion batteries worth 150 million dollars in 2017 and is one of its largest importers in the world. The indigenous technology of Lithium-ion cells has been developed by a group of CSIR-CECRI headed by Dr Gopu Kumar in partnership with other Laboratory and Research Institute.

India Meteorological Department (IMD) will use flash flood guidance system for the first time in the country to forecast floods. Currently, the Central Water Commission issues flood warnings. The national weather agency is preparing to launch this service from the next month. Different kinds of soil from various parts of the country have been studied to find out how absorbent each variety was.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated a 16 MW solar 'PV power plant' established by Bharat Electronics LTD at the Heavy Vehicle Factory in Avadi, Chennai. This power plant has been constructed on a 80 acre land. It costs Rs 105 crore. It will meet the captive consumption of the HVF and Engine Factory Avadi (EFA). The plant will inject power at 110kV to the Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd's 110 kV Sub-Station. It will contribute to an annual savings of Rs 45.41 million for HVF. It will provide green energy to the factory and promote GreenIndia initiative. It will also help in reduction of sulphur di-oxide, nitrogen di-oxide and particulate matter emissions and improve air quality.

Former National Investigation Agency (NIA) chief Sharad Kumar was appointed as Vigilance Commissioner in the Central Vigilance Commission. The 62-year-old Kumar, a 1979-batch IPS officer of the Haryana cadre, retired in September last year after heading the National Investigation Agency, an anti-terror probe organization, for over four years.

New Zealand women's cricket team posted the highest-ever total in One-Day International (ODI) cricket by scoring an incredible 490-4 against Ireland in the first match in Dublin. New Zealand skipper Suzie Bates top-scored with 151 off 94 balls. The total posted by the 'White Ferns' is the highest ever in ODIs including men's matches. In men's cricket, the highest total in ODI is 444-3, made by England against Pakistan in August 2016 at Nottingham. With their incredible batting, New Zealand women team bettered their own 21-year old world record of 455 for five against Pakistan at Christchurch in January 1997. It's only third time that a 400-plus score has been made in women's ODIs. In men's ODIs, a 400-plus score has been achieved 18 times by different teams.

With 1,86,000 Indian students currently studying in the United States, India is the second highest sender of foreign students to the US, next only to China. US consul general in Kolkata, Craig Hall, stated that the United States is the top destination for foreign students worldwide and the number of Indian students in the US has more than doubled in the last 10 years.

A team from the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, has spotted for the first time a distant planet six times bigger than Earth and revolving around a Sun-like star about 600 light years away. Both the planet and the star have been named EPIC. EPIC 211945201b (or K2-236b) is the name given to the planet and the host star is named EPIC 211945201 or K2-236.

Bandhan Bank appointed former RBI deputy governer Harun Rashid Khan as non- executive part time chairman. Khan will be the independent director of the bank at a remuneration of Rs 24 lakh per annum subject to RBI and other approvals. The Bank also appointed Pravir Kumar Vohra as an Additional Director (Category being Independent, Non - Executive) of the Bank for a period of three years with effect from June 5, 2018.

India has lifted the Intercontinental Cup football title. In the summit clash in Mumbai, they defeated Kenya 2-nil. Both the goals were netted by skipper Sunil Chhetri. He gave India the lead in the eighth minute before scoring the second goal in the 29th minute.

World number one Simona Halep has won her first Grand Slam title with a gutsy comeback victory over American 10th seed Sloane Stephens in the French Open final. Halep, who had lost her three previous major finals, went a set and a breakdown at Roland Garros.

The Northern Railways will now monitor the cleanliness of its trains using WhatsApp groups supervised by senior officials. Every department, be it the pantry, bedrolls etc., will have separate WhatsApp groups, in which status report of cleanliness will be uploaded on a daily basis. WhatsApp groups have been created for train and pantry cleanliness, bedrolls and functionality of air conditioners in trains. Photographs are being uploaded in these groups for monitoring by senior officials.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said that, the Himachal Pradesh government has received a financial assistance of Rs 84.13 crore from the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Finance under the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF). Rs 84.13 crore has been offered to Himachal Pradesh under the NDRF during 2018-2019.

Odisha government signed a MoU with Hyderabad-based Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation (PGBF) for setting up of P Gopichand Badminton Academy in Odisha. The MoU was signed between the Sports and Youth Services Department, Government of Odisha and Pullela Gopichand Badminton Foundation. Odisha government will offer complete financial support for the proposed badminton academy. PGBF will provide technical support such as coaching and physiotherapy services for the players.

The 44th G7 summit was held on June 8-9, 2018, in Quebec, Canada. This was the sixth time since 1981 that Canada has hosted the meetings. The 44th G7 summit was the first summit for Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. The 45th G7 summit or next G7 summit will be held in 2019 in France.