1) International Day of Yoga: 21 June
•Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. The International Day of Yoga is celebrated across the world on 21 June. It aims to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practicing yoga.
•The theme for the 2017 celebration, organized by the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations, is 'Yoga for Health.' The theme highlights the fact that yoga can contribute in a holistic way to achieving an equilibrium between mind and body.
2) Punjab Announced Free Education For Girls From Nursery To PhD
•The Punjab Government has announced free education for girls in government schools and colleges from Nursery to Ph.D. This is the major step towards women empowerment by Punjab CM Captain Amarinder Singh.
•Reservation for women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies has already been increased by the government from 33 per cent to 50 per cent. The CM also announced free Wi-FI for 13,000 primary schools and all 48 government colleges.
3) Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman appointed Crown Prince
•Saudi Arabia's King Salman has appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman, as heir, in a major reshuffle. A royal decree removed Crown Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, a 57-year-old nephew of the king, as next-in-line to the throne and replaced him with Mohammed bin Salman, 31, who was previously the deputy crown prince.
•The newly-announced crown prince was also named deputy prime minister and maintained his post as defense minister.
4) In historic first, UNICEF appoints Syrian refugee Muzoon Almellehan as Goodwill Ambassador
•The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) announced, on the World Refugee Day (20 June), the appointment of Muzoon Almellehan, a 19-year-old education activist, and Syrian refugee, as its newest – and youngest – Goodwill Ambassador.
•The appointment makes Muzoon the first person with official refugee status to become an Ambassador for UNICEF. Muzoon, who received support from UNICEF while living in Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan, follows in the footsteps of the late Audrey Hepburn, a Goodwill Ambassador who was also supported by UNICEF as a child.
5) India and Portugal sign a historical agreement to promote Cooperation in the Field of Archives
•A Protocol of Cooperation was signed between the National Archives of India and the Minister of Culture of the Portuguese Republic in the field of archives in Lisbon, Portugal.
•As a first step under this agreement, the Torre do Tombo (National Archives of Portugal) handed over to the National Archives of India digital copies of 62 volumes of the collection known as ‘Moncoes do Reino’ (Monsoon correspondence). These volumes were originally part of over 456 volumes that cover the period from 1568 to 1914 and form the largest of all record collections in the Goa State Archives.
6) Anil Kumble resigns as Head Coach of Indian Cricket team
•Anil Kumble, the former Indian Captain, resigned from the post of Head Coach of the Indian Cricket team. His resignation came before the limited-overs tour of the West Indies team.
•During this trip to the Caribbean, the team management will be supervised by M V Sridhar, the general manager of cricket operations. The batting coach Sanjay Bangar and fielding coach R Sridhar will continue in their roles.
