3rd JUNE CURRENT AFFAIRS IN ENGLISH

1. IISc Bangalore back in world top university list

Bengaluru’s Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has made it to the list of top 100 in the World Reputation Rankings 2018.

• The last time it was featured was in 2011.
• Ranked at 91, Indian Institute of Science is the only Indian University to have made it to the prestigious list.
• The list was topped by Harvard.

2. NTPC adopts Charminar under Swachh Iconic Places Project

NTPC Ltd has adopted the iconic Charminar in Hyderabad under the Swachh Iconic Places Projects of India.

• This is part of a special drive under the Centre’s Swachh Bharat Mission.
• NTPC Ltd and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation have signed a memorandum of understanding for implementation of development and beautification works under the Charminar Pedestrianization Project in Hyderabad.

3. Two-day Conference of Governors and Lt. Governors

The President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind, will preside over a two-day Conference of Governors and Lt. Governors on June 4 and 5, 2018, at Rashtrapati Bhavan.

• This will be the 49th such Conference to be held in Rashtrapati Bhavan and the second Conference to be presided over by President Kovind.
• The first Conference of Governors was held at Rashtrapati Bhavan in 1949. It was presided over by Shri C. Rajagopalachari, then the Governor General of India.
• The two-day 2018 Conference will discuss important thematic issues in various sessions.

4. Environment Ministry, Teri Sign MOU to Set up a Resource Efficiency Cell

In the run up to World Environment Day, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) has entered a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a resource efficiency cell in the Ministry.

• The main objectives of the Cell are to provide a platform to mainstream resource efficiency in public policy.
• At the event hosted by TERI, the European Union and MoEFCC also signed a Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) to support the implementation of the EU Resource Efficiency Initiative (EU-REI) Project in India.

5. NMCG undertakes cleanliness drive at Kalindi Kunj Ghat in Delhi

In the run up to the World Environment Day 2018, National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) in association with Yes Bank organised a cleanliness drive at Kalindi Kunj ghat on river Yamuna in New Delhi.    

• The focus during the cleanliness drive remained on freeing the ghat from plastic waste along with other solid waste.
• This is the third time in the past two months NMCG has organised a  Swachhta drive at Kalindi Kunj ghat.

6. Giuseppe Conte Sworn In As Italian Prime Minister

Giuseppe Conte was sworn in as Italy's prime minister, heading western Europe's first anti-establishment government bent on overhauling European Union rules on budgets and immigration.

• Conte, a little-known 53-year-old law professor, is backed by the 5-Star Movement which grew out of a grassroots protest network

7. HDFC Bank recognized for best practices in payment security

HDFC Bank has once again been recognized with the Champion Security Award at the 14th Visa Asia Pacific Security Summit.

• For the second time in a row, the bank has won the award in the India and South Asia category.
• The Award is a mark of excellence reflecting leadership in risk management and payment security performance.

8. Kerala cartoonist wins international award

Kerala cartoonist Thomas Antony has won an international award, in the best caricature category.

• Antony, currently working as Executive Artist of Malayalam daily 'Metro Vaartha', is among the nine winners at the 13th edition of the World Press Cartoon awards, instituted by an organisation based in Lisbon, Portugal.
• The awards are given to the best works published in 2017 in newspapers and magazines from around the world.