NATIONAL NEWS

AGNIPATH Scheme

• The Centre cleared the AGNIPATH Scheme for recruitment of youth in the Armed Forces.

• With three Serivce Chiefs, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced that the youth selected under this scheme will be known as Agniveers.

• Agniveers will be paid one-time Seva Nidhi package upon completion of engagement period of four years.
• The AGNIPATH Scheme cleared by Cabinet Committee on Security allows motivated youth to serve in the Armed Forces for a period of four years.
• Agnipath Scheme is a transformational reform for the Army and the Nation and it aims to bring a paradigm shift in Human Resources Management.

‘FRUITS’ Software for Farmer Schemes

• The Karnataka government has launched software for Aadhar-based, single-window registration for the schemes.

• It is called the Farmer Registration and Unified Beneficiary Information System or FRUITS software.

• It facilitates single registration using an Aadhar card and Karnataka’s Bhoomi digitised land record system for authenticating ownership.

India’s First Multiplex in Metaverse

• Bharti Airtel has launched Xstream multiplex.

• It will be a 20-screen platform with access to content portfolios from leading OTT partners available on the application.

• Users will be able access the multiplex service on a metaverse platform called Partynite Metaverse.
• It is India’s first multiplex in the metaverse.
• Partynite Metaplex app can be downloaded on Android and Windows.
• Indian OTT market is a crowded market with 40 players. It is poised to grow rapidly and expected to reach USD 2 billion by 2025.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Infosys partners with Harvard University

• Infosys has announced a partnership with Harvard University subsidiary, Harvard Business Publishing.
• It will offer free digital and life skills courses through the former’s digital corporate education platform, Springboard.
• Infosys’ Springboard will now host free articles, videos and podcasts from Harvard Business Review (HBR), as well as 10 courses offered under Harvard Manage Mentor.
• The courses will target “students and young adults" in tier-II and tier-III cities in India.

India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol

• The 38th India-Indonesia Coordinated Patrol (IND-INDO CORPAT) between the Indian Navy Units of Andaman & Nicobar Command (ANC) and Indonesian Navy will be conducted from June 13 to June 24 2022, in the Andaman Sea and Straits of Malacca.

• The two Navies have been carrying out CORPAT along their International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) since 2002.

• This has helped build understanding and interoperability between both the Navies and has facilitated measures to prevent and suppress Illegal Unreported Unregulated (IUU) fishing, drug trafficking, maritime terrorism, armed robbery and piracy, etc.

BANKING

HSBC to lend $250 million to Indian startups

• Mumbai-based retail banking and financial services provider, HSBC India announced to lend $250 million to startups in the country.

• HSBC will manage the lending through its commercial banking division and has also not mentioned any specific timeframe for disbursal of the amount.
• HSBC has prepared a credit model and offerings to suit the specific requirements of a wide spectrum of startups and new-age entities, ranging from growth stage to unicorns.
• In 2021, HSBC's commercial banking division in India had registered a growth of 42% in its profit to $265 million compared to $187 million a year-ago period.

SPORTS

ICC Players of the Month of May

• The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced that Sri Lanka’s batting star Angelo Mathews and Pakistan’s debutante spin sensation Tuba Hassan have been voted the ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for May 2022.

• Mathews becomes the first Sri Lanka player to be named the ICC Player of the Month.

• Tuba is the first female player from Pakistan to win in the award.

Joe Root completes 10,191 runs

• England batter Joe Root completed 10191 Test cricket runs and succceeded former India batter Sunil Gavaskar’s record of 10122 runs.

• He achieved this on day 4 of the second Test against New Zealand in June 2022, where he got a total of 176 runs.

• He jumped to the 12th spot of the most runs in Test cricket tally.
• The tally is led by Sachin Tendulkar with a massive total of 15921 runs.

Khelo India Youth Games 2021

• The Khelo India Youth Games 2021 concluded on 13 June 2022 at Panchkula in Haryana.

• The closing ceremony was organised at Indradanush Auditorium in Panchkula.

• Haryana emerged in the top position in the medal tally by winning 137 medals with 52 gold, 39 silver and 46 bronze medals.
• Maharashtra got second position by winning 125 medals including 45 gold, 40 silver and 40 bronze medals.
• Karnataka remained at third place with 22 gold,17 silver and 28 bronze medals.
• The fourth edition of the Khelo India Youth Games saw athletes from over 36 states and Union Territories compete in 25 different sports.

AWARDS & PRIZES

First Type Certificate Award

• On 14 June 2022, Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia awarded the first Type Certificate under Drone Rules to IoTech World Avigation Private Limited in New Delhi.
• This company is one of India’s leading manufacturers of Kisan drones.
• It received the Type Certificate in 34 days after submission of its online application.
• India has set a target to become a drone hub by 2030.
• The Drone Certification Scheme will create an eco-system for manufacturing of world class drones in India.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

2nd Biggest Oil Vendor to India

• Russia has overtaken Saudi Arabia to become India’s second-biggest supplier of oil.

• Indian refiners bought about 25 million barrels of Russian oil in May or more than 16% of all their oil imports. Russian origin crude hit 5% of India’s total seaborne imports in April for the first time, rising from under 1% throughout 2021 and Q1 2022.

• Iraq remained the top supplier to India in May and Saudi Arabia is now the third biggest supplier.

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Blood Donor Day

• World Blood Donor Day is observed every year on 14 June.

• It to create an awareness event to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary, unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood.

• The day is observed to promote blood donation and to encourage people to donate blood to save lives.
• The theme for this year 2022 is "Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives".
• World Blood Donor Day was established in 2004 by the World Health Organization (WHO).
• June 14 also marks the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner who won the Nobel Prize for Medicine in 1930 for his work in classifying blood types.

OBITUTARY

Distance Running Legend Hari Chand

• India's distance-running legend Hari Chand passed away at the age of 69.

• He was two-time Olympian (1976 and 1980) and winner of the 5000m and 10000m gold medals in the 1978 Asian Games as well as the 10000m gold in the 1975 Asian Athletics Championships.
• Chand’s national record time of 28:48.72 in 10,000m set in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games stood for 32 years.
• He was born in Ghorewaha village in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district.