23 June 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

23 June 2018 - Daily Current Affairs

1. International Olympic Day being observed today

• The International Olympic Day (IOD) is observed every year on 23rd June to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.
• The three pillars of Olympic Day are ‘move’, ‘learn’ and ‘discover’.
• Move: Can refer to all sorts of physical activity for people of all ages and abilities.
• Learn: Olympic Day is wonderful opportunity to look at the contribution of sport to global social issues that can affect your community
• Discover: All about inviting and encouraging people to try new sports and activities that they have never done before.

Note:

• The ‘Olympic Day’ was introduced in 1948 to commemorate the birth of the modern Olympic Games on 23^rd June 1894 at the Sorbonne in Paris.
• The goal was to promote participation in sport across the globe regardless of age, gender or athletic ability.

2. 23 June: International Widows’ Day

• The International Widows day (IWD) is observed every year on 23^rd June to raise awareness of the issue of widowhood.
• The day addresses the poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in many countries.
• International Widows Day was established by The Loomba Foundation.

3. 23 June: United Nations Public Service Day

• The United Nations Public Service Day is observed on 23^rd June every year to recognize the work of public servants and to encourage young people to pursue careers in the public sector.
• The day seeks to mark the invaluable contributions of public servants and administrators to build a better world for all.

National Affairs

4. Govt. asks AC manufacturers to regulate default AC settings at 24 degrees Celsius

• According to the Power Minister R K Singh, the Union Government has advised AC manufacturers to keep default setting at 24 degrees Celsius.
• The government will consider making it a mandatory setting for air conditioners in few months.
• Every one-degree increase in the air-conditioner temperature setting results in saving of 6 per cent of electricity consumed.
• The Minister also launched a campaign to promote energy efficiency in the air-conditioning area.

5. EMS sets up 24 labs for skill development in the maritime sector

• According to the shipping ministry, 24 labs have been set up by Centre of Excellence in Maritime & Shipbuilding (CEMS) a startup for skill development in the sector.
• CEMS has established one of the first of its kind of infrastructure in Asia Pacific with 24 labs (6 in Mumbai and 18 in Vizag campus).
• With the setting up of these labs, CEMS is well-positioned to build competency in the maritime & shipbuilding sector through various courses ably supported by world-class infrastructure, the statement added.

International Affairs

6. Mongolia breaks ground for its first refinery to be constructed with Indian assistance

• The Home Minister Rajnath Singh attended the ceremony for the construction of Mongolia’s first oil refinery at 'Stantsiin Hooloi' in Altanshiree Soum with the help of a USD 1 billion loan from India.
• Ukhnaagin Khurelsukh (Prime Minister of Mongolia) and other dignitaries were present during the event.
• Mongolia hopes the project will boost the economy and reduce its dependence on foreign gasoline imports, particularly from Russia.
• The home minister is on a three-day visit to Mongolia to further strengthen India's relations with Mongolia and security cooperation.

7. 7th India Minerals and Metals forum inaugurated in New Delhi

• The seventh India Minerals and Metals forum has been inaugurated in New Delhi.
• The forum seeks to come up with solutions to leverage in the sector with the changing global scenario.
• The deliberations took cognizance on the need to consolidate small players for a strengthening of the overall health of the industry.

8. OPEC agrees on a modest increase in oil production from next month

• The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has agreed on a modest increase in oil production from next month.
• The move comes after its leader Saudi Arabia persuaded arch-rival Iran to cooperate.
• Now, OPEC would raise supply by returning to 100% compliance with previously agreed output cuts.
• Earlier, US, China and India had urged oil producers to release more supply to prevent an oil deficit that could undermine global economic growth.
• The next formal OPEC meeting was set for 3^rd December 2018.

Note:

• Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is a permanent intergovernmental organisation of oil-exporting developing nations that coordinates and unifies the petroleum policies of its Member Countries.
• As of February 2018, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is an intergovernmental organization of 14 nations.
• OPEC was formed on September 14, 1960, at a meeting in Baghdad, Iraq.

Obituaries

9. Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Krauthammer passes away

• United States political commentator and Pulitzer Prize winner Charles Krauthammer (68-year) passed due to cancer of the small intestine.
• Krauthammer’s column has been published in The Washington Post since 1984
• He regularly appeared as the political analyst on Fox News.

10. Ex-South Korean PM Kim Jong-pil passes away

• Ex-South Korean PM Kim Jong-pil (92-years) passed away due to age-related complications at Seoul.
• A retired lieutenant colonel Kim was a key member of a 1961 coup that put army, Maj. Gen. Park Chung-hee in power until his 1979 assassination.
• He served twice as Prime Minister from 1971-to 1975 and 1998 to 2000.
• Kim created and headed the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, a predecessor of the current National Intelligence Service.

Sports

11. Hockey Champions Trophy 2018 commences in the Netherlands today

• Hockey Champions Trophy 2018 (37^th edition) commences at Breda in the Netherlands.
• Six teams (Netherlands, Australia, Argentina, Belgium, India, and Pakistan) are participating in the tournament from 23^rd June to 1^st July 2018.
• In the opening match, India will take on arch-rivals Pakistan this evening (5:30 PM).