Daily GK Update- 21st Jun, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. ADB inks USD 484 million loan with GoI to upgrade road network in Tamil Nadu: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of India have signed a $484 million loan, to improve transport connectivity and facilitate industrial development in the Chennai–Kanyakumari Industrial Corridor (CKIC) in Tamil Nadu. “The project is key to providing seamless road connectivity across industrial clusters, transport gateways and consumption centres, and help reduce logistics and production costs for CKIC’s targeted industries to boost their competitiveness.

Under the project: About 590 km of state highways in the CKIC influence areas will be upgraded that cover 23 of the 32 districts between Chennai and Kanyakumari. CKIC is part of the East Coast Economic Corridor (ECEC) of India, which stretches from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu. ECEC connects India to the production networks of South, Southeast, and East Asia. It must be noted that ADB is the lead partner of the Government of India in developing ECEC.

Note: ADB is a regional development bank established in 1966; ADB Members: 68 countries (49 members are from Asia pacific region); ADB is headquartered in Mandaluyong, Philippines; President of ADB: MasatsuguAsakawa.

 

2. Central Govt launched “Project O2 for India” initiative: The government of India has launched ‘Project O2 for India’ to step up production of medical oxygen to meet the potential increase in demand due to further waves of the pandemic. ‘Project O2 for India’, an initiative of the Office of Principal Scientific Adviser, Government of India (GoI), aims to help stakeholders working to augment the country’s ability to meet the rise in demand for medical oxygen. Under the project, a ‘National Consortium of Oxygen’ is enabling the supply of critical raw materials such as zeolites, setting up of small oxygen plants, manufacturing compressors, final products such as oxygen plants, concentrators, and ventilators. Besides, the consortium is also working to strengthen the manufacturing ecosystem for long-term preparedness.

 

3. Telangana AI Mission launched ‘Revv Up”: Telangana government has launched the Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) powered by Nasscom and as part of the T-AIM, an accelerator programme called “Revv Up” has been launched to enable and empower AI startups. The programme that will begin its first cohort in July is another step towards making Telangana and Hyderabad a global destination for AI and other emerging technologies.

About the programme:

(1) The accelerator programme, exclusively designed for growth-stage AI startups, will cover various sectors.

(2) Telangana Industries and IT principal secretary JayeshRanjan stated, “Telangana is committed to its vision of positioning the State as the leader in AI.

(3) After becoming the first state in India to launch an actionable policy framework for Artificial Intelligence in June 2020, now set in motion the first edition of the Revv Up accelerator programme to hone innovative AI ideas under T-AIM.

Note: Telangana Capital: Hyderabad; Telangana Governor: TamilisaiSoundararajan; Telangana Chief Minister: K. Chandrashekar Rao.

 

4. IIT Bombay Hosts Conference of BRICS Network Universities 2021: The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) is hosting a three day virtual “Conference of BRICS Network Universities”. This conference is being held as a part of India’s Chairmanship of the 13th BRICS Summit in 2021. The basic objective of BRICS Network University is enhancing educational cooperation in general, and especially in the realm of research and innovation. The theme of the Conference of BRICS Network Universities is “Electric Mobility”.

About the Conference: The event will see 18 experts from Brazil, Russia, India, China and S. Africa deliver keynotes on various aspects of electric mobility like traffic management, hydrogen technology, hybrid vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and linkage between e-mobility and livelihoods. Around 100 students, researchers and faculty from the BRICS Network Universities of the five-member countries will participate in the conference. The BRICS Network University is a union of higher education institutions of the five BRICS member countries. IIT Bombay is the lead institution of India for the BRICS Network University.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. NATO leaders declare China a global security challenge: NATO leaders declared that China poses a constant security challenge and is working to undermine global order. This is a message in sync with US President Joe Biden’s efforts to get allies to speak out with a more unified voice against China’s trade, military and human rights practices. The NATO leaders said that China’s goals and ‘assertive behaviour present systemic challenges to the rules-based international order and to areas relevant to alliance security. The warning to China comes as Biden has stepped up his effort to rally allies to put up a unified voice about China’s human rights record. Biden has also criticised China’s trade practices and its military’s increasingly assertive behaviour that has unnerved US allies in the Pacific.

 

2. Mukesh Sharma appointed honorary member of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group: Mukesh Sharma, a faculty at IIT Kanpur, has been appointed as an honorary member of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Global Air Pollution and Health – Technical Advisory Group (GAPH-TAG). Members of the Technical Advisory Group are selected across the globe and appointed by the Director-General, WHO. Sharma, associated with the civil engineering department at IIT Kanpur and an air quality expert, has melded rigorous research with policy engagement.

 

3. India ranked 14th in World Giving Index 2021: India has been ranked at 14th spot among 114 countries in the World Giving Index 2021, by the Charities Aid Foundation (CAF). This rank is up from its 10-year global rank of 82. The World Giving Index ranking has been topped by Indonesia, followed by Kenya, Nigeria, Myanmar and Australia in the top five respectively.

 

4. World Refugee Day: 20th June: World Refugee Day is observed every year on June 20 to respect and honour the courage and resilience of refugees across the world. The United Nations observes this day to honour the refugees who have been forced outside of their homes. The day aims to build understanding and empathy for refugees building their lives in countries new to them. This year the theme for World Refugee Day is ‘Together we heal, learn and shine’. The United Nations has stated that the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has made it evident that we can only succeed by standing together. The UN has called for the greater inclusion of refugees in the healthcare system across the world.

History of World Refugee Day: World Refugee Day was celebrated for the first time on June 20, 2001, on the 50th anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention. The United Nations General Assembly officially designated June 20 as World Refugee Day in December 2000.

 

5. International Day of Yoga: 21st June: United Nations celebrates International Day of Yoga globally on 21 June every year to raise awareness worldwide of the many benefits of practising yoga. Yoga is an ancient physical, mental and spiritual practice that originated in India. The word ‘yoga’ derives from Sanskrit and means to join or to unite, symbolizing the union of body and consciousness. Recognizing this important role of Yoga, this year’s commemoration of the International Day of Yoga focuses on “Yoga for well-being” – how the practice of Yoga can promote the holistic health of every individual.

History International Day of Yoga: India proposed the draft resolution establish the International Day of Yoga and the proposal was endorsed by a record 175 member states. Recognizing its universal appeal, on 11 December 2014, the United Nations proclaimed 21 June as the International Day of Yoga by resolution 69/131.

 

6. International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice:21st June: International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice is observed globally on 21st June. This day bring awareness about solstices and equinoxes and their significance for several religions and ethnic cultures. The International Day of the Celebration of the Solstice was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly on 20th June 2019 within Resolution A/RES/73/300.

 

7. World Music Day: 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.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sports Minister KirenRijiju Launches Centralised Athlete Injury Management System: Sports Minister KirenRijiju launched an ambitious initiative to provide world class treatment and rehabilitation to elite athletes injured during competition or training. The Centralised Athlete Injury Management System (CAIMS) aims to provide inputs on prevention, diagnosis and high quality treatment and rehabilitation to athletes on time and maintain records for mapping their injury via an Online Athlete Management System. This system, to be run by the Sports Authority of India (SAI) in collaboration with the leading medical experts of the country, will be applied initially to the developmental group of athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympics and will broaden to others later on.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Policybazaar gets insurance broking licence: Policybazaar has got approval from regulator IRDAI to undertake insurance broking, a development that will help the company augment business and expand its bouquet of services. With this development, the company will surrender its web aggregator licence to the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) and undertake business including insurance aggregation under the broking umbrella. The broking licence will allow the company to venture into segments which it could not do in the past like claims assistance, offline services, and establish Points of Presence network. Policybazaar has a market share of 25 per cent in the life insurance segment while 10 per cent in health insurance.

Note: Policybazaar CEO: YashishDahiya; Policybazaar Founded: June 2008; Policybazaar HQ: Gurugram, Haryana.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. Facebook launches ‘Report it, Don’t share it!’ initiative: Social media giant Facebook has launched a new initiative ‘Report it, Don’t share it!’ that encourages people to report child abuse content on its platforms and not to share it. The initiative ‘Report it, don’t share it’ is in collaboration with civil society organisations like Aarambh India Initiative, Cyber Peace Foundation and Arpan.About the initiative:

(1) The initiative was rolled out with an animated video that visually communicates the negative impact that the circulation of child abuse content could have on the child who’s the subject of such content, even if it’s about condemning the act.

(2) To report content where a child is at risk, call 1098 and report it to the Childline India Foundation. If the content exists on Facebook’s family of apps, it can be reported on fb.me/onlinechildprotection.

(3) The company also added the option to choose “involves a child” under the “Nudity and Sexual Activity” category of reporting in more places on Facebook and Instagram to make it easier to report content for violating its child exploitation policies.

(4) Facebook also partnered with Bollywood actress Neha Dhupia who runs a community ‘Freedom to Feed’ on Instagram, which is a safe space for women to speak about breastfeeding and have an open dialogue about the challenges surrounding it. But the community has evolved to become a space for discussing diverse aspects of parenting too.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of Facebook: Mark Zuckerberg; Facebook Headquarters: California, US.

 

2. Microsoft names CEO Satya Nadella as chairman: Microsoft Corp, named Chief Executive Officer, Satya Nadella as its new chairman. He took over as the software giant’s CEO in 2014, succeeding Steve Ballmer.  He is credited with bringing new energy to the company, founded in 1975. The company also appointed former chairman John Thompson as a lead independent director. The top-level executive change comes just over a year after Gates stepped down from the board, saying he would focus on philanthropic works of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of the world’s biggest charities.

Note: Microsoft CEO: Satya Nadella; Microsoft Headquarters: Redmond, Washington, United States.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Rajnath Singh approves new policy for declassification of war history: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a policy on archiving, declassification, compilation and publication of war and operations histories by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). However, declassification of older wars like the 1962 war is not automatic and will be taken upon a case by case basis by a committee to be constituted under the new policy.               According to the policy, records should ordinarily be declassified in 25 years. Records older than 25 years should be transferred to the National Archives of India once the war/operations histories have been compiled. However, first, it should be evaluated by archival experts. However, declassification of older wars like the Henderson Brooks report on the 1962 war with China and the Operation Bluestar of 1984 is not automatic. It is taken up on a case-by-case basis by a committee to be constituted under the policy. 

Daily GK Update- 20th Jun, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Cabinet approves Deep Ocean Mission of Ministry of Earth Sciences: The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved the implementation of  “Deep Ocean Mission”.  This mission is proposed by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), to explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources.

About the Mission: The 5 year Mission will be implemented at an estimated cost of Rs. 4077 crore in a phase-wise manner. The first phase will be carried during 2021-2024, at an estimated cost of Rs. 2823.4 crore. The main objective of the Deep Ocean Mission is to support the Blue Economy Initiatives of the Government of India. Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) will be the nodal Ministry for implementing this multi-institutional ambitious mission.

Note: Union Minister of Earth Sciences: Dr Harsh Vardhan.

 

2. Dr. Harsh Vardhan addresses the Global Yoga Conference 2021:Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare addressed the inaugural ceremony of Global Yoga Conference 2021. The event was organised by ‘MokshayatanYogSansthan’ along with the Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India &Indian Council for Cultural Relations to mark the occasion of the 7th International Day of Yoga which falls on 21st June 2021. Dr Harsh Vardhan highlighted how Yoga has helped people during COVID restrictions on public activities. The benefits of Yoga in immunity building and management of stress are well documented with evidence. With programmes like this Global Yoga Conference, more people shall be drawn into the fold of practising Yoga and related activities.

 

3. IIT Ropar develops India’s first power-free CPAP device ‘Jivan Vayu’: The Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Ropar has developed a device dubbed ‘Jivan Vayu’ which can be used as a substitute for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine.  Jivan Vayu can deliver high flow oxygen up to 60 LitresPer Minute (LPM).

About the Jivan Vayu: This machine is India’s first such device that functions even without electricity and can work on both kinds of oxygen generation units like O2 cylinders and oxygen pipelines in hospitals. Earlier these provisions were not available in existing CPAP machines. CPAP therapy is a treatment method for patients having breathing problems during sleep called sleep apnea.

 

4. Sikkim CM presents Rs 9852.85 crore budget for 2021-22: Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang presented a Rs 9852.85 crore budget for the financial year 2021-22, saying that the Covid-19 pandemic has damaged the backbone of small Himalayan state’s economy.Of the Rs 9852.85 crore, the net outgo has been kept at Rs 9588.65 crore, Tamang said while presenting the budget on the inaugural day of the two-day assembly season. The differential amount of Rs 264.20 crore has been calculated as the recoveries from various heads. The chief minister, in his speech, threw light on the economic scenario in Sikkim saying that the restrictions imposed in the state during the two waves of the pandemic has damaged the backbone of the state’s economy. The tourism sector, in particular, has taken a hit by more than Rs 900 crore, while the state’s Gross Domestic Product has been pegged back by more than Rs 2200 crore, he said.

             

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. 2021 NATO Summit Held in Brussels, Belgium: The leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) held a face-to-face summit on NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. The 2021 Brussels summit of NATO was the 31st formal meeting of the heads of state and heads of government of the alliance. The summit of the 30-member NATO group was held as a part of U.S. President Joe Biden’s first foreign trip since he took office.About the summit:

(1) All the leaders agreed on the “NATO 2030” agenda, a comprehensive initiative to make sure that the alliance remains ready to face future challenges.

(2) The agenda also states that NATO will strengthen political consultation and the resilience of society, reinforce defence and deterrence, sharpen the technological edge, and develop its next Strategic Concept in time for the summit in 2022.

(3) The bloc agreed on a new cyber defence policy, to ensure that the bloc has strong technical capabilities, political consultations, and military planning in place to “keep its systems secure.”

Note: NATO Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium; NATO Chairman of the NATO Military Committee: Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach; Member countries of NATO: 30; Founded:  4 April 1949.

 

2. Naftali Bennett Takes Charge as Israel’s new Prime Minister: Naftali Bennett, the former Defence Minister of Israel, and leader of the Yamina party took oath as the Prime Minister of the country. The 49-year-old former tech entrepreneur replaces Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been forced out of office after 12 years (2009 to 2021). (Netanyahu is the longest-serving PM of Israel). Bennett will lead a new coalition government, formed with YairLapid, head of the centrist YeshAtid party. The new Coalition government will run on a rotation basis, which means that Bennett would serve as Israel’s prime minister until September 2023, following which Lapid would take charge of the office, for the next two years, until 2025.

 

3. India slips 12 spots to 55th position in Global Home Price Index: India has moved down 12 spots in the global home price index to 55th rank in Q1 2021 against 43rd rank in Q1 2020, with a decline of 1.6 per cent year-on-year (YoY) in home prices, Knight Frank, in its latest research report “Global House Price Index” – Q1 2021. Global Home Price Index is prepared by the London-based Knight Frank, which monitors housing prices in 56 countries. Turkey continues to lead the annual rankings with prices up by 32 per cent YoY, followed by New Zealand.

Note: Knight Frank Established: 1896; Knight Frank Headquarters: London, United Kingdom.

 

4. UAE, Brazil, Albania, Gabon, Ghana elected to UNSC: UN Security Council elected Albania, Brazil, Gabon, Ghana, and UAE as non-permanent members for the 2022-23 term. All ve countries, elected unopposed, will begin their term from 1 January 2022. The election for the non-permanent members of the Security Council is held through secret ballot and candidates require a two-thirds majority in the General Assembly to get elected.

India, Ireland, Mexico and Norway had begun the term as non-permanent members of the UN Security Council from 1 January 2021. In the election, Ghana obtained 185 votes while Gabon received 183 votes. The United Arab Emirates received 179 votes and Albania got 175 votes. Gabon, Ghana, and the United Arab Emirate were elected from the African and Asian States seats. Brazil is elected from Latin American and Caribbean Group seat and the Eastern European Group seat went to Albania.

Note: UN Security Council Headquarters: New York, United States; UN Security Council Founded: 24 October 1945.

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Sports brand Puma India extends partnership with Yuvraj Singh: Global sports brand Puma India has extended partnership with former Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who has been associated with the brand for over a decade. Moving from cricket to the fast lane, Yuvraj will now be seen in a new avatar as the face of Puma Motorsport in India, showcasing his passion for fast cars and sports-inspired fashion. With this, Yuvraj has joined the brand’s global league of legends like Thierry Henry, Boris Becker and Usain Bolt. Globally, Puma is associated with Scuderia Ferrari, Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One Team, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing, BMW M Motorsport and Porsche Motorsport. With India being one of the biggest markets for Puma motorsport, the brand looks to capitalise on the growing demand for streetstyle products inspired by performance gear.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. ICICI Bank launches ‘ICICI STACK for Corporates’: ICICI Bank has announced the launch of ‘ICICI STACK for Corporates’, a comprehensive set of digital banking solutions for corporates and their entire ecosystem including promoters, group companies, employees, dealers, vendors and all other stakeholders. The wide range of 360-degree solutions enables corporates to seamlessly meet all banking requirements of their ecosystem in an expeditious and frictionless manner.With this launch, ICICI Bank aims to be the preferred banking partner for companies and their entire ecosystem. The environment in which corporate customers operate is becoming increasingly dynamic and competitive with accelerated digital adoption transforming every business. In this ever-changing environment, a banking partner, which can serve not only the corporates but also the entire ecosystems where they operate, adds significant value to corporate customers.

Note: ICICI Bank Headquarters: Mumbai, Maharashtra; ICICI Bank MD & CEO: Sandeep Bakhshi; ICICI Bank Tagline: Hum Hai Na, KhayalApka.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. RBI allows prepaid mobile recharges through Bharat Bill Payment System: According to RBI, The scope of the Bharat Bill Payment System (BBPS) will be expanded by August 31 this year by adding ‘mobile prepaid recharges as a biller category. BBPS is an interoperable platform for recurring bill payments operated by the National Payments Corporation of India. In May, 213.59 million bill payment transactions were carried out through the BBPS channel. BBPS was started in 2014 as a platform for repetitive bill payments.

Note: National Payments Corporation of India MD & CEO: DilipAsbe; National Payments Corporation of India Headquarters: Mumbai; National Payments Corporation of India Founded: 2008.

 

2. Wholesale inflation hits record high of 12.94% in May: The wholesale price-based inflation accelerated to a record high of 12.94 per cent in May, on rising prices of crude oil and manufactured goods. The low base effect also contributed to the spike in WPI inflation in May 2021. In May 2020, WPI inflation was at (-) 3.37 per cent. In April 2021, WPI inflation hit double-digit at 10.49 per cent. The annual rate of inflation, based on monthly WPI, was 12.94 per cent for the month of May 2021 (over May 2020) as compared to (-) 3.37 per cent in May 2020.

 

3. Federal Bank enlists Infosys for Oracle CX implementation: Federal Bank has expanded its strategic collaboration with Oracle and Infosys, to offer an enhanced customer experience through Oracle CX (Customer Experience) platform. The collaboration will focus on creating a comprehensive integrated Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution across marketing, sales, customer service, and social listening to strengthen Federal Bank’s operations, and to deliver connected, data-driven, and intelligent customer experiences across all touchpoints.Federal Bank will launch a 360-degree view of the customer portfolio in a single application for its users, to achieve a ‘Single Source of Truth’. These services will help improve productivity and customer satisfaction by using the financial, biographical, and demographical information of customers. Oracle will co-innovate by partnering with the broader ecosystem of Infosys.

Note: Federal Bank MD & CEO: Shyam Srinivasan; Federal Bank HQ: Aluva, Kerala.

 

DEFENCE

 

1. Defence Minister Approves Budgetary Support of Rs 499 cr for innovations: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved the budgetary support of Rs 498.8 crore for iDEX-DIO (Innovations for Defence Excellence – Defence Innovation Organisation) for the next five years. The funds will be used to provide financial support to nearly 300 start-ups, micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and individual innovators with a larger goal of ensuring self-reliance in the defence sector. The scheme is in sync with the government’s push to cut imports of military hardware and weapons and make India a hub for defence manufacturing.

Objectives of IDEX: Facilitate rapid development of new, indigenized, and innovative technologies for the Indian defence and aerospace sector in shorter timelines. Create a culture of engagement with innovative startups, to encourage co-creation for defence and aerospace sectors. Empower a culture of technology co-creation and co-innovation within the defence and aerospace sectors.

About Defence Innovation Organization (DIO): Defence Innovation Organisation(DIO) is a not-for-profit Organisation, incorporated under Section 8 of the Companies Act. Founding Members: Its two founding members are Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) & Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) – Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs). DIO will provide high-level policy guidance to iDEX. However, iDEX will be functionally autonomous. The CEO of both DIO and iDEX will be the same. It will facilitate coordination and separation of functions also without any conflicts.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Pritzker Prize Laureate Gottfried Bohm Passes Away: Gottfried Bohm, the first German architect to be awarded the Pritzker Prize, has passed away at 101. Most of his most notable projects were built in Germany-such as Neviges Pilgrimage Church (1968), Bensberger City Hall (1969), and the Museum of the Diocese (1975). Bohm, who was the eighth winner of the prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize, was widely known for his concrete churches that were largely built in Germany. 

Daily GK Update- 19th Jun, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Justice AK Sikri to chair IAMAI’s Grievance Redressal Board: The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has roped in former Supreme Court Justice (Retd.) Arjan Kumar Sikri to chair the Grievance Redressal Board (GRB), formed as a part of the Digital Publisher Content Grievances Council (DPCGC). The GRB will address content grievances pertaining to any of the DPCGC member’s video streaming services. With the addition of Apple, BookMyShow Stream, Eros Now, and Reeldrama, the DPCGC currently has 14 publishers of online curated content as members. Others include which include Amazon Prime Video, Alt Balaji, Firework TV, Hoichoi, Hungama, Lionsgate Play, MX Player, Netflix, Shemaroo, and Ullu.

About the Grievance Redressal Board:

(1) The Grievance Redressal Board will aim to provide independent adjudication on content grievances escalated to it.

(2) The Grievance Redressal Board includes National award-winning actress SuhasiniManiratnam; MadhuBhojwani, Indian film Producer and Partner at Emmay Entertainment and Motion Pictures; Gopal Jain, Senior Advocate, Supreme Court of India; and DrRanjanaKumari, eminent Civil Society Representative who currently serves as the Director of the Centre for Social Research and as the Chairperson of Women Power Connect.

(3) The two members from the Online Curated Content Providers are Amit Grover, Senior Corporate Counsel, Amazon India, and Priyanka Chaudhari, Director-legal, Netflix India.

Note: Chairman of the Internet and Mobile Association of India: Amit Agarwal; Internet and Mobile Association of India Headquarters: Mumbai; Internet and Mobile Association of India Founded: 2004.

 

2. Bharti Airtel’s AjaiPuri re-elected as COAI chairman for 2021-22: Chief Operating Officer of Bharti Airtel, AjaiPuri has been re-elected as Chairman of the industry association for 2021-22. Announcing the leadership for 2021-22, Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) said that Pramod Kumar Mittal, President of Reliance JioInfocomm, will continue as Vice Chairman of the association. The association “is optimistic about the future of the industry and the opportunities ahead, as 5G and allied technologies get closer to commercial deployment”. COAI director general, SP Kochhar said the digital communications industry, with the support of the government, emerged as the economic and social backbone of the nation, keeping citizens connected and enabling the economy to function during the crisis period of COVID-19 and cyclones.

Note: COAI Headquarters location: New Delhi; COAI Founded: 1995.

 

3. Cricketer Suresh Raina releases his autobiography ‘Believe’: Former Indian batsman, Suresh Raina has released his autobiography ‘Believe – What Life and Cricket Taught Me’. The book is co-authored by Bharat Sundaresan, Suresh Raina narrated the journey he has had for India and the golden word (Believe) from Sachin Tendulkar that he etched on his arm as a tattoo.

The essence of the book: The cricketer shared a glimpse of his cricket career which included success, failure, injuries, setbacks, and how he came out on top of it. He also revealed that it was great to be named as the best fielder in India by former South Africa great Jonty Rhodes and learned from the experience of playing with the likes of Yuvraj Singh, MohdKaif, GautamGambhir, RahulDravid. In the book, he narrated the importance of hope, love, work, and camaraderie that made him one of the most revered white-ball batsmen in the world.

 

4. National Reading Day: 19 June: The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) celebrates National Reading Day annually on 19 June. The Day is celebrated to honour the father of the ‘Library Movement in Kerala’, the late P.N. Panicker, whose death anniversary falls on June 19. In 2021, 26th National Reading Day is being celebrated. The week following June 19 will be observed as Reading Week and the entire month till July 18 will be observed as Reading Month.

The first Reading Day celebration was held in 1996. On June 19, 2017, Prime Minister launched the 22nd National Reading Month Celebrations and called for unity to spread the message of ‘Read and Grow’ among all the citizens of the country by 2022.

 

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. 47th G7 summit held in UK’s Cornwall: The 47th G7 Leaders’ Summit 2021 (Outreach Session of the G7 meeting) took place in a Hybrid format at Cornwall, United Kingdom (UK). It was hosted by the United Kingdom (UK) as it holds the Presidency of G7 for 2021. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually participated in the meeting and called G7 summit members for the ‘One Earth One Health’ approach to effectively deal with the coronavirus pandemic globally, and sought the support of the G7 grouping to lift patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines.Key highlights of the summit:

(1) The theme for the Summit – ‘Building Back Better’.

(2) The UK invited Australia, India, South Korea, and South Africa (jointly called ‘Democracy 11’) as Guest Countries to the 2021 summit.

(3) US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japan Prime Minister YoshihideSuga, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi attended the Summit in person.

(4) The 47th G7 Leaders’ Summit has been called the 1st ever net-zero G7 as all have committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 (or at the latest with ambitious reductions targets in the 2020 decade).

(5) PM Narendra Modi participated in the 1st Outreach Session of the G7 Summit, he was the lead speaker for the session titled ‘Building Back Stronger – Health’, which focused on global recovery from the coronavirus pandemic and on strengthening resilience against future pandemics.

 

2. India ranks 67th in Coursera’s Global Skills Report 2021: As per the ‘Global Skills Report 2021’ released by Coursera, India has been ranked 67th overall globally. The report reveals that, overall, India ranks 67th globally, with 38 per cent proficiency, with mid-rankings in each domain, 55th in business and 66th in both technology and data science. Indian learners have high proficiency in digital skills like Cloud Computing (83%) and Machine Learning (52%) & 54% in Mathematical skills. Improvement is needed in digital skills because in Data Analysis and Statistical programming, ranked only at 25% and 15% skills proficiency. But, Indians trail behind in data skills and need to focus on that.

Top ranks are: (1) Switzerland; (2) Luxembourg; (3) Austria

Note: Coursera CEO: Jeff Maggioncalda; Coursera Headquarters: California, USA.

 

3. Rebeca Grynspan appointed as Secretary-General of UNCTAD: The U.N. General Assembly has approved the appointment of Costa Rican economist Rebecca Grynspan, as the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). She will serve a four-year term of office. She is the first woman and Central American to head UNCTAD. She was nominated as Secretary-General by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Grynspan would replace Isabelle Durant, who is serving as acting Secretary-General since 15 February 2021. Prior to this, Grynspan served as UNDP’s regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean and second vice president of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998.

Note: UNCTAD Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland; UNCTAD Founded: 30 December 1964.

 

4. European Space Agency to Launch ‘EnVision’ Mission to Venus in 2030: European Space Agency (ESA), is now developing its own probe to study Venus, for holistic view of planet from its inner core to upper atmosphere. The mission dubbed as “EnVision” will probably be launched to the planet in early 2030.About the EnVision:

(1) EnVision probe of ESA will determine how and why Venus and Earth evolved so differently, even while being in the habitable zone to the Sun.

(2) ESA will undertake this mission with contributions from NASA.

(3) EnVision spacecraft will carry a range of instruments to study the planet’s atmosphere and surface, monitor trace gases in the atmosphere and analyse its surface composition. NASA would provide a radar to image and map the surface.

Note: European Space Agency Headquarters: Paris, France; European Space Agency Founded: 30 May 1975, Europe; European Space Agency CEO: Johann-Dietrich Worner.

 

5. International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict: 19th June: International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict is observed globally on 19th June every year. The day aims to raise awareness of the need to put an end to conflict-related sexual violence, honour the victims and survivors of sexual violence around the world and pay tribute to all those who have courageously devoted their lives to and lost their lives in standing up for the eradication of these crimes.

Worldwide Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict History: On 19 June 2015, the United Nations General Assembly (A/RES/69/293) announced 19 June of consistently the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict. The date was picked to recognize the selection on 19 June 2008 of Security Council goals 1820 (2008), during which the Council censured sexual savagery as a strategy of war and a hindrance to peacebuilding. 2021 marks the seventh year of celebration of the day.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Wrestler VineshPhogat clinched gold medal in Poland open: Indian wrestler VineshPhogat won the gold medal in the 53 kg category at the Poland Open. It is her third title of the season. Earlier, She had won gold at the Matteo Pellicone event (March) and Asian Championship (April). She defeated Ukraine’s Khrystyna Bereza in the final. Khrystyna Bereza won the silver medal at the Poland Open. Earlier, Indian wrestler Anshu Malik pulled out of the 57kg competition due to fever.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. HDFC MF launches banking and financial services NFO: HDFC Asset Management Company has launched the New Fund Offer of HDFC Banking and Financial Services Fund, which aims to invest in the banking and financial services sector across segments and market capitalisation.The NFO, which opened on June 11, will close on June 25. The fund will invest in companies that are leaders and are gaining market shares due to superior execution, scale and better adoption of technology. The fund will also focus on opportunities in new listings, including pre-IPO participation in lending, insurance, capital market businesses and fintechs.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India’s retail inflation touches 6.3%  in May: India’s retail inflation shot up to a six-month high of 6.3 per cent in May, after easing to a three-month low of 4.23 per cent in April. Inflation, based on Consumer Price Index (CPI), has breached the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) target range for the first time after five months. The RBI is mandated to maintain the crucial number at 4 per cent in the medium term, with a 2 percentage point margin on either side as part of its inflation target.National Statistical Office data for retail inflation showed food inflation shot up to 5% in May from 2% in April as prices of protein items such as meat, fish, eggs, oils and fats accelerated. The fuel bill also went up 11.6% as the government increased retail prices of petrol and diesel after state election results on 2 May. Services inflation jumped as costs of health, transport and personal care rose during the second wave of the pandemic.

 

2. NCLT gives approval to Piramal’s resolution plan for DHFL: The National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) has approved the overall resolution plan of Piramal Group for Dewan Housing Finance Ltd (DHFL). The NCLT pronounced the order on the resolution plan submitted by Piramal Capital & Housing for the stressed DHFL. Piramal Capital has already received approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and Reserve Bank of India for its ₹34,250 crore bid to take over DHFL. The bid amount will enable lenders to recover around 40% of their dues, out of the total admitted claims at ₹87,082 crore.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. Vinoo Mankad and 9 others inducted into ICC Hall of Fame: The ICC has inducted 10 icons of the game, including India’s Vinoo Mankad, into its illustrious Hall of Fame with two players each from five eras, dating back to cricket’s early days, making it to the list. The announcement has been coincided with the inaugural World Test Championship final, to be played between India and New Zealand from June 18 in Southampton. The 10 legends of the game to be inducted have all made a significant contribution to the history of Test cricket, and join an illustrious list of ICC Hall of Famers, taking the total number to 103 as a result of this intake. The inductees are:

(1) Aubrey Faulkner of South Africa and Monty Noble of Australia for the early era (pre-1918),

(2) Sir Learie Constantine of West Indies and Stan McCabe of Australia for the inter-war Era (1918-1945),

(3) Ted Dexter of England and Vinoo Mankad of India for the post-war Era (1946-1970).

(4) Desmond Haynes of the West Indies and Bob Willis of England were inducted from the ODI era (1971-1995)

(5) Andy Flower of Zimbabwe and Kumar Sangakkara of Sri Lanka were from the modern era (1996-2016).

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Former Indian volleyball captain NirmalMilkha Singh passes away: The former Indian women volleyball team captain NirmalMilkha Kaur, who is the wife of sprint legend Milkha Singh (Flying Sikh), has passed away due to COVID-19 complications. NirmalMilkha Singh was also a former Director of Sports for Women in the Punjab Government.

 

2. National award winning Kannada film actor Sanchari Vijay passes away: Veteran Kannada film actor Sanchari Vijay, who won the National award in 2015, has passed away. He made his debut in films in 2011 with the Kannada film RangappaHogbitna. His 2015 film NaanuAvanalla…Avalu, fetched him the Best Actor Award at the 62nd National Film Awards, in which he played the role of a transgender. 

Daily GK Update- 18th Jun, 2021

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Madhya Pradesh govt to launch ‘Yuva Shakti Corona MuktiAbhiyan’: The Government of Madhya Pradesh has launched ‘Yuva Shakti Corona MuktiAbhiyan’ to make the people of the state aware of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It translates to free from Corona with the help of the youth power campaign. The campaign has been launched by the higher education and the technical education department of the state in collaboration with the public healthcare and family welfare department. Under the launched campaign, students in colleges in small groups will be given information and details about the significance of COVID-friendly behaviour and vaccination. These trained students will further disseminate the information to their families and the people in the surrounding areas about the benefits of vaccination and the prevention of Corona.

 

2. National Institute of Immunology receives trademark for India’s first indigenous tumor antigen: The SPAG9 antigen developed by the National Institute of Immunology (NII) has received the ASPAGNIITM trademark, the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) said. India’s first indigenous tumour antigen SPAG9 was discovered in 1998 by Dr Anil Suri who heads the Cancer Research Programme at the NII, a DBT institute. Currently, ASPAGNIITM is being used in dendritic cell (DC) based immunotherapy in cervical, ovarian cancer and will also be used in breast cancer.

 

3. Biotechnology Company MyLab appoints Akshay Kumar as brand ambassador: Bollywood superstar, Akshay Kumar has been appointed as the new brand ambassador of biotechnology company Mylab Discovery Solutions. This announcement comes days after the Pune-based firm launched the country’s first COVID-19 self-test kit “CoviSelf”. The partnership with Akshay is aimed at creating awareness for Mylab’s products and kits such as CoviSelf.

 

4. Raja Parba- Odisha’s Famous Festival celebrated: Raja Parba festival celebrated in Odisha. It is a 3-days unique festival in which the onset of monsoon and the earth’s womanhood is celebrated by the state. It is believed that during this time the Mother Earth or Bhudevi undergoes menstruation. The fourth day is the day of the ‘purification bath’. During 3 days, women don’t work. This festival is synonymous with varieties of cakes (pithas). Thus, Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) has also launched a special programme named ‘Pitha on Wheels’. Different kinds of pithas such as ‘PodaPitha’, ‘Manda’, ‘Kakara’, ‘Arisha’, ‘Chakuli’ and ‘Chandrakala’ have been made available on ‘Pitha on Wheels’ (kiosks on wheels). These vehicles selling traditional cakes have been stationed in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Sambalpur.

             

INTERNATIONALUPDATES:

 

1. Ex-Mongolian prime Minister Khurelsukh won presidential election: Former Mongolian Prime Minister, UkhnaaKhurelsukh became the country’s sixth democratically elected president, further consolidating the power of the ruling Mongolian People’s Party (MPP) with a landslide victory. With 99.7% of votes counted overnight, Khurelsukh’s tally had reached 821,136, or 68% of the total, the largest share of the vote since the democratic era began in 1990. Khurelsukh will replace incumbent KhaltmaaBattulga, who was denied an opportunity to seek re-election following controversial changes to Mongolia’s constitution that restricted presidents to one term in office.

Note: Mongolia Capital: Ulaanbaatar; Mongolia Currency: Mongolian Togrog.

 

2. India’s NagrajAdiga elected in International Association of Ultrarunners Council: India’s NagrajAdiga has been elected as the Asia-Oceania Representative at the recently concluded 2021 International Association of Ultrarunners (IAU) Congress at which the IAU council elections were held. Adiga works closely with the Athletics Federation of India and with various Government bodies to promote health, fitness, and encourage budding sportspersons.

 

3. Israel will become the World’s First Mask-Free Country from June 15: Israel will become the world’s first mask-free country in the Corona period. Here the rule of applying masks in closed places will end from June 15. This was announced by Israel’s Health Minister Yuli Edelstein. The rule of applying masks outside has already been abolished in the country. However, most restrictions related to foreign travel have not yet been lifted. For example, travel to nine countries is still banned. There is a rule of quarantine for travellers coming from these countries. His corona test is also being done.

Note: Israel Prime minister: Naftali Bennett; Israel Capital: Jerusalem; Currency: Israeli Shekel.

 

4. Sustainable Gastronomy Day: 18th June: Sustainable Gastronomy Day is observed on 18 June globally to focus the attention of the world on the role that sustainable gastronomy plays in our lives. The day was designated by UN General Assembly on 21 December 2016. Gastronomy means the practice or art of choosing, cooking, and eating good food. In other words, Sustainable gastronomy takes into account where the ingredients are from, how the food is grown and how it gets to our markets and eventually to our plates. The day reaffirms that all cultures and civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development.

 

5. Autistic Pride Day: 18th June: Every year, Autistic Pride Day is observed on June 18 globally to create awareness about autism among people and recognise the importance of pride for autistic people and its role in bringing about positive changes in the broader society. The day is represented by a rainbow infinity symbol which denotes the infinite possibilities that autistic people have. Autistic Pride Day was first celebrated in Brazil in 2005, at the initiative of an organisation named Aspies for Freedom.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Kathryn Bryce, Mushfiqur Rahim named ICC Players of the month for May: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced Scotland’s Kathryn Bryce and Bangladesh’s Mushfiqur Rahim as the winners of the ICC Player of the Month Awards for May.  ICC Player of the Month Awards aims to recognise and celebrate the best performances from both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket throughout the year.

About the Kathryn Bryce: All-rounder Kathryn Bryce from Scotland was deservingly voted the ICC Women’s Player of the Month for May 2021 as she is the first player from Scotland, male, or female, to make it to the top 10 of the batting or bowling lists in the ICC Player Rankings released recently. Kathryn played four T20Is against Ireland where she scored 96 runs and took 5 wickets with an economy rate of 4.76 in the month of May.

About the Mushfiqur Rahim: From the Bangladesh camp, Mushfiqur Rahim was named the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for May 2021. He played one Test and three ODIs against Sri Lanka in the month of May where he helped Bangladesh win their first ODI series against Sri Lanka by scoring 125 in the second ODI.

 

2. D. Gukesh wins Gelfand Challenge chess title: D. Gukesh sensationally won the $15,000 Gelfand Challenge chess title and with it, a ‘wild card’ for the elite Meltwaters Champions Chess Tour. He won all four rounds, including the key battle against Praggnanandhaa, and emerged on top after a series of favourable results from the games involving other title-contenders.

 

3. ArunaTanwar set to be India’s first ever taekwondo entry at Tokyo Paralympics: ArunaTanwar has been awarded a wild card entry for the upcoming Tokyo Paralympic Games, which will make her the first Indian to compete in the global multi-para sport event, the national federation said. A five time national champion, she has finished on podium in the last four years at both Asian Para Taekwondo Championships and World Para Taekwondo Championships.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. Reserve Bank extends risk-based internal audit system to HFCs: The Reserve Bank extended the risk-based internal audit (RBIA) system to select housing finance companies to enhance the quality and effectiveness of their internal audit system. In February this year, the RBI had issued a circular mandating the RBIA framework for select non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and urban co-operative banks by March 31, 2022. The provisions will apply to all deposit-taking HFCs, irrespective of their size, as well as non-deposit-taking HFCs with asset size of Rs 5,000 crore and above, the central bank said.

 

2. Bank of Maharashtra tops PSU banks in terms of loan, deposit growth: State-owned Bank of Maharashtra (BoM) has emerged as the top performer among public sector lenders in terms of loan and deposit growth during financial year 2020-21. The lender recorded 13.45 per cent increase in gross advances at ₹1.07 lakh crore in 2020-21, as per the published data of BoM. It was followed by Punjab & Sind Bank which posted 8.39 per cent growth in advances with aggregate loans at ₹67,811 crore at the end of March 2021.

 

BUSINESS AND ECONOMY

 

1. India ties with Russia as 4th largest forex reserves holder: As per Reserve Bank of India’s data, the foreign exchange reserves of India has crossed  $600 billion marks for the first time. The Forex reserve of India increased by USD 6.842 billion to $605.008 billion in the week ended June 04, 2021. This is the lifetime high of India’s foreign asset. With this, India has tied with Russia as the fourth largest reserve holder in the world. The forex reserve of Russia is calculated to be $605.2 billion.

 

2. BharatPe acquires loyalty platform PAYBACK India: Merchant payments and financial services provider, BharatPe has acquired a multi-brand loyalty platform, PAYBACK India, to help its 6 million offline merchants roll out rewards and loyalty programmes for customers. The acquisition is expected to give an exit to American Express and ICICI Investments Strategic Fund, which hold 90% and 10% stake respectively in the entity. PAYBACK India will continue to function independently, after the acquisition. The deal is expected to be worth $30 million, an individual aware of the discussions told Mint on condition of anonymity.

With this deal:

(1) BharatPe, which has traditionally been powering payments and providing credit and other financial services to offline merchants, enters a consumer-facing business.

(2) BharatPe will now also provide digital credit to customers and launch ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) services on the PAYBACK platform.

(3) PAYBACK India’s customers can also redeem their loyalty points and BNPL services at offline stores through the BharatPe quick response (QR) code.

Note: Chief Executive Officer of BharatPe: Ashneer Grover; Headoffice of BharatPe: New Delhi; BharatPe Founded: 2018.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. DBS tops Forbes ‘World’s Best Banks’ list in India: DBS Bank has been named by Forbes in their list of World’s Best Banks 2021. DBS was ranked #1 out of 30 domestic and international banks in India for the second consecutive year. This is the third edition of the ‘World’s Best Banks’ list by Forbes, conducted in partnership with market research firm Statista. Over 43,000 banking customers across the globe were surveyed on their current and former banking relationships. The customer survey rated banks on general satisfaction and key attributes like trust, digital services, financial advice, and fees.

Awards:

(1) Recently, DBS Bank India was recognised as ‘India’s Best International Bank 2021’ by Asiamoney.

(2) DBS was named ‘Safest Bank in Asia’ for the 12th consecutive year by New York-based trade publication Global Finance in 2020.

(3) The bank was also Global Finance’s pick for ‘Best Bank in the World’ in the same year, making it the third consecutive global Best Bank accolade received by DBS.

(4) Previously, DBS was named ‘World’s Best Bank’ by leading financial publication Euromoney in 2019.

Note: Managing Director and CEO, DBS Bank India: SurojitShome; DBS Bank CEO: Piyush Gupta; DBS Bank Headquarters: Singapore; DBS Bank Tag Line: “Make Banking Joyful”.

 

2. IIT Roorkee prof bags NSG award for ‘blast-resistant’ helmet: ShaileshGovindGanpule, an assistant professor at the mechanical and industrial engineering department (MIED), was conferred the award with the ‘NSG Counter-IED and Counter-Terrorism Innovator Award 2021′ for developing a “blast-resistant” helmet. This was the second edition of the annual award by NSG. Ceremony held at the National Security Guard (NSG) campus in Maneswar, near Gurgaon. The ‘Blast-Resistant Helmet’ designed by Prof. ShaileshGanpule is an advanced version of conventional helmets to protect military personnel from IED-induced blast waves with a technology readiness of 4.

 

OBITUARIES

 

1. Mahavir Chakra recipient Brigadier Raghubir Singh passes away: Mahavir Chakra recipient legendary veteran, Brigadier Raghubir Singh has passed away. He was commissioned on 18 Apr 1943 into the Sawaiman Guards as a Second Lieutenant and fought a number of wars including the second world war. For this gallant act, the then President of India, Dr S Radhakrishnan, honoured Lieutenant Colonel (later Brigadier) Raghubir Singh with MahaVir Chakra, the second-highest gallantry award in the country.

 

2. Olympian Surat Singh Mathur passes away: Olympian Surat Singh Mathur, the first from independent India to complete a marathon at the Olympics, passed away. Running with the legendary Emil Zatopek in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Mathur completed the marathon in the 52nd place in 2:58.92s. A bronze medallist at the first Asian Games in 1951, Mathur, who was born in MohammadpurMajri village (Karala) in Delhi, was a two-time National champion.