Deccan Queen completes 88 years of service
- India’s first superfast train, Deccan Queen express from Mumbai to Pune has completed 88 years on June 1, 2018.
- Also known as ‘Queen of Deccan’ the train started on June 1, 1930.
- This was the first deluxe train introduced on the railway to serve 2 important cities of the region.
Conference of Governors, LGs
- A two day Conference of Governors and Lieutenant Governors (LGs) will be held at Rashtrapati Bhavan from 4th June.
- This will be the 49th such Conference which will be presided by President Ram Nath Kovind.
- The first Conference of Governors was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in 1949. It was presided over by C. Rajagopalachari, then the Governor General of India.
US vetoes Arab-backed UN draft resolution
- The United States vetoed an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for measures to protect the Palestinians.
- Ten countries including China, France and Russia voted in favor of the draft put forward by Kuwait on behalf of Arab countries at the Security Council.
- Four countries Britain, Ethiopia, the Netherlands and Poland abstained.
Egypt Prez sworn in for 2nd term in office
- In Egypt, President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in for a second four-year term in office.
- Sisi won 97% of valid votes in the March presidential election.
- Sisi ousted Egypt’s first freely elected president Mohamed Morsi and won his first term in 2014 with an overwhelming majority of the vote.
Cuba, US to restore direct postal service
- Cuba and the US have agreed to permanently restore the direct postal service between the two countries.
- This service allows the postal delivery of mail, parcels, and express courier deliveries on direct flights between Cuba and the United States, and through post offices in both countries.
- The direct postal service between the two neighbouring nations was suspended by Havana in 1968.
Sushma Swaraj to visit South Africa
- External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj has left for South Africa on a five-day visit.
- During the visit, Mrs Swaraj is expected to have meetings with top leadership of South Africa.
- The Minister will participate in the BRICS Foreign Ministers Meeting on 4th and chair the IBSA Foreign Ministers Meeting.
Indian Navy sends ship to Socotra island
- Indian Navy launched ‘Operation Nistar’ to evacuate 38 stranded Indians around Socotra island located close to the horn of Africa between the Gulf of Aden and the Arabian Sea.
- The Navy has already deployed its ship INS Sunayna as part of the ‘operation Nistar’ to evacuate the Indians.
- Indian seafarers have been stranded due to Cyclone Mekunu.
Maharashtra govt unveils ‘sandbox’
- The Maharashtra Government has announced the opening up of a ‘sandbox’ to boost start-ups.
- Sandbox is seen as a safe zone to test financial innovation which sees a limited rollout of new products to select customers.
- Reserve Bank panel had recommended introducing a “regulatory sandbox” to foster financial technology innovation.
Nasscom to set up cyber security CoE
- The Data Security Council of India (DSCI), an arm of the Nasscom, has signed an agreement with the Telangana government to set up the Centre of Excellence for cyber security.
- The CoE will accelerate Telangana’s cyber security momentum and make the State a hub for cyber security in the next 5 years.
- This CoE will help increase State’s cyber security preparedness.
Successful launch of observation satellite
- China successfully launched a new Earth observation satellite which will be mainly used in agricultural resources research and disaster monitoring.
- A scientific experiment satellite named Luojia-1 was sent into space at the same time.
- The Gaofen-6 satellite was launched on a Long March-2D rocket.
Env ministry to have resource efficiency cell
- The Environment Ministry signed an MoU with TERI for setting up a resource efficiency cell.
- The MoU to set up the cell at the ministry aims to provide mainstream resource efficiency in public policy.
- An industry consortium on ‘Waste-Proofing the Future’ to identify the institutional and policy interventions needed to sustainably manage waste was also launched at the event.
Andhra introduces scheme for natural farming
- The Andhra Pradesh government launched a Zero Based Natural Farming (ZBNF) scale-out scheme, aimed at benefitting around six million farmers by 2024.
- The state agriculture department also signed a MoU in this regard, with the Sustainable India Finance Facility (SIFF).
- The SIFF will extend financial and investment support to the farmers.
Infosys completes acquisition of WongDoody
- The country’s second largest IT services firm Infosys has completed the acquisition of US-based WongDoody.
- WongDoody Holding Company is a US-based digital creative and consumer insights agency.
- WongDoody has clients across industries like telecommunications, consumer electronics, healthcare and consumer packaged goods.
- WongDoody is headquartered in Seattle and has an office in Los Angeles.
EESL, Telangana partner to adopt E-mobility
- Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) signed up to lease electric vehicles and install EV chargers.
- The vehicles will be procured by EESL under the Centre’s National E-Mobility Programme.
- This will not only reduce the costs of hired cars, but also substantially reduce emissions.
Lamar Gets His Pulitzer Prize for ‘DAMN’
- Kendrick Lamar received the Pulitzer Prize for his 2017 album “DAMN”.
- Lamar became the first nonclassical or jazz musician to win a Pulitzer for music.
- Lamar had also notched four Grammys including best rap album this year for “DAMN”.
Tata Motors inks MoU to deploy 1,000 EVs
- Tata Motors has inked a pact with Maharashtra government to deploy 1,000 electric vehicles (EVs) from its range of passenger and commercial vehicles across the state.
- Tata Motors along with Tata Power will also facilitate setting up of EV charging stations in the Maharashtra.
- The MoU boosts the Maharashtra Electric Vehicle Policy, 2018.
Giuseppe Conte sworn in as Italian PM
- Giuseppe Conte was sworn in as prime minister of Italy’s new populist government.
- Conte will head a government of ministers from the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) and the far-right League Party.
- The first populist coalition in a founding EU member has raised concerns in some European quarters.
Padma Shri award given to Tommy Koh
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi handed over the Padma Shri award, one of India’s highest civilian awards, to former Singaporean diplomat Tommy Koh in Singapore.
- Koh was among 10 ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) receipts of the prestigious award.
- Koh has served as Singapore’s ambassador to the US and the UN.
Odisha govt launches health insurance scheme
- The Odisha government launched a health insurance scheme, called “Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana”. for working journalists.
- In the first phase, as many as 3,233 working journalists will get health insurance coverage up to Rs 2 lakh a year.
- At least five members of the journalists family will be covered under the scheme.
- The scribes will get their health insurance card.
Pedro sworn in as Spain’s Prime Minister
- Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez has been sworn in as Spain’s Prime Minister by King Felipe VI.
- Spain is the eurozone’s No. 4 economy and an influential member of the European Union (EU).
- Mr. Sanchez (46) is Spain’s seventh Prime Minister since the return to democracy following the death of dictator Gen. Francisco Franco in 1975.
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