NATIONAL:
1. Private Rail Coach Factory
Why in news - India’s largest rail private coach factory was inaugurated in Telangana’s Kondakal village (Rangareddy district) on June 22, 2023.
Key Points –
• Built by - Joint venture of Medha Servo Drives Pvt Ltd and Stadler Rai (Hq - Bussnang, Switzerland).
• It designs and makes electrical and electronic Railway products.
• Production capacity - 500 coaches and 50 locomotives annually.
Value Addition –
• Medha Servo Drives –
(a) Largest propulsion equipment supplier to the Indian Railways.
(b) Only Indian firm having in-house research and development (R&D) facilities.
2. Largest Yoga Gathering
Why in news – Surat made a new Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people for a yoga session in one place.
Key Points –
• Over 1.25 lakh people attended the International Yoga Day event at Vesu in Surat.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Implosion of Titan
Why in news – A catastrophic implosion is blamed for the deaths of all five people onboard a deep-sea submersible Titan.
Key Points –
• Titan was traveling to the wreckage of the Titanic at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean (depth - about 4,000 m or 13,000 feet).
• Implosion - An object collapses in on itself in milliseconds (opposite of an explosion).
• At sea level, atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi), or 100 kilopascals.
• The water pressure at the site of the Titanic wreck is roughly 6,000 psi (more than 41,000 kilopascals).
• RMS Titanic was a British passenger liner that sank in the North Atlantic Ocean in the early morning of 15 April 1912.
• Titanic collided with an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City.
2. Chashma-V Nuclear Plant
Why in news – Pakistan and China signed a $4.8 billion deal to build a 1,200-megawatt nuclear power plant.
Key Points –
• Location – Mianwali district of Punjab.
• It would be Pakistan’s 7th nuclear power plant
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. Micron Semiconductor Plant
Why in news – Indian cabinet has given its approval to US chipmaker Micron Technology's plan to invest $2.7 billion.
Key Points –
• Micron's Assembly Testing Marking and Packaging would be built in Sanand Gujarat.
• Government support – Rs 11,000 crore ($1.34 billion) under production-linked incentives for the semiconductor plant.
2. Artemis Accords
Why in news – India has joined the Artemis Accords led by the United States.
Key Points –
• It is a collaborative effort aimed at promoting civil space exploration.
• India joined like-minded nations committed to the peaceful exploration and use of outer space.
• NASA and ISRO have announced a joint mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2024.
About Artemis Accords (2020):
• It is grounded in the Outer Space Treaty of 1967 (OST).
• Non-binding framework of principles that guide civil space activities.
• It outlines the “principles for cooperation in space exploration and the use of the moon, mars, comets, and asteroids for peaceful purposes.”
• There is a total of 28 nations so far including India.
RANKS & INDICES:
1. Global Liveability Index 2023
Why in news – The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the Global Liveability Index 2023.
Key Points –
• Top 3 –
(a) 1st - Vienna, Austria
(b) 2nd – Copenhagen, Denmark
(c) 3rd - Melbourne, Australia.
• From Asia, Osaka (Japan) ranked number 10. (1st in Asia).
• Average Index Score - 76.2.
• Bottom 3 –
(a) 173rd - Damascus, Syria
(b) 172nd - Tripoli, Libya
(c) 171st - Algiers, Algeria.
• Evaluates 5 metrics - Healthcare, culture, environment, education, and stability (declined in 2023).
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. International Day of Women in Diplomacy (IDWID) 2023
Why in news – It is observed on June 24 to celebrate inspiring women in field of diplomacy.
Key Points –
• Theme - Breaking Barriers, Shaping the Future: Women in Diplomacy for Sustainable Development.
• Diana Abgar (Armenian ambassador) - first female diplomat of the 20th century.
• IDWID resolution was adopted by the UNGA on June 20, 2022.
• SDG 5 – Gender equality.
2. Olympic Day 2023
Why in news – It is celebrated on June 23.
Key Points –
• Theme - Let's Move.
• First ever Olympic Day celebration – June 23, 1948.
• 23 June 1894 - International Olympic Committee (IOC) was founded by Baron Pierre de Coubertin.
• IOC was founded at the Sorbonne in Paris.
Value Addition –
• April 6, 1896 - The inaugural Olympic Games kicked off in Athens, Greece.
• Father of modern Olympics - Pierre de Coubertin (French Baron).
3. World Hydrography Day (WHD) 2023
Why in news – It is observed annually on June 21.
Key Points –
• Theme - Hydrography – Underpinning the Digital; Twin of the Ocean.
• WHD was celebrated by the Indian Naval Hydrographic Department at National Hydrographic Office, Dehradun.
• International Hydrographic Organisation (Hq - Monaco) was established in 1921.
BIHAR:
1. Best Legislator
Why in news – Congress MLA in Bihar Legislative Assembly Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Khan has been honored among the best legislator of the country.
Key Points –
• He was honored at the National Legislators Conference held in Mumbai.
• He was honored in the category of raising the most voice in the house for progressive works.
• He was elected from Kadwa assembly constituency of Katihar.
POINTERS:
• Which institute has extracted cellulose nanofibers from seaweed and reduced them into graphene oxide and zinc oxide - Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute (GERMI).
• The central government has introduced a face authentication feature in which app making it the first welfare program to adopt this technology - PM Kisan Mobile app.
• Which state has launched "Women Safety Scheme", where women travelling alone between 10 pm and 7 am can avail of free drop facility in a patrol vehicle in case they feel unsafe - Tamil Nadu.
• Which state has unveiled the first ticket for the first race of the world's fastest motorbike race 'Moto GP' 2023, to be hosted by India for the first time - Uttar Pradesh.
• Which state government has recently launched the “Vitthal Rukmini Warkari Bima Chhatra Yojana" – Maharashtra.
• Which two Indian company is included in the list of 100 most influential companies released by 'Time' magazine - Meesho and National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
• According to the latest Randstad Employer Brand Research (REBR) 2023, which company has emerged as India's most attractive employer brand - Tata Power.
• Fitch Ratings has raised India's GDP forecast for the financial year 2023-24 to what percentage - 6.3%.
• As per the recent judgment of the Supreme Court, which company would come under the purview of the Competition Act, 2002 despite being a Public Sector company - Coal India Ltd.
• Which state Assembly passed a bill that aims to empower the state government to appoint a Director General of Police (DGP) of its own choice by circumventing the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) – Punjab.