Daily News

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India successfully test-fires nuclear-capable Agni-5

Long-range ballistic missile Agni-5 was successfully test fired off Odisha coast.

Features include many new indigenously-developed technologies, very high accuracy Ring Laser Gyro based Inertial Navigation System (RINS), and the most modern and accurate Micro Navigation System (MINS) which improves the accuracy of the missile.

Agni-5 can carry nuclear warhead weighing 1.5 tonnes to a distance of over 5,000 km and is the longest missile in India’s arsenal capable of reaching most parts of China.

Did you Know

Pokhran-II was the series of five nuclear bomb test explosions conducted by India at the Indian Army's Pokhran Test Range in May 1998.
It was the second Indian nuclear test; the first test, code-named Smiling Buddha, was conducted in May 1974.

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New CEO for Rajiv Gandhi Foundation

Social entrepreneur Vijay Mahajan was appointed as secretary and chief executive officer of the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and director of the Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Contemporary Studies.

He served on the IRDA of India (2005-10); the Rangarajan Committee on Financial Inclusion 2007-08; the Raghuram Rajan Committee on Financial Sector Reforms 2008-09; and several working groups of the XIth and XIIth Five Year Plans.

Did you Know

The foundation was launched in 1991.
Rajiv Gandhi Institute is an independent national policy thinktank promoted by the foundation.

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Odisha Beach is Asia’s first to get ‘Blue Flag’ tag

The Chandrabhaga beach on the Konark coast of Odisha will be the first in Asia to get the Blue Flag certification — the tag given to environment-friendly and clean beaches, equipped with amenities of international standards for tourists.

It will be awarded the honour on World Environment Day on June 5.

Twelve more beaches in the country are being developed by the Society for Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM).

Did you Know

To achieve the Blue Flag standards, a beach must be plastic-free and equipped with a waste management system.
The standards were established by the Copenhagen-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) in 1985.
The Environment Ministry embarked on the Blue Flag project in December 2017.

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Taj Declaration to Beat Plastic Pollution adopted in Agra

A ‘Taj Declaration to Beat Plastic Pollution’ was adopted as part of which efforts would be made to make the 500-metre area around the 17th century monument litter-free.

Steps would also be taken to phase out single-use plastic there

Did you Know

Minister of State for Environment- Mahesh Sharma
UN Environment Programme Executive Director- Erik Solheim
UNEP Goodwill Ambassador- Diya Mirza

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Odisha starts health insurance scheme for journalists

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched "Gopabandhu Sambadika Swasthya Bima Yojana" for working journalists.

The health insurance scheme for working journalists will be implemented with effect from June 1, 2018.

In the first phase, working journalists from across the state will get health insurance coverage up to Rs 2 lakh

Did you Know

Capital: Bhubaneswar
Governor: Prof. Ganeshi Lal

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Bandra Terminus-Bhagat Ki Kothi weekly Humsafar Express

A new weekly train service – Humsafar Express has been flagged off between Mumbai’s Bandra Terminus to Bhagat Ki Kothi (near Jodhpur, Rajasthan).

The train made its inaugural run on June 2, 2018.

Did you Know

Humsafar Express is AC-3 tier train and was announced as part of Railway Budget 2016.
It contains 22 coaches.
Their service profile includes long haul routes.

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Tiananmen Square’s 29th anniversary

China commemorated the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown in Beijing on 4 June.

This year marks the 29th anniversary of China’s violent suppression of 1989.

Did you Know

Tiananmen Square is the public square in front of the Tiananmen Gate, or the "Gate of Heavenly Peace," and Mao Zedong’s portrait has hung since he proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1, 1949.

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Gujarat government to start dedicated ambulance service for infants

Gujarat government has decided to launch a dedicated ambulance service to prevent death of newborns due to lack of medical emergency facilities in health centres.

The government would deploy 10 specially-equipped ambulances across the state under the 'Neonatal ambulance service project.

This facility will be linked to the '108' service and people can seek its help in case of an emergency.

As per the National Family Health Survey of 2015-16, the infant mortality rate in rural areas of Gujarat was 39 (per 1,000 live births) against 27 in urban areas.

Did you Know

• Capital: Gandhinagar
• Chief minister: Vijay Rupani
• Gujarat was one of the main central areas of the Indus Valley Civilization.
• It contains ancient metropolitan cities from the Indus Valley such as Lothal, Dholavira, and Gola Dhoro (most recent discovery).
• The ancient city of Lothal was where India's first port was established.

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Two eco-tourism sites in Telangana

The Telangana State Forest Development Corporation (TSFDC) will take up eco-tourism projects at two locations in Mancherial and Nalgonda districts.

The first project will be near Chinthaguda village closer to Kawal Tiger Reserve, six acres have been allotted for this.

The second project will come up in the backwaters of Nagarjunasagar, Nalgonda district, where 15 acres have been identified.

It has achieved the all-time best productivity in Eucalyptus clonal plantations.

Did you Know

Capital: Hyderabad
Chief minister: Kalvakuntla Chandrashekar Rao
Telangana Formation Day is celebrated on 2 June.
It completed four years since its formation

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Financial Literacy Week

The RBI has chosen customer protection as theme for the Financial Literacy Week beginning on June 4.

It will focus on four consumer protection messages like 'know your liability' for unauthorised electronic banking transaction and Good practices for a safe digital banking experience.

Resolution of complaint is to be done within period not exceeding 90 days from the date of receipt of the complaint.

Did you Know

The Reserve Bank of India was established on April 1, 1935 in accordance with the provisions of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934.
The Central Office was initially established in Calcutta but was permanently moved to Mumbai in 1937.
RBI was nationalised in 1949.
Governor: Urjit Patel