Daily Current Affairs : 16th June 2020 | Daily GK update Quiz

Exp. Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas & Steel Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Indian Gas Exchange (IGX), first nationwide online delivery-based gas trading platform. IGX will be a delivery-based trading platform for delivery of natural Gas. The trade on the platform commenced in his auspicious presence.

Incorporated as a wholly owned subsidiary of the IEX – India’s energy market platform, IGX will enable market participants to trade in standardised gas contracts. The platform is fully automated with web-based interface to provide seamless trading experience to the customers.

Exp. Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, G Kishan Reddy launched GermiBAN at AIC ALEAP We-Hub, Hyderabad, on 14th June.

The device launched has UV C and other B, C, D components, the patenting technology that kills surface and air microbes at 99.9 per cent, useful for isolation wards, quarantine centres, hospitals for killing viruses like corona.

Exp. India, along with 12 other countries, has led an initiative here aimed at spreading fact-based content to counter misinformation on the coronavirus, with over 130 nations endorsing the global call to fight the “infodemic” relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the initiative by Australia, Chile, France, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Latvia, Lebanon, Mauritius, Mexico, Norway, Senegal and South Africa, a total of 132 member states endorsed a cross-regional statement on “infodemic” or manipulated information.

United Nations launched ‘Verified’, an initiative to combat the growing scourge of COVID-19 misinformation by increasing the volume and reach of trusted, accurate information.

Exp. Martyapura Re Jamaraj (‘Yamaraj on earth’), a short film produced by a group from the Ankushpur village of Odisha’s Ganjam district has won a special jury award at the COVID-19 International Film Festival 2020.

The 13-minute short film in Odia seeks to spread awareness in rural areas on preventive measures to check the spread of the coronavirus through humour. The online festival of short films focused on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exp. Anmol Narang has made history by becoming the first observant Sikh to graduate from the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point, and the Second Lieutenant is hopeful that her efforts to represent her religion and community will encourage Americans to learn more about Sikhism.

US President Donald Trump on 13th June addressed the 1,107 graduates, including 23-year-old Narang, who gathered for the academy’s annual commencement.

Exp. Airtel Payments Bank announced a salary account for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME).

Through the ‘Suraksha Salary’ account, MSMEs and other organisations will be able to make cashless payments and also provide financial security blanket to their employees. The benefits under the account include Hospicash Insurance and Personal Accidental insurance cover, given the low penetration of insurance in India.

Exp. India received USD 51 billion in foreign investment in 2019 and was the world’s 9th largest recipient of foreign direct investments (FDI) in 2019, according to a report by the UN’s trade body.

The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) said in a report on 15th that a lower but positive economic growth in India in the post-COVID19 pandemic period and India’s large market will continue to attract market-seeking investments to the country.

The World Investment Report 2020 by the UNCTAD said that India was the 9th largest recipient of FDI in 2019, with 51 billion dollars of inflows during the year, an increase from the 42 billion dollars of FDI received in 2018, when India ranked 12 among the top 20 host economies in the world.

Exp. India continues to remain ranked 43rd on an annual World Competitiveness Index compiled by Institute for Management Development (IMD) with some traditional weaknesses like poor infrastructure and insufficient education investment keeping its ranking low.

Singapore has retained its top position on the 63-nation list.

India’s 45th in 2017 before improving to 44th in 2018 and then to 43rd in 2019. While its overall position has remained unchanged in the 2020 list.

Rank Country

1 Singapore

2 Denmark

3 Switzerland

4 Netherlands

5 Hong Kong

43 India

Exp. India continues to remain ranked 43rd on an annual World Competitiveness Index compiled by Institute for Management Development (IMD) with some traditional weaknesses like poor infrastructure and insufficient education investment keeping its ranking low.

Singapore has retained its top position on the 63-nation list.

India’s 45th in 2017 before improving to 44th in 2018 and then to 43rd in 2019. While its overall position has remained unchanged in the 2020 list.

Rank Country

1 Singapore

2 Denmark

3 Switzerland

4 Netherlands

5 Hong Kong

43 India

Exp. Harikrishna was placed joint second at the end of the opening day of the Sharjah World Stars online chess tournament. He scored four points from five rounds to share the second spot along with Rustam Kasmidzhanov of Uzbekistan.

Top seed Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan was leading the tournament with four points. Harikrishna’s only defeat came against him.

Exp. Harikrishna was placed joint second at the end of the opening day of the Sharjah World Stars online chess tournament. He scored four points from five rounds to share the second spot along with Rustam Kasmidzhanov of Uzbekistan.

Top seed Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan was leading the tournament with four points. Harikrishna’s only defeat came against him.

Exp. Attorney General K K Venugopal has agreed for extension of one more year as a top law officer of the country. Venugopal, a leading lawyer of the country, was appointed as Attorney General and had succeeded Mukul Rohatgi on June 30, 2017.

Exp. Capital: Baku

Currency: Azerbaijani manat