Current Affairs Today Headline- 17 June 2022

National News

• India reports 12,847 new cases, 14 deaths & 7,985 recoveries, taking total active cases to 63,063. 
• Violent protests in Bihar, UP against Agnipath Military Recruitment Scheme, mob vandalises railway stations and block railway tracks.
• PM Modi to inaugurate and lay foundation stone of development projects worth Rs 21,000 cr in Gujarat.
• India's first-ever girl "Balika Panchayat" was started in several villages of Gujarat's Kutch district to promote the social and political development of the girls.
• DGCA orders action over FTOs for violation of various safety guidelines.
• Supreme Court Judge Justice M R Shah was airlifted to Delhi after he fell sick in Himachal Pradesh.
• Jharkhand announces reduction in VAT on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) from 20 percent to 4 per cent to increase air connectivity in state and bring down airfares to boost tourism. 
• India's biggest spectrum auction, which will pave way for high-speed 5G services, is likely to conclude by July-end and the rollout is expected by September: Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw

Economy 

• RBI lifts the business restrictions imposed on Mastercard Asia/Pacific, allowing it to on-board new domestic customers.
• RBI to soon issue guidelines to make digital lending ecosystem safe and sound. 
• GST Council to meet on June 28-29 in Srinagar, informed Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's office.
• Indian funds in Swiss banks rise 50 pc to 14-yr high of Rs 30.5k cr on surge in institutional holdings: Switzerland central bank data

Environment News

• A coastal cleanup drive to be carried out at 75 sea beaches across the country for 75 days from July 3 to September 17, 2022.
• High-level committee approves additional central funds worth Rs 1,000 crore to Rajasthan and Nagaland, which were affected by drought during 2021-22.
• Italy's rich northern Lombardy region prepares to declare a state of emergency over a record drought.
• French officials urge caution as a record pre-summer heatwave spreads across the country from Spain, where authorities are fighting forest fires for sixth day. 

International News

• WTO's 164 members formally adopted decisions on the COVID-19 pandemic, preparedness for future pandemics, food insecurity, e-commerce, TRIPS agreement and fisheries at 12th WTO Ministerial Conference. 
• Tim Sale, renowned comic book artist behind classic DC Comics including 'Batman: The Long Halloween' and 'Superman for All Seasons', passed away at 66 on June 16.
• Germany to continue to provide military support to Ukraine for as long as necessary, announced German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Kyiv. 
• French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italian PM Mario Draghi visited war-torn Ukraine's capital Kyiv on June 16 and embraced Ukraine's bid to be accepted as a candidate for EU membership.
• McDonald's to pay 1.25 billion euros to escape French tax evasion case. 

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