Correct Answer :   $60.29

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India's overall exports in May 2023 stood at US$60.29 billion, comprising both merchandise and services. While there was a decline in exports compared to the same period last year, several sectors demonstrated positive growth.

The trade deficit for April-May 2023 also improved significantly, indicating a positive trend in India’s trade performance.

Overall Trade Performance : India’s overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) in May 2023 were estimated to be USD 60.29 billion, showing a negative growth of (-) 5.99 percent compared to May 2022. Similarly, overall imports in May 2023 amounted to USD 70.64 billion, reflecting a negative growth of (-) 7.45 percent compared to the previous year.

Merchandise Trade :

Key Sectors with Positive Growth : Thirteen out of thirty important sectors witnessed positive growth in May 2023 compared to May 2022. These sectors include Electronic Goods (73.96%), Other Cereals (67.96%), Oil Meals (52.91%), Spices (49.84%), Iron Ore (48.26%), and more. Enabling policies, such as duty withdrawal on Iron Ore and investment promotion in electronics and pharmaceuticals, contributed to the growth of these sectors.

Services Trade :

April-May 2023 Performance : Examining the trade figures for April-May 2023, the overall exports (Merchandise and Services combined) exhibited a negative growth of (-) 5.48 percent compared to the same period in 2022. Meanwhile, overall imports during April-May 2023 showed a negative growth of (-) 9.63 percent compared to April-May 2022.

Merchandise Trade Deficit :
Services Trade Surplus :

Agricultural Exports :

Trade Deficit :

Correct Answer :   IIT Madras

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The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) researchers have recently developed a low-cost mobile air pollution monitoring framework in which, pollution sensors mounted on public vehicles can dynamically monitor the air quality of an extended area at high spatial and temporal resolution.

Traditionally, ambient air quality is measured in monitoring stations and reported by the ‘Air Quality Index’ (AQI). Since these stations are at fixed locations, they only measure the air quality of a small geographic area.

Air pollution, however, is dynamic with locations just a few hundred meters away from each other exhibiting different levels of pollution. Levels can also vary at different times of the day. However, setting up more stations is not practical because of the high costs.

Towards tackling this issue, IIT Madras researchers have developed a new IoT-based mobile air pollution monitoring technology wherein low-cost air quality sensors are mounted on vehicles to gather spatiotemporal air quality data.

For the cost of a single reference monitoring station, it would be possible to map an entire city at high resolution using these low-cost mobile monitoring devices..

Source : Indiatoday

Correct Answer :   Australia

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Australian foreign minister "Penny Wong" appointed "Philip Green" as Australia’s next High Commissioner to India on Friday (16th June 2023).

* She also announced that Hilary McGeachy has been appointed as Australia’s first Consul-General in Bengaluru.

* India and Australia are working together for a peaceful Indo-Pacific region, Wong said both countries are working together through the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership as well as partners of the Quad grouping.

* “The Australia-India relationship has never been closer. Australia and India share perspectives, challenges and a democratic heritage. We are working together, through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and as Quad partners, to promote a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific region, where sovereignty is respected,” Wong said in a release from the Australian external affairs ministry.

* Philip Green will also serve as High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Bhutan.

* Green served as Australian ambassador to Germany and is a senior career officer with the Australian department of foreign affairs. He also served as Australian High Commissioner to Singapore, to South Africa and to Kenya..

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   United Kingdom

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The United Kingdom government on Thursday (15th June 2023) announced the appointment of senior diplomat "Jane Marriott" as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan, making her the first female British envoy to Islamabad.

* Prior to this appointment, Marriott, 47, was the high commissioner to Kenya since September 2019.

* She would be replacing Dr Christian Turner, who left Pakistan in January after serving as the envoy since December 2019.

* “The first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Jane, is due to take up her role in mid-July 2023,” the British High Commission in Islamabad said in a statement.

* Marriott brings a wealth of thematic and regional experience to her new role having joined the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in 2001, following roles in the Cabinet Office and Home Office.

* She has also completed two diplomatic postings to Iraq and one to Afghanistan, the statement from the High Commission said..

Source : News18

Correct Answer :   PM Memorial Museum and Library Society

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The Nehru Museum Memorial and Library, named after India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, has been renamed as the "Prime Minister’s Museum and Library Society", the ministry of culture said on Friday (16th June 2023).

* “In a special meeting of the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society, it was resolved to change its name to Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library Society," the ministry said.

* The meeting was presided over by defence minister Rajnath Singh, who is the vice president of the Society, it added.

* Chairman, executive council, Nripendra Misra, in his welcome address said the need for change in name emphasizes the nation’s deep commitment to democracy and so the name of the institution should reflect its new form.

* Singh “welcomed the proposal for change in name", since the institution exhibits the contributions of all prime ministers from Jawaharlal Nehru to Narendra Modi and their responses to various challenges faced by them, the ministry said in a press release.

* Describing prime minister as an institution and comparing the journey of various prime ministers to the varied colours of a rainbow, Singh emphasised that “all the colours of a rainbow have to be proportionately represented in order to make it beautiful".

* “Thus the resolution has given a new name, respect to all our previous prime ministers and is democratic in content," it added..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   Indian Navy

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* The Indian Navy is organizing an outreach program "Julley Ladakh" to engage with the youth and civil society.

* Vice Chief of Naval Staff Sanjay Jasjit Singh flagged off the 5000 kilometer motorcycle expedition from the National War Memorial.

* Similar efforts were made by the Navy earlier in the North East which was very successful. 

Correct Answer :   Vivek Johri

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Shri Vivek Johri, Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) along with other Members of the Board released the National Time Release Study (NTRS) 2023 report.

Time Release Study (TRS) as a performance measurement tool aims to present quantitative measure of the cargo release time, defined as the time taken from arrival of the cargo at the Customs station to its out of charge for domestic clearance in case of imports and arrival of the cargo at the Customs station to the eventual departure of the carrier in case of exports.

NTRS 2023 presents port-category wise average release time for the current year, based on the sample period of January 1-7, 2023 (both days included), comparing the same to the performance during the corresponding periods of 2021 and 2022 to, inter alia,

* assess the progress made towards the National Trade Facilitation Action Plan targets;
* identify the impact of various trade facilitative initiatives, notably “Path to Promptness”; and
* identify the challenges to more expeditious reduction in release time.

The ports included in the study represent seaports, air cargo complexes (ACCs), inland container depot (ICDs) and integrated check posts (ICPs) which account for approximately 80 percent of bills of entry and 70 percent of shipping bills filed in the country..

Source : PIB

Correct Answer :   Google and MeitY

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Google and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) have launched a partnership to increase public awareness of cyber safety.

Google will now cooperate with the government to promote the "Stay Safe Online" campaign.
 
Google will release a series of videos with YouTube producers to instruct people on how to share material properly online. The series will focus on particular abilities to more accurately assess the calibre of internet information.
 
The content's creators will explain how to verify the source's credentials, comprehend their motivations, confirm it with subject-matter experts, and compile cited and verified evidence. In addition, YouTube has created a digital literacy initiative called "Hit Pause" that encourages analysis of online data.
 
“India's G20 Presidency offers a remarkable opportunity to shape a model of the internet that promotes inclusivity and establish new global standards,” Akash Tripathi, CEO of MyGov said. He added that with this growth came a need to raise awareness among the citizens about online risks and that the government was pleased to have Google join in with the effort.

“India is taking big strides towards its goal of becoming a trillion dollar digital economy. With over 700 million Indians using the internet, and the country driving transformative innovations with the power of digital technologies, it is important to ensure that the internet is inclusive and safe for all Indians,” Sanjay Gupta, Vice President of Google India said.
 
He continued by saying that Google's top aim was to guarantee a beneficial and safe online experience while fostering India's digital development.
 
Google has additionally stated that it will provide useful content on a variety of online safety themes as part of the "Be Internet Awesome" programme to increase awareness of online safety..

Source : Ciotechoutlook

Correct Answer :   India

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The growth in demand for oil in India will overtake that in China by 2027, According to report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on Wednesday (14th June 2023).

* 'Oil 2023', the multilateral agency’s outlook for the next 5 years, said China’s demand will fall consistently from 2024 after a massive rise this year (2023).

* The United States, China, and India are the world’s three largest oil consumers in that order.

* IEA raised its forecast for world oil growth demand to 2.4 million barrels per day in 2023, after the Chinese economy rebounded towards growth faster than expected. China will in 2023 account for nearly 60%  of global growth in oil demand.

* Later, slowing industrial growth and falling domestic consumption will reduce China’s demand.

* On the other hand, demand in India is expected to rise steadily. India consumed 222.30 million tonnes of petroleum products in 2022-23: 10.2% more year-on-year.

* Global crude output reached an estimated 82.3 million barrels per day till April 2023 due to record production runs in Asia..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   Kamal Kishore Chatiwal

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Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) on Thursday (15th June 2023) said that Kamal Kishore Chatiwal has been nominated by GAIL (India) Limited as Managing Director of IGL, with effect from June June 15, 2023.

He has taken over charge from Sanjay Kumar who has ceased to be the director and managing director with effect from June 15, 2023.

Kamal Kishore Chatiwal has a B. Tech degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT, Delhi. He has over 32 years of experience in the oil & gas sector particularly in project execution and commissioning of mega petrochemical projects, operation & maintenance of gas processing units, natural gas compressor station and cross-country LPG pipeline.

He has also acquired management and leadership knowledge through the Executive Management program from IIM-Bangalore, IIM-Lucknow and ISB-Hyderabad.

Chatiwal had joined GAIL (India) Ltd in 1990 and prior to joining IGL as managing director, he was working as executive director (O&M) & head of zonal marketing, Jaipur.

Earlier, IGL had posted its fiscal fourth quarter results with net profit down 8.8% at Rs 329.75 crore on a standalone basis from Rs 361.60 crore.

It posted a 53.2% surge in revenue from operations to Rs 4,042.33 crore in Q4 FY23 over Q4 FY22. “While compressed natural gas (CNG) registered sales volume growth of 8%, piped natural gas (PNG) showed overall sales volume growth of 3% during the quarter,” the company had said..

Source : Financial Express