NATIONAL:
1. Kavach
Why in news - Discussions around “Kavach” have taken center stage after the train accident in Balasore, Odisha which killed 288 people.
Key Points –
• It is India’s own automatic protection system under the name Train Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), which got rechristened to Kavach or “armour”.
• It was in development since 2012.
• Successful implementation of Kavach was showcased on South Central Railway in March 2022.
How Kavach Works –
• It is a set of electronic devices and Radio Frequency Identification devices installed in locomotives, in the signalling system as well the tracks.
• Devises talk to each other using ultra high radio frequencies to control the brakes of trains and also alert drivers.
• It is able to send out triggers when a loco pilot jumps signal, called Signal Passed at Danger (SPAD) which is key to accidents like collision.
• It useful for loco pilots in low visibility, especially during dense fog.
• It continuously updates the train's movement authority and can automatically sound the whistle at level crossing gates.
About Kavach –
• Developed by - Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow.
• It adheres to the highest level of safety and reliability standard called Safety Integrity Level 4.
Value Addition –
• Currently, deployed on over 1,098 km and 65 locomotives in South Central Railway. In future to be implemented on 3000 km of the Delhi-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah corridors.
• Major automatic train protection systems around the world –
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Malligyong-1 Satellite
Why in news - North Korea’s first spy satellite (Malligyong-1) launch ends in failure, crashed into sea.
Key Points –
• Crashed North Korean rocket was found near the island of Eocheongdo in in the Yellow Sea.
2. Ama Ata Aidoo
Why in news - Ghanaian writer and feminist Ama Ata Aidoo died at 81.
Key Points –
• Her 1st work - The Dilemma of a Ghost (1965).
• She won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best Book for Changes.
ECONOMY:
1. Penalty on Indian Overseas Bank
Why in news - RBI has imposed a monetary penalty of Rs 2.20 crore on Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) for rule violations.
Key Points –
• Reason - for non-compliance with income recognition and certain regulatory rules.
• It was done under Statutory Review for the Supervisory Rating of the Bank.
• IOB hq – Chennai.
2. Dubai FDI Monitor
Why in news - According to the Dubai FDI Monitor, Dubai ranked No. 1 as the Destination City for foreign direct investment (FDI) from India in 2022.
Key Points –
• Top 5 FDI source – USA (20%), UK (13%), India (12%), France (5%) and Switzerland (4%).
• FDI from India stood at $545.52 million in 2022
SECURITY:
1. Arctic Exercises
Why in news - NATO countries have started Arctic military exercises to defend their newest member, Finland.
Key Points –
• Venue - Rovajarvi, northern Finland.
• Finland formally joined NATO on April 4, 2023.
• The addition of Finland doubles the length of the border NATO shares with Russia
• Sweden hopes to be a member by the time of NATO's summit in Vilnius in July 2023.
• NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. World Environment Day 2023
Why in news – It is celebrated on June 5.
Key Points –
• Host country 2023 - Côte d’Ivoire (in partnership with the Netherlands).
• Theme - “Solutions to plastic pollution”.
• Côte d’Ivoire city of Abidjan has become a hub for eco-conscious startups.
• By - United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Value Addition –
• First World Environment Day – 1973, theme “Only One Earth”.
• It was established in 1972 by the United Nations at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment.
APPOINTMENTS:
1. Celeste Saulo
Why in news - Celeste Saulo has been appointed as the first female Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).
Key Points –
• She would assume office on January 1, 2024 and succeeded Petteri Taalas.
• She is currently the First Vice-President of WMO.
• Next WMO President - Dr Abdulla Al Mandous (UAE).
About WMO (1950) –
• Specialized agency of the United Nations (UN).
• Headquarters - Geneva, Switzerland.
• India is a member of WMO.
• Major Programs - World Weather Watch, World Climate Program, Atmospheric Research and Environment Program.
• Reports - State of Climate report, Greenhouse Gas Bulletin etc.
2. Dennis Francis
Why in news - Dennis Francis elected as the new president of 78th UN General Assembly.
Key Points –
• He is from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.
• Current UNGA President - Csaba Korosi.
POINTERS:
• Who won the Emerging Player of the Season award in IPL 2023 - Yashasvi Jaiswal.
• 8th International Convention of the Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music among Youth -SPIC MACAY was inaugurated was inaugurated in which city – Nagpur.
• Where have the signs of pre-Mauryan era been found from the latest excavation - Old fort of Delhi.
• Which film won the title of "Palme d'Or" at Cannes Film Festival 2023 - Anatomy of a Fall.
• India and which country have agreed to create opportunities for lifelong learning – Singapore.
• Till which year the Atal Bhujal Yojana has been extended – 2027.
• Who has been elected as the third Vice President of the Meteorological Organization (WMO) - Mrityunjay Mohapatra.
• Who has been elected as the new President of Latvia recently - Edgars Rinkevics.
• India will import 10,000 MW of electricity from the neighboring country – Nepal.
• Which country has recently become a member of CLN (Centralized Laboratory Network) for testing vaccines – India.