NATIONAL NEWS

Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) Movement

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a global initiative of Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) Movement, on the occasion of World Environment Day virtually.
• The vision of LiFE is to live a lifestyle with our planet and does not harm it and those who live such a lifestyle are called Pro-Planet People.
• Mission LiFE borrows from the past, operates in the present and focuses on the future.
• The idea of LiFE was introduced by the Prime Minister during the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties COP-26 in Glasgow, 2021.
• The launch initiated ‘LiFE Global Call for Papers’ inviting ideas and suggestions from academics, universities and research institutions etc to influence individuals, communities and organisations across the world to adopt an environment-conscious lifestyle.

Food Laboratory of FSSAI in Bihar

• Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare and Chemicals and Fertilizers Mansukh Mandaviya today inaugurated the National Food Laboratory of FSSAI at Raxaul in Bihar.

• This laboratory has been established under the Indo-Nepal bilateral agreement to reduce the time in the testing of imported food samples brought into Raxaul from Nepal.
• Earlier, all the imported samples having legal sanctity were being sent to National Food Laboratory at Kolkata, for testing.
• The laboratory is likely to get accreditation from National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) by July-August 2022.
• It will start the analysis of the import samples under the product categories of Cereal and Cereal products, Fat and Oil, Spices and Condiments, Fruits and vegetable products and Packaged drinking.

Punjab to Ban Single-use Plastic

• The Punjab government announced to impose a ban on single-use plastic from July 2022 to make Punjab clean, green and pollution-free state.

• During a virtual state-level function to mark World Environment Day 2022, Secretary, Science, Technologyand Environment Rahul Tewari announced the decision of the state government for environment protection.

• The Centre had also issued an advisory to states and union territories to phase out single-use plastic and contribute to improve the environment under the overarching mandate of “Clean and Green".
• The state announced to set up 55 Sewage Treatment Plants across the state.

SHRESHTA Scheme

• Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar launched Scheme for Residential Education For Students in High schools in Targeted Areas (SHRESTHA) in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• The future of meritorious students of scheduled castes will be supported by 'SHRESHTA' scheme.
• It is to provide access to high quality residential education to the meritorious poor students from Scheduled Caste communities, whose parental annual income is up to Rs. 2.5 Lakh per annum, at free of cost from class 9th to class 12th.
• The scholarships will be funded by the Government of India through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

EX SAMPRITI-X

• A joint military training exercise ‘Ex SAMPRITI-X’ between India and Bangladesh is being conducted at Jashore Military Station in Bangladesh from 05 June to 16 June 2022.
• It aims to strengthen and widen the aspects of interoperability and cooperation between both the armies.
• The Indian contingent is being represented by a battalion of the DOGRA regiment.
• During the joint military exercise Ex SAMPRITI-X, armies of both the Nations will share expertise in multiple simulated scenarios of Counter Terrorism, Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief and UN Peacekeeping Force under UN mandate.

BANKING

SBI Foundation partners with Khan Academy

• SBI Foundation has introduced UpSchool, a digital learning program for students from class 1-10 in partnership with Khan Academy, an educational non-profit institution.

• The program will be available in English, Hindi and Kannada languages.

• It aims to reduce learning gaps and build a solid foundation in maths and reading for their current academic year.
• Every student will receive a digital certificate at completing the program.
• Students or their parents can register for the program for free and will receive learning links on WhatsApp for 4-6 weeks.

India’s Digital Payments Industry May Reach $10 Trillion

• According to a report by PhonePe in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group (BCG), India’s digital payments market is at an inflection point and is expected to reach $10 trillion by 2026.

• As a result of this growth, digital payments (non-cash) will constitute two out of three payment transactions by 2026 with contributions from across India.

• Digital payment will constitute nearly 65% of all payments by 2026, up from the current 40%.
• UPI announced that about nine times transaction volume increased in past three years, increasing from five billion transactions in FY19 to about 46 billion transactions in FY22: accounting for more than 60% non-cash transaction volumes in FY22.

SPORTS

French Open 2022

• Spaniard Rafael Nadal defeated Casper Ruud of Norway in three straight sets to win 14th French Open men’s singles title in Paris.

• It is his 22nd Grand Slam title.
• With this victory, 36-year-old Nadal has become the oldest champion of the French open.
• This is also the first time in his professional career that Nadal has completed the double of winning Australian Open and French Open in the same year.
• In women’s singles, World Number One Iga Swiatek of Poland won the 2022 title by defeating Coco Gauf in Paris.

ISSF World Cup

• Swapnil Kusale and Ashi Chouksey from India won the gold medal in the 50m rifle 3 positions (3P) mixed team competition at the ISSF World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan.

• The pair of Swapnil Kusale and Ashi Chouksey defeated Serhiy Kulish and Daria Tykhova from Ukraine by 16-12.

• This was India’s second gold in the tournament.
• With two gold and three silver, India finished second on the medals tally behind Korea.

APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS

MD & CEO of Union Bank of India

• The government appointed Canara Bank executive director A. Manimekhalai as the new managing director and chief executive officer (MD & CEO) of Union Bank of India.

• She has been appointed for a period of three years.
• She will succeed G Rajkiran Rai.
• She started her career in 1988 with Vijaya Bank where she held various leadership roles such as general manager, branch head, regional head and functional head of various departments at the lender’s corporate office.
• Manimekhalai holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in marketing from Bangalore University.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Environment Day

• World Environment Day is celebrated every year on 05 June.

• The day is celebrated for encouraging awareness and action for the protection of the environment.

• The day was established in 1972 by the UN General Assembly at the time of Stockholm Conference.
• The theme for the year 2022 is ‘Only One Earth’.