1) World Oceans Day 2022 observed on 8th June
•The World Oceans Day is celebrated on June 8 every year across the globe. The day is commemorated to remind people of the importance of the oceans and the major role they play in everyday life. The day is also observed to make raise public awareness of the ocean and its resources in order to promote global ocean and resource sustainability. The day intends to highlight the various resources that mankind derives from the ocean, as well as the various threats that the ocean faces.
World Oceans Day 2022: Theme
•“Revitalization: collective action for the ocean” is the theme for World Oceans Day 2022, a year framed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science and the celebration of the United Nations Ocean Conference, two years after being cancelled because of the pandemic.
2) PM Modi launches new series of coins with Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav design
•Prime Minister Narendra Modi has launched a special series of coins that are also ‘visually impaired friendly’. The coins of Re 1, Rs 2, 5, 10 and 20 denominations will have the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) design. They are not commemorative coins and will be part of circulation. These new series of coins will remind people of the goal of amrit kal and motivate people to work towards the development of the country.
•Meanwhile, lenders like HDFC Bank and Axis Bank said these special coins will be distributed through select branches. AKAM is an initiative of the Government of India to celebrate and commemorate 75 years of independence.
3) India successfully tested nuclear- capable Agni-4 ballistic missile in Odisha
•India has successfully executed a nuclear- capable Agni-4 ballistic missile from APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. The missile has the range of around 4,000 kilometres. Earlier, India successfully test-fired an extended range version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile from a Sukhoi fighter jet. It was the first launch of the extended range version of the BrahMos missile from a Su-30MKI aircraft.
4) Union Health Minister releases FSSAI’s 4th State Food Safety Index on World Food Safety Day
•On the occasion of World Food Safety Day, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya released the 4th State Food Safety Index. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) compiled the report to assess states’ performance across five food safety categories. The winning State/UTs based on the rating for the year 2021-22 were additionally honoured by the Health Minister for their outstanding performance across five food safety metrics.
5) Indian Army Contingent participates in the “Khaan Quest 2022” exercise
•Indian Army participates in a multinational exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2022” where 16 other countries also took part in Mongolia. President of Mongolia, Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh inaugurated the Exercise as the host. Indian Army is represented by a contingent from the LADAKH SCOUTS. The 14-day exercise is aimed at enhancing interoperability, building military to military relationships, developing peace support operations and military readiness among participating nations.
•The exercise will also enable sharing of best practices between the Armed Forces of participating nations and will include field training exercises, combat discussions, lectures and demonstration. The military exercise will enhance the level of defence co-operation between Indian Army and participating countries especially with the Mongolian Armed Forces which will enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.
6) India ranked worst in the world in terms of environmental performance in 2022
•In the 2022 Environment Performance Index (EPI), an analysis by Yale and Columbia University researchers that gives a data-driven evaluation of the situation of sustainability around the world, India came in last out of 180 countries. Climate change, environmental public health, and biodiversity are among the 40 performance factors used by the EPI to rank 180 nations.
7) RBI Monetary Policy: RBI raises repo rate by 50 bps to 4.90%
•The six-member Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) led by RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das voted unanimously to raise repo rate by 50 basis points to 4.90 percent. The Monetary Policy Committee has raised the repo rate in order to tackle elevated inflation. Standing Deposit Facility and Marginal Standing Facility rates also raised by 50 basis points. Standing Deposit Facility rate now 4.65 percent, and Marginal Standing Facility rate now 5.15 percent.
8) Alok Kumar Choudhary takes charge as MD of SBI
•Alok Kumar Choudhary has took charge as the new Managing Director (MD) of State Bank of India (SBI). His appointment comes in the wake of the superannuation of Ashwani Bhatia as Managing Director on May 31, 2022. Choudhary was previously Deputy Managing Director (Finance) at the bank. As the new MD, he will be handling retail business and operations.
•Per a notification issued by the Department of Financial Services, the new MD’s appointment is with effect from the date of assumption of office and up to the date of his superannuation (June 30, 2024), or until further order, whichever is earlier. Following Choudhary’s appointment, SBI now has four MDs. The other MDs are Challa Sreenivasulu Setty, Swaminathan J and Ashwini Kumar Tewari.
9) World Bank cuts India GDP forecast to 7.5%
•The World Bank has slashed its growth forecast for India for the current financial year to 7.5 percent, a hefty 1.2 percentage points down from its previous forecast of 8.7 percent. Writing in its latest Global Economic Prospects report released, the World Bank said it cut India’s GDP growth forecast due to headwinds from rising inflation, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical tensions.
