1) In one of the worst attacks on the Indian Army in two decades, insurgents on 4 June 2015 ambushed a military convoy in Manipur killing at least 20 army personnel and injuring 11 others. The incident is being described as the worst casualties the Army has suffered since the Kargil War of 1999. It took place in which district of Manipur? – Chandel
Explanation: The attack happened in Chandel district in Manipur, which is one of the nine districts of the state. The area is under the rule of Armed Powers Special Forces Act (AFSPA). The area of attack is about 15-20 km away from the India-Myanmar border. A team of 6 Dogra Regiment, which was on a Road Opening Patrol (ROP) as part of its daily routine along Tengnoupal-New Samtal route, about 80 km from Imphal, was attacked by an insurgent outfit first with a powerful Improvised Explosive Device (IED). After the IED blast, the insurgents resorted to heavy firing at the convoy of four Army vehicles with RPGs and automatic weapons. The ambush took place when the convoy reached between Paralong and Charong villages. Twenty armymen were killed and 11 injured in the attack. Recently formed militant group United Liberation Front of Western South East Asia, of which NSCN(K) is a part, claimed responsibility for the ambush. The case was later handed over to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) by the Union Govt.
2) India and five nations on 3 June 2015 signed an agreement to join 60 countries, including Switzerland, to exchange financial information automatically from 2017. What is the name of this agreement that would pave way to have a control on black money overseas? – Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA)
Explanation: Multilateral Competent Authority Agreement (MCAA) is an agreement which provides for establishment of an international platform that would allow exchange of information on an annual basis, including account balances. It is expected to tighten the noose on those having black money overseas. Fifty-one countries had joined MCAA on 29 October 2014, in Berlin. Switzerland became the fifty-second country on 19 November 2014. On 3 June 2015, 6 countries – India, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica, Indonesia and New Zealand joined MCAA by signing the agreement in Paris. Till now 94 countries have committed to exchange information on an automatic basis from 2017 onwards, according to the new global standards on automatic exchange of information, known as common reporting standards (CRS) on automatic exchange of information (AEOI).
3) Union Govt. on 3 June 2015 notified the amendments in the definition of NRIs as contained in the FDI policy. What is the broad change in this definition? – According to the new definition NRIs would also include Overseas Citizens of India (OCIs) and Persons of Indian origin (PIOs)
Explanation: The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had cleared these amendments during May 2015. According to the notified policy relaxations for NRIs by the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP), non-repatriable investments by non-resident Indians, overseas citizens of India and persons of Indian origin will be treated as domestic investments and will not be subject to foreign direct investment caps. The decision is expected to result in increased investments across sectors and greater inflow of foreign exchange remittances leading to higher economic growth. The government has also notified increase in FIPB’s power to recommend foreign investment proposals of up to Rs. 3,000 crore from the earlier Rs 2,000 crore. Beyond this limit, proposals will go to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for approval.
4) Who on 4 June 2015 became the first Indian umpire after S. Venkataraghavan to be inducted in the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) Elite Panel of Umpires? – Sundaram Ravi
Explanation: Sundaram Ravi thus ended 11-year long wait for an Indian umpire to make place in ICC’s Elite Panel of Umpires. ICC announced the prestigious panel for 2015-2016 following an annual review and selection process. The panel includes Aleem Dar, Kumar Dharmasena, Marais Erasmus, Chris Gaffaney, Ian Gould, Richard Illingworth, Richard Kettleborough, Nigel Llong, Sundaram Ravi, Paul Reiffel, Rod Tucker and Bruce Oxenford. New Zealand’s Chris Gaffaney and Sundaram Ravi were promoted from the International Panel of Umpires to the Elite Panel, replacing Kiwi veteran Billy Bowden and the retiring Steve Davis. Ravi has umpired in six Tests, 24 ODIs and 12 T20Is, since making his international debut in Visakhapatnam in December 2011 in an ODI between India and the West Indies.
5) China on 4 June 2015 confirmed death of at least 77 persons in the sinking of a cruise ship on the Yangtze River on 1 June, which is being described as China’s worst shipping disaster in almost 70 years. What is the name of the cruise ship that was involved in this disaster? – “Eastern Star”
Explanation: “Eastern Star” was a cruise liner owned by the Chongqing Eastern Shipping Corporation. It was on an 11-day voyage upstream from Nanjing, near Shanghai, to Chongqing. The sinking of this cruise ship took place on 1 June 2015 in the Jianli section of the Yangtze River after it was caught in what was described as a sudden tornado. The ship immediately sank with 406 tourists and over 50 staff onboard. Chinese govt. on 4 June pledged that there would be “no cover-up” in the investigation of the accident as much more causalities are expected in it.
6) The appointment of the first woman President of Mauritius was approved by the country’s Parliament on 4 June 2015. What is her name? – Ameenah Gurib-Fakim
Explanation: 56-year old Ameenah Gurib-Fakim is an internationally-renowned scientist and biologist. She was till now the Director of the Mauritius-headquartered Centre for Phytotherapy Research (CEPHYR), which carries out research on plants for use in cosmetics, nutrition and therapy. She replaced Kailash Purryag who stepped down as country’s President on 29 May 2015. Purryag had served as president since July 2012, when he was appointed by the country’s previous Labour party government of former premier Navin Ramgoolam. The Govt. of Maurituius had nominated Gurib-Fakim as country’s next President on 1 June 2015. The motion moved by Prime Minister Anerood Jugnauth for her election was unanimously approved in parliament on 4 June.
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