Daily Current Affairs- 6 June 2024

Daily Current Affairs- 6th June 2024

NATIONAL

PM Modi launches Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' on World Environment Day

• On the occasion of the World Environment Day ( June 5 ) the Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ‘ Ek Ped Maa Ke' campaign in New Delhi.
• In India, Earth is considered a mother or Maa. The Ek Ped Maa Ke campaign signifies the protection of the Earth's environment by afforestation to stop land degradation, soil erosion, and falling water tables. 

SCIENCE & TEHNOLOGY

Indian-American Astronaut Sunita Williams Makes History on Boeing’s Starliner Maiden Crewed Mission

• Williams, 58, an Indian American astronaut, made history as the first woman to pilot a spacecraft on its maiden mission. This flight also marks her third journey into space.
• Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, carrying astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, took off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Wednesday for a test mission to the International Space Station. 

APPOINTMENS & RESIGNATIONS

Centre Appoints Sushil Kumar Singh as Chairman of Deendayal Port Trust

• Sushil Kumar Singh, Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineering (IRSME) of 1993 batch has been appointed as the chairman of Deendayal Port Trust in Kandla, Gujarat. Singh will continue to chair the port trust till his superannuation in January 2027.
• He has succeeded SK Mehta, a forest service officer of Gujarat cadre who has returned to his cadre, completing the central deputation. 

IMPORTANT DAYS

UN: Russian Language Day

• The Russian Language Day, as set out in the decision of the UN Department of Public Information (2010), is celebrated on June, 6th - the birthday of the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.
• Its celebration, along with the days of the other official UN languages, was welcomed by the UNGA in 2017 – the importance of advocacy and raising awareness inter alia by proclamation and celebrations of language days with due consideration to United Nations General Assembly resolution 71/328 was noted by UNESCO Executive Board in 2022.

 SUMMIT'S & MOU's

Mines Ministry Signs MoU with Central TB Division, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare

• Ministry of Mines and Central TB Division of Ministry of Health & Family Welfare signed a Memorandum of Understanding in New Delhi for collaborative and convergent action towards elimination of Tuberculosis.
• The MoU was signed by Smt. Farida M. Naik, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Dr. K. K. Tripathy, Economic Advisor, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of India in the presence of officials from both the ministries. All the field formations, CPSEs and Attached/Subordinate offices of the Mines Ministry joined the program virtually. The MoU will forge inter-ministerial collaboration and strategic partnerships to achieve the target of Eliminating Tuberculosis (TB) in India by 2025. 

MoD Signs MoUs to Expand SPARSH Service Centers

• Defence Ministry signs MoUs to onboard four banks as SPARSH service centers, According to the Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) signed in Delhi, the web-based SPARSH [System for Pension Administration (Raksha)] Service Centers will be available across 1,128 branches of the four banks Bank of India, Canara Bank, Central Bank of India and Utkarsh Small Finance Bankacross the country.
• Implemented by the Ministry in 2021, the SPARSH system is an integrated system for the automation of sanctions and disbursement of defence pensions, Pensioner Portal provides a single window for pensioners to avail the pension-related services such as a facility to view pension details, pension entitlements, pensioner profile details, Income Tax forms etc. 

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Sanya Malhotra’s ‘Mrs’ Wins at the New York Indian Film Festival

• Mrs, starring the talented Sanya Malhotra, recently screened at the prestigious New York Indian Film Festival 2024, and the actress bagged the Best Actor Female award for the role in the movie, The win marks a significant milestone in Malhotra’s burgeoning career and underscores her exceptional talent as an actress.
• Helmed by Arati Kadav, the film is reportedly the Hindi remake of the critically acclaimed Malayalam film "The Great Indian Kitchen." The movie is described as "a captivating account of a woman's strength and resilience," focusing on the journey of Richa, portrayed by Sanya Malhotra. Richa's story is one of self-discovery as she navigates the demanding responsibilities of the kitchen and household. 

RANKING

QS World Rankings 2025: MIT retains 1st Position and more

• Quacquarelli Symonds has released QS World Rankings 2025. The top position is once again bagged by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the second position is taken by Imperial College London. Cambridge and Stanford University have dipped to 5th and 6th position respectively.

Top 5 universities as per QS World Rankings 2025

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)	Cambridge, United States
2. Imperial College London	London, United Kingdom
3. University of Oxford	Oxford, United Kingdom    96.9
4. Harvard University	Cambridge, United States
5. University of Cambridge	Cambridge, United Kingdom

  BANKING AND ECONOMY

NPCI International and the Central Reserve Bank of Peru Partner to Develop UPI-Like Real-Time Payments System

• NPCI International Payments Limited (NIPL) and the Central Reserve Bank of Peru (BCRP) have announced a partnership to enable the deployment of a UPI-like real-time payments system in Peru.
• This collaboration marks a significant milestone, making Peru the first country in South America to adopt the globally renowned Unified Payment Interface (UPI) technology—a symbol of India's pioneering excellence in digital payments. 

Axis Bank, Bajaj Allianz forge strategic bancassurance partnership

• Axis Bank, a private sector bank, and Bajaj Allianz General Insurance, a private general insurer, have entered a strategic bancassurance partnership to boost insurance penetration and financial inclusion in the country.
• Under this Bancassurance tie-up, a comprehensive suite of Bajaj Allianz General Insurance products will be distributed through Axis Bank’s network of 5,250 plus branches.
• The suite of insurance solutions would include personal insurance products such as motor insurance, health insurance, home insurance, travel insurance, and commercial insurance products, including engineering and marine insurance.