13th JUNE CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. International ICT conference to be held in Nepal

The Computer Association Nepal (CAN) is organizing an international-level 'Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Conference-2018' in Kathmandu on June 17-18. 

• The objective of the conference is to exchange information on the improved practices of information technology.
• Various international experts will attend and present their working papers on the occasion.
• Experts from China, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and UNDP are participating in the two-day conference.

2. World Day Against Child Labour: 12 June

The World Day Against Child Labour, which is held every year on June 12, is intended to foster the worldwide movement against child labour in any of its forms.

• The International Labour Organization (ILO), the United Nations body that regulates the world of work, launched the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002 in order to bring attention and join efforts to fight against child labour.

3. India-Nepal Joint Ex SURYA KIRAN-XIII

Exercise SURYA KIRAN-XIII, a joint military training exercise between India & Nepal culminated at Pithoragarh, wherein the troops of both Armies participated in 14-day long joint training based on counter terrorist operations.         

• The training culminated with a 72-hour outdoor exercise in which troops of both contingents carried out a Cordon and Search Operation in a mock counter-insurgency village.

4. Ten new Swachh Iconic Places launched under Swachh Bharat Mission

Ten new iconic sites, namely, RaghavendraSwamy Temple (Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh); Hazardwari Palace (Murshidabad, West Bengal); Brahma Sarovar Temple (Kurukshetra, Haryana); VidurKuti (Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh); Mana village (Chamoli, Uttarakhand); Pangong Lake (Leh-Ladakh, J&K); Nagvasuki Temple (Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh); ImaKeithal/market (Imphal, Manipur); Sabarimala Temple (Kerala); and Kanvashram (Uttarakhand) have been taken up under Phase III of the flagship project Swachh Iconic Places (SIP) of the Swachh Bharat Mission.

• The project envisioned by the Prime Minister is being coordinated by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation with the support of State governments and local administration.
• The consultation is in process for finalising the PSUs/corporates for extending support to new sites as CSR partners.
• These new sites have joined the 20 iconic places under Phase I & II where special Sanitation work is already underway.

5. 3,000 Additional Atal Tinkering Labs Announced

NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has selected 3,000 additional schools for the establishment of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs), bringing the total number of ATL schools to 5,441.

• The selected schools shall receive a grant of Rs 20 lakh spread over the next five years to establish Atal Tinkering Labs for nurturing innovation and entrepreneurial spirit among secondary school children across India.
• ATLs will soon be established in every district of India, seeking to enable an innovation ecosystem, which will facilitate transformational change in technological innovation and pedagogy.

6. India to host first BIMSTEC Military Exercise in September

India will host the first military exercise of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) group focussing on counter-terrorism in September.

• As part of this, a conclave of the Army chiefs of all seven member-states is being planned.
• The exercise is scheduled to be held in Pune in the second week of September.
• BIMSTEC was set up in 1997 and includes India, Bangladesh, Bhutan Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

7. Deepak Raj Joshee recommended as new CJ of Nepal

The Constitutional Council (CC) has recommended Acting Chief Justice Deeepak Raj Joshee as new Chief Justice (CJ) of the Nepalese Supreme Court (SC).

• Joshee has been working as the Acting CJ after then CJ Gopal Parajuli resigned from his post on March 15, 2018.

8. S Ramesh appointed CBIC chairman

Senior bureaucrat S Ramesh was appointed as chairman of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).

• Ramesh, a 1981 batch officer of Indian Revenue Service (customs and central excise), is at present member in the CBIC, an apex policy making body for indirect taxes.
• He will take over charge from incumbent Vanaja N Sarna who completes her term this month-end.