DAILY GK UPDATE 14th JUNE

1.    World Blood Donor Day observed today

i. World Blood Donor Day was observed on 14 June 2013 across the world. This day is observed every year on 14 June with an aim of creating a worldwide culture of voluntary blood donation. Theme selected for the year 2013 is Give the Gift of Life: Donate Blood.

ii. The main objective of the campaign is to thank donors and their life-saving blood gifts and to promote the voluntary unpaid blood donation.

iii. The 10th anniversary of World Blood Donor Day will focus on the value of donated blood to the patient, not only in saving life, but also in helping people live longer and more productive lives.

iv. On World Blood Donor Day, 14th June, World Health Organisation (WHO) calls for all countries to obtain 100% of their supplies of blood and blood products from voluntary unpaid blood donors by 2020.

v. In 2011, nearly 83 million blood donations were collected worldwide from voluntary unpaid blood donors, an increase of close to 8 million donations from 2004.

2.    WPI-based inflation in May falls to 4.7%

i. Inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index, WPI, fell to 4.7 per cent in May, driven mainly by declining prices of manufactured items, even as prices of food articles went up. The WPI-based inflation stood at 4.89 per cent in April. In May last year, it was 7.55 per cent.

ii. As per official data released today, WPI inflation in the manufactured items category declined to 3.11 per cent in May from 3.41 per cent in April.

iii. The non-food articles category, which include fibre, oil seeds and minerals, saw a sharp decline in inflation to 4.88 per cent, from 7.59 per cent in April. However, inflation in food articles category, which has a 14.34 per cent share in the WPI basket, rose to 8.25 per cent in May.

iv. The rise in food inflation was on account of increase in prices of onions, vegetables, cereals and protein-based items. The inflation data would be closely watched by the Reserve Bank while formulating its mid-quarter policy which is scheduled on June 17.

3.    India to be world's most populous country by 2028: UN

i. India's population is expected to surpass China's around 2028, according to a UN report launched Friday.

ii. The report, 'World Population Prospects: The 2012 Revision', has projected that the global population will touch 9.6 billion by 2050, with most growth in developing regions, especially Africa.

iii. "The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected to increase by almost one billion within the next 12 years, reaching 8.1 billion in 2025 and 9.6 billion in 2050," said a statement from the UN office in Delhi.

iv. India's population will continue to grow for several decades to around 1.6 billion and then decline slowly to 1.5 billion in 2100.

v. The population of China, on the other hand, is expected to start decreasing after 2030, possibly reaching 1.1 billion in 2100.

vi. he report projects longer lives around the world as life expectancy is projected to increase in developed and developing countries in future years.

4.    Axis Bank launches co-branded credit card

i. Axis Bank in Tuesday announced the launch a new co-branded credit card that offers a blend of insurance and a number of travel benefits for international frequent flyers.

ii. Available in two versions, viz. World Select and World, the card will allow holders to enjoy reward points redeemable with Europe-based international frequent flyer program Miles & More's partners across various sectors like flights, hotels, car rentals and retail stores.

iii. The private sector lender will provide card holders with a discount of 20 basis points on home loans and 50 per cent concession on processing charges.

iv. However, the card comes at a considerable cost. The joining fee for World Select and World versions of the credit card is Rs 10,000 and Rs 3,500, respectively; while annual fee for the two versions is Rs 4,500 and Rs 3,500, respectively.

v. Jairam Sridharan, head of consumer lending & payments at Axis Bank, said that the bank launched the new card as customer interest and usage of credit cards had been on the rise

vi. Axis Bank has nearly 1.1 million credit card customers, and the loan outstanding on its credit cards is currently at Rs 1,200 crore, which accounts for around 2 per cent of its retail book.

5.    Argentinian Foreign Minister in India tomorrow on 4-day visit

i. Foreign Minister of Argentina, Hector Marcos Timerman is arriving in India tomorrow on a four-day visit. He will be accompanied by a 20-member official delegation.

ii. Mr Hector Marcos will co-chair the meeting of the fourth India-Argentina Joint Commission along with External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid on Monday.

iii. The two sides will review the entire gamut of bilateral relations including trade, agriculture, science and technology and defence and identify the emerging areas of cooperation. 

iv. Indo-Argentine trade turn-over stood at about two billion dollars last year. The two countries maintain close understanding on several multi-lateral issues.

6.    Iran begins voting to elect new president

i. Iran on Friday began voting to elect the successor of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the state television announced.

ii. Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who votes in the earliest moments after the opening of the polls, urged people to vote en masse.

iii. "Inshallah (God willing), the Iranian people will create a new political epic. I advise all people to vote and do so in the early hours of the morning," said the Iranian leader in a live broadcast on state television.

iv. Some 50.5 million people are eligible to vote on Friday for a successor to Ahmadinejad, under whose presidency Iran has been isolated internationally because of its nuclear programme.

v. The polls will remain open for the next 10 hours, though voting may be extended until midnight, if the interior Ministry decides that it is necessary.

7.    India`s bid to host U-17 Football WC

i. The government on thursday gave the go-ahead to India`s ambitious bid to host the U-17 Football World Cup in 2017, thus boosting the country`s chances of organising the tournament that is already being backed by FIFA Vice President Jerome Valcke.

ii. "The Union Cabinet today gave its approval to the proposal for submitting guarantees sought by the All India Football Federation (AIFF) from the Government of India for their bid to host the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) Under 17 World Cup Football Tournament in 2017 in India

iii. India`s first bid was rejected early this year, in January, due to insufficient assurances from the government. But with the government today giving the green signal in providing guarantees that would meet FIFA`s basic requirements, it has paved the way for a strong bid.

iv. "India is a huge football market. A country of 1.2 billion cannot lag behind in football. We see the event as the perfect platform for the development of infrastructure and grassroots development. We want to make football the number two sport in India in ten years."

8.    Bolt wins with world leading time in Oslo

i. Piqued by suggestions of a possible decline, Usain Bolt responded with a blistering season debut at 200 meters and a new track record at the Bislett Games on Thursday.

ii. “I’m not in as bad shape as I thought I was,” Bolt said after his emphatic victory.

iii. Bolt, whose condition was questioned after losing the 100 meters by one hundredth of a second in Rome the week before, finished in 19.79 seconds. He is the only one to break 20 seconds this season.

iv. Bolt topped the Bislett record set by Frank Fredericks of Namibia in 1996 by three hundredths of a second.

v. Bolt was disqualified for a false start at the 2011 world championships in South Korea.

9.    Lanka beat England by 7 wkts 

i. Kumar Sangakkara smashed a brilliant unbeaten 134 as Sri Lanka registered a thumping seven-wicket win over England to keep themselves in the hunt for a semifinal berth in the Champions Trophy in London. 

ii. Sangakkara played a composed 135-ball unconquered innings for his 15th ODI hundred in his 342nd match, which was studded with 12 fours, as Sri Lanka chased down the target of 294 with 17 balls to spare in their must-win Group A match at the oval.

iii. Sangakkara fittingly hit the winning runs, a four, as Sri Lanka reached 297 for three in 47.1 overs

iv. After Sri Lanka's win, Group A was thrown wide open with New Zealand on top with three points from two matches.

v.  All the four teams have played two matches each. Sri Lanka opened their account two points from two matches. England remained on two points while Australia were on one.

10.  Punjab beat Odisha to lift HI Jr. Men's National Ch'ship

i. Defending champions Punjab defeated Odisha 2-1 to lift the third Hockey India Junior Men National Championship title.

ii. At Motil Lal Nehru Sports Complex, Rai, Sonepat, yesterday, Madhya Pradesh Hockey Academy defeated Hockey Maharashtra 5-4 to finish third in the championship.