Daily GK Update- 18th June, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Indian Navy’s Outreach Program “Jully Ladakh” (Hello Ladakh): Indian Navy is conducting “Julley Ladakh” (Hello Ladakh), an outreach programme to Ladakh to increase awareness about the service in the pristine state and to engage with youth and civil society there. As part of this initiative, a 5000 km Motorcycle Expedition was flagged off from the National War Memorial by Vice Admiral Sanjay Jasjit Singh, the Vice Chief of Naval Staff. This outreach program follows the successful efforts of the Indian Navy in the North East region and the Sam No Varunah car expedition, which aimed to connect with citizens in coastal states.

 

2. Uttar Pradesh CM renames UP prisons as ‘Reform Homes’: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has given guidelines for prison reform to establish prisons as ‘Sudhaar Grah’ (Reform Homes). The objective of the Prison Act of 1894 is to maintain discipline and control over offenders in custody, but we need to focus on reform and rehabilitation. Therefore, considering the future, it is necessary for us to implement new acts. The Model Prison Act – 2023 has recently been prepared by the Govt of India, which is useful for the reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners. The state cabinet has also approved the new jail manual, which is an important effort toward prison reforms.

 

3. Warkari community celebrates Palkhi festival in Maharashtra: Warkari community has celebrated the Palkhi festival in Pandharpur, Maharashtra. Palkhi festival is an annual yatra to Pandharpur in Maharashtra to honor the Hindu God Vithoba. The Palkhi festival is a tradition that dates back 1000 years and was initiated by saints from Maharashtra, India. The Palkhi festival takes place in the month of Jyeshth (June) and lasts for a total of 22 days. It involves a journey from the departure points to Pandharpur. It is still practiced today by their followers known as varkaris. These varkaris are individuals who follow a vari, which is a fundamental ritual associated with the festival. Devotees take a holy dip in the sacred Chandrabhaga River before visiting the Vithoba temple.

 

4. Centre unveiled Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App: Union minister of heavy industries, Mahendra Nath Pandey has launched the “Dugdh Sanakalan Sathi Mobile App" in Mussoorie, Uttarakhand. This mobile application was developed by Rajasthan Electronics & Instruments Limited (REIL), a CPSE Mini Ratna under the Ministry of Heavy Industries. Aim: To bring about a significant transformation in the Indian dairy industry by addressing key challenges in the milk collection process.

 

5. Centre sets up panel to recommend reforms in arbitration law: The Department of Legal Affairs under the Union law ministry, has set up a panel to recommend reforms in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. The committee would be led by former law secretary T K Vishwanathan. Aim: To reduce the burden on courts Other members: Rajiv Mani (Law Ministry additional secretary), some senior advocates, representatives of private law firms, and officials of the Legislative Department, Niti Aayog, NHAI, railways, and CPWD

 

6. PM Modi pens song with Grammy winner Falu: PM Narendra Modi has collaborated with an Indian-American singer, Falguni Shah (Stage name Falu) to promote the benefits of millet and its potential to alleviate world hunger. Title of the song track: Abundance in Millets Falu was awarded the Grammy Award in 2022. The year 2023 has been designated as the ‘International Year of Millets’ after a proposal for it was brought forward by India and endorsed by Members of the UN’s FAO Governing Bodies.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Britain appoints Jane Marriott as first female envoy to Pakistan: The United Kingdom has appointed Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan, making her the first female British envoy to Islamabad. Jane Marriott previously served as the High Commissioner to Kenya since September 2019. She will replace Dr Christian Turner, who held the position of British Ambassador to Pakistan since December 2019.

 

2. 18 June 2023 – International Father’s Day: International Father’s Day is celebrated every year on third Sunday of June. This year Father’s Day held on 18th June. The day honours fathers or father figures in our lives and the sacrifices they make to raise us. Our fathers are heroes in our lives, capable of achieving any feat, teaching us strength in silence, and adept at solving all problems. Father’s Day originated in the US after the daughter of a Civil War veteran, Sonora Smart Dodd, wanted to pay an ode to all fathers across the globe. William Jackson Smart was a single father to six children. His daughter decided to honour him by choosing his birth anniversary, June 5, 1982, to celebrate Father’s Day. Finally, the date got pushed from June 5 to the third Sunday of June. In 1910, Father’s Day was marked for the first time.

 

3. World Day to combat desertification and Drought 2023: June 17: The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is observed annually on June 17th to raise awareness about the threats posed by desertification and drought and promote efforts to combat these challenges. 2023 theme: Her land. Her rights The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought was established in 1994 following a convention held at the United Nations General Assembly. The inaugural observance took place in 1995.

 

4. International Day for Countering Hate Speech 2023: 18th June: The International Day for Countering Hate Speech is observed on June 18, every year to address the pressing global problem of hate speech. This day holds great importance as it calls for collective action to counter the spread of divisive rhetoric and promote understanding, respect, and inclusivity. The Day marked by UNGA recognized the devastating consequences of hate speech and reaffirms the commitment to human rights and equality.

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Pakistan’s Nahida Khan announces retirement from international cricket: Pakistan women’s cricketer Nahida Khan has announced her retirement from international cricket, bringing an end to a remarkable career that spanned over a decade.The 36-year-old opening batter made her debut for the national team in February 2009 against Sri Lanka and went on to represent Pakistan in over 100 matches across formats. She represented Pakistan in three 50-over World Cups (2013, 2017 and 2022) and in four T20 World Cups (2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018).

 

2. Asia Cup 2023 to be played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka: The Asia Cup 2023 will take place in Pakistan and Sri Lanka between August 31 and September 17, 2023. The tournament will be held on a hybrid model for the first time in the history of the championship. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and Nepal will take part in the Asia Cup. The tournament will be hosted in a hybrid model with four matches being held in Pakistan, and the remaining nine matches being played in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka won the Asia Cup last time around in 2022 after beating Pakistan in the final at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium. India failed to make their way through to the final after losing to Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the Super 4 round.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Former RBI DG Vishwanathan appointed as Non-Executive Chairman of Axis Bank: The board of directors of the third largest private sector bank, Axis Bank has appointed NS Vishwanathan as the non-executive chairman for three years. His appointment will be effective from October 27, 2023, or the date of approval of his appointment by the RBI. NS Vishwanathan was a seasoned banker, who handled critical areas like regulation. He has also served as a Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India between 2016 and 2020.

 

2. Paytm Introduces UPI SDK for Seamless Online Merchant Payments: Paytm has introduced a UPI software development kit (SDK) for customers to make payments to online merchants without any failure of the system. UPI SDK has also assured fail-proof transactions. Paytm UPI SDK will let users pay directly from bank accounts through UPI PIN without having to jump between merchant and payment app. Along with Paytm UPI Lite, the company is enhancing two-sided payments, for both merchants and customers.

 

3. World Bank approves $150-million loan for Resilient Kerala programme: The World Bank has approved a $150 million loan to support the Resilient Kerala program to continue strengthening the state’s preparedness against natural disasters, climate change impacts, and disease outbreaks. Aim: To deepen the state’s resilience in critical areas of coastal erosion and water resource management This loan from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) has a final maturity of 14 years, including a grace period of six years.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. India's metaverse platform Bharatmeta receives global recognition: Kiya.ai has unveiled its version of the metaverse called Bharatmeta, making it the first of its kind from India, at the prestigious VivaTech event held in Paris 2023. The demonstration took place at the India Pavilion during the event ‘VivaTech’. VivaTech is recognized as Europe's largest annual technology and startup gathering. Bharatmeta offers practical use cases for banking, commerce, culture, and collaboration within the metaverse.

 

2. Arundhati Roy wins 45th European Essay Prize for 'Azadi': Writer and activist, Arundhati Roy has been awarded the 45th European Essay Prize for lifetime achievement on the occasion of the French translation of her latest essay, 'Azadi'. The French translation 'Liberte, fascisme, fiction' appeared in the leading French publishing group, Gallimard. The award ceremony will take place on September 12 at the Lausanne Palace. At the award ceremony, Arundhati Roy will discuss the environment and globalization, caste and language.