Daily Current Affairs and GK | 23 June 2022

Topic: Space and IT

1. ISRO successfully launched GSAT-24 from Kourou in French Guiana.

• GSAT-24 is India’s communication satellite. It is built by ISRO for NSIL.
• It was launched by the French company Arianespace. It is a 24-Ku band communication satellite weighing 4180 kg, which will meet the requirements of DTH App across India.
• It is the first demand-driven communication satellite mission undertaken by NSIL post space sector reforms.
• NSIL has leased the entire satellite capacity to Tata Play.
• NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is a Government of India company under the Department of Space.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

2. PM Modi will virtually address the 14^th BRICS Summit.

• He will attend the two-day 14^th BRICS Summit hosted by China. The summit started on 23 June 2022.
• The summit is being held in virtual format. Its theme is “Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development”.
• Chinese President Xi Jinping will chair a High-Level Dialogue on Global Development with guest countries on 24 June 2022.
• PM Modi will also deliver a keynote speech virtually in the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum.
• China and Russia have also expressed their willingness to discuss the expansion of the BRICS group.
• BRICS New Development Bank has already expanded by including UAE, Bangladesh, Uruguay, and Egypt.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to attend the 26^th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

• Dr S. Jaishankar is on a four-day visit to Rwanda to lead the Indian delegation at the 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
• The 26th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is being held from 20-25 June 2022, in Kigali, Rwanda.
• ‘Delivering a Common Future: Connecting, Innovating, Transforming’ is the theme of the summit.
• The Commonwealth Member States representatives will discuss various global issues including climate change, food security and health issues.
• Dr S. Jaishankar will also hold several bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Commonwealth member countries.
• India is one of the largest contributors to the Commonwealth and it is committed to deepening its ties with Commonwealth members.
• Commonwealth of Nations:
  • It is a voluntary political organization of 54 countries.
  • Most of the countries in this association were colonies of the British Empire.
  • Its headquarters is located in London.

Topic: National News

4. Science & Technology Minister Dr Jitendra Singh inaugurated a seismological observatory centre at Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir.

• Seismological Observatory at Udhampur will record the data related to the inner activities of the earth’s crust and help in earthquake monitoring in the region.
• Udhampur is the third place in Jammu and Kashmir where such seismic observations will be now recorded. It is the latest, upgraded and world-class ‘Earthquake Observatory’ under the aegis of ‘National Centre of Seismology’. The National Centre for Seismology (NCS) under Ministry of Earth Sciences is located in New Delhi.
• Udhampur district lies between Main Frontal Thrust (MFT) and Main Boundary Thrust (MBT).
• In the last eight years, India has installed more than 70 such observatories across the country.
• The government is planning to install 100 more such seismological centres in the next 5 years.
• These centres are being installed as part of the ‘Seismic Microzonation’ initiative. It aims to create geotechnical and seismological parameters for earthquake-resilient structures and infrastructures.
• These seismological observatories will help in real-time data monitoring and data collection.

Topic: Infrastructure and Energy

5. Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport becomes the first airport to run entirely on hydro and solar energy.

• Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport has switched entirely on hydro and solar power from 1 June.
• It has become the first airport in India to use green energy for its all consumption needs.
• Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport full fills 6 per cent of the energy requirement from solar energy while the remaining 94 per cent of the energy comes from hydropower plants.
• The use of renewable energy will help the airport in reducing energy emissions by 2 lakh tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
• Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International (IGI) airport is aiming to become a Net Zero Carbon Emission airport by 2030.
• Delhi airport was the first airport in the Asia-Pacific region to get ‘Level 4+’ under ACI’s airport carbon accreditation program in 2020.
• Cochin International Airport is the first airport in India to run entirely on solar energy.

Topic: Important Days

6. World Rainforest Day: 22 June

• World Rainforest Day is observed every year on 22 June.
• It was started by the Rainforest Partnership to preserve the tropical rainforests.
• The theme of this year’s World Rainforest Day is 'The Time is Now'.
• World Rainforest Day was observed for the first time on 22 June 2017.
• Various organisations, environment enthusiasts and NGOs celebrate this day by creating awareness among individuals about the rainforests.
• Amazon Rainforest, Congo Rainforest, Sundaland, Atlantic Forest, and Guinean Forests of West Africa are some important rainforests in the world.
• Rainforests cover around 6% of Earth’s surface, but it has more than 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

7. Khuvsgul Lake National Park of Mongolia has been added to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO.

• The decision of adding Khuvsgul Lake to the World Network of Biosphere Reserves has been made during the 34th session of the International Co-ordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme.
• Khuvsgul Lake is located in the Khuvsgul province of Mongolia near the Russian border.
• It contains nearly 70 per cent of Mongolia’s fresh water and is 1,645 meters above sea level. It is 136 km long and 262 meters deep.
• A total of nine sites in Mongolia are under the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
• World Network of Biosphere Reserves:
  • It is a network of designated protected areas known as biosphere reserves.
  • It promotes collaboration through sharing knowledge, exchanging experiences, building capacity and promoting best practices.
  • It comes under the Man and the Biosphere Programme.

Topic: Personality in News

8. Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov sell his Nobel Peace Prize to help children of Ukraine.

• The co-winner of the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize, Dmitry Muratov, has sold his Nobel Prize in a record $103.5 million.
• He auctioned his medal on World Refugee Day to help children displaced by the war in Ukraine.
• He had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2021 with Maria Ressa of the Philippines.
• Dmitry Muratov won the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is the precondition for democracy.

Topic: Indian Polity

9. 111 ‘non-existent’ parties deleted by Election Commission from the list of registered political parties.

• During a verification exercise, Election Commission has given an order to delist 111 registered unrecognised political parties from its register.
• These parties were found to be "non-existent" during verification. The letters issued by Election Commission to verify their addresses and communication details return as undelivered.
• These 111 registered unrecognized political parties did not comply with Article 29A (4) and Article 29A (9) of the Representation of People Act, 1951.
• Election Commission has also started action against several registered political parties for claiming tax exemptions.
• Earlier this month, Election Commission removed 87 non-existent political parties from its register.
• There are around 2,800 registered unrecognised political parties in India.
• Political party registration:
  • Political party registration is done under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
  • Any party seeking registration has to submit an application to the Election Commission within 30 days after its formation.

Topic: International Appointments

10. Lisa Sthalekar to become first woman President of International Cricketers’ Association.

• Former Australia cricketer Lisa Sthalekar has been named as the President of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations.
• She will take the place of former England cricketer Vikram Solanki.
• She has been appointed during a FICA Executive Committee meeting in Nyon, Switzerland.
• Lisa Sthalekar has represented Australia in 187 international matches. She played an important role in Australia's victory in the 2010 T20 World Cup final.

Topic: National News

11. The new premises of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry called Vanijya Bhawan inaugurated by PM Modi.

• The Vanijya Bhawan has been designed as a smart building, which is built near India Gate.
• It includes sustainable architectural principles with an emphasis on saving energy.
• During the Program, Modi also unveiled a new portal called NIRYAT (National Import-Export Record for Yearly Analysis of Trade).
• It has been developed as a one-stop platform for stakeholders to get all relevant information regarding India's foreign trade.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Books and Authors

12. Biography of billionaire Gautam Adani will be published in October.

• The biography "Gautam Adani: The Man Who Changed India" has been written by journalist-author R N Bhaskar.
• It will be published under the "Hamish" imprint of Penguin Random House (PRHI).
• Gautam Adani is the chairman and founder of the Adani Group.
• The Ahmedabad-based Adani Group is a multinational conglomerate in India.
• He founded it in 1988 as a commodity trading business.

Topic: MoUs/ Agreements

13. Indian Navy signed landmark MoU with Shipping Directorate-General.

• On June 20, an MoU has been signed by the Indian Navy (IN) and the Directorate General (DG) of Shipping to facilitate the transition of both current and retired Indian Navy personnel into the Merchant Navy.
• Through this MoU, DG Shipping envisions to certify IN personnel in compliance with the International STCW (Standards for Training, Certification, and Watchkeeping for Seafarers) conventions.
• The MoU aligns with the Government’s focus on the maritime sector, particularly the Blue economy and qualified and trained human resources.
• Through the DGS Order 17 of 2022, DG Shipping has issued detailed procedures to implement this transition.
• Directorate-General of Shipping:
  • It is an attached office within the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways of the Government of India, which handles all administrative issues related to merchant shipping.
  • In September 1949, the Directorate General of Shipping was established with headquarters in Bombay.
  • Shri Amitabh Kumar is the Director-General of Shipping.

(Source: PIB)

Topic: Important Days

14. United Nations Public Service Day 2022: 23 June

• Every year on June 23, the United Nations Public Service Day is observed.
• The theme of the UN Public Service Day 2022 is “Building back better from COVID-19: Enhancing innovative partnerships to meet the Sustainable Development Goal.”
• The day raises awareness of the importance and virtue of public service to communities.
• Additionally, it honours the efforts of public servants and promotes a career in the public sector.
• On 20 December 2002, the General Assembly decided to observe 23 June as Public Service Day.
• The UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) program was started by the UN in 2003 in an effort to recognize the importance of public service.
• Later in 2016, the program was reviewed to align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.