Current Affairs Updates : 05 June 2014

Current Affairs Updates : 05 June 2014

1) World Environment Day observed: World Environment Day (WED) was observed across the world on 5 June 2014. The day is observed every year to raise the awareness around the globe for taking positive action to protect nature and planet earth. Theme for 2014 is Small islands and climate change and slogan raise your voice not the Sea level. World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP.

2) Narendra Modi picks Bhutan for first foreign visit: Keen to start his foreign tours from the neighbourhood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake his first visit to Bhutan, the friendliest among all neighbouring countries, this month. It is learnt that an official team will be leaving for Thimphu on Friday to set up the visit and work out the relevant logistics. The visit is likely to take place after the ongoing Parliament session, possibly in the third week of June.

The decision was taken over the past few days during which Modi’s tour calendar was worked out.

3) Indira Gandhi International Airport named world's second best airport for service quality:  For the third year in a row, Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi has been adjudged the second best airport in the world for its service quality among the airports handling 25-40 million passengers per annum (MPPA). Mumbai's Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport was placed at the fifth position in this category by the Airport Council International (ACI). ACI is a global body of airports which represents their interests with governments and international organisations. It covers 1,751 airports in 174 countries. However, in the global ranking, IGI this year was placed at the sixth position against last year's fourth.

4) Pepper, the world's first robot that reads emotions: Japanese technology firm Softbank has unveiled an amazing new gadget - Pepper the 'world's first robot with a heart'. It can recognise and analyse gestures, expressions and tone of voice through an artificial intelligence program, or 'emotional engine', according to its makers. Softbank say that people could communicate with the robot 'just like they would with friends and family' and that it can perform various tasks.

5) Nitin Gadkari got additional charge of Union Ministry Rural Development: After the sudden death of the Rural Development Minister Gopinath Munde in a tragic road accident on Tuesday, the President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has directed that Shri Nitin Jairam Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways and Shipping shall be given additional charge of the Ministries of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water & Sanitation.

In a tragic turn of events on Tuesday morning, Union Minister for Rural Development Gopinath Munde died of multiple internal injuries after his car was hit by another vehicle in Delhi.

6) Retired Indian Army officer appointed member of UN panel on peacekeeping: A retired Indian Army Lieutenant General has been appointed member of a UN expert panel on peacekeeping that will advice the world body on how to use new technologies and innovations in that field. Lieutenant General (retd) Abhijit Guha is part of the five-member panel of experts appointed by under secretaries-general for peacekeeping operations and for field support Herve Ladsous and Ameerah Haq.

7) India elected to UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee on ICH: India has been elected to the UNESCO's Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. India has been elected for the next four years (2014-2018) to the Committee after winning the highest number of votes in the elections held on Friday at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, an official statement said.

8) Villa to retire after World Cup: Madrid - Spain's all-time leading goalscorer David Villa said he will retire from international duty after the World Cup in Brazil, in an interview broadcast on Wednesday.

9) AIIMS to become country’s first green hospital: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in New Delhi is all set to become the country’s first ‘green hospital’ with Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan announcing his Ministry’s ‘green-plan’ for medical institutions across the country. Speaking at a symposium on ‘Impact of Environment on Health’ organised at Vigyan Bhavan on Thursday, Dr. Vardhan said: “It is our plan to “green” AIIMS and we are determined to showcase our commitment to fight climate change. For this to happen, the country’s premier medical facility should move away from using conventional energy that is responsible for polluting environment and adding to the green house gases.’’.

Source : http://www.currentaffairs4examz.com/