Daily Current Affairs - Week 24, 2023 (12 Jun 2023 - 18 Jun 2023)
Generated by AllJobAlerts on 19 June 2026
Weekly Current Affairs
- Karnataka Govt Announces Free Bus Rides For Women Under 'Shakti' Scheme
- Haryana CM Manohar Lal announces monthly pension of Rs. 10,000 for Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan awardees of State
- Raja festival begins in Odisha
- Arunachal Pradesh CM launches app called 'Arunpol App' of Arunachal Pradesh Police
- Guwahati Railway Station awarded ‘Eat Right Station’ certification by FSSAI
- Archana Atram from Pune division becomes first lady driver of MSRTC, marks history
Weekly Current Affairs
- Researchers from the IIT-Madras generates hydrogen from seawater using solar energy
- India's first 7-km-long twin-track undersea rail tunnel to be built in Thane Creek
- First satellite built by India's private company launched from SpaceX
- Phosphorus, essential element needed for life, detected in ocean on Saturn's moon Enceladus
Weekly Current Affairs
- World Day Against Child Labour 2023 observed on June 12
- World Blood Donor Day 2023: 14 June
- Global Wind Day 2023 observed on 15th June
Weekly Current Affairs
- India-Maldives Joint Military Exercise 'Ex Ekuverin' begins at Chaubatia
- Fourth warship of Indian Navy 'Sanshodhak' launched
Weekly Current Affairs
- Manchester City’s Rodri wins UEFA Champions League player of the season award
- Ireland's Harry Tector beats Babar Azam to win ICC's Men's Player of The Month award
- India to host Miss World 2023 after 27 years, Femina Miss India 2022 winner Sini Shetty will represent India at Miss World 2023
- WHO Award for 'When Climate Change Turns Violent'
- Geological Survey of India Training Institute (GSITI), Hyderabad gets Accredited as “Athi Uttam”
- RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year' at Central Banking Awards 2023
- Advocate Lalitha Natarajan wins America's Iqbal Masih Award
Weekly Current Affairs
- Kerala’s first ‘Ashoka Chakra’ winner Havildar Alby D’Cruz passes away at the age of 87
- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi dies at 86
- Cormac McCarthy, Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist of ‘The Road’ no more, dies at 89
Weekly Current Affairs
- Massive eruption at Kilauea volcano, Hawaii's second largest volcano on Hawaii's Big Island
- Cyclone Biparjoy moves north in Arabian Sea, Gujarat coast on high alert
Weekly Current Affairs
- Kerala-cadre IPS officer Nitin Agarwal appointed BSF Director General, currently posted as the Additional DG of operations at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)
- Elon Musk-led SpaceX inducts 14-year-old Karen Kazee to its Starlink engineering team, becomes youngest engineer to join Elon Musk's SpaceX
- Amit Agarwal takes over as UIDAI CEO, Subodh Kumar Singh as Director General of National Testing Agency
- IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers appointed as the Chair-elect of of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors
- Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra takes over as Commander of Strike 1 Corps, replaces Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi
- Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) appoints Shri Sanjay Swarup to the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR)
- Gurbachan Singh Randhawa steps down as chairman of AFI selection committee
- Shri Uttam Lal takes over as Director (Personnel), NHPC
- Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai assumes Command of Chinar Corps
- Jane Marriott appointed as first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan
- Sudhansh Pant to be new Health Secretary, Chanchal Kumar to take over as Aviation Secretary
Weekly Current Affairs
- India’s long jumper Murali Sreeshankar finishes third at prestigious Diamond League Meet in Paris, becomes third Indian to finish in top-three of a Diamond League
- B.C. golfer Nick Taylor becomes first Canadian to win RBC Canadian Open since 1954
- India beat South Korea 2-1 to clinch maiden Women's Junior Asia Cup title
- Australia win the ICC World Test Championship 2023 Final, become first team to win ICC world titles in all three formats
- Iga Swiatek of Poland wins Women's Singles crown by defeating Czech Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 in French Open Tennis 2023
- French Open 2023: Novak Djokovic beats Casper Ruud to win record 23rd Grand Slam title
- Real Madrid star Karim Benzema joins Saudi Arabia club, joins Al Ittihad as a free agent
- First Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav kicks off at KIIT
- World Squash Championship begins in Chennai
- Indian Aditi Gopichand breaks U-18 compound world record in Medellin
- Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 to win maiden Under-20 World Cup title
- Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) approves Olympic medalist Mirabai Chanu and CWG medalist Bindyarani Devi's proposal to train in St. Louis, USA
Weekly Current Affairs
- Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs review meeting of Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM at Jammu
- PM Narendra Modi inaugurates first-ever National Training Conclave in Delhi
- Amit Shah announces disaster management schemes worth Rs 8,000 crore
- RBI opens sub-office at Kohima, to increase presence in north east
- India to participate at Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) for first time in France
- Country's first CNG run toy train launched at Gulab Bagh, Udaipur (Rajasthan)
Weekly Current Affairs
- UAE emerges as fourth largest investor in India during FY23 as FDI jumps three-folds to $3.35 billion
- Amazon Signs Pact with ICAR to Empower Farmers Enrolled Under Kisan Store
- Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries climbs 8 spots to 45th rank on Forbes’ Global 2000 list
- Indian Overseas Bank introduces ‘My Account My Name’
- IOC To Collaborate With LanzaJet to Establish Aviation Fuel Factory in Haryana
Weekly Current Affairs
- Israel poised to release world's first digital government bond
- Bhupender Yadav addresses 111th International Labour Conference
- G20: Third and Final working group on Women 20 Summit commences at Mahabalipuram near Chennai on 14 June 2023
- US Capitol Hosts First-Ever Hindu-American Summit to Highlight Community Issues
- India to host IIAS Annual Conference 2025 at Kochi with the theme Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile”
- World Bank launches its first road safety project in South Asia, Bangladesh and the World Bank join hands to improve Road Safety
- U.S. wants to rejoin UNESCO after exiting during the Trump administration
MSRTC employs first woman ST driver in Maharashtra
- Archana Atram has become the first woman driver of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) as she drove the bus from Saswad to Nira in Pune.
- Archana is one of the 100 women ST drivers who were selected for the post by MSRTC.
- Their selection was done in 2019 but due to a pandemic their training could not be completed.
- A total of 18 of them were undergoing training in the Pune division and 6 have joined the service after competition of training
- Archana who hails from Sarkani village of Kinvat, Nanded district registered her name in the history of MSRTC by becoming the first woman ST driver.
- The MSRTC had started recruiting women as conductors on the ST buses but the driver post was only reserved for men till now.
NASA discovers ‘phosphorous’, key element for life, on Saturn's moon Enceladus
- Phosphorus, a key element for various biological processes has been discovered in icy grains spewed from the interior ocean of Saturn's moon Enceladus.
- Cassini a space probe launched to scrutinize Saturn and its extensive system of moons and rings.
- The scientists earlier found minerals and organic compounds in Enceladus' ice grains excluding phosphorus- the least abundant of six chemical elements considered necessary to all living things, and is found in the bones and teeth of humans and animals.
- Phosphorus is fundamental unit of the structure of DNA and RNA and, a vital part of cell membranes and energy-carrying molecules existing in all forms of life on Earth.
Global Wind Day 2023:15 June
- Global Wind Day is an important event celebrated annually on June 15 worldwide.
- It provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of wind energy and promote its further development and usage worldwide.
- It is a collaborative initiative organised by WindEurope and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) to reinforce the idea of sustainable alternative energy.
- Global Wind Day, also known as National Wind Day, is an annual global occasion that plays a significant role in exploring the potential of wind, its immense power, and the transformative possibilities it offers in reshaping our energy systems.
- In 2009, the European Wind Energy Association and Global Wind Energy Council joined forces to establish Global Wind Day as a worldwide event.
- This year will mark the 16th celebration of Global Wind Day, kickstarted in 2007
Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Cormac McCarthy passes away
- Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Cormac McCarthy has died at the age of 89.
- McCarthy’s first novel ‘The Orchard Keeper’ was published in 1965, his first commercially successful work was ‘All The Pretty Horses’.
- It got the National Book Award in 1992 and a movie based on the novel was released in 2000.
- McCarthy got the Pulitzer Prize for his novel ‘The Road’ in 2006.
- His novel “No Country for Old Men” was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 2007.
- McCarthy’s other crime thriller ‘The Counsellor’ was a successful film in which stars like Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz acted.
- He went on to publish more than 20 novels, including “Blood Meridian,” “All the Pretty Horses,” and “Suttree.”
Sudhansh Pant named as new Union Health Secretary
- Senior IAS officer Sudhansh Pant has been named as the new Union Health Secretary as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre.
- Pant, a 1991-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Rajasthan cadre, is currently the Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
- He has been appointed as the Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Health and Family Welfare.
- The officer will take over as Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare upon retirement of Rajesh Bhushan on July 31 this year.
- Apart from this, Chanchal Kumar, Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited, has been named as the new Civil Aviation Secretary.
UK Names First Female Envoy to Pakistan
- In a groundbreaking announcement, the United Kingdom has named Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
- This historic appointment signifies a significant step forward, as Jane becomes the first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan.
- Previously, British Ambassador Christian Turner was designated in Pakistan; he has transferred to another Diplomatic Service appointment.
- Previously, Jane Marriott served as the High Commissioner to Kenya, undertaking her responsibilities from September 2019 to June 2023.
- Jane has served as Deputy and Acting Ambassador to Tehran and provided invaluable advice to Richard Holbrooke, the US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Mission Olympic Cell approves Mirabai Chanu, Bindyarani Devi's proposal to train in USA
- Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports Mission Olympic Cell has approved the foreign training camp for Target Olympic Podium Scheme athletes Mirabai Chanu and Bindyarani Devi's proposal to train in St. Louis, USA.
- The Olympic and Commonwealth Games medalists will be training at St. Louis's SQUAT University under Dr. Aron Horschig and working on their rehabilitation and strength training process ahead of the upcoming Asian Games.
- During their 65 days foreign training camp, the duo will be accompanied by Indian Chief Coach Vijay Sharma and their physiotherapist Tesneem Zayyad.
- The government will cover their Air travel expenses, boarding and lodging cost, medical insurance, local transportation cost, gym expenses and doctor's consultation cost among other expenses.
CNG-run toy train inaugurated for the first time in the country
- Toy train was started once again in Gulab Bagh of Udaipur (Rajasthan), which has been named Maharana Pratap Express train.
- According to the engineer of the toy train, Anirudh Singh Nathawat, this is the country's first CNG-powered toy train.
- The ticket for this toy train operating in Gulab Bagh has been kept at Rs.25 for children and Rs.50 for adults.
- There will be a run of about 2.5 kilometers, and about 150 passengers will be able to enjoy it at a time. Meanwhile, passengers will be able to see the Bird Park, Kamal Talai and hundreds of years old trees.
IOC to set up aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in Haryana
- Indian Oil Corp IOC will set up an 80,000 tonnes sustainable aviation fuel plant with LanzaJet in Haryana.
- The aim of the collaboration is to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
- The investment for the aviation fuel plant is around 23 billion rupees ($280.1 million).
- Sustainable aviation fuel reduces greenhouse gas emissions and mitigates climate change.
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited is owned by the Government of India and operates as a Central Public Sector Undertaking under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
- Its headquarter is in New Delhi.
- Its Present Chairman is Shrikant Madhav Vaidya.
India to host IIAS Annual Conference 2025 at Kochi
- India to host the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) Annual Conference 2025 in Kochi in Feb 2025.
- The conference will be attended by 30 countries, and over 50 IIAS universities/institutes of public administration.
- The theme for the 2025 IIAS Annual Conference at Kochi will be "Next Generation Administrative Reforms - Empowering the Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile”.
- The IIAS established in 1930, is a federation of member States, national sections and academic research centres jointly elaborating public administration solutions to the policy challenges of the day with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
India to participate at AIAF for first time in France
- India is participating at the Annecy International Animation Festival (AIAF) for the first time this year in France.
- India has lately emerged as a preferred destination of VFX and animation content for global production houses.
- An Indian delegation led by the Secretary, Information and Broadcasting Apurva Chandra with eminent personalities of the animation industry have been showcasing India's prowess in creating animation and VFX content for global audiences at the AIAF.
- Animation & VFX in India The market was pegged at Rs 109 billion in 2021, with the VFX business alone accounting for Rs 50 billion. This figure is expected to increase to Rs 180 billion by 2024.
U.S. Will Rejoin UNESCO in July
- The United States will rejoin the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in July.
- The move ends Washington's more than ten-year dispute with the UN cultural agency after the US left UNESCO in 2018.
- The U.S. cut funding off under former President Obama in 2011 following a vote by UNESCO member states to admit Palestine.
- US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma submitted a letter to UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay last week to formalize plans to rejoin.
- This isn't the first time the U.S. has pulled out of UNESCO only to rejoin later.
- The country exited UNESCO in 1984 under President Ronald Reagan, citing "poor management and values opposed to our own," including advocating for limits on freedom of the press, according to the State Department. The U.S. wouldn't rejoin the body for nearly two decades.
- In 2002 President George W. Bush announced a return to UNESCO, praising reforms to the management structure and the group's renewed dedication to the values of press freedom and universal education.
- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations (UN).
- It is also a member of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UN SDG), a coalition of United Nations agencies and organisations that aims to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
US Capitol Hosts First-Ever Hindu-American Summit to Highlight Community Issues
- First ever Hindu-American Summit organised at US Capitol Hill, Washington on June 14. This was the first-ever Summit held for political engagement of Hindu-Americans.
- The summit aims to highlight the concerns and issues faced by the Hindu community, seeking the attention and support of lawmakers.
- About 130 Indian American leaders from all over the country -- Florida, New York, Boston, Texas, Chicago and California – representing 20 Hindu and Indian organisations have attended the US Capital for the event.
- Along with other prominent personalities, the summit has been addressed by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
Women's 20 (W20) Summit began in Mahabalipuram near Chennai
- G20's official engagement group, Women20, held its Jan Bhagidari (Citizen Connect) programme in Mahabalipuram on 14 June 2023.
- The summit is being held till June 16 (Friday) on the theme 'Women-led development - Transform, Thrive and Transcend'.
- The Summit also emphasised the importance of women's health and gender empowerment and the role of families in supporting children's rights.
- The first session focused on the convergence of women's health, gender equality, and social and economic development in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
- The 2nd Women's 20 (W20) International Meeting was held in Jaipur, Rajasthan on April 13 and the meeting was attended by 120 women leaders from 18 G20 countries.
- The Citizen Connect programme, on the theme of The Journey of Empowerment, is supported by the National Rural Livelihood Mission, the Tamil Nadu Rural Development Department and the Union Ministry of Rural Development.
- The inaugural address of the third and final Women's 20 (W20) Summit has been delivered by Dr. Sandhya Purecha, President, W20 India.
World Bank launches its first road safety project in South Asia
- The World Bank (WB) launched its first dedicated road safety project in South Asia with a USD 358 million financing agreement signed in Dhaka with the government of Bangladesh.
- The Road Safety Project, which receives $358 million financing from the World Bank, is the first dedicated road safety project in South Asia supported by the World Bank.
- The project seeks to improve road safety and reduce fatalities and injuries from road crashes in selected cities, high-risk highways, and district roads.
- Two national highways of Bangladesh, Gazipur-Elenga (N4) and Natore-Nawabganj (N6), will be taken up for the implementation of this project.
- The project will pilot comprehensive road safety measures, including improved engineering designs, signage and marking, pedestrian facilities, speed enforcement, and emergency care. These measures will help reduce road traffic deaths by more than 30 percent on these two highways.
- Bangladesh currently has the largest ongoing IDA program totaling $16.3 billion. The World Bank was among the first development partners to support Bangladesh and has committed about $40 billion in grants, interest-free and concessional credits to the country since its independence.
Arunachal Pradesh CM launches app called 'Arunpol App' of Arunachal Pradesh Police
- Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu on June 14 launched ArunPol mobile app and e-Vigilance portal with an aim to reduce the unproductive manhours spent by both citizens and police.
- The 'Arunpol' mobile app will greatly help in reducing the hassle faced by citizens in reaching police stations to avail services.
- The app is designed to provide online services like lodging of lost reports, police clearance certificates, missing reports, servant verification, tenant verification, complaints of women and children, complaints against police, rules and laws, vital contact numbers, helpline numbers, vehicle towing details, etc.
Guwahati Railway Station awarded ‘Eat Right Station’ certification by FSSAI
- Guwahati railway station has been awarded 'Eat Right Station' certification by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) for providing high-quality and nutritious food to passengers.
- The station is the first under the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to get the status for a period of two years from June 2, 2023.
- The certification is granted by FSSAI to stations adhering to standard food storage and hygiene practices.
- The certification is part of the 'Eat Right India' movement, a large-scale effort by FSSAI to transform the country's food system to ensure safe, healthy and sustainable food for all Indians.
Raja festival begins in Odisha
- The three-day Raja festival began in Odisha with fervor and gaiety on 14 June.
- Raja falls on the first day of the month of ‘Asadha’. As per the tradition, it is believed that Mother Earth menstruates and prepares herself for future agricultural activities with the arrival of monsoon.
- No agricultural activities are carried out these three days.
- ‘Raja’ is derived from the word ‘Rajaswala’ which means menstruating women. Each and every woman is compared with the Bhudevi and given a special place in this festival. She would not have to work for 4 days and be allowed to take rest.
- The first day of the popular festival is known as ‘Pahili Raja’.
- The second day is called Mithun Sankranti; the third day is called ‘Bhu Daha’, or Basi Raja. The fourth day i.e. the last day of the festival is called Basumati Snan
First satellite built by India's private company launched from SpaceX
- The first indigenous satellite built by India-based aerospace company Ajista BST was sent into space on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
- A total of 72 satellites were successfully launched during this launch on Tuesday from the space station in Florida, USA. These satellites will work in the field of remote sensing.
- SpaceX has sent 72 satellites into space as part of its Transporter-8 mission, one of which is ABA company's satellite AFR.
- These include satellites like CubeSats, Microsatellites. Falcon-9 has returned to Earth by sending 72 satellites into orbit. With this campaign, SpaceX's 200th mission to send a satellite into space has also been completed.
Fourth warship of Indian Navy 'Sanshodhak' launched
- The fourth Survey Vessel Large (SVL) of the Indian Navy, named 'Sanshodhak', was launched at Kattupalli, Chennai on 13th June.
- The launch ceremony, held on June 13, was attended by Adhir Arora, Chief Hydrographer to the Government of India, as the chief guest.
- Tanvi Arora launched the ship while an invocation from the Atharva Veda was chanted, following naval maritime traditions.
- The ship's name, meaning 'Researcher', reflects its primary role as a Survey Vessel.
- The Ministry of Defence (MoD) highlighted the launch of the fourth SVL as a testament to India's commitment to indigenous shipbuilding, aligning with the government's 'Make in India' and Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India) vision.
Advocate Lalitha Natarajan wins America's Iqbal Masih Award
- Chennai-based lawyer-activist Lalitha Natarajan has been awarded the 2023 Iqbal Masih Award for the Elimination of Child Labour.
- US Consul General Judith Ravin presented the award to Natarajan at a ceremony at the US Consulate General in Chennai on May 30.
- Lalitha Natarajan is known for her leadership in combating exploitative child labor in southern India.
- As a member of the Child Welfare Committee (North Zone) under the Department of Social Defence, Tamil Nadu, Natarajan ensures that child labor victims receive compensation as per the Child Labor Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
- Iqbal Masih Award is an annual non-monetary award established by the US Congress in 2008.
- It is administered by the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor, and Human Trafficking within the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) of the US Department of Labor.
- It is named after Iqbal Masih, a Pakistani child who was sold into slavery and forced to work in a carpet factory.
- He was murdered in 1995 at the age of twelve.
- The award aims to raise awareness about child labor and honour those fighting against it.
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das named 'Governor of the Year' at Central Banking Awards 2023
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das received the 'Governor of the Year' award at the Central Banking Awards 2023 in London.
- The Central Banking Awards 2023 awards winners were announced in late March this year. Two top prizes went to the National Bank of Ukraine -- the 2023 Central Bank of the Year, and the Reserve Bank of India's Shaktikanta Das -- Governor of the Year.
- Shaktikanta Das (a retired IAS officer), former Secretary, of the Department of Revenue and Department of Economic Affairs under the Ministry of Finance, assumed charge as the 25th Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on December 12, 2018.
- Prior to becoming RBI head, he was acting as a Member, of the 15th Finance Commission and G20 Sherpa of India.
- During his long tenure in the Ministry of Finance, he was directly associated with the preparation of as many as eight Union Budgets.
- He has represented India in international fora like the IMF, G20, BRICS, SAARC, among others.
Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai assumes Command of Chinar Corps
- Lieutenant General Rajiv Ghai assumes command of Indian army's strategic Kashmir based Chinar Corps.
- An alumnus of the Indian Military Academy, Dehradun, Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai was commissioned into the Kumaon Regiment in December 1989.
- He has had an illustrious military career spanning 33 years, during which he has handled various prestigious command, staff and instructional appointments.
- As Colonel General Staff, he has served in the Division deployed for Counter Insurgency Operations in J&K and Brigadier at Military Operations Directorate in Army Headquarters.
Shri Uttam Lal takes over as Director (Personnel), NHPC
- Shri Uttam Lal has taken over as Director (Personnel) at NHPC Limited, India’s premier hydropower company.
- Prior to his appointment at NHPC, Shri Lal was serving as Chief General Manager (HR-CSR/R&R/LA) at NTPC Limited. He has over 35 years of vast and rich experience in the area of Personnel Management, Industrial Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility.
- Known for his expertise and long experience in the power sector, he is a core HR professional seeking to amalgamate human resource potential in the service of the organization’s goal and vision.
- NHPC Limited is a Government of India Hydropower Board and operated under the ownership of the Ministry of Power, Government of India.
- It was incorporated in 1975 with an authorised capital of ₹2,000 million.
Ankush wins gold as India finishes U-17 Asian Wrestling C'ships with 7 medals
- India wrapped up their campaign in the U-17 Asian Wrestling Championships with one gold, three silver and three bronze medals on the final day.
- Ankush won India's only gold medal of the day in the freestyle 55kg weight category, defeating Iran's Amirreza Ali Teymorizad by VPO1 (Winner with no technical superiority but the loser scores at least 1 point in the bout) 6-5.
- Dhanraj Bharat Shirke lost to Iran's Ahora Farhad Khateri of Iran, losing by VSU (victory by technical superiority) 11-0. Rupesh bagged the other silver after losing to Iran's Sam Reza Sayar in the freestyle 48kg final. Rohit went down to Leo Akagi of Japan by VPO1, 7 - 6 and earned the silver medal.
- Tushar (60kg freestyle), Vinay (92 kg freestyle) and Jaspooran Singh (110kg freestyle) claimed the three bronze medals for India.
- With this, all 10 freestyle wrestlers won medals in the competition as India finished second in the freestyle team rankings behind Iran.
Indian Aditi Gopichand breaks U-18 compound world record in Medellin
- Indian Aditi Gopichand made history by breaking the under-18 world record in the women's compound qualification round during the ongoing Archery World Cup stage three in Medellin, Colombia.
- The 16-year-old Aditi scored a total of 711 out of 720 points and topped the 72-arrow qualification.
- Another India, Jyothi Surekha Vennam finished second in the qualifiers with a total of 708 points.
- In the men's compound qualifiers, former World Cup champion Abhishek Verma emerged as the highest-placed Indian. He finished in eighth place with 707 points in his first archery World Cup event of the year.
Indian Overseas Bank introduces ‘My Account My Name’
- Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has introduced a scheme that lets customers choose any name as their savings account number with the Chennai-based lender.
- The bank’s managing director and chief executive officer Ajay Kumar Srivastava launched the scheme called ‘My Account My Name’ virtually from its Central Office in Chennai. The scheme will be available at all 49 regional offices of the IOB in India.
- As per the scheme, the account name can be a combination of seven letters, or seven numbers, or seven alphanumeric only like AJIT007, PRADHAN, or 2424707 etc.
- Customers will not be required to remember their 15 digits account numbers.
- To begin with, the scheme is available for IOB SB HNI and IOB SB SALARY account customers.
Bhupender Yadav addresses 111th International Labour Conference
- Bhupender Yadav addressed the Plenary Session at the 111th International Labour Conference in Geneva.
- India aims to push for tools to map skill gaps among countries and move towards harmonization and mutual recognition of skills and qualifications.
- He also met the DG of the International Labour Organization Gilbert Houngbo on the sidelines of the International Labour Conference.
First Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav kicks off at KIIT
- The first Janjatiya Khel Mahotsav kicked off at KIIT DU with great enthusiasm.
- This grand sporting extravaganza, set to conclude on June 12, has attracted the participation of approximately 5,000 tribal athletes and 1,000 officials hailing from 26 states.
- Promoting traditional sports and tribal culture, this unique event is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture and the Odisha Government.
- For KIIT, this event holds immense significance as its sister organization, KISS, provides free education to tribal children and has empowered countless tribal communities.
- The event mascot, ‘Bheema’, was unveiled during this momentous occasion.
Haryana CM Manohar Lal announces monthly pension of Rs. 10,000 for Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan & Padma Vibhushan awardees of State
- Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal today announced a monthly pension of 10,000 rupees for the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardees of the State besides, free travel facility in Volvo Buses of the State Government.
- Earlier this year, two persons from Haryana including Gurugram-based agro scientist Dr Bakshi Ram, and a gurukul teacher devoted to girls' education Dr Sukama were awarded Padma Shri Awards for their contribution.
- Haryana government is already giving the benefit of health insurance up to Rs 5 lakh to families with an annual income of up to Rs 1.80 lakh.
- Earlier this month, the Haryana government invited nominations for the Padma Awards, which include the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan, and Padma Shri. These accolades, which rank among the highest given to civilians, will be presented on January 26, 2024, Republic Day.
World Blood Donor Day 2023: 14 June
- June 14 has been celebrated as World Blood Donor Day since 2004.
- It is a day which is to raise awareness for the necessity of blood donation, while also a day which celebrates blood donors who have helped save countless lives.
- For World Blood Donor Day 2023, the World Health Organization has assigned the theme, "Give blood, give plasma, share life, share often."
- The theme highlights the crucial role that every individual can play by giving the valuable gift of blood and plasma.
- In 2004 World Blood Donor Day was first distinguished by the WHO. In the 58th World Health Assembly, 2005 it was declared as an annual global event to raise awareness about the importance of blood donation.
- English physician Richard Lower was the first one to examine the science of blood donation with animals and he managed to successfully transfuse blood between two dogs with no appreciable ill effects.
- Who celebrates Karl Landsteiner's birthday as World Blood Donor Day.
- Landsteiner was Austrian American immunologist, pathologist. He was awarded Nobel Prize in 1930 for his works on blood group and development of modern blood transfusion system.
India-Maldives Joint Military Exercise 'Ex Ekuverin' begins at Chaubatia
- The 12th edition of the joint military exercise "Ex Ekuverin" between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force has commenced at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand.
- The exercise, which started on 11 June, will continue until 24 June, 2023.
- Ekuverin meaning ‘Friends’ is a bilateral annual exercise conducted alternatively in India and Maldives.
- The primary objective of the exercise is to enhance interoperability in counter insurgency/counter terrorism operations under the UN mandate. Additionally, it aims to facilitate joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
- The previous edition of the exercise, the 11th edition, was held in the Maldives in December 2021.
WHO Award for 'When Climate Change Turns Violent'
- A documentary titled ‘When Climate Change Turns Violent has won a special prize in the ‘Health for All’ category at the 4th Annual Health for All Film Festival held at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva.
- The documentary has been directed by Vandita Saharia of Rajasthan. She was the only Indian among the winners.
- The 4.32-minute documentary ‘When Climate Change Turns Violent’ focuses on the relationship between domestic violence, climate change and human trafficking.
Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi dies at 86
- Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian former PM who overcame various scandals to hold office four times, has died at 86.
- Berlusconi’s extensive political career included appointments as Italian prime minister from 1994 to 1995, 2001 to 2006 and 2008 to 2011.
- He worked as a member of the European Parliament since 2019, where he also served from 1999 to 2001.
- His Forza Italia party is currently a junior partner in Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ruling right-wing coalition.
- He gained international recognition as owner of legendary football club AC Milan - which he saved from bankruptcy in 1986 - before going into politics in the 1990s.
Gurbachan Singh Randhawa steps down as chairman of AFI selection committee
- Two-time Olympian and 1962 Asian Games gold medallist Gurbachan Singh Randhawa resigned as the chairman of Athletics Federation of India Selection Committee.
- He has won a gold medal at the 1962 Asian Games in the decathlon and finished a creditable fifth in the 110-meter hurdles event at the 1964 Olympics.
- Randhawa, who was the flag-bearer of the Indian contingent at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, achieved four national records within two days. He was bestowed the Arjuna Award in 1961 and Padma Shri in 2005.
- The 84-year-old has been associated with AFI (earlier Amateur Athletics Federation of India) for 63 years as a sportsperson, coach, government observer and chairman of the selection committee.
Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 to win maiden Under-20 World Cup title
- Uruguay beat Italy 1-0 on Sunday to win its first Under-20 World Cup title.
- Luciano Rodríguez scored the winning goal in the 86th minute in a header from close range, giving Uruguay a much deserved victory after an entire match of dominance against Italy.
- France finished third, defeating South Korea 3-2 in the third-place playoff.
- Nigeria won the Golden Boot award, with 10 goals.
- Argentina’s Thiago Almada won the Golden Ball award, as the tournament’s best player.
- The tournament was first held in 1977 as the FIFA World Youth Championship.
- The name was changed to the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2005.
- The tournament is held every two years, in odd-numbered years.
- Twelve different nations have won the title, with Argentina being the most successful team with six titles.
- Brazil has won five titles, while Portugal, Nigeria, Spain, and Uruguay have each won two titles.
World Squash Championship begins in Chennai
- The Squash World Cup 2023 is currently underway at the Express Avenue Mall in Chennai.
- The fourth edition of the team championship is making a comeback to the international squash calendar after 12 years and will go on till 17th June.
- The games were formally inaugurated by Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports Udhayanidhi Stalin at Express Avenue Mall.
- Notable players who have participated in the tournament include Joshna Chinappa, Saurabh Ghosal, Abhay Singh, Khanna and Jessica Turnbull.
- On 13th June 2023, Japan defeated South Africa, world champion Egypt defeated Australia and Malaysia defeated Colombia in a World Squash Federation Championship match.
- On the first day of the championship, India will play against Hong Kong and China in Pool B matches.
- In Pool A, Egypt will face Australia and Malaysia will face Colombo.
Amit Shah announces disaster management schemes worth Rs 8,000 crore
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday announced three major schemes for disaster management worth over Rs 8,000 crore.
- Shah chaired a meeting with the disaster management departments of States and Union Territories at Vigyan Bhawan.
- The Home Minister said, 5,000 crore rupees will be provided to states to expand and modernize fire services and 2,500 crore rupees to reduce the risk of urban flooding in the seven most populous metros including Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, and Pune.
- He added that 825 crore rupees will be provided to 17 states and union territories for landslide mitigation.
RBI opens sub-office at Kohima, to increase presence in north east
- The Reserve Bank has opened a sub-office at Kohima, and announced its aim to soon have an office in Itanagar to strengthen its presence in North East India.
- Deputy Governor Michael Debabrata Patra inaugurated the office in the capital of Nagaland, which will help expand the central bank's presence in the north-eastern region.
- In the north-eastern region, RBI is present in Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura and Nagaland.
- The newly inaugurated sub-office is headed by general manager Paresh Chauhan.
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries climbs 8 spots to 45th rank on Forbes’ Global 2000 list
- Billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Ltd climbed eight spots to the 45th rank, the highest for an Indian company on Forbes’ latest Global 2000 list of public companies worldwide.
- JPMorgan, America’s biggest bank with USD 3.7 trillion in assets, is at the top of the list for the first time since 2011.
- Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway that topped the list last year, fell to the 338th position in the latest list due to unrealised losses in its investment portfolio.
- Saudi oil behemoth Aramco is at 2nd position followed by three giant-sized state-owned Chinese banks. Technology giants Alphabet and Apple are at 7th and 10th place, respectively.
- Reliance was ranked ahead of well-known names like Germany’s BMW Group, Switzerland’s Nestle, China’s Alibaba Group, US-based Procter & Gamble and Japan’s Sony.
- State Bank of India climbed to 77th spot from 105th in the 2022 ranking. HDFC Bank is at 128th position (153 in 2022) and ICICI Bank is at 163 (204 in 2022).
- In all, 55 Indian firms figured on the list.
- The three Adani Group firms in the list include Adani Enterprises at 1062, Adani Power at 1488, and Adani Ports & Special Economic Zones at 1598.
IIT Madras develops a new method to make hydrogen from seawater
- Researchers at IIT Madras have discovered a new way to make hydrogen from sea water.
- IIT-Madras physics department researchers have created key elements for a highly efficient, economically viable method of electrolyzing saltwater to produce hydrogen. The findings were released in the ACS Applied Energy Materials journal.
- The traditional alkaline water electrolyzer method uses fresh water for electrolysis, consumes a lot of energy, and necessitates an expensive oxide-polymer separator.
- The IIT-Madras team created an electrolyzer that is more environmentally friendly and utilises less freshwater by using alkaline salt water as the electrolyte rather than pure or fresh water.
- To prevent corrosion, which is a frequent problem when using seawater, they employed a carbon-based support material for the electrodes instead of metals.
- To increase the production of both hydrogen and oxygen even in the presence of impurities and chemical deposition on the electrodes, the researchers designed and created transition metal-based catalysts that can catalyse both the oxygen and hydrogen evolution events.
- Traditional alkaline water electrolysis technology is known to be energy-intensive, requiring an expensive oxide-polymer separator and fresh water for the process.
- However, the IIT-Madras researchers have managed to address these challenges by introducing simple, scalable, and cost-effective alternatives that exhibit high efficiency in splitting seawater and producing hydrogen.
India's First Twin-Track Undersea Rail Tunnel To Be Built in Thane Creek
- India's first 7-km-long twin-track undersea rail tunnel to be built in Thane Creek.
- The nearly 7-km undersea tunnel at Thane Creek, situated in the inter-tidal zone, will be the first undersea rail tunnel in India.
- It is a part of a 21-km-long tunnel on Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor (Bullet train corrdor) that will connect the underground station at Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) to Shilphata in Maharashtra.
- It will consist of a single tube accommodating twin tracks for both up and down trains.
- The depth of the tunnel will between 25 to 65 metres below the ground level.
Kilauea volcano erupts on Hawaii's Big Island
- The US Geological Survey (USGS) has downgraded the safety alert for Kilauea volcano in Hawaii, following a new eruption.
- The alert level has been reduced from “WARNING” to “WATCH” as effusion rates have declined and no infrastructure is threatened.
- Kilauea, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, is located in a closed national park on the Big Island of Hawaii.
- Kīlauea is a volcano on the southeastern shore of Hawaii’s Big Island.
- It formed about 100,000 years ago and is between 210,000 and 280,000 years old.
- The ongoing eruption is expected to persist, however, lava flows will continue to be limited to the crater and summit of the volcano.
Amit Agrawal appointed UIDAI CEO, Subodh Kumar Singh named DG NTA
- Senior IAS officers Amit Agrawal and Subodh Kumar Singh have been appointed as CEO Unique Identification Authority of India and director general of the National Testing Agency, respectively.
- Both Agrawal (1993 batch) and Singh (1997 batch) are Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers of the Chhattisgarh cadre.
- Agrawal, additional secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has been appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Unique Identification Authority in the rank and pay of additional secretary to the Government of India.
- Singh, who is currently additional secretary in the Department of Food and Public Distribution under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, has been named as the NTA's director general.
- Rashmi Chowdhary, additional secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, has been appointed as secretary in the Central Information Commission.
IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has been appointed as the Chair-elect of IATA’s Board of Governors
- Indigo has announced that its CEO, Pieter Elbers has been elected as the Chair-elect of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Board of Governors.
- He will succeed present Chair, Yvonne Manzi Makolo, the CEO of Rwandair.
- Pieter Elbers' appointment comes at a significant time for the Indian aviation industry, which is experiencing unprecedented growth and development.
- As the chair-elect of the IATA BoG, Elbers will play a pivotal role in further shaping the global aviation landscape, advocating for the industry's interests, and driving innovation and sustainability initiatives.
Kairan Quazi becomes spaceX youngest software engineer
- The newest employee at Elon Musk’s SpaceX is the youngest person ever to be hired by the spacecraft company.
- Kairan Quazi is a 14-year-old software engineer, who cleared SpaceX's ‘technically challenging, fun’ interview process.
- He is all set to join Elon Musk’s SpaceX as a software engineer after becoming Santa Clara University’s youngest graduate in its 172-year history.
- Based in San Francisco, Quazi is a Santa Clara University (SCU) School of Engineering alumni.
Kerala-cadre IPS Officer Nitin Agarwal appointed BSF DG
- Nitin Agarwal, an IPS officer of the 1989 Kerala cadre, has been appointed as the new director general of the Border Security Force (BSF).
- This appointment comes after a vacancy of over five months in the position.
- The position of BSF chief had remained vacant for over five months since the retirement of Pankaj Kumar Singh on December 31, 2022.
- For the past five months, the additional charge of the BSF has been held by Sujoy Lal Thaosen, the Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
- Presently serving as the Additional DG of operations at the headquarters of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Delhi, Agarwal will now assume the role of leading the BSF.
- The BSF is India's leading security agency responsible for safeguarding the 4,096-kilometer-long international borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.
- The BSF comprises a workforce of over 2.65 lakh personnel serving in diverse roles.
ICC Men's Player of the Month for May 2023 revealed
- Harry Tector has been voted the ICC Men's Player of the Month after a stunning month in May, Ireland's first Men's POTM award.
- He beat out tough competition from Pakistan superstar Babar Azam, and Bangladesh's young rising batter Najmul Hossain Shanto.
- Thailand’s national women’s cricket team has clinched the prestigious ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the second consecutive time.
- This month, the honor goes to the immensely talented 19-year-old Thipatcha Putthawong, who follows in the footsteps of her compatriot Naruemol Chaiwai, the winner of the previous month’s award.
- Both players were selected as the standout performers following a vote conducted among a specialist panel comprising ICC Hall of Famers, former international players, and media representatives, and global cricket fans registered at icc-cricket.com, who had been voting since the nominees were announced last week.
India beats Korea 2-1 to lift maiden Women’s Junior Asia Cup
- Indian women’s team defeated South Korea by 2-1 in the final to lift its maiden Women’s Junior Asia Cup title in Kakamigahara, Japan.
- For India, Annu and Neelam scored a goal each while Park Seoyeon breached the net once for Korea.
- This is India's first Women's Junior Asia Cup victory. India has previously qualified for the FIH Women's Junior World Cup in Chile in 2023.
- Japan defeated China 2-1 to become the third side to qualify for this year's World Cup.
- India also won the Men's Junior Asia Cup hockey competition earlier this month, defeating arch-rivals Pakistan in the final.
Long jumper Murali Sreeshankar Finishes Third In Diamond League
- Top Indian long jumper Murali Sreeshankar secured a creditable third place in the Paris Diamond League with a jump of 8.09m, his maiden top-three finish in the prestigious one-day meeting series.
- Sreeshankar also became the only third Indian to finish in top-three of a Diamond League after Olympic champion javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra and former discus thrower Vikas Gowda.
- Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sreeshankar achieved his best jump of the day in his third attempt.
- His 8.09m effort was below his season's best of 8.18m, which he recorded while winning gold in an event in Greece last month. The 24-year-old has a personal best of 8.36m that came last year.
- Olympic champion and world number one Miltiadis Tentoglou of Greece took the top spot with his fifth round jump of 8.13m, just 4cm better than Sreeshankar.
- Switzerland's World Championships bronze medallist Simon Ehammer finished second with his fourth round jump of 8.11m.
- Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra is the reigning Diamond League champion in javelin throw after winning the Finals in Zurich last September.
Rodri named 2022/23 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season
- UEFA's Technical Observer panel has named Man City midfielder Rodri as the 2022/23 UEFA Champions League Player of the Season.
- The 26-year-old Rodri appeared in all but one of Man City's matches in their Champions League-winning campaign, scoring twice.
- The Spanish professional footballer Rodri scored the winning goal as City lifted the trophy for the first time when they beat Inter Milan 1-0 in Saturday's UEFA Champions League Final 2023.
- In a Player of the Match performance in the final, his precisely-executed winning strike clinched the trophy.
- Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was named the Champions League’s Young Player of the Season, capping a remarkable campaign for the 22-year-old Georgian.
- Kvaratskhelia won the league title with Napoli and also claimed Serie A’s Player of the Season award earlier this month.
Taylor becomes first Canadian since 1954 to win RBC Canadian Open
- Nick Taylor became the first Canadian in 69 years to win his national open, holing a 72-foot eagle putt on the fourth playoff hole to beat Tommy Fleetwood in the RBC Canadian Open.
- The last player from Canada to win the Canadian Open was Pat Fletcher in 1954 at Point Grey in Vancouver.
- Fletcher was born in England; Carl Keffer had been the only Canadian-born champion, winning in 1909 and 1914.
- The 35-year-old Taylor, who was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, won for the third time on the PGA Tour.
- Taylor is the fourth Canadian to win on tour this season, joining Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Adam Svensson.
UAE Emerges As Fourth Largest Investor in India In FY23
- The United Arab Emirates (UAE), with which India implemented a comprehensive free trade agreement in May last year, has emerged as the fourth largest investor in India during 2022-23.
- As per the report, the UAE was the fourth largest investor in India in 2022-23 compared to the seventh in 2021-22.
- Singapore was the largest investor in India with $17.2 billion investment in FY23, followed by Mauritius ($6.1 billion) and the US ($6 billion).
- India and the UAE have operationalised a comprehensive free trade agreement since May 1 last year. Under the pact, a number of goods from both countries are getting zero-duty access to each other's markets, besides eased norms for promoting investments.
- UAE's investments in India are mainly in sectors like services, sea transport, power and construction activities. One of the crucial factors for the increase in foreign direct investment (FDI) from UAE is the signing of the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between India and UAE on February 18, 2022 (effective from May 1, 2022).
Karnataka commences free bus ride service for women
- The Congress-led Karnataka government has launched one of their five poll guarantees, the ‘Shakti' scheme, which offers free travel to women in government buses in the state.
- The first beneficiaries of the new scheme were handed replicas of the smart cards that would be issued in the next three months to women passengers.
- Until then, beneficiaries can use any government IDs as proof of being a resident and travel for free.
- The total outgo for the Shakti scheme is expected to exceed Rs 4,000 crore annually and the Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) will have to add 4,028 buses to its fleet for the successful implementation of the scheme.
- The scheme does not apply to air-conditioned and luxury buses and is limited to travel within the state. It also reserves 50 per cent of seats for men in three transport corporations, except BMTC.
Dr. Jitendra Singh chairs review meeting of India's first cannabis research project
- Dr. Jitendra Singh chaired a review meeting of India's first cannabis research project to develop a drug for neuropathy, cancer under csir-IIIM's cannabis research project in Jammu.
- 'The Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM Jammu is a first of its kind in India and has a great potential to produce export quality medicine for neuropathies, cancer, and epilepsy," said Union Minister Jitendra Singh while chairing a review meeting with the top officials of CSIR-IIIM on June 8.
- CSIR-IIIM is the oldest scientific research institute in India with the history of discovering mint way back in the 1960s, the centre of the purple revolution, and now the Cannabis Research Project of CSIR-IIIM is going to make it more prestigious in terms of scientific research in India.
Kerala's first 'Ashoka Chakra' winner Havildar Alby D'Cruz passes away
- Havildar Alby D’Cruz, the first Keralite to receive the Ashoka Chakra award, died at his residence due to age related ailments.
- He was 87.
- While serving as Lance Naik with 14 Assam Rifles, he received the Ashoka Chakra (class 3) from President Rajendra Prasad in 1962.
- The Ashoka Chakra class-3 which was instituted in 1952 was renamed as the Shaurya Chakra in 1967.
- The Shaurya Chakra is awarded for gallantry otherwise than in the face of the enemy and is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra.
World Day Against Child Labour 2023: 12 June
- World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12.
- It aims to serve as a catalyst for the growing worldwide movement against child labour.
- This year, the theme for World Day Against Child Labour is 'Social Justice for All. End Child Labour!'. It emphasized the link between social justice and child labour.
- This significant day was established by the International Labour Organization (ILO), and all United Nations member countries have since been commemorating it.
- To bring attention to this issue, the International Labour Organization (ILO) designated June 12 as the World Day Against Child Labour in 2002.
Cyclone 'Biparjoy’ raised in the Arabian Sea
- A cyclonic storm, named Biparjoy, has developed in the Arabian Sea.
- According toan Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) advisory on Thursday (June 8), the cyclone would result in squally weather with wind speeds reaching 35-45 kmph along the coastline of Karnataka, Goa and Maharashtra.
- The IMD has not yet predicted any major impact on countries adjoining the Arabian Sea, including India, Oman, Iran, and Pakistan.
- ‘Biparjoy’ was suggested by Bangladesh and the word means ‘disaster’ or ‘calamity’ in Bengali. The naming of cyclones is done by countries on a rotational basis, following certain existing guidelines.
- Worldwide, there are six regional specialised meteorological centres (RSMCs) and five regional Tropical Cyclone Warning Centres (TCWCs) mandated for issuing advisories and naming of tropical cyclones.
Lt Gen Sanjay Mitra takes over as Commander of Strike 1 Corps
- Lieutenant General Sanjay Mitra took over as the Commander of the prestigious Strike 1 Corps.
- He succeeds Lt Gen Gajendra Joshi.
- Lt Gen Mitra is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy (NDA), Khadakwasla and the Indian Military Academy (IMA), Dehradun.
- In his career spanning 34 years, Lt Gen Mitra has commanded an Infantry Battalion, an Infantry Brigade and an Infantry Division, all of them along the Line of Control (LoC) in northern Jammu and Kashmir and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh.
- Lt Gen Mitra has been awarded Chief of Army Staff and General Officer Commanding in Chief Commendation Cards twice.
- He was also awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal for his contribution as a general officer commanding in eastern Ladakh.
Sanjay Swaroop to be next CMD of CONCOR
- The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has picked Sanjay Swarup for the role of Chairman and Managing Director of Container Corporation of India Ltd (CONCOR).
- Swarup is currently Director (International Marketing and Operations) at India’s biggest rail hauler of containers.
- Swarup is an Indian Railways Traffic Service (IRTS) officer from the 1990 batch. In a career spanning three decades, Swarup has held assignments in the public sector and government.
- He had a four-year stint with Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) before moving to Indian Railways and worked in areas such as operations, commercial, safety and information technology.
- In CONCOR, he has looked after operation and management of dry ports, international marketing, commercial and operations. He has been involved in the designing of dry ports and multi modal logistics parks, as well as strategic planning functions in the company.
Australia become first team to win ICC world titles in all 3 formats
- Australia scripted history on Sunday, June 11 as they became the first men's team in world cricket to win an International Cricket Council (ICC) world title in all three formats.
- Australia achieved the feat when they decimated India in the final of the World Test Championship 2021-23 at The Oval on Sunday to become the new world champions of the longest format of the game.
- Australia won the first-ever 50-over World Cup in 1987 and went on to win 4 more titles, becoming the most successful side in 50-over World Cups.
- Australia also won the ICC Champions Trophy in 2006, beating the West Indies in the final.
- Australia were not able to find success in the T20 format of the game, but the elusive title came in 2021 when they rallied against odds and won the T20 World Cup in 2021.
French Open 2023: Iga Swiatek of Poland wins Women's Singles title
- In French Open Tennis, World No. 1 and top seed Iga Swiatek of Poland won the Women's Singles crown.
- She defended her title against unseeded Czech Karolina Muchova 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
- This is her third French title in just 5 years.
- Poland’s Iga Swiatek became the first woman since 2007 to win back-to-back French Open titles.
- The 22-year-old Swiatek is just the third woman in the Open era to win each of her first four Grand Slam finals.
- Swiatek, the world number 1, is also the youngest woman to claim back-to-back French Open titles since Monica Seles in the early 1990s.
- Swiatek has now been at the top of the WTA rankings for more than a year and has accumulated two French Open (2020, 2022) and one US Open (2022) titles in her fledgling career.
Novak Djokovic beats Casper Ruud to win French Open 2023 men’s singles final
- Novak Djokovic created history by winning a record-breaking 23rd Grand Slam title at the French Open.
- In the summit clash, Djokovic defeated Norway's Casper Ruud in straight sets 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5 to win his third Roland Garros title.
- The 36-year-old Djokovic surpassed his long-time rival on the court, Rafael Nadal to become the most successful male tennis player in history.
- The third title in Paris also made Djokovic the only male player to win all the four Grand Slams titles at least three times.
- He now has three French Open titles to add to his 10 Australian Open titles, seven at Wimbledon and three at the US Open.
Saudi champions Al Ittihad sign 'global football icon' Karim Benzema
- Jeddah-based club Al-Ittihad officially confirmed that the Ballon d'Or winner from Real Madrid Karim Benzema has signed a three-year deal and will be joining Cristiano Ronaldo in Saudi Arabia.
- Benzema will join his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo in the Gulf kingdom after the five-time world player of the year moved to Al Nassr from Manchester United following last year's World Cup.
- Benzema joined Madrid in 2009 from Ligue 1 side Lyon.
- He has lifted five Champions Leagues, four La Liga titles and three Copas del Rey with Madrid.
- Al-Ittihad, from the port city of Jeddah, won its first Saudi league title since 2009 last month after overhauling Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr from the capital city of Riyadh, which had led for much of the season.
Indian Council of Agricultural Research signs a MOU with Amazon Kisan to Empower Farmers
- Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi signed a MoU with Amazon Kisan to combine strengths and create synergy between the two organizations for guiding the farmers on scientific cultivation of different crops for optimum yield and income.
- ICAR will provide technological backstopping to the farmers through Amazon’s network.
- It will improve farmers’ livelihood and boost crop yield.
- This MoU in farmer’s partnership with Amazon Kisan program will help ensuring access to high quality fresh produce for consumers across India, including through Amazon Fresh.
- A successful pilot project between ICAR-KVK (Krishi Vigyan Kendra) in Pune and Amazon has decided to expand the collaboration.
- The precision farming practices developed through extensive research will be disseminated for the benefit of a wider group of farmers.
PM Modi inaugurated first-ever National Training Conclave in New Delhi
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first-ever National Training Conclave at the International Exhibition and Convention Centre in New Delhi on 11 June.
- The Conclave is aimed to enhance capacity building in the civil services and is organised under the auspices of the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building (NPCSCB) - 'Mission Karmayogi.'
- The Conclave is being hosted by the Capacity Building Commission.
- Mission Karmayogi Yojana was launched on 2nd September 2020.
- This scheme is operated under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- The main objective of the Mission Karmayogi scheme is to develop the capabilities of government employees.
Israel to issue world first digital government bond
- The Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and Israel’s Ministry of Finance have completed the proof of concept phase for a digital Israeli bond traded on a dedicated blockchain platform.
- The development positions Israel to release the world’s first digital government bond.
- The collaboration between the TASE and the Finance Ministry’s Office of the Accountant General “marks a significant milestone in revolutionizing the settlement and issuance processes in traditional capital markets.
Sini Shetty to Represent India at Miss World 2023
- Sini Shetty, the winner of the Femina Miss India 2022 contest, will represent India at the Miss World 2023 pageant.
- Sini Shetty, a 21-year-old contestant from Karnataka and born in Mumbai, won the Miss Talent award in the Miss India 2922 sub-competitions
- Sini Shetty’s win at Miss India has added another glory gem to the state of Karnataka, as prior to Sini many beauties from Karnataka including Lara Dutta, Sarah Jane Dias, and Sandhya Chib, Nafisa Joseph, Rekha Hande, and Lymaraina D` Souza have marked milestones for the state.
- Poland's Karolina Bielawska was crowned Miss World this year in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She will pass her title to the winner of this year's competition.
- India is preparing to host the Miss World pageant in 2023. After 27 years, the famous international beauty pageant is returning to the country.
First maritime partnership exercise between India, France and UAE begins
- The first edition of the India, France and UAE maritime partnership exercise began on 7th June in the Gulf of Oman.
- INS Tarkash and French ship Surcouf, both with integral helicopters, French Rafale aircraft and UAE Navy maritime patrol aircraft are participating in the exercise.
- The exercise will see a wide spectrum of naval operations such as surface warfare, exercises for tactical firing and missile engagement on surface targets, helicopter cross deck landing operations, advanced air defense exercises and boarding operations.
- The objective of the first exercise is to enhance trilateral cooperation between the three navies and pave the way for adoption of measures to address conventional and non-conventional threats in the maritime environment.
- The exercise will also enhance cooperation in ensuring the security of merchant trade and freedom of navigation on the high seas in the region.
British Writer Paterson Joseph wins 2023 RSL Christopher Bland Prize
- On 8th June 2023, British actor and writer Paterson Joseph won the 2023 Royal Society of Literature (RSL) Christopher Bland Prize (5th edition of the award) for his debut novel titled “The Secret Diaries of Charles Ignatius Sancho”.
- The book is a historical fiction about Charles Ignatius Sancho, who was the first Black man to vote in England.
- RSL Christopher Bland Prize is an annual award which honours a debut writer for their work of fiction or non-fiction, who is first published at the age of 50 or over.
- The award carries a cash prize of 10,000 Pound sterling.
- The Prize was launched in 2018 in memory of British Politician Sir Christopher Bland who died in 2017.
Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta honoured with NWO Spinoza Prize 2023
- On 7th June 2023, Dutch Research Council (NWO) has named Indian-origin Scientist Joyeeta Gupta, Professor of Environment and Development in the global South at the University of Amsterdam, as the recipient of the 2023 NWO Spinoza Prize, the highest scientific awards in the Netherlands, for her scientific work promoting a fair and sustainable world.
- She was honoured for her remarkably broad and interdisciplinary research approach. Her research work primarily focuses on addressing the challenges posed by climate change through good governance.
- She is the 12th researcher from the University of Amsterdam to receive the Spinoza Prize.
- She served as the co-chair of the Earth Commission (2019-2021), set up by Future Earth and supported by the Global Challenges Foundation. She was co-chair of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)’s Global Environment Outlook-6 (2016-2019).
- Spinoza Prize, named after Baruch Spinoza (1632-1677), renowned Dutch scientist and philosopher, was established in 1995.
- The award is annually presented by the NWO to two best researchers to increase the visibility of excellent scientists and to encourage world-class research in the Netherland.
Miss World 2023 pageant to be held in India after 27 years
- Four months after announcing the UAE would host Miss World 2023, organisers of the long-running beauty competition have finalised India as the host country for the pageant.
- The 71st edition of Miss World is expected to take place in November this year in India.
- India has hosted the Miss World pageant before, in 1996, in Bangalore, where Greece's Irene Skliva won the title.
- India has won the prestigious title six times -Reita Faria (1966), Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000), and Manushi Chillar (2017).
- Miss World 2022 was held in March last year in Puerto Rico, where Bielawska was crowned, beating runners-up Miss USA Shree Saini, and Ivory Coast's Olivia Yace, who was favourite to win.
- Bielawska made history by becoming only the second Polish beauty queen to win the title.
Jagdish S Bakan bagged Michel Batisse award 2023
- An IFS officer, Jagdish S Bakan has won the prestigious UNESCO Michel Batisse Award 2023 for biosphere reserve management.
- The 2017 batch officer of the Indian Forest Service is currently the director of the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve.
- He will receive the award from UNESCO in Paris on June 14, 2023.
- The USD 12,000 award is given in memory of Dr. Michel Batisse for outstanding achievement in the management of biosphere reserves in line with the recommendations of the Seville Strategy.
Ritu Kalra named Harvard's vice president for finance and CFO
- Ritu Kalra, a seasoned leader in financial management and investment banking, has been named the University’s vice president for finance and chief financial officer.
- Kalra currently serves as Harvard’s assistant vice president of finance and treasury and special projects adviser.
- As VP and CFO, Kalra will oversee all aspects of financial management, including long-range planning, annual budgeting, endowment fund spending policy, treasury, and financial accounting and reporting.
- Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States.
- Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States.
Sunil Kumar wins decathlon gold at Asian U20 Athletics Championship
- India’s Sunil Kumar scored 7003 points and clinched gold in men’s decathlon at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Yecheon, South Korea.
- Uzbekistan's Nodir Norbaev (6956 points) and Makhmudov Samandar (6840) won the silver and bronze respectively.
- His previous best of 6855 points was achieved during the Federation Cup Junior National Championships in April.
- Sunil won 100m hurdles, discus throw and javelin throw to make up for the below par show in the other events and secure the gold medal in the gruelling discipline competed over two days.
- Decathlon comprises 100m, long jump, shot put, high jump, 400m, 110m hurdles, discus throw, pole vault, javelin throw and 1500m.
- Apart from Sunil’s heroics, Pooja clinched women’s high jump silver after finishing with a 1.82m jump while Bushra Khan, secured silver in women’s 3000m race.
- In the women’s 4x100m relay, India secured bronze with a time of 45.36s.
Federal Bank Launches ‘I am Adyar, Adyar is Me’ Campaign in Chennai
- The Federal Bank has launched a campaign to celebrate people and their culture by transforming an entire bank branch into a museum of local stories.
- The ‘I am Adyar, Adyar is me' campaign has handpicked 40 compelling stories of individuals, which are showcased in an exclusive exhibition at the Adyar branch of Federal Bank.
- The campaign is a first-of-its-kind micro-marketing initiative in the banking industry, which is aimed to showcase the soul of Adyar, including its people's struggles and triumphs which make it special.
RBI allows banks to issue prepaid forex RuPay cards
- Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to allow Indian banks to issue RuPay prepaid forex cards.
- These cards can be used at ATMs, point of sale (PoS) machines, and online merchants overseas.
- The move, announced during the RBI Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting aims to increase the scope of accessibility and acceptance of RuPay cards worldwide.
- This decision also aligns with the RBI's Payments Vision Document 2025, which emphasises expanding the global outreach of RuPay cards and the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).
- RuPay, as the first domestic card payment network in India, has achieved wide acceptance across various channels such as ATMs, point-of-sale (POS) devices, and e-commerce websites throughout the country.