1) World Bicycle Day celebrated on 3rd June
•United Nations celebrates World Bicycle Day every year on 3rd June to advance the use of the bicycle as a means of fostering sustainable development. The day aims to strengthen education for children and young people, preventing disease, promoting health, promoting tolerance, mutual understanding and respect and facilitating social inclusion and a culture of peace.
•The World Bicycle Day is being observed every year to encourage member nations to give particular attention to the bicycle in cross-cutting development strategies and to improve road safety and integrate it into sustainable mobility and transport infrastructure planning and design. It also aims to promote the bicycle among all members of society.
2) DRDO develops disinfection unit “Ultra Swachh”
•A disinfection unit named as “Ultra Swachh” has been developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). It has been developed to disinfect a wide range of materials such as electronics items, fabrics, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) etc.
•“Ultra Swachh” has been developed in compliance with International Standards of Industrial, Occupational, Personal and Environmental Safety. It would be available in two variants namely Ozonated Space and Trinetra Technology. It comprises of Ozonated Space Technology and uses the advanced oxidative process for disinfection process. It is a double layered system with specialised Ozone sealant technology which ensures the trapping of ozone for the necessary disinfection cycle.
3) Raveesh Kumar becomes new Ambassador of India to Finland
•Raveesh Kumar has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to Finland. He is presently serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry. He is an IFS officer of 1995 batch.
•Raveesh Kumar will replace Vani Rao as the next Ambassador of India to Finland. She assumed charge as Ambassador of India to Finland on 25 July 2017.
4) Sibi George appointed India’s next Ambassador to Kuwait
•Sibi George has been appointed as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait. He was presently serving as the Ambassador of India to Switzerland. He is an IFS officer of 1993 batch.
•Sibi George will replace K. Jeeva Sagar as the next Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait. He assumed charge as Ambassador of India to the State of Kuwait in January 2018.
5) Gaitri Kumar appointed India’s next High Commissioner to UK
•Gaitri I. Kumar has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom. She is presently serving as the Ambassador of India to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and the European Union.
•Gaitri I. Kumar is an IFS officer of 1986 batch and will replace Ruchi Ghanashyam as the next High Commissioner of India to the United Kingdom.
6) Sushil Singhal appointed India’s next High Commissioner to Papua New Guinea
•Sushil Kumar Singhal has been appointed as the next High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. He is presently serving as the Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.
•Sushil Kumar Singhal will replace Vijay Kumar as the next High Commissioner of India to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
7) Moody’s Investors Service lowers India’s sovereign rating to ‘Baa3’
•The sovereign rating of India has been downgraded by the Moody’s Investors Service to “Baa3”. The rating has been lowered from “Baa2” to “Baa3” citing the challenges faced by India in implementing the policies in order to reduce the risks of a sustained period of low growth and deteriorating fiscal position. “Baa3” is the lowest investment grade that is just a notch above the junk status.
•Moody’s Investors Service has also expected contraction by 4% in the India’s real GDP in fiscal 2021, due to the shock from the coronavirus pandemic as well as the related lockdown measures taken by India to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also expected the growth of 8.7% in fiscal 2022.
8) Indian Energy Exchange launches “Real-Time Electricity Market”
•The “Real-Time Electricity Market (RTM)” has been launched by the Indian Energy Exchange on its platform and it will be effective from 01st June 2020. Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) envisages to make the power market dynamic via the recently launched real time market. The RTM will make the power market dynamic by enabling trade in electricity through half-hourly auctions, totalling 48 auction sessions per day.
