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- The Sustainable Gastronomy Day is observed all across the world every year on 18 June. Gastronomy refers to the study of relationship between food and culture and the commitment to sustainability implies responsibility for production and consumption of food. In December 2016, United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed 18 June as World Sustainable Gastronomy Day by adopting resolution A/RES/71/246.
- Facebook owned cryptocurrency Libra will be launched in 2020. Libra will let its user to send or receive money and buy things at nearly zero fees. Facebook is also launching its Subsidiary Co. called Calibra that will handle its crypto dealings. A Libra is represented by ≋.This new digital currency will be made available through a digital wallet Calibra that will be available in Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp.
- The Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has decided to remove requirement of minimum educational qualification (class 8th pass) for transport vehicle drivers in country. As per the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, a transport vehicle driver must need to have passed Class VIII. Haryana state government had requested Centre for waiver of minimum educational qualification condition for drivers belonging to economically backward Mewat region of Haryana.
- The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved the extension of 1986 batch IAS officer Alok Vardhan Chaturvedi by over 3 months, in central deputation as Director General (DG), Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT). Directorate General of Foreign Trade is agency of Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
- The Government of India has approved Union Ministry of Defence proposal for restoration of ‘ration in kind’ to military officers stationed in peace areas. On 1 July 2017, government had taken the decision that instead of free ration in kind facility defence officers would be given certain allowance. This decision to withdraw provision of ration in kind, a practice that was being followed since 1983 was based on a recommendation of 7th Central Pay Commission.
- Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the global internet body and Indian apex body for IT industry NASSCOM (National Association of Software and Services Companies) announced collaboration for working in developing standards and identifier technology that will feed into the global consultation for managing Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices and infrastructure using internet.
Nitesh Kumar Jangir - Nitesh Kumar Jangir, an Indian engineer won 2019 Commonwealth Secretary-General’s Innovation for Sustainable Development Award in People category, for creating a low-cost breathing support device called ‘Saans’ for premature babies in London, United Kingdom (UK). ‘Saans’ is a breathing support device used for tackling avoidable deaths of premature babies from Neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). The inaugural Commonwealth Innovation Awards was conferred upon 15 innovators from 53 member-countries of Commonwealth.
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