NATIONAL:
1. Heatwave Deaths (Heat Stroke)
Why in news - Central teams rushed to the affected states to guide the governments.
Key Points –
• Heat Exhaustion –
(a) Body sweats excessively to keep the core temperature low.
(b) Feeling drained and tired after stepping out on an extremely hot day.
• Heatstroke –
(a) Temperature is so high (up to 400 C) that the body is unable to sweat to regulate the core temperature.
(b) It leads to a severe imbalance of salts such as sodium and potassium in the body.
(c) High core temperature coupled with salt imbalances disrupts organs including brain, kidney and liver.
About Heatwave –
• A period of abnormally high temperatures that occurs during the summer season (March and June) in the North-Western parts of India.
• Criteria for Heat Waves - maximum temperature of a station reaches atleast 40°C for Plains and atleast 30°C for Hilly regions.
• Based on Departure from Normal –
(a) Heat Wave: Departure from normal is 4.50 C to 6.40 C.
(b) Severe Heat Wave: Departure from normal is >6.40C.
• Based on Actual Maximum Temperature –
(a) Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥ 450 C.
(b) Severe Heat Wave: When actual maximum temperature ≥470 C.
• For coastal areas – maximum temperature departure is 4.5O C or more from normal or 37OC or more.
• If above criteria met at least in 2 stations in a Meteorological sub-division for at least two consecutive days and it is declared on the second day.
2. IndiGo’s Mega Aircraft Order
Why in news – IndiGo placed a mega aircraft order for 500 Airbus A320neo family planes at the Paris Air Show.
Key Points –
• Largest-ever order placed by an airline in one go (in terms of the number of aircraft ordered).
• Air India’s February order - 470 Airbus and Boeing aircraft).
• Order value - over $50 billion.
• IndiGo has a market share (by passengers carried) of over 60%.
• India’s aviation market is the third-largest globally.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. PM Modi’s State Visit to USA
Why in news - PM Narendra Modi made a state visit to the United States from 21 June to 24 June, 2023.
Key Points –
• This is PM Modi’s first state visit to the USA.
About State Visit –
• Highest-ranked category of foreign visits to the US.
• Head of state visits the US on the formal invitation of the US President.
• It signifies that the US considers the guest nation an important friend and ally.
• Special features - state dinner, 21-gun salute and stay at the Blair House (US President’s guesthouse).
• Previous state visits by Indian leaders to the US - Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1963) and Manmohan Singh (2009).
2. Titanic Tourist Submersible
Why in news - Deep-diving submersible Titan went missing in the area of the Titanic wreck in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Key Points –
• The Titanic lies in about 14,000 feet of water in the North Atlantic, 370 miles south of Newfoundland, Canada.
• Pinger - an acoustic device that emits sounds that can be detected underwater by rescuers.
• Titan is operated by OceanGate.
Value Addition -
• Deep sea divers use a mixture of helium and oxygen for breathing.
• CURV-21 - remote-operated underwater vehicles by U.S. Navy.
• Difference between submersible and submarine - Submersible does not function as an autonomous craft. It relies on a support platform to deploy and return.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. “Dakshta” Course
Why in news - The Indian government has launched a new online course called “Dakshta” on the iGOT Karmayogi platform.
Key Points –
• Dakshta - Development of Attitude, Knowledge, Skill for Holistic Transformation in Administration.
• Aim - to upskill young professionals in various domains to enhance their effectiveness in government roles.
• It brings together 6 functional hubs.
• It consists of 18 courses tailored specifically for young professionals.
• The iGOT Karmayogi platform guide government officials in capacity-building and professional development.
SUMMITS & CONFERENCES:
1. Bonn Climate Change Conference (SB58)
Why in news - The Bonn climate change conference was held at the World Convention Center in Bonn, Germany.
Key Points –
• The 3rd and final round of technical discussions on global stocktake (GST) was held.
• Global stocktake –
(a) Mandated by the 2015 Paris Agreement (Article 14) - must be conducted every five years, starting in 2023.
(b) Aim - to assess the progress in the fight against climate change.
Value Addition –
• Annex I countries –
(a) Mentioned in Annexure I of the 1992 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
(b) A group of about 40 rich and industrialised countries.
• Historical Responsibility –
(a) Bulk of the accumulated greenhouse gas emissions (global warming) have come from Annex I countries.
(b) Differentiated burden-sharing on developed and developing countries in the climate change framework.
• Role of non-Annex I countries in global warming Since 1992 –
(a) About 57% of CO2 emissions had come from non-Annex I countries.
(b) 70% of the incremental warming due to CO2, methane and sulphur dioxide had come from non-Annex I countries.
• Mitigation Work Programme (MWP) –
(a) Set up at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021.
(b) A temporary emergency exercise focused only on increasing emission cuts.
• Climate Funding –
(a) Developing countries need US$ 6 trillion till 2030 to implement their climate action plans.
(b) Loss and damage of developing countries every year - US$ 400 billion.
(c) Under Green Climate Fund, developed nations committed $100 billion every year by 2020.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. LEED Zero Green Certification Initiative
Why in news - India ranked first globally in LEED Zero certified green building projects.
Key Points –
• India has 73 LEED Zero certified projects.
• Leaders –
(a) Company - DLF (realty firm) and ITC (FMCG player).
(b) States - Haryana and Tamil Nadu.
• It recognizes projects that have reached net zero or net positive status in the categories of carbon, energy, water, or waste.
• Other top performers – US (2nd) and China (3rd).
• Published by - US Green Building Council (USGBC) and Green Business Certification Inc (GBCI).
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Indian Languages Programme
Why in news - Google launched Indian Languages Program to support local language publishers in India.
Key Points –
• Launched by - Google News Initiative (GNI).
• Support is being provided for a total of 9 languages i.e., English, Hindi, Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Malayalam, Gujarati, and Marathi.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. 9th International Yoga Day 2023
Why in news - Since 2015, June 21 has been celebrated as International Yoga Day.
Key Points –
• Theme - Yoga for Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
• National celebration of Yoga day – Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh). Led BY Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
• PM Narendra Modi led a yoga class for the first time at the United Nations Headquarters on June 21, 2023.
• Rajnath Singh joined Navy personnel on board INS Vikrant to participate in the yoga celebrations.
• December 11, 2014 - The UN proclaimed June 21 as International Day of Yoga during the 69th session of the General Assembly.
Value Addition –
Yoga School –
• Part of orthodox school of Indian philosophy.
• Founder - Sage Patanjali.
• Literal meaning - Union of two major entities (physical and mental discipline).
• Yogasutra of Patanjali (2nd century BCE) explains the origins of Yoga and the school.
• Early references to Yoga philosophy - Brihadarayanka Upnishad (the oldest Upnishad), Chandogya Upnishad, Katha Upnishad etc.
• YOGA School is closely related to Samkhya school.
• Path to moksha - systematic techniques and practices, or personal experimentation, combined with Samkhya’s approach to knowledge.
SPORTS:
1. Asian Fencing Championships
Why in news - Olympian C A Bhavani Devi scripted history by winning bronze at the Asian Fencing Championships.
Key Points –
• She won bronze after losing to Uzbekistan’s Zaynab Dayibekova.
• Venue - Wuxi, China.
• Bhavani Devi was the first Indian fencer to qualify for the Olympics (Tokyo Games).
BIHAR:
1. Viraat Ramayan Temple
Why in news - Work on the “world’s largest Ramayan temple” began in East Champaran district in Bihar on June 20, 2023.
Key Points –
• Secretary of the Patna ¬based Mahavir Temple Trust Acharya Kishor Kunal, along with former Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court Justice S. N. Jha and others, laid the foundation stone.
• The 3-storey Viraat Ramayan temple would be completed by the end of 2025.
• Estimated cost – Rs 500 crore.
• Location - Kaithwalia¬Bahuara villages (area - 3.76 lakh sq. ft).
• Temple specification - 12 domes, 2,800 feet in length, 1,400 feet in width and 405 feet in height.
POINTERS:
• Which has bagged the first rank in the 4th National Water Awards in the Best Industry category - NTPC Barauni.
• Which country has launched 41 satellites into space in a single mission – China.
• Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey has launched the "Dugdh Sanakalan Saathi Mobile" App in which state - Uttarakhand (Mussoorie).
• What percent increase has been recorded in the Gross Direct Tax Collection for the financial year 2023-24 so far - 12.73 percent.
• India gifted the indigenously built in-service missile corvette INS Kirpan to which country – Vietnam.
• Who has built the 'Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope' - Pune's Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA).
• Which state government has launched Griha Jyoti Yojana – Karnataka.
• In which state the National Yoga Olympiad is being organized - Madhya Pradesh.
• NTPC Power Trading Corporation has launched the first solar rooftop project in which IIT - IIT Jodhpur.
• As per the recent reports Jan Aushadhi Yojana has helped citizens to save approximately how many thousand crore rupees - Rs 20,000 crore.