Current Affairs One-Liner : 16th June 2023

• National:
• Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off Gabon’s first Agri-SEZ project from New Delhi.

• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has released the National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2023 report. The report evaluates the performance of cargo release times at Indian ports and aims to measure the efficiency of customs clearance processes and identify areas for improvement.
• The Ministry of Defence has approved the deal for acquiring the Predator (MQ-9 Reaper) drones from the United States. The acquisition proposal will now have to follow a procedure after which it will have to be cleared by the Cabinet Committee on Security.
• Google and India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have joined hands for the ‘G20-Stay Safe Online’ campaign. The campaign aims to promote online safety and cyber hygiene among citizens of all ages.
• Raja Parba is a three-day-long festival of womanhood celebrated in Odisha, India. The second day of the festival signifies the beginning of the solar month of Mithuna from which the season of rains starts.
• The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has adopted a resolution introduced by India to establish a memorial wall in the UN Headquarters to honor fallen peacekeepers.
• According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), India is expected to overtake China by 2027 in terms of annual growth in demand for crude oil. This growth is aided by a growing industrial and economic base as well as rising urbanisation and an expanding middle class.
• The World Bank has launched its first dedicated road safety project in South Asia with a USD 358 million financing agreement signed with the government of Bangladesh.
• The Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has revised its 2019 circular regarding investments made by a minor via a guardian. According to a recent circular released on May 12, 2023, parents or legal guardians will be able to invest from their own bank accounts in mutual fund schemes for their children.
• BSE has sold a 4.54% stake in Central Depository Services (India) (CDSL) through a block deal worth INR468cr ($63m) to comply with market regulator Sebi norms which state a stock exchange is only allowed to hold a 15% stake in a depository.
• The Assam Government has signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with Railways and NRL (Numaligarh Refinery Limited) for the construction of a second entry to Guwahati railway station and supply of high-speed diesel for Inland Water Transport (IWT) vessels respectively.
• The Defence Acquisition Council of India has approved the procurement of 31 armed MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) from General Atomics.
• The Congress government in Karnataka has announced the repeal of the State’s Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022 — popularly known as the anti-conversion law — which was one of the most controversial legislations ushered in during the previous BJP regime.
• The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has released the National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2023 report. The report evaluates the performance of cargo release times at Indian ports and aims to measure the efficiency of customs clearance processes and identify areas for improvement.
• On June 15th, 2023, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India joined the worldwide celebrations of Global Wind Day through the organization of a day-long event in New Delhi.
• World:
• Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) summit, scheduled to be held at the end of this year, is set to adopt the Bangkok Vision 2030.
• The US military can develop and operate out of bases in Papua New Guinea as part of Washington’s efforts to outflank China in the Pacific.
• Sports:
• Kartik Kumar and Gulveer Singh of Uttar Pradesh claimed the top two places in men’s 10,000m and qualified for the Asian Games by erasing their coach Surendra Singh’s meet record on day one of the National inter-State athletics championships at the Kalinga Stadium.
• The top-seeded Indian tennis star Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden of Australia cruised into the doubles semifinals with a 6-1,7-5 victory over Lorenzo Musetti and Lorenzo Sonego in the ATP Tennis Tournament in Stuttgart.
• Important Days:
• Global Wind Day is celebrated annually on June 15th worldwide to promote the use of wind energy and raise awareness about its potential in combating climate change and transitioning to clean and sustainable sources of power.
• ASEAN Dengue Day is observed on 15th June every year since 2011 by The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)1. The theme for 2023 is “ASEAN’s commitment to fight against dengue”.
• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) is observed on June 15 every year to highlight the increasing cases of elder abuse and take action against them. The theme for WEAAD 2023 is "Closing the Circle: Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Older Age Policy, Law and Evidence-based Responses".
• Appointments:
• Philip Green has been appointed as Australia’s next High Commissioner to India by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Green has previously served as Australia’s ambassador to Germany and has also served as the High Commissioner to Singapore, South Africa and Kenya.
• Books:
• A Life Well Spent: Four Decades in the Indian Foreign Service is a book authored by Satish Chandra, former ace diplomat and currently Vice Chairman of the influential brains trust, Vivekananda International Foundation.
• Awards:
• Moeen Ali has been awarded an OBE for services to cricket in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. He is an English cricketer who serves as vice-captain for England in limited overs cricket and plays all formats of the game.

Questions:

Q.1 Who appointed Philip Green as Australia’s next High Commissioner to India?
a. Barry O’Farrell
b. Penny Wong
c. Scott Morrison
d. Hilary McGeachy

Q.2 When is ASEAN Dengue Day observed?
a. 15th June
b. 15th July
c. 15th August
d. 15th September