Daily GK Update-3rd June, 2023

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan releases UGC Regulations, 2023: Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has released the UGC (Institutions Deemed to be Universities) Regulations, 2023 in New Delhi. These regulations will facilitate the creation of many more quality-focused deemed to be universities in an objective and transparent manner. It will encourage universities to focus on quality and excellence and strengthen the research ecosystem and have a long-term impact in transforming the higher education landscape.

 

2. Punjab Police launches OPS Clean: Punjab Police has launched a massive state-wide operation named “OP Clean” wherein 650 police teams comprising over 5,000 personnel raided more than 2,000 locations across the state to keep a tab on activities of people involved in the smuggling of commercial quantities of drugs. As many as 650 police teams, involving over 5,500 police personnel, raided 2,247 locations and conducted searches at 2,125 houses of people having involvement in drug smuggling cases. The police teams recovered 1.8 kg heroin, 82 kg poppy husk, 1 kg opium, Rs 5.35 lakh drug money and four weapons from them, besides recovering illicit liquor, lahan (raw material used to make liquor) and vehicles after registering 48 FIRs across the state. The operation was conducted by the Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav.

 

3. Nitin Gadkari inaugurates two Highway projects in Vadodara: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has inaugurated two National Highway projects in Vadodara, Gujarat worth Rs 48 crore. One of the projects focuses on the improvement of the Ahmedabad-Vadodara section of National Highway 48 near Dumad Chowkdi. Spanning approximately 3 kilometers, this project has been inaugurated at a cost of Rs 27.01 crore. The second project, costing Rs 17 crore, stretches about 1 kilometer near Dena Junction on National Highway 48 in Vadodara.

 

4. Srinagar to become smart city by June 2024: Srinagar is all set for a facelift. The city will get a ‘Smart City’ tag by June 2024 under the Srinagar Smart City Project. A total of 137 projects have been sanctioned for Srinagar Smart City under the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India. Under the project, Srinagar is aimed to get a complete transformation by using its natural and cultural heritage which will enhance the beauty and quality of life. Till now, 66 projects have been completed and currently, 71 projects are ongoing. Under smart city, the project has eight themes: Jhelum Water Front Development and Water Transport, Urban Mobility, Street and Intersection Development, City Beautification & Urban Art, Green Srinagar, Heritage Conservation and Downtown Renewal, Information Technology, Central Business District Upgradation, Solid Waste Management. Athar Amir Khan, CEO, Srinagar Smart City Ltd (SSCL) and Srinagar Municipal Commissioner informed this.

 

5. Amarendu Prakash appoints chairman of SAIL: Amarendu Prakash has been appointed as the new Chairman and Managing Director of Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL). He was earlier Director (In-Charge) of SAIL’s Bokaro Steel Plant. Prakash is heading the Bokaro Steel Plant as Director-in-Charge from September 2020. Under Prakash’s leadership, Bokaro Steel Plant achieved remarkable production records in FY22 and FY23.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Abdulla Al Mandous elected as the President of WMO: Meteorologist of United Arab Emirates (UAE), Abdulla Al Mandous has been elected as the new President of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) for a 4-year term from 2023 to 2027. He emerged as the official candidate of the UAE and secured 95 votes out of the representatives from WMO’s 193 member states and territories. He succeeded Prof Gerhard Adrian. WMO is an authoritative body within the UN system that focuses on weather, climate, environment, etc.

 

2. India set to remain UAE's largest export destination by 2030: India is set to remain United Arab Emirates' (UAE) largest export destination by 2030, according to a new report by Standard Chartered titled ‘Future of Trade: New opportunities in high-growth corridors’ The report forecasts that the UAE's exports will reach around USD 543 billion by 2030, showcasing a robust annual growth rate of 5.5% It also highlights that trade corridors anchored in Asia, Africa, Middle East are expected to outpace the global trade growth rate by 4%

 

3. India G20 - South Centre Event on International Taxation concludes: India G20 - South Centre Event on International Taxation has been concluded successfully. It was a two-day event on International Taxation was organized on the 1st and 2nd June at the National Academy of Direct Taxes, Nagpur in collaboration with South Centre, a Geneva-based intergovernmental policy research think-tank of 55 developing countries, including India. It was an initiative of the Indian Presidency to bolster capacity building for Indian tax officials.

 

4. World Bicycle Day 2023: 3rd June: World Bicycle Day 2023 is observed every year on 3rd June to promote the importance of bicycles as a means of transportation, fostering sustainability, health, and well-being. The day was declared by the United Nations General Assembly in April 2018 to recognize the uniqueness, versatility and sustainability of the bicycle and its positive impact on society. The initiative to establish this Day was led by Turkmenistan, with the support of numerous other countries.

 

5. UAE to host world's largest Conservation Conference in 2025: United Arab Emirates (UAE) will host the 2025 World Conservation Congress (WCC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in Abu Dhabi from October 10-21, 2025. WCC: It is the world's largest and most important gathering of conservationists, and it is expected to draw more than 10,000 delegates from over 160 countries. It is expected to bring an estimated 10,000-15,000 delegates from over 160 countries across the globe

 

6. Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be sworn in as the President of Turkish: Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be sworn in as the President of Turkish, after winning a historic runoff election and securing another five years in power. Ambassador Virander Paul will be representing India at the ceremony The inauguration ceremony in Parliament will be followed by an elaborate ceremony at Erdogan's palace in Ankara He won the presidential run-off election by securing 52.18% of the vote, defeating his opponent Kemal Kilicdaroglu, who received 47.82% votes.

 

7. CSIR-CCMB joins global research group for algorithm of genetics: Hyderabad-based CSIR - Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) has joined a global research group in the development of an algorithm along the lines of ChatGPT for genetics. This algorithm uses genome sequencing data instead of human language to predict disease-causing genetic mutations in patients. The group has generated a huge catalogue of genomic information for primates that have been ever produced.

 

8. Canada becomes first country to start putting health warnings on cigarettes: Canada has become the first country in the world to stipulate that individual cigarettes carry mandatory health warnings. While packets carry such warnings of the risks associated with smoking, the Canadian Government is taking this measure to ensure that it becomes virtually impossible to avoid health warnings altogether. These regulations will come into effect on August 1 this year. These cigarettes will be introduced in a phased manner. The individual health warnings will first appear on king-size cigarettes by the end of July 2024, and by the end of April 2025, other varieties, regular-size cigarettes and little cigars with tipping paper, and tubes, will follow.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. India beat Great Britain by 4-2 on penalty shootout in FIH Pro League: India beat Great Britain by 4-2 after a penalty shootout in the FIH Pro League in London This shootout triumph, courtesy of misses from Britain’s Rupert Shipperly and Phil Roper, handed India the bonus point after an exhilarating 4-4 draw. Abhishek Upadhyay, Lalit Kumar, Singh Harmanpreet Singh and Manpreet scored goal in shootout. The bonus point ensured India cut the gap to Great Britain at the top of the FIH Pro League standing.

 

2. India beat Great Britain by 4-2 on penalty shootout in FIH Pro League: India beat Great Britain by 4-2 after a penalty shootout in the FIH Pro League in London This shootout triumph, courtesy of misses from Britain’s Rupert Shipperly and Phil Roper, handed India the bonus point after an exhilarating 4-4 draw. Abhishek Upadhyay, Lalit Kumar, Singh Harmanpreet Singh and Manpreet scored goal in shootout. The bonus point ensured India cut the gap to Great Britain at the top of the FIH Pro League.

 

3. 3rd Khelo India University games conclude in Varanasi: Third khelo India University games has been concluded at IIT BHU campus in Varanasi. Punjab University, Chandigarh regain champions crown as Guru Nanak Dev University fall short despite Fencing sweep on final day, after a gap of one edition of the Khelo India University Games. PUC finished with an overall tally of 69 medals including 26 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze medals As many as 131 of the 203 Universities who finally participated at the Games.