PRELIMS BITS
1. June 18 is observed as:
--Autistic Pride Day (Theme: 'Inclusion in the Workplace: Challenges and Opportunities in a Post-Pandemic World’)
2. World Day to Combat Desertification & Drought is observed on:
--June 17 (Theme: “Rising up from drought together”)
3. Which state launched the Ennum Ezhuthum scheme to bridge the learning gap that was caused due to the COVID pandemic among students aged below eight:
--Tamil Nadu, by CM MK Stalin
4. Who is appointed as the new chairperson of the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI):
--Pramod K Mittal (succeeds: Ajai Puri)
5. Who was sworn in as the new Lokayukta of Karnataka:
--Former Karnataka High Court judge, Bhimanagouda Sanganagouda Patil
6. India’s position in IMD’s World Competitiveness Index 2022, compiled by the Institute for Management Development (IMD)
--37th (Top: Denmark; Top in Asian countries: Singapore(3rd))
7. Who has retained his place in the ICC Elite Panel and is set to make his maiden appearance as a neutral umpire in Sri Lanka later this month:
--India’s Nitin Menon
8. The Eighth Global Conference of Young Parliamentarians is being hosted in:
--Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt (India’s representation is being done by S. Phangon Konyak at the Conference, she’s the first woman from Nagaland to be elected as MP to Rajya Sabha)
9. Who has been appointed by the Centre as Chairperson of the Press Council of India:
--Ranjana Prakash Desai J. (Relevant section: section 5(2) & 6(1) of Press council of India Act 1978)
10. Which place in India recorded massive rainfall of 972mm making June 17 the third wettest June day in 122 years:
--Cherrapunjee in Meghalaya
11. Recently an MoU has been signed to set up India’s First Dark Sky Reserve in Ladakh between:
-- between Ladakh’s administration, LAHDC Leh, and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), at Hanle’s Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
12. Maharashtra’s First theatre festival dedicated to mental health is being hosted in:
--Pune from June 22-23
13. Which church in Mumbai will become Carbon Neutral in the next 2 years:
--Mumbai’s St Michael church, also known as Mahim Church
14. Which airport was named the best regional airport in India and South Asia at the Skytrax World Airport Awards 2022:
--Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport (Skytrax is a UK-based agency that reviews and ranks airports and airlines)
15. Which song by late singer Sidhu moosewala has entered the Billboard Global 200 chart, adding him to the list of very few Indian artists to do so:
--song ‘296’ at 154 Position.
16. Which cricket team recorded the highest-ever total in ODI cricket history:
--Men’s Cricket team of England scored 498/4 against the Netherlands in one-day international series
NEWS IN DETAIL (FOR JUDICIARY MAINS+PRELIMS)
17. Cabinet approves development of Greenfield Airport in Gujarat’s Dholera:
--cabinet committee on Economic Affairs has approved the development of phase 1 of greenfield Airport in Gujarat’s Dholera.
--union minister of IB Anurag Thakur said that 1,501 hectares of land had been allocated for the airport which will be built within 48 months.
18. The upper age limit for Agnipath scheme hiring is raised to 23 for 2022:
--Amid nationwide protest for the Agnipath scheme, the Union government has raised the upper age limit for recruitment from 21 to 23.
--a spokesperson from the defense ministry said that keeping in view the pandemic situation of the last two years and that no recruitments were made during this time, the government has decided that a one-time waiver shall be granted for the proposed recruitment cycle for 2022.
--it has been clarified by the government that the number of Agniveers to be recruited in the first year would only make up 3% of the armed forces. “No change is being done to the regimental system".
19. Sensex, Nifty log worst week in over 2 years dragged by IT:
--India’s stock logged worst week in over two years since the week ended May 8, 2020, dragged by information technology, and metal stocks after U.S.Fedral Reserve raised rates by 75bps, the biggest since 1994.
--though metal and I.T indices declined the most in the week. Losses were logged in all sectoral indices.
--This is the 6th straight session of losses for Sensex and Nifty.
20. Extradition of WikiLeaks’ Founder Julian Assange to the US approved by the UK:
--UK’s secretary of state for the home department has approved the extradition of WikiLeaks’ Founder Julian Assange to the US to face criminal charges.
--Assange is wanted by US authorities on 18 counts, including a spying charge, relating to WikiLeaks’s release of vast troves of confidential US military records and diplomatic cables which they said had put lives in danger.
21. India successfully test-fired Prithvi-II Ballistic Missile at Chandipur:
--India has test-launched Short-Range Ballistic Missile, Prithvi-II from an integrated test range in Chandipur, Odisha.
--It is an indigenously developed, surface-to-surface missile. It is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines. Its range is 350 km and can carry a one-ton payload. Prithvi-II is capable of carrying 500-1,000 kilogram of warheads and is powered by liquid propulsion twin engines. The state-of-the-art missile uses an advanced inertial guidance system with a maneuvering trajectory to hit its target.
22. Delhi court denies Bail to GNCTD Minister Satyendar Jain in PMLA case:
--Special Judge Geetanjali Goel dismissed the bail plea moved by Satyendra Jain, a cabinet minister of the Government of National Capital Territory of India.
--Jain was sent to judicial custody earlier this month in connection with a money laundering case being probed by the Enforcement Directorate.
--The money laundering case is based upon an FIR registered by the CBI against the minister and other individuals in 2017 under the prevention of corruption Act.
23. European Commission recommends Ukraine be granted EU candidate status:
--amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the European Commission recommended that Ukraine be granted EU candidature.
--quoting European commission President Ursula von der Leyen said “Ukraine has clearly shown commitment to live up to European values and standards.”
--The leaders of the bloc’s 27 existing members are scheduled to discuss the recommendation during a summit in Brussels next week.
24. China launches its third aircraft carrier:
--named Fujian at a shipyard in shanghai.
--The first catapult aircraft carrier wholly designed and built by the country. It was named after the Fijian province that is opposite self-ruled Taiwan, which China claims as its territory.
25. India-US proposal to list Pakistan-based terrorist Makki as a global Terrorist blocked by China:
--joint proposal proposed by India-US to name Abdul Rehman Makki as a global terrorist under ISIL (da’esh) and Al-Qaida sanctions committee of the security council was blocked by China.
--Makki is a U.S designated terrorist and brother-in-law of Lashkar-e-taiba head. China has played similar such moves in the past as well.
26. WTO fisheries deal approved by all 164 members; it was initially opposed by India:
--after India opposed eliminating fisheries subsidies, on the fourth day of WTO’s 12th ministerial conference in Geneva have now approved it.
--WTO (world trade organization) is the only global international organization dealing with rules of trade between nations; it has 164 members and 23 observer governments; the structure of WTO is dominated by the ministerial conference composed of representatives of all WTO members.
27. Ukraine plans to introduce Visas for Russians out rolling visa-free travel:
--Ukraine plans to introduce Visas for Russian nationals from July 1st announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
--This move is taken due to the full-scale war that emerged between the two countries.
--This move will end Visa-free travel for Russians for the first time since Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union.