Daily Current Affairs- 17 June 2024

Daily Current Affairs- 17th June 2024

INTERNATIONAL

Peter Pellegrini sworn in as Slovakia's President

• Peter Pellegrini is sworn in as the president of Slovakia in a ceremony that took place amid heightened security following an assassination attempt on his close ally, populist Prime Minister Robert Fico, a month ago.
• Pellegrini called for national unity in his speech at a special session of Parliament that took place at the seat of the Slovak philharmonic, becoming Slovakia's sixth president since it gained independence after the disintegration of Czechoslovakia in 1993. 

NATIONAL

Punjab Police Launch Mission Nishchay

• Punjab Police in association with the Border Security Force (BSF) and Village Defence Committees (VDCs) will carry out Mission Nishchay - a one-week drive against drugs in Fazilka district during which they will reach out to residents of as many as 42 villages along the India-Pakistan border to gather actionable intelligence about the demand and supply of drugs.
• During the drive, named as ‘Mission Nishchay’, police officers will fan out in villages in Fazilka district from June 15 to 21 and interact with residents, out of 553-km-long Punjab border with Pakistan, 108 km is in Fazilka district. 

Oracle Partners With Tamil Nadu to Empower Youth with Cutting-Edge Technologies

• Oracle and Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation (TNSDC) have launched a specialized skills development programme under the state’s massive skill enhancement initiative, Naan Mudhalvan, to provide employment-linked skills development training to more than 2,00,000 students in the state.
• TNSDC is collaborating with Oracle to offer Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) training to help students in the state advance their careers. 

Vice President Inaugurates ‘Prerna Sthal’ at Parliament House Complex

• Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar with Rajya Sabha chairperson inaugurated the 'Prerna Sthal' in the Parliament complex which now houses statues of national icons and freedom fighters that were earlier at different places on the premises.
• The 'Prerna Sthal' will inspire and motivate people, Dhankhar said, amid criticism by the Congress over the removal of the statues from their original places. 

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Tesam Pongte elected ‘unopposed’ as Arunachal Assembly Speaker

• Pro-tem Speaker Ninong Ering announced that Pongte was elected unopposed as the Speaker of the Assembly as no other nomination had been received for the post.
• Pongte, who was elected from the Changlang North Assembly segment in the April 19 elections, told the House that he would try to administer the House without any prejudice and give an equal opportunity to all members to participate in debates and deliberations, irrespective of political affiliation. 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

• The World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is a United Nations observance celebrated each year on 17 June. Its purpose is to raise awareness of the presence of desertification and drought, highlighting methods of preventing desertification and recovering from drought, The theme of this year's World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought :2024 is - United for Land. Our Legacy. Our Future.
• In 1994, The UN General Assembly established the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) - the legally binding international agreement linking environment, development and sustainable land management. In 2007, the UN General Assembly declared the decade of 2010 to 2020 as the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the fight against Desertification. 

SUMMITS & MOUs

IMD and ONAMET of Dominican Republic signed MoU to enhance Meteorological capabilities

• India and the Dominican Republic are joining forces to enhance the technical capabilities of the National Meteorological Office (ONAMET). This collaboration is cemented by a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) and Onamet, aimed at improving weather forecasting and monitoring.
• The MoU includes training personnel, exchanging expertise on early warning systems, and accessing satellite data to develop better meteorological models. This initiative is crucial as climate change increasingly impacts weather patterns, making accurate forecasting more vital than ever. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

RBI bags ‘risk manager of the year award 2024’ by London’s Central Banking publication

• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been awarded the "Risk Manager of the Year Award 2024" by Central Banking, a renowned publication headquartered in London.
• This prestigious accolade highlights the RBI's significant progress in cultivating a robust risk culture and heightened awareness, solidifying its essential role in maintaining the stability of India's financial system. 

Siddhesh Sakore, Farmer from Maharashtra, Named Land Hero By UN Agency

• Siddhesh Sakore, a farmer and the founder of AGRO RANGERS, from Maharashtra, has been named Land Hero by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
• On the occasion of World Desertification and Drought Day, the UNCCD announced the names of 10 Land Heroes in a programme in Bonn, Germany, on Sunday.
• Apart from Siddhesh Sakore, other Land Heroes are from Brazil, Costa Rica, Germany, Mali, Moldova, Morocco, the Philippines, the US, and Zimbabwe. 

RANKING

Environmental Performance Index (EPI): India ranks 176th out of 180 countries

• India, the third-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, has found itself among the lowest-ranked countries for air quality, projected emissions, and biodiversity in the 2024 Environmental Performance Index (EPI).
• In the overall index, India placed 176th out of 180 countries, surpassing only Pakistan, Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. This is a modest improvement from the previous EPI, where India was at the very bottom. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

Karnataka Bank launches KBL WISE Senior Citizen Savings Account

• Karnataka Bank at a launch event held in Bengaluru announced the launch of KBL WISE Senior Citizens Savings Bank Account, a unique banking product designed to cater to the Banking, Healthcare & Wellness needs of our esteemed senior citizens. The Product has been aptly named KBL WISE i.e.: Wellness Investments & Savings for Elderly. The Savings product is available in two exclusive variants - KBL Wise Signature, a regular variant and KBL Wise Advantage, a premium variant.
• This innovative product offers an array of bundled features like 'Free Top-up Health insurance upto Rs.10 Lakhs, Free MediBuddy Healthcare Benefits, Free HospiCash Facility, Discount on Locker Rentals, Doorstep Banking facility, a Lifetime Free Ru pay Platinum Debit card, and other features.