Notes:
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDAI) has set up a 10-member committee to review norms related to Insurance Marketing Firms (IMF) with an aim to increase insurance penetration in the country. The committee, headed by Suresh Mathur (ED-IMF, IRDAI), has been asked to revisit the IRDAI (Registration of Insurance Marketing Firms) Regulations, 2015.The new distribution channel of IMF was introduced in 2015 by IRDAI, with the objective of increasing insurance penetration through an area-wise registration approach. Among other things, the panel has also been asked to provide recommendations for issuing guidelines on the areas on which the regulations are silent. The committee will submit its recommendations by end-July.

Notes:
To honour soldiers who have been disabled in line of duty, the Indian Army is observing the year 2018 as the “Year of Disabled Soldiers in Line of Duty”. The primary focus is towards alleviating the sufferings of these soldiers, who have done their duty with utmost dedication to the Nation and have been disabled for the life. The endeavour this year is to provide a one-time financial assistance to disabled soldiers who have been boarded out from service on medical grounds and are rendered non-employable due to their medical or physical conditions. Indian Army plans to create awareness on organizational support available to soldiers and their dependents with respect to medical, rehabilitation, various beneficiary schemes of Central and State Governments, vocational opportunities and assistance for their placement. Army also plans to showcase talent of disabled soldiers by organizing sports and physical activities, cultural events and their art exhibitions.

Notes:
With the monsoon under way, the Union Water Resources Ministry has teamed up with Google to generate flood warnings. If there are signs of an imminent flood, a Google Maps user will be able to see what regions are likely to see water logging first and if their neighbourhood is under threat. As per agreement, the CWC and Google will share technical expertise in the fields of artificial intelligence, machine learning, geospatial mapping and analysis of hydrological observation data to collaborate on (i) improving flood prediction systems, which will help provide location-targeted, actionable flood warnings, (ii) high priority research project utilizing Google Earth Engine to help visualize and improve flood management and (iii) a cultural project to build online exhibitions on the Rivers of India. Currently, the Central Water Commission (CWC) warns of floods based on the rising water levels in reservoirs and if these are nearing a dam’s ‘danger marks’.

Notes:
Perumal Murugan, the noted Tamil poet and author, has authored the novel ‘Kazhimugam’, which deals with effect of modern gadgets on life of middle class. He is known for his controversial novel ‘Madhurobhagan (translated as ‘One Part Woman’)’, which narrates the story of a childless couple ‘Ponna and Kali’ and the impact of childlessness on them. The book raises several issues about gender, patriarchy and masculinity – all of which converge in a worldview mandated by narrow social conventions that describe a childless marriage as incomplete. The controversy erupted in 2014 after local caste-based and religious Hindu groups objected to the fictional portrayal of traditions at the Ardhanareeswarar Temple in Tiruchengode. Then, on July 2016, the Madras High Court dismissed the case under citing Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India, ruled that there was no binding force or obligation that forced the author to apologize and withdraw the books.

Notes:
US golfer Brooks Koepka has won the 118th edition of the US Open golf championship at the Shinnecock Hills course in New York on June 17, 2018. Koepka has created history by becoming the first man since Curtis Strange in 1989 to successfully defend his U.S. Open title.

Notes:
The Telangana police have launched a mobile-based messenger application “COP CONNECT’ to provide real time information to over 60,000 police officers across the State. The app will also support the police department in improving quality of service delivered to public. The app has been developed based on police’s internal communication strategy, which will enable the entire workforce to pro-actively engage and pass real time information in seconds.Unlike WhatsApp groups which are restricted to only 256 participants, in Cop Connect, one can add any number of groups in a single group. Apart from the text, the internal messaging app will enable to share images, audio, video files and documents. One can also share their current location in the app. It also has an iMeeting option, which will help in creating and scheduling department meeting and setting reminders. The app can be used both offline and online and one can transfer unlimited data.

Notes:
The World Sustainable Gastronomy Day (WSGD) is observed every year on June 18 to focus the world’s attention on the role that sustainable gastronomy can play. The day also reaffirms that all cultures and civilizations are contributors and crucial enablers of sustainable development. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) designated 18 June as Sustainable Gastronomy Day by adopting its resolution A/RES/71/246 on 21 December 2016. The decision acknowledges gastronomy as a cultural expression related to the natural and cultural diversity of the world.

Notes:
The high-level Conference on “International Decade for Action: Water for Sustainable Development, 2018-2028” will be held in Tajikistan from June 20, 2018. The two-day conference is being organized by the United Nations and Government of Tajikistan to discuss key water-related issues of sustainable development goals adopted by UN member countries. India will be represented by Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister for Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation. In it, Mr. Gadkari will share the initiatives, solutions and best practices that Government of India (GoI) is taking in the field of Drinking Water & Sanitation, Water Resource Assessment, Resource Distribution, Management, Conservation and Harvesting. He will outline key policy initiatives and flagship programs of the Government of India including rejuvenation of river Ganga.

Notes:
On June 18, the 2018 National Yoga Olympiad has organized by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) at in CIET in New Delhi to create awareness about a scientific and holistic way of living. Approx 500 students from 26 States and 4 RIEs are participating in the 3-day Olympiad. The purpose of the Olympiad is to create positive attitude among all human beings and promote peaceful living in the society. It was inaugurated by Mr. Eric Falt, Director and UNESCO Representative of the New Delhi Cluster Office for India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The NCERT is an autonomous organisation of the Government of India that was established on 1st September 1961 as a literary, scientific and charitable Society under the Societies’ Registration Act (Act XXI of 1860). Dr. Hrushikesh Senapaty is director of the NCERT since September 2015.

Notes:
Technology giant Google has recently announced the launch of a training programme for journalists with an aim to raise awareness against misinformation and providing new tools to the fourth estate against fake news. The Google News Initiative India Training Network will provide training to 8,000 journalists in English and six other Indian languages in the next one year. The network will select 200 journalists from cities across India, who will hone their skills in verification and training during five-day boot camps that will be organised for English and Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Bengali, Marathi and Kannada. The focus of the training will be fact-checking, online verification and digital hygiene for journalists, using a curriculum built by experts.