Current Affairs 16th June 2019

Current Affairs 16th June 2019 - Important Points

• Australia, Qatar invited to 2020 Copa America by - CONMEBOL
• Setting up of Defence Space Research Agency cleared by -  Government
•  54th Jnanpith Award conferred by -  Amitav Ghosh
• 16th Asia Media Summit concludes in - Cambodia
• International Albinism Awareness Day observed on - 13th June 2019

Current Affairs 16th June 2019 - Details

Australia, Qatar invited to 2020 Copa America by - CONMEBOL

South America’s governing body of football ‘CONMEBOL’ has invited Australia and Qatar to participate in 2020 COPA America. COPA 2020 will be co-hosted by Argentina and Colombia. The final of Copa 2020 will be played in 1 match and in one host city.
Key Highlights

• The Copa America is challenged between national teams from South America and usually features
  12 teams but CONMEBOL only has Ten members which shows that there is often pair of invitees
  to tournament.
• Qatar and Japan are guest teams at Copa 2019 planned to be organised in Brazil. Qatar which is 2019 AFC Asian Cup champions and 2022 FIFA World Cup multitude, will be producing their Copa America debut at 2019’s edition of tournament. It will be Australia’s 3rd time participation at Copa.
  More about Copa America Football
• It is international football competition which is played between men’s national football teams of
  South American Football Confederation.
• Since 1990s, competition also pursues the participation from Asia and North America. It was found in 1916 and is the oldest international continental football competition.

Setting up of Defence Space Research Agency cleared by -  Government

The Cabinet Committee on Security of the Central Government of India led by PM Narendra Modi has cleared formation of new agency known as Defence Space Research Agency. The Defence Space Research Agency has been entrusted with task of producing space warfare weapon systems and technologies.
Key Highlights

• The decision to form a new agency for producing space warfare weapon systems was accepted
  some time back at the topmost level and the agency has already began taking shape under a Joint
  Secretary-level scientist.
• The DSRA would be provided with a team of scientists who would be serving in close association
  with tri-services including Indian Army, Navy and Air Force, Integrated Defence Staff officers.
• The Integrated Defence Staff was formed in October 2001 under Ministry of Defence in outcome of ‘Operation Vijay’/Kargil Operations as an organisation that will be accountable for developing
  synchronization and enabling prioritisation across all branches of Indian Armed Forces.
• Defence Space Research Agency would be delivering R&D support to Defence Space Agency
  which again contains of members of tri-services.
• It is also charged with locating and implementing defines related appls for India’s entire spectrum of
  space technologies.
• This newly sanctioned space agency Defence Space Research Agency will produce sophisticated
  weapon systems and technologies so as to augment capabilities of armed forces to fight wars in
  space.

16th Asia Media Summit concludes in - Cambodia

The Asia Media Summit 2019 was held in Siem Reap province, Cambodia from 12th-14th June
2019 to deliberate on many matters pertaining to media and broadcasting industry. The 15th Asia
Media Summit was presented by India. This year was 16th edition of summit.
Key Highlights for Summit

• The 2 days summit was organised under topic of Media Digitalization Focusing on Developing
  Markets.
• It called for making regulation to fight against fake news and cyber crimes.
• The Asia Media Summit was prearranged by Cambodian Ministry of Information in association
  with the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development. Above 600 media representatives
  from 42 nations and regions took part in the event.
• The participants attention was on spread of disinformation or fake news and its influence on
  governments, media, private sector and society.
• Cyber-crimes and fake news are dangerous and posing severe risks to individual’s right and security in region as well as around the globe.
• All participants debated numerous approaches for fighting against fake news, which includes
  solidification of regulations and ethical standards, verification process of data, media literacy
  initiatives and many more. Also measures including transparency by government and Media literacy
  training to teachers will advantage in fighting against fake information to some extent.

 54th Jnanpith Award conferred by -  Amitav Ghosh

Renowned author Amitav Ghosh was honoured with 54th Jnanpith Award for his outstanding
contribution to enrichment of Indian Literature in English. He was given the award by Gopalkrishna
Gandhi, former Governor of West Bengal who was the chief guest at an event organised at the
India Habitat Centre in New Delhi.
Key Highlights

• Author Ghosh is 1st English language writer to become a Jnanpith laureate as all earlier winners
  of prestigious award have been writers in Indian languages.
• The 62-year-old Kolkata-born author was described as a path-breaking novelist by the awarding
  body Bharatiya Jnanpith.
• He was recognized for in his novels which footsteps through historical settings to contemporary
  era and weaves a space where earlier connects with present in relevant ways.
  About Amitav Ghosh
• Even though he is a social anthropologist by academic training, he has written widely in both
  fiction and non-fiction sphere of literature.
• Till date his works has been translated in more than 30 languages. He also grabs 4 honorary
  doctorates.
• He has been presented Sahitya Akademi Award 1990 for his book ‘The Shadow Lines’ and  Padma
  Shri 2007 for his services to literature and education.

International Albinism Awareness Day observed on - 13th June 2019

International Albinism Awareness Day is celebrated every year worldwide on 13th June, with the
objective of spreading public awareness on albinism and to avoid attacks and discrimination against
persons with albinism. Theme for International Albinism Awareness Day 2019 was- Still Standing
Strong. It calls upon people globally to recognize, celebrate and stand in solidarity with all albinism
patients.
About Albinism

• It is a rare, non-contagious, genetically-inherited disease present at birth. It is a hereditary disorder
  characterized by partial/complete absence of pigment melanin in skin, hair and eyes.
• In almost all types of albinism, both parents, who are carrier even if they do not have albinism themselves, must carry gene for it to be passed on. The albinism condition is found in both males and females regardless of ethnicity and in all nations worldwide.
• There is no cure for nonappearance of melanin that is predominantly central to albinism.
  The lack of melanin in skin makes albinos extra prone to sunburn and skin cancers. It is also linked
  with eye related problems including photophobia, amblyopia, nystagmus, etc.
• Due to absence of melanin in skin and eyes of persons with albinism, they often have permanent
  visual impairment which mostly heads to disabilities.
• They also face discrimination due to their skin colour and thus are often subjected to multiple and interconnecting discrimination on grounds of both disability as well as colour.