INTERNATIONAL

China’s Baihetan Dam is world’s 2nd-biggest hydropower dam

•The Government of China officially turned on the first two generating units of the Baihetan Dam, the world’s second-biggest hydroelectric dam, to start generating energy. The Baihetan Dam is set up on the Jinsha River, in southwestern China.

•The dam is a 289-meter-tall (954-foot-tall) double-curvature arch dam, having 16 generating units.

•Each unit will have to generate a capacity of 1 million kilowatts, making it the second biggest in size after the “Three Gorges Dam” opened in 2003 on the Yangtze, with 22.5 million kilowatts of generating capacity.

•Through the Baihetan Dam, the Chinese government aims to curb surging fossil fuel demand by building more hydropower capacity.

•Both the dams have been built by the state-owned Three Gorges Group Corp., the world’s biggest investor in hydro, solar and wind generation.

NATIONAL

PM Modi virtually inaugurated Japanese-style Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy at Ahmedabad

•Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi virtually inaugurated a Zen Garden and Kaizen Academy at Ahmedabad Management Association (AMA) premises in Ahmedabad. These two new initiatives are part of PM’s vision of creating a ‘Mini-Japan’ in Gujarat. The newly launched Zen Garden in Ahmedabad will showcase several elements of Japanese art, culture, landscape and architecture.

•The Zen garden features a statue of Lord Buddha. The garden is built in partnership with the Japan Information and Study Centre at AMA and Indo-Japan Friendship Association (IJFA), Gujarat, supported by the Hyogo International Association (HIA), Japan.

Central minister Prakash Javadekar has inaugurated Asia’s longest and world’s fifth-longest High Speed Track

•Minister of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises, Prakash Javadekar has inaugurated NATRAX- the High-Speed Track(HST) in Indore which is the longest such track in Asia. NATRAX, developed in an area of 1000 acres of land, is a one-stop solution for all sorts of high-speed performance tests for the widest categories of vehicles from 2 wheelers to heavy tractor-trailers. Launching the world-class 11.3 km High-Speed Track, Javadekar stated that India is destined to become a hub of automobiles, manufacturing, and spare parts.

•The NATRAX centre has multiple test capabilities like measurements of maximum speed, acceleration, constant speed fuel consumption, emission tests through real road driving simulation, high-speed handling and stability evaluation during manoeuvred such as lane change, high-speed durability testing, etc. and is a Centre of excellence for Vehicle Dynamics.

•According to the ministry, HST is used for measuring the maximum speed capability of high-end cars like BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Tesla and so forth which cannot be measured on any of the Indian test tracks. Being centrally located in Madhya Pradesh, it is accessible to most of the major OEMs. Foreign OEMs will be looking at NATRAX HST for the development of prototype cars for Indian conditions. At present, foreign OEMs go to their respective high-speed track abroad for high-speed test requirements.

SPORTS

Indian woman cricketer Shafali Verma became youngest Indian to make debut in all formats

•Opener Shafali Verma has become the youngest Indian cricketer to make a debut in all formats, when India took on England in the first ODI in Bristol. She took 17 years and 150 days to make her debut in all formats. She has become the fifth-youngest cricketer overall in the list of all format debuts.

•The list is topped by Afghanistan’s Mujeeb Ur Rahman at 17 years and 78 days is the youngest player to play all formats, followed by former England wicket-keeper Sarah Taylor. Australia’s Elysse Perry is third on the list, followed by Mohammad Amir.

ISSF shooting World Cup: India’s Rahi Sarnobat wins gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event

•India’s Rahi Sarnobat clinched the gold medal in the women’s 25m pistol event at the ISSF shooting World Cup. She is the first Indian to win one silver and two bronze medals in the ongoing tournament. She scored 591 out of a maximum of 600 in the qualifying stage.

•France’s Mathilde Lamolle won a silver medal in the final. Russian Vitalina Batsarashkina won the bronze medal. Indian shooter Manu Bhaker finished at 7 positions. This is the last competition before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. ISSF World Cup 2021 is being held in Osijek, Croatia.

OBITUARY

Padma Shri awardee, K.V. Sampath Kumar Passed Away

•Editor of ‘Sudharma’ Sanskrit Daily, K.V. Sampath Kumar has passed away. He, along with his wife, was selected for the Padma Shri honour from the Government of India in 2020 for his contribution to the field of Literature & Education. He has also received several awards like the Siddarudha award, the Shivaratri Deshikendra Media award, the Abdul Kalam award and others.

•Sampath Kumar’s father Pandit Varadaraja Iyengar had launched ‘Sudharma’ in 1970. Sudharma is the only Sanskrit Daily in the world, printed and published from Mysuru.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Chartered Accountants Day 2021: 01 July

•National Chartered Accountants Day or CA Day is celebrated on July 1 every year. This day is celebrated to commemorate the finding of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) by the parliament of India in 1949. Every year on the day of the establishment of the ICAI, CA Day is celebrated to honour the Chartered Accountant.

•ICAI is India’s national professional accounting body and also the second biggest accounting organization in the world. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) was established on this day in the year 1949 under an Act passed in Parliament. The ICAI is the sole licensing and regulatory body for the financial audit and accounting profession in India, and its recommendations are followed by everyone – from the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) to companies and accounting organizations.

National Postal Worker Day 2021: 01 July

•The National Postal Worker Day is marked every year on July 1 globally in recognition of the contribution made by postal workers in our society. The day is a unique opportunity to say ‘thank you not only to postmen but also to all delivery personnel, as online shopping has become a lifeline for many of us.

•The day was initiated by a popular postal service provider from Seattle, the United States of America in 1997 to felicitate and honour the co-postal workers for their dedication.

National Doctors’ Day 2021: 01 July

•The National Doctors’ Day is organized on 01 July annually in India by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The day is celebrated to honour the great physicians and help us understand the importance of doctors in our lives and value them, to offer them our respects by commemorating one of their greatest representatives.

•The day commemorates the birth anniversary of the second Chief Minister of West Bengal, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy who was born on July 1, 1882, and died on the same date in 1962.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book “Anomalies in Law and Justice” released by CJI NV Ramana

•Chief Justice of India Justice NV Ramana has released former Supreme Court judge RV Raveendran’s book “Anomalies in Law and Justice”.

•The book is an attempt to explain to the layman that the law and the legal system is still evolving and that it requires more critical thinking to resolve issues that have persisted in the system for a long time. The book covers procedural as well as substantive law relating to civil procedure, electoral reforms and the alternate dispute resolution mechanism.

NATIONAL

Andhra Pradesh started a Supporting Andhra’s Learning Transformation (SALT) Programme

•Andhra Pradesh has started a Supporting Andhra’s Learning Transformation (SALT) programme to transform foundational learning in government schools for which the World Bank has approved a loan of 250 million dollars. The main objectives of the programme are strengthening foundation schools and providing training and skill development to teachers. Andhra Pradesh’s public school education system has more than 40 lakh children and nearly 2 lakh teachers.

•The five-year programme is result-oriented with the WB releasing funds after key goals are achieved. The government has converted all Anganwadis into pre-primary schools and attached them to the nearest schools.

Law & Justice Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad launched ‘itat e-dwar’

•Union Minister for Law & Justice, Communications and Electronics & IT, Ravi Shankar Prasad has formally launched the e-filing portal of Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), ‘itat e-dwar’, in New Delhi. The newly developed e-Filing Portal would enable the parties to file their Appeals, Miscellaneous Applications, documents, paper books, etc., electronically. The portal will enable the online filing of appeals, applications and documents by various parties.

•According to Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad, the launch of the e-filing portal of the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), should be seen as a larger narrative of transformation the country is undergoing through the digital medium.

SPORTS

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 now shifted to UAE & Oman

•ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, originally slated to be held in India, will now be shifted to the UAE. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which holds the hosting rights of this year’s event, will inform the International Cricket Council (ICC) in this regard. The T20 World Cup was postponed last year due to the pandemic.

•The BCCI will remain the hosts of the event, which will now be held in Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium, and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground, from 17 October to 14 November 2021.

Madhya Pradesh’s all-rounder cricketer Anshula Rao first woman to get dope ban

•Madhya Pradesh all-rounder Anshula Rao became the first women cricketer to be handed a four-year ban after failing the dope test. She was handed the ban by the panel of the National Anti-Doping Agency for faking a dope test which dates back to July 2020.

•Earlier she was also found guilty of consuming a banned anabolic steroid ’19- Norandrosterone. The U-23 cricketer has taken part in several BCCI organised domestic tournaments. She last took part in the 2019-20 U-23 event organised by the governing body.

OBITUARY

National Award-winning Mollywood’s cinematographer Sivan passed away

•Mollywood’s veteran cinematographer and director, Sivan passed away recently. The ace cinematographer rose to fame in the Malayalam film industry with the photographs, he took for a film titled Chemeen. H

•e has won a National Award three times in his career. His popular films include Abhayam, Yagam, Keshu, Kochu Kochu Mohangal, Oru Yathra, etc.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Former judge S. N. Srivastava appointed as the chairman of IFUNA

•Justice (Retd.) Shambhu Nath Srivastava, a former judge of Allahabad High Court and former chief Lokayukta of Chhattisgarh, has been appointed the chairman of the Indian Federation of United Nations Associations (IFUNA).

•Indian Federation of United Nations Associations, a non-profit organisation to promote objectives of the United Nations and its specialised agencies. IFUNA enjoys special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Asteroid Day 2021: 30 June

•International Asteroid Day is observed globally on 30th June every year. International Asteroid Day aims to raise public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard and to inform the public about the crisis communication actions to be taken at the global level in case of a credible near-Earth object threat.

•In December 2016 the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/71/90, declaring 30 June International Asteroid Day in order to “observe each year at the international level the anniversary of the Tunguska impact over Siberia, Russian Federation, on 30 June 1908, and to boost public awareness about the asteroid impact hazard.”

International Day of Parliamentarism 2021: 30 June

•International Day of Parliamentarism is observed globally on 30 June every year. The International Day of Parliamentarism is a time to review the progress that parliaments have made in achieving some key goals to be more representative and move with the times, including carrying out self-assessments, working to include more women and young MPs, and adapting to new technologies.

•The Day was established in 2018 through a United Nations General Assembly Resolution. This day also acknowledges the formation of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, the global organization of parliaments that was established in 1889.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Journalist P. Sainath wins Japan’s Fukuoka Grand Prize 2021

•Journalist Palagummi Sainath has been awarded the Fukuoka Grand Prize for 2021. He is a committed journalist who has continued to investigate impoverished farming villages in India and captured the reality of the lifestyle of the residents in such areas. The award, established by Japan’s Fukuoka city and the Fukuoka City International Foundation, is given to individuals and organisations for their work in preserving Asian culture.

•Besides the Grand Prize, there are two more award categories, academics and culture. The Academics Prize was given to Professor Kishimoto Mio, a historian from Japan who specialises in the socio-economic history of China in the Ming-Qing period. Thailand-based writer and filmmaker Prabda Yoon received the Arts and Culture Award.

•Sainath was born in Chennai and has served as the editor of The Hindu and as the vice-editor of political magazine Blitz.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book “Kashmiri Century: Portrait of a Society in Flux” authored by Khemlata Wakhlu released

•A book titled “Kashmiri Century: Portrait of a Society in Flux” authored by Khemlata Wakhlu. She is a writer, a political leader and a social worker, who has devoted the past fifty years to using her many talents to improve a lot of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

•A Kashmiri Century is a powerful and rare compilation of human-interest stories. Spanning a full century, it throws a compassionate light on the innocent and hard-working people who live in the beautiful valley of Kashmir.

•The stories are all based on the author’s personal experiences and her intimate understanding of what it means to be a Kashmiri-speaking native. They cover the period from the late 19th century to the present day.

Book “Policymaker’s Journal: From New Delhi to Washington, DC” authored by Kaushik Basu

•A book titled “Policymaker’s Journal: From New Delhi to Washington, DC” authored by Kaushik Basu released soon. This book charts the course of Kaushik Basu’s career over seven years, as he moved out of the cloisters of academe to the frenetic world of policymaking, first in India as Chief Economic Adviser to the Indian Government and after that as Chief Economist at the World Bank in Washington.

•Kaushik Basu is an Indian economist who was the Chief Economist of the World Bank from 2012 to 2016. He is the C. Marks Professor of International Studies and Professor of Economics at Cornell University. From 2009 to 2012, during the UPA government’s second term, Basu served as the Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India.

INTERNATIONAL

Ashgabat most expensive city for foreign workers in the world

•Ashgabat, the capital of Turkmenistan in Central Asia, has been named the world’s most expensive city for foreign workers. The city topped the list in a 2021 cost-of-living survey by consultancy firm Mercer. Hong Kong was on the second position, followed by Beirut in Lebanon and Tokyo in Japan.

•The annual report ranks 209 cities based on the cost of expenses like housing, food and transport. Most of the cities in the top 10 are those where economic growth has contributed to an increase in the cost of living. Three are Swiss cities, of which Zurich dropped to fifth, followed by Shanghai and Singapore. London was placed 18th.

•Ashgabat is known for its magnificent marble buildings and monuments. It is also home to one of Central Asia’s most colourful bazaars called Tolkuchka Bazaar. Other tourist attractions include the National Museum, White Marble, Turkmenbashi Cableway, Museum of Fine Arts, Alem Cultural and Entertainment Center, and Turkmen Carpet Museum.

•Mumbai remains India’s most expensive city at 78th rank but has dropped 18 places in this year’s ranking “due to a relatively weak Indian rupee in comparison with other cities in the ranking.” Other Indian cities on the list are New Delhi (117), Chennai (158), Bengaluru (170), and Kolkata (181).

NATIONAL

CM Dr. Pramod Sawant announced Goa becomes first state to go rabies free

•Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant announced that Goa has become the first state in the country to be Rabies free. CM informed that not a single case of rabies had been found in the state since the last three years. The team of mission rabies had been very effectively doing its job and had been also conducting vaccination for dogs.

•As per information, no rabies cases were reported in the state in 2018. The progress came on the heels of Mission Rabies, a statewide drive in place since 2014 which saw almost one lakh dogs given the anti-rabies vaccine yearly, and an awareness campaign that educated 5.2 lakh school children and 23,000 teachers about the virus. This included 50,316 vaccinations administered and 78,437 students reached until August 31st this year alone.

RK Sabharwal honoured with the highest civilian award of Mongolia ‘The Order of Polar Star by his excellency 

•Engineers India Limited (EIL) Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), RK Sabharwal has been honoured with the highest civilian award of Mongolia ‘The Order of Polar Star by his excellency. The President of Mongolia recognises the outstanding contribution made by him towards the establishment of the first-ever oil refinery in Mongolia. On behalf of the government of Mongolia, this award was presented by His Excellency, the Ambassador of Mongolia to India, Gonching Ganbold, at a ceremony organised at the Embassy of Mongolia.

•The ‘Order of Polar Star’ is the most desirable and prestigious state award bestowed by the President of Mongolia which is highly valuable and distinguished and recognises individuals who have made an invaluable contribution with their outstanding hard work, intelligence and sincerity to the prosperity of Mongolia and its friendship with other nations, as well for outstanding contributions in the fields of arts, culture, science and humanity.

SPORTS

Fourth win of Verstappen in the 2021 Formula One season

•Max Verstappen (Netherlands-Red Bull) has won the 2021 Styrian Grand Prix. This is the fourth win of Verstappen in the 2021 Formula One season. Also, with this win, Verstappen leads the 2021 driver’s championship standings with 156 points followed by Hamilton (138).

•Lewis Hamilton (Britain-Mercedes) stood second. Valtteri Bottas (Finland- Mercedes) came third.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DRDO successfully flight-tests ‘Agni P’ Ballistic Missile off Odisha Coast

•The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully flight-tested a New Generation Nuclear-Capable Ballistic Missile “Agni P (Prime)” from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha, Balasore. As per Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) officials, Agni-Prime is a new generation advanced variant of the Agni class of missiles.

•Agni P (Prime) is a new-generation advanced variant from the Agni class of missiles. It is a canisterised surface-to-surface ballistic missile having a range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 km.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

P. Sinha appointed as Special Director of Central Bureau of Investigation

•The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Praveen Sinha as the Special Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Special Director is the second senior-most position in the agency after the Director.

•The post was vacant since the last three years and was earlier held by Rakesh Asthana. Sinha is an IPS officer of the 1988 batch from Gujarat-cadre and prior to this, he was posted as Additional Director in the CBI.

Twitter appoints California-based Jeremy Kessel as India Grievance Officer

•Twitter has announced the appointment of California-based Jeremy Kessel as the new Grievance Officer for India. Kessel is the Global Legal Policy Director of Twitter. The appointment of Grievance Officer by social media companies is mandated under the new Information Technology Rules, 2021.

•However, the appointment of Kessel is not seen to be in line with new IT rules guidelines, which mandate that the grievance redressal officer should be a resident of India.

IMPORTANT DAYS

National Statistics day 2021: 29th June

•The government of India is celebrated National Statistics day on 29th June on the birth anniversary of Prof. P C Mahalanobis. The Day is celebrated to create awareness among youth about the role of statistics in socio-economic planning and policy formulation. The Day to popularize the use of Statistics in everyday life and sensitize the public as to how Statistics helps in shaping and framing policies.

•End Hunger, Achieve Food Security and Improved Nutrition and Promote Sustainable Agriculture (Sustainable Development Goal or SDG 2 of the UN) is the theme of this year’s National Statistics Day.

•National Statistics Day was first celebrated on 29th June 2007. The Government of India decided to celebrate the outstanding contribution made by Late Professor Prasanta Chandra Mahalanobis in the field of economic planning and statistical development and hence mark his birth anniversary as ‘National Statistics Day.

International Day of the Tropics 2021: 29th June

•The United Nations observe 29 June as International Day of the Tropics. The International Day of the Tropics celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the tropics while highlighting unique challenges and opportunities nations of the Tropics face. It provides an opportunity to take stock of progress across the tropics, to share tropical stories and expertise, and to acknowledge the diversity and potential of the region.

•The inaugural State of the Tropics Report was launched on 29 June 2014, as the culmination of a collaboration between twelve leading tropical research institutions. The report offers a unique perspective on this increasingly important region. Marking the anniversary of the report’s launch the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/70/267 in 2016, which declared that 29 June of each year is to be observed as the International Day of the Tropics.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Book“Fiercely Female: The Dutee Chand Story” by Sundeep Mishra

•Journalist Sundeep Mishra’s book titled ‘Fiercely Female: The Dutee Chand Story’ chronicles Chand’s journey with a detailed narrative of the gender-identity controversy that made her an iconic figure in Indian sport. The book was published by Westland Books.

•Dutee Chand, the first openly homosexual athlete from India, scripted history in 2019 when she became the first Indian to win gold in a 100-metre event at the World Universiade in Naples. Coming from a small village in Odisha, Dutee Chand went on to hold the national record in the women’s 100 metres and is only the fifth Indian to participate in the women’s 100 metres at the Olympics when she qualified for the 2016 Rio Games.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Paisabazaar, SBM bank announced to launch Step Up credit card

•Paisabazaar.com, India’s largest lending marketplace & Credit Score platform and SBM Bank India, the youngest universal Bank announced the launch of “Step Up Credit Card” – a credit-builder product designed for consumers with limited access to formal credit, due to ineligible credit score. It is the first product to be launched under Paisabazaar’s neo-lending strategy.

•The Step Up Credit Card, built in partnership with SBM Bank India, is the first product to be launched under Paisabazaar’s neo-lending strategy.

•A secured card provided against a fixed deposit (with SBM Bank India), Step Up Card helps consumers with damaged credit or those with no credit history to steadily build their Credit Score.

INTERNATIONAL

World Bank Approved 125 million financial support for Kerala

•The World Bank Board of Executive Directors has approved a $125 million support for the ‘Resilient Kerala Program’ to help the state in preparedness against natural disasters, climate change impacts, disease outbreaks, and pandemics. The $125 million loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 14 years including a grace period of six years.

•The heavy monsoons of 2018 were the worst Kerala had seen in nearly a century, triggering devastating floods and landslides. It impacted more than 5 million people, mainly in the Pamba River Basin.

Amazon acquired an American instant messaging app ‘Wickr’

•Amazon has acquired an American instant messaging app ‘Wickr’ to offer secure communications for businesses, government agencies, and individuals, who are moving to hybrid work environments, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It must be noted that Wickr offers the most secure, end-to-end encrypted, communication technology, with advanced security features, that are not available with traditional communications services across messaging, voice and video calling, file sharing, and collaboration.

•Wickr app has been acquired by Amazon.com Inc’s cloud computing unit Amazon Web Services (AWS), for an undisclosed amount.

•Wickr is an encrypted messaging services, founded in 2012, and primarily used by government agencies in the United States.

NATIONAL

Rajnath singh to inaugurate 63 bridge

•From Kungyam village in eastern Ladakh, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today virtually inaugurated 63 bridges. From Kunjan bridge on Leh-Loma road, Minister inaugurated the bridges built by Boarder Roads Organization (BRO) in Eight States across the country.

•The bridges include, 11 in Ladakh, four in Jammu and Kashmir, three in Himachal Pradesh, six in Uttarakhand, eight in Sikkim, 29 in Arunachal Pradesh and one each in Nagaland and Manipur. BRO used the latest technologies in building of these bridges. These are Class-70 bridges and can bear the load of movement of Tanks and other heavy vehicles. These bridges will facilitate strategic and quicker access not just to Armed forces but to people living in the border villages also.

SPORTS

Deepika kumari bags three gold medals

•Olympic-bound archer Deepika Kumari helped India claim three recurve gold medals in the Archery World Cup Stage-3 here on Sunday.

•Thanks to Deepika’s consistent efforts, India took the top honour in women’s team, mixed team and women’s individual events.

•With one compound gold, the country gathered four gold medals here.

•Deepika first joined hands with Komalika Bari and Ankita Bhakat to beat Mexico’s Alejandra Valencia, Ana Vazquez and Aida Roman 5-1 in the final and take the women's team title.

Cristiano Ronaldo becomes joint top-scorer in men’s international football

•Cristiano Ronaldo has become the joint-top scoring men’s international player of all time. He is currently tied with Iran legend Ali Daei, who scored 109 times in 149 matches between 1993 and 2006.

•Cristiano Ronaldo scored two penalties to tie the overall men’s scoring record with 109 goals in 176 matches and Portugal advanced to the round of 16 at the European Championship after a 2-2 draw with France.

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

DRDO Successfully Test Fires Enhanced Pinaka Rocket Off Odisha Coast

•The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired an extended-range version of the indigenously developed Pinaka rocket. The rockets were launched from a Multi-Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) at Integrated Test Range (ITR), Chandipur off the coast of Odisha. The enhanced range version of the Pinaka Rocket System can destroy targets at distances up to 45 km.

•25 Enhanced Pinaka Rockets were launched in quick succession against different range targets. The Pinaka Rocket system has been developed jointly by Pune based Armament Research and Development Establishment (ARDE) and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL) with manufacturing support from M/s Economic Explosives Limited, Nagpur.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Suresh N Patel appointed as acting Central Vigilance Commissioner

•The incumbent Vigilance Commissioner, Suresh N Patel has been appointed as the acting Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC) of India in the Central Vigilance Commission with effect. He has been appointed in place of Sanjay Kothari, who completed his term on June 23, 2021. He will remain on the post until the appointment of the new Central Vigilance Commissioner.

•The Central Vigilance Commission is headed by the CVC and can have a maximum of two vigilance commissioners. Currently, Mr Patel is the only VC in the commission. The Personnel Ministry has invited applications for the posts of CVC and a vigilance commissioner.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

JSCA, SAIL-BSL inks MoU for International Cricket Stadium in Bokaro

•The Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA) has inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SAIL Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL), for the construction of an International Cricket Stadium in Bokaro city. Once the stadium is ready, Bokaro will become the third city in Jharkhand to have an International Cricket Stadium after Jamshedpur and Ranchi.

•The MoU is a lease agreement under which Bokaro Steel Plant will transfer 20.17 acres of its land to JSCA for 33 years, for the construction of an international cricket stadium in the Balidih area of Bokaro. The proposed stadium will also be the first stadium to be constructed in SAIL township.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

French non-fiction author Emmanuel Carrere wins top Spanish award

•French author Emmanuel Carrere, popular for his non-fiction books in a high literary vein, has been granted this year’s Spanish Princess of Asturias Literature Award.

•The 50000-euro award is one of the 8 prestigious prizes by the foundation named after the heir to the Spanish throne, Princess Leonor. The 8 prizes cover different disciplines-arts, social sciences, sports etc.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Ind-Ra revises India’s GDP growth rate for FY22 at 9.6%

•India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) has projected the GDP growth rate of India for fiscal year FY22 (2021-22) at 9.6 per cent.

•Earlier this was estimated at 10.1 per cent by the rating agency. This rate is, however, contingent upon India vaccinating its entire adult population by December 31, 2021.

INTERNATIONAL

India and Bhutan jointly launched TIWB

•India and Bhutan have jointly launched the “Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB)”. It has been launched for strengthening the tax administration of Bhutan. It will focus on International Taxation and Transfer Pricing. TIWB programme aims to strengthen tax administrations among developing countries by transferring technical know-how and skills to their tax auditors and by sharing general audit practices & dissemination of knowledge products with them. This programme is another milestone in the relationship between India and Bhutan. It will be completed in 24 months’ duration.

•Tax Inspectors Without Borders (TIWB) initiative was launched in 2015.

•Its main aim is to strengthen developing countries’ auditing capacity.

NATIONAL

Tamil Nadu CM announces Rs. 3 crore for gold medal winners

•Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday announced that his government will reward sportspersons who bag medals in the upcoming Tokyo Olympic Games.

•CM MK Stalin said that sportsperson who win a gold medal will be given Rs 3 crore as prize money, while those winning silver medals will be given Rs 2 crore and Rs 1 crore will be given to bronze medal winners.

•Gagan Narang, a Chennai native who represented India in shooting and won a bronze in the 2012 London Olympics in the Men's 10m Air Rifle event, is still the only individual medallist from the state.

Delhi Govt launched Mukhyamantri C-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana

•Delhi government has launched “Mukhyamantri C-19 Pariwar Aarthik Sahayata Yojana” to provide financial assistance to the families who lost a member due to the C-19 pandemic. According to notification by Social Welfare Department, Rs 50,000 ex-gratia will be provided to every family that has lost a member amid a pandemic. A pension of Rs 2,500 per month would also be given to those families that lost the sole breadwinner to the C-19 pandemic.

•Children who lost their both parents or single parent to C-19 will also be provided ₹2,500 per month till they achieve 25 years of age. The Delhi government will also provide free education to them.

LIC launched IT Platform ‘e-PGS’

•Life Insurance Corporation (LIC) has launched a centralized web-based workflow-based IT platform called “e-PGS”. The new technology platform, e-PGS, has been designed to provide a centralized collection and payment accounting with a high level of bank integration. It has been designed to provide very innovative features of seamless and integrated banking with automatic reconciliations.

•This system is capable of providing comprehensive self-servicing capabilities through the customer portal. On this portal, corporate customers will be able to view their data, initiate actionable processes and lodge & track claims.

NSDC And WhatsApp Launch “Digital Skill Champions Program”

•The National Skill Development Corporation and WhatsApp announced an alliance to launch the Digital Skill Champions Program that aims to train India’s youth on digital skills, in order to make them employment ready. The partnership identifies two broad areas of collaboration viz., WhatsApp Digital Skills Academy and Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendra (PMKK) and WhatsApp Business App Training sessions.

•Through this program, school and university students would be coached to imbibe digital and online skills that would culminate with WhatsApp and NSDC awarding ‘Digital Skill Champions’ certification. The course is based on a module format, is comprehensive and intensive in imparting knowledge about important aspects of the online ecosystem, equipping students with technology-based learning on campuses across tier 3 and 4 towns and cities throughout the country.

SPORTS

Neeraj chopra bags bronze medal

•Tokyo-bound javelin thrower from India, Neeraj Chopra on Saturday won the bronze medal at the Kuortane Games in Finland. 

•Neeraj Chopra threw an 83.12m in his first throw and improved it to 86.79m with his second attempt. The Indian's remaining four throws were fouls. 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Microsoft Launched new Windows operating system ‘Windows 11’

•Microsoft officially launched its new Windows operating system ‘Windows 11’. It is being called as the “next generation” of Windows. The release comes nearly six year after the current latest Windows Operating System ‘Windows 10’ was launched in July 2015. Windows 11 is special because it focuses on a new user interface, a new Windows Store, and improvements to performance, including a centre-aligned Taskbar and Start button.

•One of the unique features of Windows 11 is that it will support Android apps via Amazon’s app store. It will work better in touch mode as well.

•Windows 11 operating system (OS) will be available as a free upgrade for Windows 10 users in late 2021, as long as the user has a compatible PC that meets the requirements of Microsoft’s new operating system.

IMPORTANT DAYS

Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day 2021: 27 June

•The United Nations Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Day is held on June 27 since 2017 to celebrate the work of MSME in local and global economies and their contribution to sustainable development. The day also recognises the contribution of these industries in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

•In 2021, the theme is “MSME 2021: key to an inclusive and sustainable recovery.” That is why the UN will be hosting a series of events to explore how MSMEs – the backbone of our economies – can be equipped to ensure an equitable and sustainable post-C-19 recovery.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Jio and Google Cloud to Collaborate on 5G Technology

•Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited and Google Cloud are embarking on a comprehensive, long-term strategic relationship with a goal of powering 5G in enterprise and consumer segments nationwide. In addition, Reliance will also take advantage of Google Cloud’s scalable infrastructure thereby enabling its retail business to achieve better operational efficiency, modernize and scale for growth, and deliver better performance and experiences to customers.

•As part of the partnership, Reliance will also augment its compute workload for retail business taking advantage of Google’s AI/ML, e-commerce, and demand forecasting offerings. This will help Reliance to rapidly grow its new commerce business to leverage Google Cloud with increased reliability and performance, as well as scale up as needed to respond to customer demand. Jio will also adopt Google Cloud’s scalable, serverless data analytics platform to advance its data-led innovation strategy.

NATIONAL

9th  Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable to be hosted by India in 2022

•International Energy Forum (IEF) announced that India has agreed to host the 9th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER9). The 9th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable will be held in 2022. Dates of this conference will be announced later and it will take forward the understandings reached in the previous meeting in Abu Dhabi during 2018.

•The decision of India to be the host of this Energy Roundtable came after a virtual meeting between IEF Secretary-General Joseph McMonigle and Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

•Chief executive officers of Indian Oil Corp, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum Corp, in addition to senior officers from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, were also present at the meeting.

Central government released Smart Cities Awards 2020 winners

•The Central government has declared Smart City awards 2020 in which Indore (Madhya Pradesh) and Surat (Gujarat) won the award jointly for their overall development. Whereas Uttar Pradesh emerged on the top among all states, followed by Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu under the Smart City award, 2020. The Smart City awards were given across the themes of Social Aspects, Governance, Culture, Urban Environment, Sanitation, Economy, Built Environment, Water, Urban Mobility.

•According to the Centre, of the total, proposed projects under the Smart Cities Mission, 5,924 projects (115% by number) worth Rs.1,78,500 crore have been tendered so far. Whereas work orders have been issued for 5,236 projects (101% by number) worth Rs.1,46,125 crore.

SPORTS

Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown breaks 100-meter backstroke world record with a time of 57.45 seconds

•Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown breaks the 100-meter backstroke world record at the South Australian Aquatic Centre with a time of 57.45 seconds from the previous mark of 57.57 seconds set by American Regan Smith in 2019.

•Emily Seebohm finished second in 58.59 to qualify for her fourth Olympics.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Karnam Malleswari appointed as the First vice chancellor of Delhi Sports University

•The Delhi government appointed former Olympic medalist weightlifter Karnam Malleswari as the first Vice-Chancellor of Delhi Sports University.

•She is the first Indian woman weightlifter to bring home an Olympic medal. She created history at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 by lifting 110 kilograms and 130 kilograms in the ‘snatch’ and ‘clean and jerk’ categories. She has also been awarded the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, Arjuna Award and Padma Shri.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2021 : 26th June

•International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking is observed globally on 26th June every year. The day is observed by the United Nations as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse.

•The theme of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2021 is “Share Facts On Drugs, Save Lives”.

•On 7 December 1987, the United Nations General Assembly decided to observe 26 June as the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking as an expression of its determination to strengthen action and cooperation to achieve the goal of an international society free of drug abuse by passing a resolution 42/112.

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture 2021 : 26th June

•International Day in Support of Victims of Torture is observed on 26th June every year. This day is observed by the United Nations to raise awareness among the people about human torture that it is not only unacceptable but it is also a crime.

•On 12 December 1997, The UN General Assembly passed a resolution 52/149 and decided to watch 26 June because the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture to eradicate torture and therefore the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. it’s to be remembered that pain or suffering caused by the legal penalty isn’t considered as torture. On 26 June 1998, the primary International Day in Support of Victims of Torture was held.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Cochin International Airport won honour in airport service quality award

•Cochin International Airport (CIAL) won Airport Council International (ACI) Director General’s Roll of Excellence honour in Airport Service Quality. This recognition is awarded to those airports which, in the opinion of passengers, consistently delivered excellent services.

•Cochin International Airport has consistently delivered excellence in customer service by winning multiple awards for five years in past 10 years. It is one among six airports across the world that will receive recognition in 2021.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Ruskin Bond’s New book ‘It’s a wonderful Life’

•Indian British author Ruskin Bond has authored a new book titled ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is published by Aleph Book Company.

•The book is written in a perceptive, uplifting, deeply moving, and non-fictional way.  He is a recipient of Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan. His First Novel was the Room on the Roof’.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SBI Card partners with Fabindia

•SBI Card, the country’s second-largest credit card issuer and Fabindia, a retail platform for a wide range of handcrafted products by the artisans of the country, have joined hands to launch an exclusive co-branded contactless credit card named “Fabindia SBI Card”. The card is designed with curated benefits and privileges to offer a rewarding shopping experience to its premium customers and comes in two variants — Fabindia SBI Card SELECT and Fabindia SBI Card.

•The introduction of the new Fabindia SBI Card further bolsters our premium portfolio, reinforces our commitment to enable our customers to embrace digital payments and contribute to the country’s digital economy.

SBI launched Aarogyam healthcare business loan for healthcare sector amid the pandemic

•The State Bank of India (SBI) has launched the Aarogyam healthcare business loan to provide enhanced support to the healthcare sector amid the pandemic. Under this new product, the entire healthcare ecosystem such as hospitals, nursing homes, diagnostic centres, pathology labs, manufacturers, suppliers, importers, logistic firms engaged in critical healthcare supply can avail of loans up to Rs 100 crore (as per the geographic location) repayable in 10 years, the country’s largest state-owned bank.

•The Aarogyam loan can be availed either as a term loan to support expansion or modernisation or as working capital facilities such as cash credit, bank guarantee/letter of credit.

•In metro centres loans under Aarogyam can be availed up to Rs 100 crore, Tier I & Urban centres up to Rs 20 crore and in Tier II to Tier VI centres up to Rs 10 crore.

INTERNATIONAL

Nikol Pashinyan elected as the new Prime Minister of Armenia

•Armenia’s acting prime minister, Nikol Pashinyan, kept power in a parliamentary election that boosted his authority despite being widely blamed for a military defeat last year in the Nagorno-Karabakh enclave. Nikol’s Civil Contract party won 53.92% of the votes cast.

•An alliance led by his rival, ex-leader Robert Kocharyan, came second with 21%, according to the results based on ballots from 100% of precincts counted. Kocharyan was Armenia’s president from 1998 to 2008.

NATIONAL

Odisha’s CM Naveen Patnaik launched ‘Ashirbad’ for education and health of C-19 orphans

•Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a new scheme ‘Ashirbad’ for the education, health and maintenance of C-19 orphans. The Chief Minister announced that Rs 2500 per month will be deposited in the bank accounts of family members who have taken the responsibility for the children after the death of their parents.

•Children who lost their parents or the main earning person of the family on April 1, 2020, or thereafter to C-19 will be eligible to be covered under the scheme. Such children under distress have been divided into three categories. Those who have lost both their parents, those who have lost either father or mother and those whose main earning member of the family, either father or mother have died.

NTPC won recognition as India’s Best Employers among Nation-Builders 2021

•For the first time, NTPC won recognition as India’s Best Employers among Nation-Builders 2021. It has been recognized as the ‘Great Place to Work’ for the 15th straight year by the Great Places to Work Institute. It has been ranked at 38th. It was ranked 47 last year.

•It also won its first-ever recognition of India’s Best Employers among Nation-Builders 2021. NTPC, a Maharatna Community and Public Sector Unit work under the Ministry of Power. The PSU has also won the CII HR Excellence Role model award in March 2021. It is the highest award in the field of people management in the country.

•The ‘Great Place to Work’ certification is recognised worldwide and is considered the gold standard in identifying and recognizing great workplaces with high trust and high-performance cultures. It is the most definitive ‘Employer of Choice’ recognition certification that the organization aim to achieve.

SPORTS

India’s official Olympic theme song ‘Lakshya Tera Samne Hai’ released

•Ahead of the Tokyo Games, the official Olympic theme song for the Indian contingent was launched. Mohit Chauhan has composed and sung the song titled “Lakshya Tera Samne Hai”. The Games will open on July 23 and over 100 Indian athletes have qualified for the event so far.

•The event was organised by Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and attended by its President, Secretary-General, Deputy Chef De Mission, Sports Secretary and DG Sports Authority of India (SAI). Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju was the chief guest at the event.

OBITUARY

Founder of McAfee antivirus software J.D. McAfee, passed away

•British-American Software pioneer, John David McAfee, the creator of the McAfee antivirus software, has passed away. John was found dead in his cell in a jail near Barcelona, where he had been since October 2020, for evading taxes.

•The incident happened shortly after his extradition to the United States was authorized by Spain’s National Court, on criminal charges filed in Tennessee by the Justice Department’s tax division. He was accused to have deliberately failed to file tax returns between 2014 and 2018, despite earning millions from consulting work, cryptocurrencies, among other things.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Jasprit Bumrah appointed as the brand ambassador of OnePlus

•OnePlus, the global technology brand welcomed cricketer Jasprit Bumrah as Brand Ambassador for its Wearables category. The partnership with Bumrah reiterates the brand philosophy of ‘Never Settle’ and the company’s pursuit towards perfection.

•The OnePlus Wearable category includes the OnePlus Watch, the first global smart wearable from OnePlus that offers a premium design, seamless connection, smart fitness tracking and an incredible battery life.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Vitiligo Day 2021: 25 June

•World Vitiligo Day is observed on June 25 to build global awareness about vitiligo. Vitiligo is a skin disorder leading to loss of colour in the skin creating a variety of patterns on the skin from loss of pigment.

•Vitiligo is often called a disease instead of a disorder and that can have a significant negative social or psychological impact on patients. The first World Vitiligo Day was observed on June 25, 2011.

Day of the Seafarer2021: 25 June

•The International Maritime Organization (IMO) celebrates the annual Day of the Seafarer (DoS) on June 25 each year to pay respect to Seafarers and sailors who help the entire world function by conducting sea transport. 2021 marks the 11th anniversary of DoS. In the wake of the C-19 pandemic, seafarers found themselves both on the front line of the global response and subject to difficult working conditions surrounding uncertainties and difficulties around port access, re-supply, crew changeovers, repatriation, etc.

•The theme of the 2021 campaign is “Seafarers: at the core of shipping’s future”.

•The day was proposed by International Maritime Organization (IMO) in 2010 to celebrate the contribution of the seafarer to the world economy and civil society. This special day has been celebrated since 2011.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India and World Bank signs an loan agreement for Mizoram

•The Government of India, along with the Government of Mizoram has signed a $32 million loan agreement with World Bank for Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project. The project aims to improve the management capacity and quality of health services in Mizoram, with a focus on the benefit of under-served areas and vulnerable groups.

•The project will strengthen the governance and the management structure of the Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoHFW) and its subsidiaries, improve the quality and coverage of services delivered by the state government health systems, and invest in a comprehensive Quality Assurance program which would enable quality certification of health facilities.

•The Mizoram Health Systems Strengthening Project will benefit the people across all eight districts of the state. It will also benefit health sector staff, specifically at the secondary and primary levels, by strengthening their planning and management capacity along with building their clinical skills and competencies.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

‘Will’ is the autobiography of Actor Will Smith

•Actor Will Smith, who revealed the title and cover of his upcoming autobiography “Will”. The book, to be published Nov. 9 by Penguin Press. Will Smith is co-writing the book with author Mark Manson, and the cover is designed by New Orleans artist Brandan “BMike” Odums. Smith will also narrate the audiobook of Will from Penguin Random House Audio.

•The book will delve into him being raised in West Philadelphia to entering superstardom as an actor and rapper. He’s a two-time Academy Award nominee and won a four-time Grammy winner. Smith starred in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Bad Boys, Men in Black and Pursuit of Happyness. He’s won Grammys for Summertime, Men In Black, Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It and Parents Just Don’t Understand.

Harsh Vardhan unveils ‘My Joys and Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child’ book

•Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has unveiled Krishna Saksena’s book “My Joys and Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child”. It is the epitome of the bravery and endurance of a mother, in the best tradition of Indian motherhood.

•The book is full of beautiful photographs, including some black and white ones which have historical significance, not only because some of them feature public personalities but also because it chronicles the domestic as well as the professional context of the times.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Kotak Mahindra Bank launched the new feature ‘Pay Your Contact’ service

•Kotak Mahindra Bank has announced the launch of ‘Pay Your Contact’ the new feature that enables its customers to send money or make payments to any of their contacts across all payment apps simply by the beneficiary’s mobile number. The ‘Pay Your Contact’ service is available on the lender’s mobile banking app and uses the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) platform.

•The ‘Pay Your Contact’ feature on Kotak mobile banking app has made payments as easy and simple as can be. Kotak customers can now make their payments to a friend, household help, neighbourhood shop etc. just by knowing the beneficiary’s mobile number.

NATIONAL

Vijay Rupani CM of Gujarat launched Agricultural Diversification Scheme

•Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has virtually launched the ‘Agricultural Diversification Scheme-2021’, with the aim of making agriculture sustainable and profitable in the tribal areas of the state. The scheme will benefit more than 1.26 lakh vanbandhu- farmers from 14 tribal districts in Gujarat.

•The state government would distribute fertilizer-seed assistance worth around Rs. 31 crores to tribal farmers, which will also include 45 kg of urea, 50 kg of NPK and 50 kg of ammonium sulphate.

•Gujarat government has already provided assistance of Rs. 250 crore to 10 lakh tribal farmers under this scheme in the last ten years.

Jamsetji Tata tops inaugural Philanthropists of the Century

•Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, Indian pioneer industrialist and founder of the Tata Group, has topped the inaugural, EdelGive Hurun Philanthropists of the Century list, which ranks the world’s 50 most generous individuals in the last century. As per the report, the total donations made by Mumbai-based Jamsetji Tata is estimated at US$102.4 billion. He is the only Indian among the top 10 list, compiled by Hurun Research and EdelGive Foundation.

•The only other Indian in the list of 50 global philanthropists is Azim Premji, former chairman of Wipro. He is ranked at 12th position. Bill Gates & Melinda French Gates ranked second with donations worth $74.6 billion. They are followed by Henry Wellcome ($56.7 billion), Howard Hughes ($38.6 billion), and Warren Buffett ($37.4 billion) respectively.

Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” awareness campaign

•The Minority Affairs Minister, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi launched a nationwide “JaanHaiToJahaanHai” awareness campaign on C-19 vaccination for rural and remote areas.

•The aim of this campaign is to aware people of the C-19 vaccination and to crush rumours and apprehensions related to C-19 vaccination. It has been launched by the Ministry of Minority Affairs in association with various socio-educational organizations, NGOs, and Women Self Help Groups.

Indian Navy and European Naval hold first joint exercise

•In a first, the Indian Navy is participating in a joint exercise with the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR). Stealth frigate INS Trikand, will participate in the two-day exercise in the Gulf of Aden as it is already deployed in the region on anti-piracy operations. The aim of the exercise is to enhance and hone their war-fighting skills and their ability as an integrated force to promote peace, security and stability in the maritime domain.

•Along with the Indian Navy, other naval forces are from Italy, Spain and France. The naval exercise included advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, tactical manoeuvres, Search & Rescue, and other maritime security operations.

SPORTS

New Zealand won first ICC World Test Championship

•New Zealand defeated India to win the first ICC World Test Championship. New Zealand chased down the target of 139 to win the first-ever World Test Championship final with eight wickets in hand.

•The last day of the match was played on June 23, 2021. The match saw 6 days play in place of the regular 5 days due to the rain factor. Kyle Jamieson (NZ) has been adjudged as the “Player of the match”, while Kane Williamson (NZ) is the “Player of the series”.

Rani Rampal, Manpreet Singh named captains of Indian hockey teams

•Midfielder Manpreet Singh was named captain of the 16-member Olympic-bound Indian men’s hockey team, while experienced defenders, Birendra Lakra and Harmanpreet Singh, were named vice-captains. This will be Manpreet’s third Olympics. Under Manpreet’s captaincy, the Indian team won the Asia Cup in 2017, the Asian Champions Trophy in 2018 and the FIH Series Final in 2019. The team led by Manpreet also made it to the quarterfinals of the FIH Men’s World Cup 2018 in Bhubaneswar.

•Rani Rampal was named the captain of the 16-member Olympic-bound Indian Women’s Hockey Team, announced Hockey India. Rani is the obvious choice not just for her on-field exploits but also for her innate ability to guide the youngsters in the team. Under Rani’s Captaincy, the Indian team over the past four years have achieved significant results including winning the Asia Cup in 2017, Winning Silver at the Asian Games 2018, Silver at Asian Champions Trophy 2018 as well winning the FIH Series Final in 2019. The team led by Rani also made it to the quarterfinals of the FIH Women’s World Cup 2018 in London for the first time.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce becomes second fastest woman of all-time ahead

•Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce became the second-fastest woman of all-time behind 100 metres world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner when she clocked 10.63 seconds at a meet in Kingston.

•American Griffith-Joyner still holds the women’s 100m world record of 10.49 seconds, set in Indianapolis in 1988, as well as the three fastest times ever, with 10.61 and 10.62, also in 1988.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Senior psychiatrist Pratima Murthy appointed as director of NIMHANS

•Dr Pratima Murthy, head of Department of Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru has been appointed as Director of the Institute for a period of five years. She will retire in March 2026. She was awarded the WHO Regional Director’s Special Recognition Award on ‘World No Tobacco Day 2021’.

•She has been appointed by NIMHANS on the approval of the central government as the full-term director of the institute of national importance after Prof and Head of Neurology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Dr Padma Srivastava could not assume the top office due to some technical reasons.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

India and Fiji inks MoU for cooperation in the field of agriculture and allied sectors

•A virtual meeting was held between the Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, GoI, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar with Dr. Mahendra Reddy, Minister of Agriculture, Waterways & Environment, Government of Fiji.

•During the meeting, both the ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the field of Agriculture and allied sectors. This MoU will further strengthen the multi-faceted cooperation between the two countries.

RANKING

Bengaluru ranked as one of the Top 5 technology centers in Asia Pacific

•Bengaluru has emerged as the top five technology centres in the APAC region while Hyderabad is ranked in the Top 10 list, a report by Colliers titled ‘Growth Engines of Innovation: How Asia Pacific Technology Hubs are Reshaping Regional Real Estate’. The report ranks the most attractive technology submarkets within major APAC cities, which should serve as a navigation tool for technology groups, as they plan their expansion.

•Beijing, Shanghai, Bengaluru, Shenzhen and Singapore currently rank as the top five technology centres in APAC; they offer a compelling balance of infrastructure and talent for occupiers and are well-positioned to deliver future growth and investment opportunities for owners. Other cities are developing strengths in specific areas of technology, e.g., Seoul and Hong Kong in fintech, while new centres such as Hyderabad and Sydney are emerging.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

Arvind Gaur releases book ‘Habba Khatoon’ written by Kajal Suri

•Theatre personality Arvind Gaur has released the book ‘Habba Khatoon’ written by Kajal Suri. The book ‘Habba Khatoon’ was Published by Sanjana Prakashan.

•Habba Khatoon, also known by the honorary title ‘The Nightingale of Kashmir’, was a Kashmiri poet and ascetic. She was the wife of Yousuf Shah Chak, the last Emperor of Kashmir.

NATIONAL

Finance Ministry allowed HFCs above Rs 100 crore to use to SARFAESI law

•Ministry of Finance has allowed housing finance companies (HFCs) with asset size of over Rs. 100 crore to recover the dues using SARFAESI law. This move is expected to be a shot in the arm for thousands of small HFCs, as it will facilitate quick recovery of dues and encourage these companies to lend more.

•Earlier HFCs with assets over Rs. 500 crore (and notified by Finance Ministry) were allowed to use SARFAESI law to recover dues. Currently, there are nearly 100 HFCs that are registered with NHB. The top-10 HFCs account for 70-80 per cent of the assets of the housing finance industry. SARFAESI Act 2002 allows banks and other financial institutions to auction residential or commercial properties (of Defaulter) to recover loans.

No tax on cash deposits made by housewives during the demonetization scheme 2016

•The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), Agra bench consisting of Judicial Member Lalit Kumar and the Accountant Member Dr Mitha Lal Meena has ruled that cash deposit made by the housewives during the demonetization scheme 2016, cannot be subject to addition if such deposits are below Rs 2.5 lakh and such amount shall not be treated as income of the assessee.

•The Tribunal was considering an appeal filed by a housewife, the assessee who deposited the cash of Rs 2,11,500 in the bank account during the demonetization period. It was the case of the assessee that she had collected/saved the above-said sum from her previous saving, given by her husband, son, relatives for the purposes of her and her family’s future.

Arunachal Pradesh’s woman, Tadang Minu becomes first to be appointed in AIBA

•Arunachal Pradesh woman, Dr Tadang Minu, becomes the first in the state and the second Indian woman in the country to be appointed as a member of the Coaches Committee of the International Boxing Association (AIBA). She has been appointed by AIBA for her enormous knowledge and experience in the field of boxing.

•Dr Tadang is currently the HOD of Physical Education at Rajiv Gandhi University(RGU) and is the chairman of the Boxing Federation of India’s Women’s Commission for two years.

SPORTS

New Zealand’s Weightlifter Laurel Hubbard will be first trans athlete to compete at Olympics

•The New Zealand weightlifter Laurel Hubbard is poised to make history and headlines, as well as significant controversy, after being confirmed as the first transgender athlete to compete at an Olympic Games. The 43-year-old, who will be the fourth oldest weightlifter at an Olympics, is regarded as a genuine medal contender in the women’s super heavyweight 87kg-plus category in Tokyo.

•But while her inclusion has been welcomed by trans groups, it has also been questioned by those who believe she has unfair advantages in strength and power, having gone through male puberty before transitioning in 2012.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

British lawyer Karim Khan sworn in as the new chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court

•British lawyer Karim Khan was sworn as the new chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court. He pledging to reach out to nations that are not members of the court and to try to hold trials in countries where crimes are committed. He has defended clients at international courts including former Liberian President Charles Taylor & Kenya’s Deputy President William Ruto.

•Khan, a 51-year-old English lawyer, has years of experience in international courts as a prosecutor, investigator and defence attorney. He takes over from Fatou Bensouda of the Gambia, whose nine-year term ended.

Upasana Kamineni named ‘Ambassador of Forest Frontline Heroes’ at WWF India

•WWF India has inducted Upasana Kamineni, Director, Apollo Hospitals, as “Ambassador of Forest Frontline Heroes” with the aim to appreciate the efforts of frontline workers in hospitals and in the wildlife protection space. The focus of this will be on several States across the country covering most eco-regions.

•Frontline forest staff are often local community members themselves and play an important role in building an interface between communities and conservation.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Olympic Day 2021: 23 June

•The International Olympic Day is held on June 23 each year. The day is celebrated to encourage more people to participate in the Olympic Games and spread awareness about the event and promote the Olympic Movement. Based on the three pillars – “move”, “learn” and “discover” – the National Olympic Committees are deploying sports, cultural and educational activities to encourage participation regardless of age, gender, social background, or sporting ability.

•The Olympic Day 2021 theme is “Stay healthy, stay strong, stay active with the #OlympicDay workout on 23 June.”

•The International Olympic Committee (IOC) approved to observe Olympic Day in January 1948 to commemorate the creation of the International Olympic Committee on 23 June 1894. The creation of the modern-day Olympic Games is inspired by the ancient Olympic Games held in Olympia, Greece, from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD. The first Olympic Day was celebrated in the year 1948.

United Nations Public Service Day 2021: 23 June

•United Nations Public Service Day is observed globally on 23rd June every year. This day is to highlight the contribution of public service in the development process and to value public service to the community. This day is widely known by various public service organisations and departments around the world by organising several events to recognise the role of public servants in making developments and improvements in the community.

•As a part of the occasion, the Division of Public Institutions and Digital Government of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs will host a virtual event, in collaboration with the government of the United Arab Emirates, under the theme of “Innovating the Future Public Service: New Government Models for a New Era to Reach the SDGs”.

SUMMITS AND MOU’S

Bharti Airtel and Tata Group partner for 5G network solutions

•Bharti Airtel and Tata Group have announced a strategic partnership for implementing 5G network solutions for India, which will be available for commercial development from January 2022. Tata Group has developed an O-RAN (open-radio access network)-based radio and non-standalone architecture/stand-alone architecture (NSA/SA) core and has integrated a totally indigenous telecom stack, leveraging the capabilities of the group and its partners.

•The NSA/SA are radio technology that controls the signalling of 5G radio. While NSA can control signalling of 5G to the 4G core, the SA can connect the 5G radio directly to the 5G core network and control signalling does not depend on the 4G network.

•Airtel will pilot and deploy this indigenous solution as part of its 5G rollout plans in India and start the pilot in January 2022, as per the guidelines formulated by the government. According to sources, Tata Group will work with Indian tech companies and start-ups for hardware solutions, Tata ‘acting as a super integrator’. It can benefit from this partnership to export the technology to other countries such as Africa and Sri Lanka.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

‘The 7 Sins of Being A Mother’ book by Tahira Kashyap Khurrana

•Filmmaker-writer Tahira Kashyap Khurrana has announced her upcoming book about motherhood, titled “The 7 Sins of Being A Mother”.

•This is her fifth book and the second she wrote amid the pandemic. Last year, the filmmaker had released 12 Commandments of Being A Woman, which she finished writing during the coronavirus-induced lockdown. The writer has also penned books like Cracking The Code: My Journey in Bollywood and Souled Out.

INTERNATIONAL

World Investment Report 2021: India was fifth largest recipient of FDI in 2020

•As per the World Investment Report 2021 by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), India was the fifth-largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows in the world in 2020. The country received USD 64 billion FDI in 2020, which is an increase of 27 per cent, over USD 51 billion inflows in 2019.

•The United States remained the largest recipient of FDI, although, the FDI inflow to the country decreased by 40 per cent, to $156 billion, in 2020. China was the second-largest recipient with USD 149 billion FDI. The global FDI flows decreased by 35 per cent in 2020 to USD 1 trillion from USD 1.5 trillion in 2019.

NATIONAL

PM Modi launched mYoga App on the occasion of Yoga Day

•On the occasion of the seventh International Yoga Day on June 21, 2021, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled the mYoga mobile app. The app has been developed in collaboration between the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ministry of AYUSH), Government of India.

•The mYoga app is preloaded with many yoga training videos and audio practice sessions, in different languages, that can be done in the comfort of our own homes.

•Currently, the mYoga app is available in English, Hindi and French, but will be made available in other UN languages in the upcoming months. Through this initiative, PM Modi government aims to achieve the ‘One World, One Health’ motto.”

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launched ‘Mukhya Mantri Udyaymi Yojana’

•Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has launched two ambitious schemes christened as the ‘Mukhya Mantri Yuva Udyaymi Yojna’ and the ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Udyami Yojana. Both the schemes launched to promote entrepreneurship among youth and women of all sections under the state’s ‘Mukhaya Mantri Udyami Yojana scheme. The schemes were promised by the chief minister during the 2020 Bihar elections.

•Youth and Women-irrespective of caste and creed, wishing to start entrepreneurship, will get a loan of Rs 10 lakh, in which Rs 5 lakh would be a grant from the state government and the rest Rs 5 lakh will come as a loan, refundable in 84 instalments. He also launched a portal on which youth and women from all sections can register themselves for availing of the loan from the government.

APPOINTMENTS AND RESIGNATIONS

Montek Ahluwalia named member of World Bank-IMF High Advisory Group

•Former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Montek Singh Ahluwalia was named a member of a high-level Advisory Group formed by the World Bank and IMF. The group will be jointly led by Mari Pangestu, Ceyla Pazarbasioglu and Lord Nicholas Stern. The group was formed by the World Bank and IMF in the face of the dual crisis posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change.

•Mari Pangestu is Managing Director for Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank. Ceyla Pazarbasioglu is Director, Strategy, Policy and Review Department, International Monetary Fund. The group will also include Gita Gopinath. Gita Gopinath as an Economic Counsellor and Director of the Research Department at the IMF.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Music Day 2021: 21st June

•World Music Day is observed globally on 21st June every year. This day is celebrated to honour amateur and professional musicians. Over 120 countries celebrate World Music Day by organizing free public concerts in parks, streets, stations, museums and other such public places. The aim of celebrating World Music Day is to provide free music to everyone, and also to encourage amateur musicians to showcase their work to the world.

•World Music Day was founded by France’s Minister of Culture, Jack Lang and also Maurice Fleuret, a French composer, music journalist, radio producer, arts administrator, and festival organiser, on the day of the summer solstice in Paris in 1982.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITION

Chemist Sumita Mitra honoured with prestigious European Inventor Award 2021

•Indian-American chemist Sumita Mitra has been honoured with the European Inventor Award 2021 in the ‘Non-European Patent Office countries’ category. She was the first to have successfully integrated nanotechnology into dental materials to produce stronger and more aesthetically pleasing fillings.

•The award, one of Europe’s most prestigious innovation prizes, is presented annually by the European Patent Office (EPO) to recognise outstanding inventors from Europe and beyond.

RANKING

Ease of Living Index 2020: Bengaluru ‘most liveable’ city of India

•Bengaluru has been named as the most liveable city of India, in the Ease of Living Index 2020, released by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). The Ease of Living Index 2020 is part of the report titled State of India’s Environment 2021. Bengaluru is followed by Chennai, Shimla, Bhubaneshwar, and Mumbai, as the top five best cities respectively.

•The report focused on four parameters to determine the ease of living index score of each city, which are: quality of life, economic ability, sustainability and citizens’ perceptions.

•Each city was rated out of 100 in all parameters.

•The Ease of Living Index 2020 is the second edition of the index after the first one was launched in 2018.

6th Edition of Sustainable Development Report 2021: India’s Rank 120th

•According to the 6th Edition of ‘Sustainable Development Report 2021 (SDR 2021)’ released by Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), India with a score of 60.1 has been placed at 120th rank out of 165 countries. Finland topped the Index followed by Sweden & Denmark.

•For the 1st time since 2015, all countries have shown a reversal in progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) due to the COVID-19 pandemic. SDR 2021 has been written by a group of authors led by Professor Jeffrey Sachs, President of the SDSN and has been published by Cambridge University Press.

BOOKS AND AUTHORS

 ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse’ is a new book of Amitav Ghosh

•Jnanpith Awardee and renowned author Amitav Ghosh’s authored a book titled, ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis’. It is published by John Murray. The book talks about the history of the influence of colonialism on the world today, through the story of the nutmeg.

•In ‘The Nutmeg’s Curse’, Ghosh discusses that the nutmeg’s journey from its native Banda islands sheds light on a widespread colonial mindset of exploitation of human life and the environment, which is present even today. Some of Ghosh’s other notable works include the Ibis trilogy and ‘The Great Derangement’ among others.

Bishnupada Sethi’s new book ‘Beyond Here and Other Poems’ released

•Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik released a book of poems ‘Beyond Here and Other Poems’ written by senior bureaucrat Bishnupada Sethi. It is a collection of 61 poems that are a reflection of a spectrum of experiences of life, perception of death and philosophical contemplation.

•Noted writer Haraprasad Das has written the preface. The cover design of the 161-page book has been made by eminent artist Gajendra Sahu. Sethi, Principal Secretary in the Information and Public Relations department has written several poetry and other books including ‘My World of Words’ and ‘Beyond Feelings’.

BANKING AND ECONOMY

SEBI reconstitutes Four-member Takeover Panel

•Markets regulator Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has reconstituted its four-member Takeover Panel. The Takeover Panel looks into the applications that seek exemption from the mandatory open offer that an acquirer needs to make to minority shareholders. SEBI has appointed N Venkatram MD and CEO, Deloitte India as the new member of this Takeover Panel. SEBI had first constituted this Takeover Panel in November 2007, under the chairmanship of former Bank of Baroda chairman K Kannan.

Four- Members Panel are:

•Chairman: Justice N. K. Sodhi (Former Chief Justice of High Courts of Karnataka & Kerala and Former Presiding Officer of the Securities Appellate Tribunal).

•Member: Darius Khambata (Former Advocate General, Maharashtra).

•Member: Thomas Mathew T (Former chairman of Life Insurance Corporation of India).

•Member: N Venkatram (MD and CEO, Deloitte India).