NATIONAL NEWS

Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit 2023

• The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance (IPA) concluded the 8th edition of the Global Pharmaceutical Quality Summit at Mumbai.
• The theme for the Summit was, ‘Patient Centricity: New Paradigm of Manufacturing and Quality’.
• The two-day Summit brought together industry leaders, global regulators, quality experts, and stakeholders to foster knowledge exchange and deliberate on areas of importance in shaping the pharmaceutical landscape in India.
• India played a vital role as the ‘Pharmacy to the World’ during the COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring a steady supply of quality medicines and vaccines across the globe.
• The Indian pharmaceutical industry has demonstrated its potential both in terms of quality and quantity.

Karnataka Government Launched ‘Brand Bengaluru’ Portal

• The karnataka Deputy Chief minister (CM) and Bengaluru Development Minister Shri DK Shivakumar launched a portal for people to share suggestions regarding the development of the city, under the title ‘Brand Bengaluru’.
• The public can visit https://brandbengaluru.karnataka.gov.in/or contact the WhatsApp number 9480685700 to provide their suggestions until June 30, 2023.
• Deputy chief minister and Bengaluru development minister DK Shivakumar, who recently met industry leaders, announced plans to create a master plan for Bengaluru within 6 months.
• During the meeting, several suggestions were made, including expediting Metro and suburban rail projects, accelerating the Peripheral Ring Road construction, converting NICE Road into a ring road, building tunnel roads, satellite cities, to reduce traffic congestion.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

India and US Sign Artemis Accord

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed the Artemis agreement with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

• It is to highlight the growing importance of India's role as a global space power.

• The agreement establishes the foundation for cooperation in space exploration and underlines India's commitment to peaceful space activities.

• The Artemis Agreement outlines principles for international cooperation in space exploration, particularly relating to the use of the Moon, Mars, comets and asteroids for peaceful purposes.
• NASA's Artemis program aims to advance scientific discoveries and expand human exploration of the lunar surface.
• By studying the Moon, researchers hope to make breakthroughs that could lead to advances in various fields such astechnology, medicine and our understanding of the universe.

India and UAE Signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement

• India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have signed a Mutual Recognition Arrangement for Authorized Economic Operators.

• The agreement was formally signed during the World Customs Organization's (WCO) Customs Co-operation Council meeting held in Brussels.

• The Mutual Recognition Arrangement aims to promote trade facilitation and ease of doing business between the two countries.

• It establishes a framework for recognizing Authorized Economic Operators (AEOs) from both India and the UAE.

• This agreement signifies an important milestone in the economic cooperation between India and the UAE and is expected to strengthen bilateral trade ties.

BANKING

Asian Development Bank to Provide Loans to Bangladesh

• The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has signed a loan agreement with the government of Bangladesh to provide $400 million for the construction of a dual gauge railway between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.

• The purpose of the railway project is to promote trade, investment, and tourism in Bangladesh.

• The new rail link is expected to open in 2023 and aims to transport approximately 2.9 million passengers annually between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar by 2024.

• The ADB is supporting the government's shift from road to rail transport, as rail is considered a climate-friendly, safe, affordable, and efficient mode of transportation.
• The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Railway is part of the Trans-Asia Railway (TAR) network, which is an initiative led by the United Nations.
• The TAR network aims to establish seamless rail links between Asia and Europe to enhance connectivity between people and markets.
• The assistance provided by ADB for the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Railway Project is the third part of a $1.5 billion loan package for the South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) initiative.

Apple to Launch its Credit Card in India

• Apple Inc is planning to introduce its credit card, known as Apple Card, in India to take advantage of the growing opportunities in the country's financial sector.

• Apple intends to collaborate with HDFC Bank to offer Apple Card to Indian customers.

• Apple CEO Tim Cook met HDFC Bank CEO and MD Shashidhar Jagadishan during the launch of the Apple Store in India in April.

• RBI has directed Apple to follow the standard procedures set up for other co-branded credit cards.

• Physical Apple Card users can earn up to 1% cashback for regular purchases, which increases to 2% when paying with Apple Pay.

• The cashback percentage has increased to 3% for payments made at Apple Stores and select partners.
• Apple does not charge Apple Card holders late fees, foreign transaction fees, returned payment fees, or annual credit card fees.
• Apple Card owners have the option of opening a savings account with an interest rate of 4.15%, with no minimum balance requirement, to deposit their daily cash.

Axis Bank Launches One-View Feature on its Mobile App

• One of the largest private sector banks, Axis Bank, launched its latest feature, ‘One-View’, on Axis Mobile Application.

• Axis Bank is the first private sector Bank to introduce this new-age banking feature leveraging the Account Aggregator (AA) ecosystem to create a seamless banking experience for its customers.

• This feature simplifies the process of managing finances for customers, by providing them access to multiple bank accounts on one single platform, enabling them to track their balances and spends on a real-time basis.

• Account Aggregator is a type of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulated framework that helps an individual securely and digitally access.

• It is to share information from one financial institution they have an account with to any other regulated financial institution in the AA network.

SPORTS

Guinness World Record for 200 International Caps

• Cristiano Ronaldo set a Guinness World Record by achieving 200 international caps for Portugal.

• He reached the milestone during Portugal's Euro 2024 qualifier against Iceland.

• Ronaldo is now the most capped player in international football.

• The Guinness Book of Records recognized his achievement and presented him with a certificate.

• Ronaldo is also the all-time top goalscorer in international football, with 122 goals in 200 games.
• A cap is awarded to players who make official appearances for their national team in international football.
• Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo holds the current record with 200 international caps.

Anurag Thakur Flagged Off ‘Bharat in Paris’ Campaign

• Union Sports Minister Anurag Singh Thakur flagged off the campaign with a short marathon at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi.
• The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) has launched the ‘Bharat in Paris’ campaign to create awareness and promote sports across India ahead of the Paris Olympics games.
• The 2024 Olympics will be held in Paris, France, from July 26 to August 11.
• The idea of the scheme is to look to the future and fund a developmental group of athletes who have the potential to bring medals to the Olympic Games in Paris in 2024 and Los Angeles in 2028.

RANKS, INDICES & REPORTS

Global Gender Gap Index 2023

• India ranks 127 out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2023.
• The Global Gender Gap Index was established in 2006 and this is its 17th edition.
• It is published annually by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• It measures gender equality in 146 countries and enables cross-country analysis.
• The global gender gap score for 2023 is 68.4%, showing an improvement of 0.3 percentage points from 2022.
• Iceland has been ranked first as the most gender-equal country in the world for the 14th consecutive year with a score of 91.2%.
• Iceland is the only country that has reduced the gender gap by more than 90%.

DEFENCE

Russian Navy Hypersonic Zircon Missiles

• The Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy has recently made an announcement stating that all new frigate and corvette class vessels of the Russian Navy will be equipped with hypersonic Zircon missiles.

• The Zircon Missile, also known as the 3M22 Zircon or SS-N-33, is a hypersonic cruise missile developed in Russia.

• It is designed as an anti-ship missile with advanced capabilities.

• The Zircon Missile can achieve speeds of over 9,500 kilometers per hour (6,000 miles per hour), which is approximately nine times the speed of sound.

• It is a two-stage missile, utilizing solid fuel in the first stage and a scramjet motor in the second stage.
• The missile has a range of more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) and is capable of accurately pinpointing targets within that range.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

New Book Titled ‘Finance Minister of India’

• Journalist A.K. Bhattacharya wrote a new book titled ‘Finance Ministers of India: From Independence to the Emergency (1947-1977)’.
• The book throws light on the role of India's finance ministers who shaped the country's economy in the first 30 years after independence.
• It covers the period from 1947 to 1977.
• The book is published by Penguin Business, an imprint of Penguin Random House.
• Bhattacharya is the Editorial Director of Business Standard and has wide experience in analyzing economic affairs.

IMPORTANT DAYS

International Day of Women in Diplomacy

• International Women's Day in Diplomacy (IDWID) is observed annually on 24 June.
• It is a day to honor and recognize notable women in the field of diplomacy and decision-making globally.
• Armenian Ambassador Diana Abgar is credited with being the first female diplomat of the 20th century.
• Prominent women such as Indira Gandhi, Margaret Thatcher and Sushma Swaraj have contributed significantly in representing their nations at the international level.
• The theme for the year 2023 is ‘Breaking Barriers, Shaping the Future: Women in Diplomacy for Sustainable Development.’
• The theme emphasizes the importance of increasing the participation of women in decision-making and diplomatic roles.

International Olympic Day

• International Olympic Day is celebrated every year on 23 June.
• Olympic Day is an annual celebration that promotes sport, health, and unity worldwide.
• Olympic Day symbolizes the commitment to making the world a better place through the power of sport.
• The theme for this year's Olympic Day is 'Let's Move,' which aims to inspire individuals worldwide to prioritize regular physical activity in their daily lives.
• The International Olympic Committee was established in Paris on 23 June 1894.
• International Olympic Day was first celebrated in 1948.