1 India-Maldives joint military exercise “EKUVERIN” begins in Chaubatia, Uttarakhand
The 12th edition of the joint military exercise ” EX EKUVERINE ” between the Indian Army and Maldives National Defense Force to be held at Chaubatia, Uttarakhand from 11 to 24 June 2023 has begun. Ekuverein , meaning ‘ friend ‘ , is a bilateral annual exercise held alternately in India and Maldives. A platoon-strength contingent of the Indian Army and Maldives National Defense Force will participate in the 14-day long exercise. The objective of the exercise is to enhance interoperability in counter insurgency/anti-terrorist operations and to carry out joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations as mandated by the United Nations.
2 ADB and India sign $130 million loan agreement to promote horticulture in Himachal Pradesh
The Government of India and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Thursday (June 8, 2023) signed a $130 million loan to enhance farm productivity, improve irrigation facilities and promote horticulture agri-businesses in the state of Himachal Pradesh to increase farmers’ income. signed the agreement. The Himachal Pradesh Subtropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition Project was signed by Mr. Rajat Kumar Mishra, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, on behalf of the Government of India and Mr. Takeo Konishi, Director, ADB’s India Resident Mission, on behalf of ADB.
3 Indian-origin scientist Joyita Gupta won the Spinoza Prize
Indian-origin scientist Joyeeta Gupta has been awarded the prestigious Spinoza Prize , given for her remarkable contribution to science and her commitment to building a just and sustainable world. This award is also known as the Dutch Nobel Prize . The Spinoza Prize is widely regarded as the highest honor in Dutch science. It honors outstanding researchers who have made significant progress in their fields and demonstrated exceptional scientific contributions. This prestigious award serves as a testament to his phenomenal work and profound impact on society.
4 Amit Agarwal becomes CEO of UIDAI, Subodh Kumar Singh will take charge of NTA
In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet has appointed senior IAS officer Amit Agarwal as the CEO of UIDAI , which provides Aadhaar services . At the same time, senior IAS officer Subodh Kumar Singh has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the National Testing Agency (NTA) . Agarwal (1993 batch) and Singh (1997 batch) are IAS officers of the Chhattisgarh cadre.
5 Indigo CEO Pieter Elbers appointed IATA’s new president
Peter Albers , CEO of India’s largest airline company IndiGo , has been elected as the Chairman of the Board of Governors of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) . He will remain on this post till 2024. Albers will replace the current chairman Rwandair CEO, Yvonne Manzi Makolo. The full form of IATA is International Air Transport Association. It is the largest airline organization in the world. There are about 300 airlines in this, whose share in the world’s air traffic is 83 percent.
6 US Space Force to launch ‘Silent Barker’ satellite to track threats from China and Russia
The US Space Force , in collaboration with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) , is preparing to launch a satellite constellation called Silent Barker . This constellation is exclusively dedicated to Chinese and Russian space vehicles. Designed to address growing concerns around the potential to disable or damage orbiting objects. The primary objective of the Silent Barker satellite constellation is to track and monitor Chinese or Russian space vehicles that pose a threat to critical orbital objects. By deploying this constellation, the US Space Force aims to enhance its ability to detect and track potential threats against high-value US systems. The satellites of the Silent Barker constellation will be located in geosynchronous orbit about 22,000 miles (35,400 km) above Earth. This orbit allows the satellites to match Earth’s rotational speed, ensuring continuous coverage and effective surveillance capabilities.
7 India will host Miss World 2023 beauty pageant after 27 years
India will host the Miss World 2023 pageant after nearly three decades . The much-awaited 71st edition of the Miss World pageant is likely to take place in November this year . However, the final date of the event has not been decided yet. Miss World, Karolina Bilawska was crowned in San Juan, Puerto Rico. India last hosted the international competition in 1996 . Competitors from over 130 countries will participate in the month-long event, which will feature a range of rigorous competitions including talent showcases, sporting challenges and charitable initiatives – all aimed at highlighting the qualities that make these contestants agents of change Are.
8 Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone for 10 National Highway projects worth over Rs 8,415 crore in UP
Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari laid the foundation stone of 10 National Highway projects worth over Rs 8,415 crore in Uttar Pradesh . Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was also present on this occasion . Five National Highway projects worth Rs 2,200 crore will be taken up in the Pratapgarh region, while five such projects worth Rs 6,215 crore will be taken up in the Dauria region of the state.
9 Bilateral trade in non-petroleum products between India and UAE expected to reach $100 billion by 2030: Union Industries Minister Piyush Goyal
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said that India and the United Arab Emirates – UAE are keen to take bilateral trade in non-petroleum products to $100 billion by 2030 . Shri Goyal was addressing the first meeting of the Joint Council of India and UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement-CEPA in the presence of Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade, in New Delhi. The newly formed Joint Council of CEPA will primarily focus on the micro, small and medium enterprises, women entrepreneurs and start-up sector between the two countries.
10. Retail inflation came down to a 25-month low of 4.25 per cent in the month of May this year
Retail inflation based on the Consumer Price Index-CPI came down to a 25-month low of 4.25% in the month of May this year. Inflation rate in April 4.7% Was. Inflation declined mainly due to lower food prices such as cereals and vegetables, as well as lower energy prices. According to data from the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, the Consumer Food Price Index (CFPI) declined to 2.91% from 3.84% in April last month. In May, the rural inflation rate was 4.17%, while the urban inflation rate was 4.27%. The industrial production of the country has increased to 4.2 per cent in April this year. According to the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation, manufacturing sector output grew by 4.9 per cent and mining output by 5.1 per cent in April. There has been a decline of 1.1 per cent in electricity production in April.
11 Bike service of cab aggregator companies like Ola, Uber and Rapido will not run in Delhi for the time being
Bike service of cab aggregator companies like Ola , Uber and Rapido will not run in Delhi at present . Supreme Court Delhi High Court Has stayed the interim order of the High Court in which the cab aggregator companies were allowed to provide bike service till the government’s policy in this regard comes out. A vacation bench headed by Justice Aniruddha Bose passed the order. It is notable that the High Court had stayed the decision of the Delhi government to ban the bike service. The Delhi government challenged the High Court order in the Supreme Court. The Delhi Transport Department had issued a directive to stop plying of bike taxi services by ride-sharing platforms like Uber, Ola and Rapido.
12 The Haryana government announced a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 to the Padma awardees of the state.
The Haryana government has announced a monthly pension of Rs 10,000 to the Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan awardees of the state . They will also get the facility of free travel in Volvo buses of the state government. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar made this announcement in Karnal.
13 Insurance companies will have to create Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID i.e. Ayushman card for new policy holders
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India has asked insurance companies to generate Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID ie Ayushman Card for existing and new policy holders . Under this unique ID, citizens can access all the information related to their health. This ID keeps complete data of your health. Also with its help you can choose the right hospital and doctors. Moreover, you can also avoid the long line at the time of registration and you can save your time. Health ID is part of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) being implemented by the Health Authority (NHA) .
14 INS Trishul celebrates Gandhi’s ‘Satyagraha’ at Durban
The Indian Navy participated in a commemorative event at Pietermaritzburg railway station near Durban to mark 130 years since the beginning of the struggle against apartheid . INS Trishul , a frontline warship of the Indian Navy, at Pietermaritzburg Railway Station from 06 to 09 Jun 23 to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the 7 Jun 1893 Incident as well as 30 years of the restoration of diplomatic relations between India and South Africa at Durban is visiting Mahatma Gandhi arrived in Durban, South Africa in 1893 to work as a legal advisor to the merchant Dada Abdullah . on 07 June 1893 He first arrived at Pietermaritzburg station during his visit to Pretoria in the Transvaal . Gandhiji, who had bought a ticket and was sitting in the first class compartment, was thrown out of the compartment at the behest of a European who said that ‘coolies’ and blacks were not allowed in the first class compartment. This incident is considered to be the trigger that inspired Gandhi to fight against racial oppression and the birth of Satyagraha. The inspiring story of Mahatma Gandhi’s Satyagraha at Pietermaritzburg Railway Station found another life on 25 April 1997, when the Freedom of Pietermaritzburg was dedicated posthumously to Gandhi at a grand ceremony at Pietermaritzburg Railway Station, presided over by the then South African President Nelson Mandela Was.
15 SIDBI launches Mission EVOLVE to finance EVs for MSMEs; GAME receives SIDBI approval for NGAP program
In June 2023 , Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) partnered with NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India), World Bank , Korea-World Bank for financing MSME (Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises) in Electric Vehicle (EV) sector Mission EVOLVE ( Electric Vehicle Operations and Lending for Vibrant Ecosystem ) in association with Partnership Facilitation and the Korean Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF)) launched. The EVOLVE mission aims to provide affordable commercial financing for EV loans to MSMEs by hosting telematics and reducing financing costs. Under the partnership, NITI Aayog will provide technical support to SIDBI, and financial support will be provided by the World Bank, the Korea-World Bank Partnership Facility and the Korean EDCF. On June 9, 2023 Global Alliance for Mass Entrepreneurship (GAME) has received in-principle approval from SIDBI to design and structure a sustainable and scalable NBFC Growth Accelerator Program (NGAP) .
16 China unveils world’s most powerful hypersonic wind tunnel
China has recently completed the construction of the world’s most powerful hypersonic wind tunnel located in the mountainous Huarou district of northern Beijing . This tunnel, called JF-22, has a diameter of 4 meters (13 ft) and can generate incredibly high airflow speeds of up to 10 kilometers (6.2 mi) per second. This enables it to simulate hypersonic flight conditions of up to Mach 30 , which is 30 times the speed of sound. The JF-22 will play a key role in advancing all of Beijing’s hypersonic ambitions. The tunnel will support research and development efforts for China’s space transport system and hypersonic aircraft, as well as for military purposes.
17 Kilauea volcano erupts again
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has lowered the security alert following a new eruption at Kilauea volcano in Hawaii . The alert level has been lowered from ” WARNING ” to ” WATCH ” as the flow rate has declined and no infrastructure is threatened. Aviation warnings have also shifted from red to orange.
18 Novak Djokovic won the 23rd Grand Slam title
Novak Djokovic won the men’s singles title of French Open 2023 by defeating Casper Ruud in straight sets at Roland Garros . This is Novak Djokovic’s third French Open and 23rd Grand Slam title. With this, he created history in tennis. He has become the first male tennis player in the world to win 23 Grand Slams . Djokovic defeated Casper Ruud 7-6, 6-3, 7-5 to win the French Open for the third time. Novak Djokovic also moved past the great Rafael Nadal to take the lead in the men’s Grand Slam race for the first time. Novak Djokovic also became the oldest player to win the French Open . With this victory, 36-year-old Novak Djokovic of Serbia Serena Williams also equaled. Serena Williams also won 23 Grand Slams in her career. Serena Williams could not break Margaret Court’s record of 24 Grand Slams. Novak Djokovic is now halfway to completing his calendar Grand Slam (all four Grand Slams in a year). In men’s tennis, since 1969, no player has been able to achieve this feat. Rod Laver won all four Grand Slams (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and US Open) in 1969.
19 Indian Wrestling Federation elections will be held on July 4
The Indian Olympic Association has announced that the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) elections will be held on July 4 . Mahesh Mittal , former Chief Justice of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, has been appointed as the Returning Officer for the election. Many top wrestlers have signed W.F.I. The outgoing President Brij Bhushan opposed Sharan Singh accusing him of sexual harassment. Subsequently, the Indian Olympic Association on 27 April constituted an ad-hoc committee on the instructions of the Sports Ministry to look after the day-to-day work of the federation.
20 World Child Labor Prohibition Day: 12 June
Every year June 12 is celebrated as World Child Labor Prohibition Day all over the world . Its purpose is to further accelerate the growing worldwide movement against child labour. This year’s theme is ‘ Social Justice for All, End Child Labour’, The International Labor Organization started World Child Labor Prohibition Day in 2002. The aim was to focus on increasing the scope of child labor and measures to prevent it. Every year the day aims to inspire individuals, organizations and governments to work towards the prevention and permanent elimination of child labour. Today, around 218 million children around the world are forced to work, miss school, and have little or no time to play. Many do not even get proper nutrition or proper care. The day reflects the commitment of various stakeholders to bring attention to this important issue and work towards a world free of child labour.