The UK and Japan are set to begin talks aimed at reaching agreement on a post-Brexit trade deal.
The negotiations come as London and Tokyo work towards replacing the agreement Britain currently has with Japan through the European Union.
Without a new deal by 1 January 2021 the two countries will default to World Trade Organization trading terms.
That would mean tariffs and obstacles to commerce between the UK and its fourth-largest non-EU trading partner.
After decades of sharing its trade policy with the European Union, Britain is now embarking on free trade negotiations with countries around the world.
The UK hopes that a free trade agreement with Japan will help it to eventually join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Membership of the 11-member CPTPP, a trade agreement that stretches from Australia to Chile, would significantly improve access for UK businesses to markets across the Asia-Pacific region.
Burundi President Pierre Nkurunziza Dies
Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza, aged 55, died after suffering a cardiac arrest.
After 15 years in power, Mr. Nkurunziza was due to step down in August.
A former rebel leader, Mr. Nkurunziza ruled the country with impunity for years, arresting opponents, stifling media outlets and cracking down on dissent.
His reign drew international condemnation and sparked widespread protests in the tiny country, one of the world's poorest. The International Criminal Court opened an investigation into whether his government committed crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, rape and disappearances. In 2017, Mr. Nkurunziza withdrew Burundi's membership in the court.
Nepal House Approves New Map
Nepal`s House of Representatives unanimously endorsed a proposal to consider the Constitution amendment bill to replace the country's new political and administrative map which includes Kalapani, Lipu Lekh, and Limpiyadhura.
The ruling Nepal Communist Party, the main opposition party Nepali Congress and Madhes-based parties reportedly backed the proposal to consider the constitution amendment bill in the House of Representatives.
In May 2020, Nepal's Parliamentary Affairs Minister Shivamaya Tumbahangphe had tabled the bill for discussions at Parliament to amend the constitution to update the country's map.
The Amendment proposal seeks to incorporate updated political map in the Constitution of Nepal- 2072, depicting areas of Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura within its own borders.
A team of researchers from the University of Hawaii have claimed that Pūhāhonu in Hawaii is the largest shield volcano in the world and it is twice the size of Mauna Loa which was previously thought to be the world's largest volcano.
The researchers came to this conclusion after taking a series of new measurements, including a chemical analysis of underwater rocks. The researchers also conducted a detailed survey of the ocean floor to find out the true size of Pūhāhonu.
Pūhāhonu, which is an undersea volcano, is 171 miles long and 56 miles wide. The volcano is situated in Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument, around 620 miles from Honolulu. Only two 170-foot tall peaks of Pūhāhonu are visible above the water.
The researchers also said that Pūhāhonu is also the hottest shield volcano on earth with estimated magma temperatures of around 3,092 degrees Farehenheit.
As per Chief Executive Officer Arvind Krishna, International Business Machines Corp (IBM) will no longer offer general purpose facial recognition or analysis software.
The company will stop offering facial recognition software and oppose any use of such technology for purposes of mass surveillance and racial profiling.
The tech giant's decision to get out of the facial recognition business, employed by multiple companies, comes as the United States grapples with nationwide protests over the death of a black man, George Floyd, under police custody in Minneapolis.
PhonePe along with ICICI Lombard Launches 'First of its Kind' Travel Insurance
Flipkart-owned digital payments platform PhonePe along with ICICI Lombard, the non-life insurance company launched 'first of its kind' travel insurance, domestic multi-trip insurance to provide a stress-free travel experience to customers by covering risks associated with all modes of travel within the country (road, rail and air) from the time a customer leaves home, till the time of return.
The policy provides affordable annual insurance cover for unlimited trips. This solution eliminates the need to insure each trip separately and will benefit both business and leisure travelers unlike other traditional travel insurance products.
The service is only for PhonePe users, who can purchase the policy under the "My Money" section on the PhonePe app.
For First Time, a Godrej Becomes GCPL's CEO
In a significant leadership change at Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL), Nisaba Godrej will take over the additional role of MD & CEO from Vivek Gambhir who has resigned. This is the first time since the formation of GCPL that the post of MD & CEO will be held by a member of the promoter family.
Nisaba who is currently the executive chairperson of the company, will take over the additional responsibility with effect from July 1, 2020. She was appointed chairperson by the board three years back after group patriarch, and Nisaba's father, Adi Godrej assumed the role of chairman emeritus.
Pratik Tirodkar Develops World's First 'Internet-controlled' Robot 'Coro-bot'
Thane engineer, Pratik Tirodkar, founder of a start-up PNT Solutions, Dombivali developed the world's 1st 'Internet-controlled' robot named 'Coro-bot' to address the needs of the hospitals treating COVID-19 patients. It is deployed for the 1st time in Holy Cross Hospital, Kalyan, Maharashtra.
The company has created a special application to operate Coro-bot from any location in the world using Internet of Things (IoT) technology, the 1st time in the world that this technique is being deployed in the medical field.
The robot delivers food, water and medicines to Corona patients in the hospitals without needing the physical presence of nurses and other care-givers.
By using a camera it can interact with patients and also can caution them by audio reminders to sanitise their hands before they pick up things from trays.
PCB Appoints Younis as Batting Coach for England Tour
Pakistan appointed former captain Younis Khan as national team's batting coach and also roped in Mushtaq Ahmed as spin bowling coach for the upcoming tour of England. Pakistan is scheduled to take on England in a three-Test series from July 8 and then the two teams will clash in a three-match T20 series from August 29.
Younis Khan is the first and only Pakistan batsman with over 10,000 Test runs.
As India is the world's second-largest producer of coal, it has decided to set up its first coal trading platform -a sort of 'Coal exchange', where a large number of sellers and buyers can get together to trade coal as a commodity.
It is to be noted that the coal ministry is likely to initiate auctions of about 50 coal blocks for commercial coal mining later this month (June).
It will be an online platform where there will be transparency in terms of price & it can be determined according to demand and supply.
The coal exchange will actually be on the lines of commodity exchange, power bourses or the proposed gas exchange.
India and Denmark Sign MoU for Cooperation in Power Sector
Denmark and India signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that aims at developing a deep, strong, and long-term cooperation in the power sector. The memorandum was signed between Denmark's Ministry of Energy, Utilities and Climate and India's Power Ministry.
The MoU signed between two countries will provide collaboration in areas such as long term energy planning, offshore wind, flexibility in the grid, forecasting, consolidation of grid codes to operate and integrate efficiently variable generation options, variability in renewable energy production, incentivise power plant flexibility, flexibility in the power purchase agreement, etc.
Former Union Water Resources Minister Arjun Charan Sethi Passes Away
Former Union Water Resources Minister (2000 to 2004) Arjun Charan Sethi passed away at the age of 79. He is an 8-time member of parliament (MP) from Bhadrak Lok Sabha constituency.
Arjun Charan Sethi was elected to the 5th Lok Sabha from Bhadrak constituency in Odisha as an Indian National Congress (INC) candidate and was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1980 from the same constituency as an INC candidate.
He was re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1991 as a Janata Dal candidate from the same constituency and re-elected to the Lok Sabha in 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009 from the same constituency as a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate.
He joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the 2019 Lok Sabha along with his son Abhimanyu Sethi, but did not contest elections.
Wani Appointed Judge of Jammu and Kashmir High Court
The central government appointed former additional advocate general Javed Iqbal Wani as a judge of Jammu and Kashmir High Court.
Advocate Wani is the estranged son-in-law of senior advocate Mian Abdul Qayoom, the president of J&K High Court Bar Association who is in preventive detention under the Public Safety Act.
Wani's appointment was recommended in January 2020 by the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice of India S. A. Bobde. With his appointment, the strength of Jammu and Kashmir High Court increased to 13 against the total strength of 17.
The Ramon Magsaysay awards, regarded as Asia's version of the Nobel Prize, have been cancelled this year due to the global pandemic. This is time third time that the annual awards have been disrupted in six decades.
The Manila-based foundation that hands out the awards said that it has no choice but to cancel the awards this year "with the COVID-19 pandemic practically immobilising the world." The awards were also cancelled due to a financial crisis in 1970 and a disastrous earthquake that hit the Philippines in 1990.
The awards are named after a popular Philippine president who died in a 1957 plane crash and honour "greatness of spirit in selfless service to the peoples of Asia."
NASA Honours Renjith Kumar with "NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal"
Renjith Kumar, Engineer from Kerala and Indian Entrepreneur based in Virginia is honoured with NASA's highest form of recognition for a non-governmental individual "NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal" for his service to NASA through executive leadership, engineering contribution, technical excellence and customer satisfaction.
The "NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal" is given for the non-governmental individuals or individuals who are not a part of government employees during the performed service who provide a level of excellence supporting or impacting the success of NASA's missions and contribution in NASA's advancement of United States interests.
R. K. Chetty Pandipati was the first Indian to win this award in 2002.
India has three universities among the top 200 global peers like last year, but most of them have slipped in rankings this time, according to the QS World University Ranking 2021.
As per the report by British ranking and education consulting agency Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay was ranked the best from India at 172, followed by Indian Institutes of Science (IISc) in Bangalore (185) and IIT Delhi at 193rd position.
IIT-Bombay dropped 20 positions from last year's world university ranking, IISc dropped by one position, and IIT-D's rank has slipped to 193rd from the previous rank of 182.
Globally, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stanford University and Harvard University were the top three universities, respectively. California Institute of Technology in the US and Oxford University in the UK complete the top five in the list.
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