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

Correct Answer :   June 15

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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is observed on June 15, every year. This day was first established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2011 to raise awareness about the abuse experienced by older adults.

According to the UN, elder abuse can be defined as "a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust which causes harm or distress to an older person". It is a global social issue which affects the Health and Human Rights of millions of older persons around the world, and an issue which deserves the attention of the international community.

Theme of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2023 : The theme for 2023 is "Closing the Circle: Addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Older Age - Policy, Law and Evidence-based Responses." The theme underscores the intersection of gender-based violence and elder abuse, specifically focusing on the experiences of older individuals.

Significance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day : Elder abuse is a problem that exists in both developing and developed countries yet is typically underreported globally. Prevalence rates or estimates exist only in selected developed countries - ranging from 1 per cent to 10 per cent. Although the extent of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious. As such, it demands a global multifaceted response, one which focuses on protecting the rights of older persons.

History of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day : World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, observed every year on June 15, was started by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA) in 2006. In 2011, the United Nations adopted it as a designated day for the prevention of abuse of older people..

Source : NDTV

Correct Answer :   June 15

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Global Wind Day is an important event celebrated annually on June 15 worldwide. It provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the benefits of wind energy and promote its further development and usage worldwide.

* Global Wind Day, also known as National Wind Day, is an annual global occasion that plays a significant role in exploring the potential of wind, its immense power, and the transformative possibilities it offers in reshaping our energy systems.

* With a focus on decarbonising our economies, stimulating job growth, and fostering sustainable development, Global Wind Day is a collaborative endeavor led by WindEurope and the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).

* Moreover, it engages all United Nations member nations in commemorations aimed at familiarising the public with wind energy through a range of engaging activities.

Global Wind Day History & Significance :

* In 2009, the European Wind Energy Association and Global Wind Energy Council joined forces to establish Global Wind Day as a worldwide event. This annual occasion serves to recognise the formidable power of the wind and raise awareness regarding its potential as a sustainable resource.

* Indeed, renewable resources, including wind energy, hold immense value as they are both freely available. As a clean energy source that leaves no pollutants in its wake, wind energy holds paramount importance in fostering the adoption of alternative energy resources.

Correct Answer :   Dharmendra Pradhan

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Union Minister of Education and Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan flagged off Gabon’s first Agri- SEZ project from New Delhi on 14th June 2023.

The project will be implemented by AOM group with Centurion University as the technical and knowledge partner. In the first phase of the program, 30 farmers and 20 B.Sc./M.Sc. Agri and B.Tech/M.Tech Engineering students from Gajapati district, which is an Aspirational district of Odisha, will be travelling together as agri-technical and technical consultants for the agriculture SEZ which is being developed under this project.

Shri Pradhan said that from Gajapati to Gabon, from Cheetahs to Climate Change, India-Africa relationship is going from strength to strength. Today’s launch will add a new chapter in that relationship, he further added. He also expressed confidence that the establishment of an Agriculture and Food Processing Special Economic Zone in Gabon will be a significant milestone towards enhancing food security and self-sufficiency in the country.

Speaking about India-Africa relationship, he said that, in last 9 years, India-Africa relations have gone from strength to strength, recording more than 35 high level visits from India and more than 100 similar ones from Africa.

Anti-colonial solidarity, diasporic goodwill, and the principle of 'South-South' cooperation, among others, are also playing a significant role in strengthening the partnership between India and the African continent, he further added.

He also said that development partnership is a key pillar in India’s Africa policy. Being a trusted partner in the journey of socio-economic development, India has extended concessional loans of over US$ 12.3 billion to Africa and US$ 700 mn of grant assistance with development projects in various sectors.

Speaking about India’s G20 Presidency, he said that India's G20 Presidency is very unique given India's role in amplifying the voice and concerns of the Global South and developing countries, scripting another chapter in strengthening India- Africa relations.

He said that Gabon and other African countries have a lot to learn from India’s development journey and recent initiatives like the Aspirational Districts Program.

He also spoke about India-Africa long standing relations in the areas of education and skill development..

Source : PIB