GK and Current Affairs Updates

Senior I.A.S officer Narendra Bhooshan was appointed as Mission Director, National Food Security Mission (N.F.S.M). Bhooshan, a 1992 batch I.A.S officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is Joint Secretary in Department of Agriculture and Cooperation. He has been appointed to the post of Mission Director in N.F.S.M upto 10^th July 2016. The N.F.S.M was launched in October 2007 and it envisages additional production of 25 million tonnes of food grains during 12^th Five Year Plan (2012-17).

England and County team Somerset's wicket keeper/batsman Craig Kieswetter announced to retire due to an eye injury. South Africa-born player was left with vision problems after breaking his nose and damaging his cheekbone while batting in a County Championship match against Northamptonshire in July 2014. He scored 497 runs in the domestic T20 Blast in 2014. He started his one day international carrier in the year 2010 against Bangladesh.

Diversified conglomerate Essel Group has formed a 50:50 joint venture (J.V.) with the Rajasthan government to set up India's biggest solar energy park in the state. The solar parks will be set up in Bikaner and Jaisalmer regions with an investment of Rs.4,000 crore. Essel Group and Rajasthan government inked an agreement to set up solar energy park in the state. Essel Group and the government of Rajasthan will hold a 50:50 stake in the JV company, Essel Saurya Urja Company of Rajasthan Ltd (E.S.U.C.R.L) which will develop solar parks that would produce 5000 MV of clean energy.

Togo`s President Faure Gnassingbe has named Selom Klassou as the country’s new prime minister after winning elections in April. Klassou, the first vice-president of the National Assembly and former sports and primary education minister, succeeds K.S. Ahoomey-Zunu, who resigned his post on 22^nd May 2015.

India and the Netherlands signed several agreements to deepen bilateral cooperation. The agreements were signed in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister of Netherland Mark Rutte in New Delhi. Mark Rutte is on a two day visit to India on 5^th and 6^th June 2015. Agreement on setting up Joint Working Group on Counter terrorism, which will hold its first meeting on 19^th June 2015 was signed between India and Netherlands. Agreements on manufacturing of dredgers at the Cochin Shipyard and on developing coastal roads and metro lines in India, etc. were also signed.

Prominent scientist Ameenah Gurib Fakim sworn in as President of Mauritius, becoming the first women to hold the ceremonial position in the Indian Ocean island nation. She succeeds Former President Kailash Purryag who resigned from office on 30^th May. Gurib-Fakim, 56, is the first female President of the island, which gained independence from Britain in 1968 and replaced Britain's Queen Elizabeth II as its head of state in 1992.

The government has appointed the former Intelligence Bureau Chief Asif Ibrahim to a key post in the Prime Minister’s office. Ibrahim, who retired in December 2014, will be the PM’s Special Envoy on Countering Terrorism and Extremism with a charter to liaise with governments in West Asia, Afghanistan, Pakistan and South East Asia and will cooperate in the exchange of other informations.

Micro Finance Institutions Network (M.F.I.N) has appointed Ratna Vishwanathan as it's Chief Executive Officer. She will replace Alok Prasad, who will complete his second term on 30^th June 2015 . Vishwanathan, who is currently deputy CEO, will take charge from  1^st July 2015.

India has jumped six places to the 141^st position in the latest rankings released by world football's governing body F.I.F.A. Indian team was previously on the 147^th spot. India is at the 22nd position among the Asian countries. Iran (41) is the top-ranked Asian team in the list, followed by Japan (52) and South Korea (58). World Champions Germany continued to head the rankings. Belgium jumped to second place, a place above World Cup runners-up Argentina. It is Belgium's highest position since the launch of the world rankings.

AB de Villiers won five of the nine major awards at a Cricket South Africa (C.S.A) annual function. South Africa World Cup skipper was voted ‘South African Cricketer of the Year’ for the second successive season. His other awards included ''O.D.I Cricketer of the Year, Cricketer's Cricketer of the Year and Supporter's Cricketer of the Year." There was also an award, the 'So Good' award, for scoring the fastest O.D.I international century, against the West Indies in December 2014.