Correct Answer :   India

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India that last hosted the event in the year 1996 is set to host 71st Miss World 2023 pageant after a gap of 27 years.

* The announcement has come as a surprise as it comes months after confirmation of United Arab Emirates (UAE) as this year's venue for the much-awaited event.

* Though the exact date is yet to be announced, the beauty pageant is expected to take place in November or December 2023.

* Contestants from over 130 countries will gather in India to showcase their unique talents, intelligence, and compassion and will participate in a series of rigorous competitions, including talent showcases, sports challenges, and charitable initiatives.

* The statement further said that there will be several rounds to shortlist participants taking over a period of one month before the grand finale scheduled in November/December 2023.

* “India prepares to welcome the world with open arms with the 71st Miss World 2023 and showcase the country's grace, beauty, and progressive spirit. Join us in celebrating the power of women to make a difference, as we embark on this extraordinary journey together,” said the current Miss World Karolina Bielawska.

* In February this year, Julia Morley had announced that the competition will take place in the United Arab Emirates in 2023. "Further details to follow," Morley had said at the time.

* The first-ever Miss World from India Reita Faria won the contest in 1966. Aishwarya Rai (1994), Diana Hayden (1997), Yukta Mookhey (1999), Priyanka Chopra (2000) and most recently Manushi Chillar (2017) are the other Indian winners of the contest. Miss India World 2022 Sini Shetty will be representing India in Miss World 2023 contest..

Source : Hindustan Times

Correct Answer :   Karnataka

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The Karnataka government has advised the women to apply for Shakti smart cards to avail the free travel in state run buses, starting from June 11, 2023.

* The government has already issued a set of guidelines on the ‘Shakti’ scheme, which is one of the major poll promises by the Congress party in Karnataka. According to the transport department of Karnataka, women can apply for Shakti smart cards through sevasindhu.karnataka.gov.in from June 11, 2023.

* The Shakti scheme applies only on the ordinary state run bus services of Karnataka.

* All luxury buses such as Rajahamsa, Non-AC sleeper, Vajra, Vayu Vajra, Airavat, Airavat Club Class, Airavat Gold Class, Ambari, Ambari Dream Class, Ambari Utsav Fly Bus, EV Power Plus have been excluded from the purview of the scheme.

* The government said the benefits of the scheme can be availed in the buses operated by Bangalore Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC), Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC), North West Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (NWKRTC) and Kalyana Karnataka Road Transport Corporation (KKRTC).

* The scheme doesn’t also apply to those buses which travel outside the state. 50 per cent seats on KSRTC, NWKRTC and KKRTC’s ordinary and express buses will be reserved for men..

Source : India Times

Correct Answer :   6th June 2023

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Kerala's first 'Ashoka Chakra' winner Havildar Alby D'Cruz Passes away on Tuesday (6th June 2023). He was 87.

Alby, who received India’s highest peacetime military decoration from the first President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, died at his residence at Cheriyathura in the capital following age-related ailments.

The funeral will be held at 10 am on Wednesday (7th June 2023) at Assumptions church, Cheriyathura. Before the funeral, the Indian Army Wing will offer a ceremonial salute to the departed warrior.

The country honoured him with the Ashoka Chakra for his extraordinary bravery during the civil strife with the Naga rebels in the 1960s. In a ceremony held in New Delhi on April 30, 1962, President Dr Rajendra Prasad, presented the Ashoka Chakra to Lance Naik Alby.

The then-prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru also congratulated him on the occasion.

While serving in Assam Rifles, Alby took part in the battle with Naga insurgents. He is survived by wife Matilda, sons Gladyston, and Ignatius and daughter Shobha and daughter-in-law Hazel, son-in-law Varghese, daughter-in-law Rubinette, and grandchildren Noel, Judith, Jubin, and Navomi. Transport Minister Antony Raju has expressed condolences over the demise of Alby D’Cruz..

Source : Indian Express

Correct Answer :   Tata Elxsi

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Tata Elxsi has partnered with the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) for the upcoming Gaganyaan Mission.

The leading global engineering company has designed and developed the crew module recovery models (CMRM) for the recovery team training of the space mission.

ISRO's Gaganyaan project envisions a demonstration of human spaceflight capability by launching the crew into a 400-kilometer orbit for a three-day mission and safely bringing them to Earth by landing in Indian sea waters. One of the key requirements of this project is the safe recovery of the crew, which must be carried out with minimum lapse of time.

This is where the crew recovery models come into use. For recovery team training, CMRMs designed and fabricated by Tata Elxsi simulated the mass, centre of gravity, outer dimensions, interfaces and externals of the actual crew module.

Tata Elxsi executed activities from developing the design configuration in accordance with the initial requirements provided by ISRO, to carrying out structural analysis for various load cases, material procurement and testing, fabrication, carrying out load tests, and transportation of the CMRM and the ground support fixture (GSF).

The project marked Tata Elxsi’s foray into the mechanical design for space, as this is the first time ISRO has outsourced the mechanical design and development work for a critical system to an external partner. Tata Elxsi has also emerged as the preferred partner for similar ISRO projects.

“Tata Elxsi has carried out the design and delivered hardware meeting highly challenging delivery schedule of six months, demonstrating the excellent program management skills. This has enabled timely commissioning recovery training exercise to meet Gaganyaan mission requirements. ISRO would definitely like to partner in future for different projects,'' said Dr. Umamaheshwaran, Director-HSFC, ISRO.

The company is amongst the world’s leading providers of design and technology services across industries including automotive, broadcast, communications, healthcare, and transportation..

Source : Mint

Correct Answer :   India, Serbia

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* President Droupadi Murmu and her Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic have agreed to set a target for bilateral trade from the present 320 million euros to one billion euros by the end of the decade.
 
* President Droupadi Murmu departed from Serbia to India after the conclusion of her 3-day state visit from 7th-9th June 2023. President Murmu was seen off at the Nikola Tesla Airport by Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic.
 
* This was the first-ever state visit of either Head of State between the two countries. During the visit, President Murmu stressed upon the unique relationship between India and Serbia dating back to the Nonaligned movement.

* The areas of potential cooperation, especially in trade and investment, science and technology, digital technologies, and people-to-people contacts were pondered upon. Mr. Vucic promised simplification of the issue of Visas to Indians and initiation of direct flights between the 2 nations to promote tourism and have greater business engagement.

* A community reception for the Indian community and friends of India in Serbia was hosted by President Murmu during the visit. The President also paid floral tributes to the bust of Mahatma Gandhi and laid a wreath at the monument of the unknown heroes at Mount Avala.

Source : AIR

Correct Answer :   NTPC Kanti

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NTPC Kanti, as part of its CSR initiative, has launched the Girl Empowerment Mission (GEM)-2023, a four-week residential workshop program.

Workshop Program Aim : 
At empowering 40 underprivileged rural girls from the Kanti block. This program, organized for the first time by NTPC Kanti, seeks to provide academic training, skill development, and overall personality enhancement to the participants.

Inauguration and Objectives :
The GEM program was inaugurated by DSGSS Babji, Regional Executive Director, East – I NTPC Ltd, and K.M.K Prusty, Head of Project, NTPC Kanti. The workshop aims to prepare the girl students to become well-rounded individuals, instilling curiosity and developing better communication and social skills.

Selection and Participants :
Eight students have been selected from five schools in the Kanti Block to participate in the GEM-2023 program. These girls come from underprivileged backgrounds, and the workshop offers them an opportunity to enhance their educational and life skills.

Program Components :

The four-week residential workshop program will encompass various components to empower the participants:

Academic Training : The girls will receive academic training to improve their educational foundation and expand their knowledge in different subjects.

Skill Development : The participants will be exposed to various skill sets, including soft skills, life skills, communication skills, and computer applications, to equip them for future endeavors.

Personal Growth : The workshop will focus on holistic development, offering sessions on meditation, yoga, self-defense, and sports activities to enhance physical and mental well-being.

Extra-Curricular Activities : The participants will engage in a range of extra-curricular activities, fostering creativity, teamwork, and leadership skills.

Impact and Future Prospects :

* NTPC Kanti aims to bring about a positive change not only in the lives of the participating girls but also in their families and the entire society. By empowering these girls and nurturing their confidence and enthusiasm, the program strives to create a ripple effect of transformation within the community.

* DSGSS Babji, Regional Executive Director (East-I), NTPC, expressed gratitude to the teachers, parents, and headmaster for their support in this noble initiative. KM Prustyi, Project Head, NTPC Kanti, believes that the GEM program will leave a lasting impact, leaving the participants with heightened confidence and enthusiasm.

Correct Answer :   Manohar Lal Khattar

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Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Friday (9th June 2023) launched a biennial integrated water resources action plan 2023-25 aiming to save over 49.7% water.

Khattar said that the plan aimed to meet the twin challenges of water depletion and water logging and that he was confident that the action plan would serve as a roadmap to achieve the targets of water saving and water management in the state.

Water harvesting aims to save around 6.97 lakh crore litres :

* Total water availability of the state is about 20.93 lakh crore litres, whereas the total water demand is about 34.96 lakh litres leaving a gap of 14 lakh crore litres.

* "All water related departments have come forward and taken the ownership to conserve water through various demand and supply side interventions, which would save around 6.97 lakh crore litres (49.7%) of water in next two years,’’ he said and added that the maximum amount of water was used in agriculture and horticulture sector, which are 86% and 5% respectively.

* According to the action plan, 3.14 lakh acres of area would be covered under crop diversification, which would save 1.05 lakh crore litres (7.6%) of water, direct seeding of paddy in 4.75 lakh acres and would save 1.18 lakh crore liters (8.4%) while 27.53 lakh acres would be brought under conservation tillage to save 0.51 lakh crore liters (3.7%).

* Likewise, 0.47 lakh crore liters (3.4%) would be saved by using high varieties in 3.49 lakh acres, 0.35 lakh crore liters (2.5%) of water would be saved  by using green manure in 9.73 lakh acres, 0.27 lakh crore  liters will be saved  by covering 0.43 lakh acres under natural farming. .

Source : Free Press Journal

Correct Answer :   Jaydeep Singh

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Cyber security company Kaspersky on Wednesday (7th June 2023) said it has appointed Jaydeep Singh as its general manager for India to head operations in the country.

* Singh will be responsible for leading Kaspersky's business operations and driving growth across the country, especially in the enterprise segment, in his role as General Manager for India.

* Before his appointment at Kaspersky, Singh held senior leadership roles in companies like Citrix as sales director. He has also worked with Oracle as senior sales director.

* With cyberattacks on the rise, organisations need reliable cybersecurity solutions. I look forward to bringing my frontline operational and strategic experience to Kaspersky's customers and partners in India," Singh said.

* A few days back, Kaspersky discovered a new cyberattack threat that targets iPhone models running older versions of iOS via iMessage application. The malware, found when the company was monitoring its own Wi-Fi network for mobile devices, infects the phone via a received iMessage, which contains a malicious attachment.

* The threat doesn't require the iPhone user to do anything and utilises iOS vulnerability to install a spyware that takes complete control of device and user data.

* Kaspersky said that the malware was found on the iPhones of dozens of employees and could target other iPhone users as well.

Correct Answer :   8th June

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Every year on June 8, World Brain Tumor Day is committed to making awareness about brain tumours.

World Brain Tumor Day 2023 Theme : This year, the theme is "Protect yourself, avoid stress." A brain tumour in the brain is a hallmark of abnormal growth. Tumours can fill in any piece of the brain or skull including the underside of the brain, defensive lining, brainstem and nasal cavity among others.

When the tumour grows within the brain, it puts pressure on that part of the brain, affecting the way the body works in that area. Based on the brain tissue it affects, researchers have identified more than 120 types of brain tumours.

World Brain Tumor Day: Symptoms

There are not all symptoms of brain tumours. Meningioma, which is the most well-known brain tumour in grown-ups generally develops gradually and slips by everyone's notice. However, there are still some symptoms to be aware of. These side effects rely on the size of the cancer, the region it influences and how quickly it is developing. Some are as follows:

* Trouble thinking,
* loss of memory,
* confusion, and disorientation
* Personality or behaviour shifts,
* balance problems, such as dizziness,
* Seizures..

Source : Business Standard

Correct Answer :   8th June

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World Oceans Day, observed annually on June 8th, serves as a global reminder of the crucial role oceans play in sustaining life on Earth.

* Recognized by the United Nations, this day promotes ocean awareness and encourages people worldwide to take action towards protecting our marine environments.

* By amplifying the significance of the world’s oceans, we hope to inspire individuals, communities, and governments to work together for a more sustainable future.

World Oceans Day 2023 Theme : Every year, the World Oceans Day is celebrated under a specific theme. This year, the theme of World Oceans day 2023 is “Planet Ocean: The Tides are Changing.”

World Oceans Day 2023 Significance : On this day, people come together to understand the sustainable approaches we can employ to protect the resources of the oceans. With the oceans depleting and the coral reefs getting destroyed, the oceans are in danger – this will have a direct impact on human life. Hence, we need to understand the sustainable management of resources and the implementation of sustainable goals to protect the oceans.

World Oceans Day History : World Oceans Day is an international day celebrated annually on 8 June to raise awareness of the importance of the ocean to the planet and humanity. The concept was originally proposed in 1992 by Canada’s International Centre for Ocean Development (ICOD) and the Ocean Institute of Canada (OIC) at the Earth Summit – UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Ocean Project started global coordination of World Ocean Day starting in 2002. “World Oceans Day” was officially recognised by the United Nations in 2008. The international day supports the implementation of worldwide Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and fosters public interest in the protection of the ocean and the sustainable management of its resources.