June 3'rd Week
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International News
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Mongolia
• Mongolia gets new prime minister who pledged to address economic demands of protesters.
• The State Great Khural (Parliament) of Mongolia appointed Gombojav Zandanshatar as the 34th Prime Minister (PM) of Mongolia.
• He was elected with 108 votes in favour out of 117 lawmakers present in the 126-member Parliament, while 9 members voted against and 9 were absent.
• This appointment came after the resignation of former PM Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene on June 3, 2025, following his failure to secure majority support in a parliamentary vote of confidence.
About Mongolia:
• Capital – Ulaanbaatar
• Currency – Mongolian Tugrik (MINT)
• President – Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh
Head of MI6 Spy Agency
• Britain on Sunday named Blaise Metreweli, a career intelligence officer, as the first female head of the Secret Intelligence Service, the foreign spy service known as MI6.
• MI6, founded in 1909, joins the other main British spy agencies, the domestic spy service MI5, and the intelligence communications agency GCHQ, in having appointed a female head.
Operation Sindhu
• Govt launches Operation Sindhu to evacuate Indian nationals from Iran.
• In view of the deteriorating situation as a result of the ongoing conflict between Iran and Israel, the Government of India has been taking various steps over the last several days for the safety and security of Indian nationals in Iran.
• The students have travelled by road to the Armenian capital, Yerevan, under the supervision of our Missions in Iran and Armenia.
National News
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High-Level Panel to Examine the Crash
• The government sets up a high-level panel to examine the causes for the Air India plane crash.
• On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating between Ahmedabad and Gatwick Airport (London), crashed within one minute of take-off.
• The crash occurred in the densely populated Meghani Nagar locality of Ahmedabad.
• The flight was carrying 242 individuals—230 passengers, 2 pilots, and 10 crew members.
• The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) commenced a formal investigation into the crash on the same day.
Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III
• Cyprus confers highest civilian honour “Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III” upon Prime Minister Modi.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a three-nation official tour of Cyprus, Canada, and Croatia from June 15 to 19, 2025.
• It is Cyprus’s highest civilian award.
• About Cyprus: Capital – Nicosia, Currency – Euro, President – Nicos Christodoulides.
Largest Automobile Gati Shakti Cargo Terminal at Manesar
• Union Minister Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw inaugurated the country’s largest automobile Gati Shakti Multi-Modal Cargo Terminal at Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Manesar, Haryana.
• The terminal is a key infrastructure development that significantly enhances the logistics efficiency of automobile transportation.
‘Yoga Connect’ Global Summit
• In a significant lead-up to the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY), the Ministry of Ayush hosted ‘Yoga Connect 2025’, a hybrid global summit, on June 14 at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.
• Centered around the theme “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” the summit brought together yoga practitioners, policymakers, health experts, business leaders, and researchers from India and around the world.
• The event was held ahead of the 11th IDY on 21 June 2025.
State News
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Digital Credit Access to Farmers
• Maharashtra, Kerala, Bihar, and Odisha sign pacts for digital credit access to farmers.
• The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) announced a financial commitment of ₹6,000 crore to strengthen the Agri Stack initiative under the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM).
• Announcement was made during the National Conference on Agri Stack: Turning Data into Delivery, held at Sushma Swaraj Bhawan, New Delhi.
• The funding aims to transform India’s agricultural landscape through technology and support states in building robust digital infrastructure for farmer-centric governance.
1st State to Adopt E-Voting System
• Bihar becomes the first state in India to adopt an e-voting system for urban polls.
• The Bihar State Election Commission will roll out an Android-based e-voting system for the upcoming municipal and urban body elections scheduled for 28th June.
• State Election Commissioner Deepak Prasad announced that two mobile apps will be used:
“e-Voting SECBHR” developed by C-DAC
Another app developed by the Bihar State Election Commission
• The system will benefit migrant labourers, migrant voters, differently-abled voters, pregnant women, elderly and seriously ill electorates.
• Innovations introduced by the Bihar SEC:Face Recognition System (FRS) for voter verification
Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for counting votes and declaring results
Digital locks for EVM strong rooms
• These initiatives make Bihar a role model in the democratic process.
Maharashtra
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Geo-tagged 13-digit Infra IDs
• The Maharashtra government will start issuing unique IDs for each infrastructure development project from October 1, 2025.
• The unique IDs will be geo-tagged 13-digit alphanumeric codes used as the primary reference number once administrative approval is granted.
• Structure of the UIFID:
1-letter state code (e.g., M for Maharashtra)
2-digit year code (e.g., 25 for 2025)
4-letter scheme/program code
3-letter district code
2-letter asset type abbreviation
3-digit serial number
Example: M25RURWRDRODW001
• The IDs use geo-tagging for precise location mapping.
• Implementation: Maharashtra Remote Sensing Application Centre (MRSAC), Nagpur, is the nodal agency responsible for geo-tagging all infrastructure assets.
• The rollout will begin in Wardha district, Vidarbha region, Maharashtra, covering six departments.
Appointment
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Prashant Kumar
• The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has approved the re-appointment of Prashant Kumar as MD & CEO of YES Bank for six months, effective October 6, or until a new MD & CEO takes charge, whichever is earlier, according to an exchange filing by the lender.
• Prashant Kumar, a former DMD and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Mumbai-based State Bank of India (SBI), was appointed as MD & CEO of YES Bank in 2020.
• He received his first RBI extension in October 2022 for a three-year period, which was set to conclude in October 2025.
About YES Bank:
• Headquarters: Mumbai
• Managing Director and CEO: Prashant Kumar
• Tagline: Life Ko Banao Rich
International Big Cat Alliance
• Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupendra Yadav, has been unanimously elected as the President of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA).
• Bhupendra Yadav was elected as the President of IBCA at the first Assembly of IBCA in New Delhi on 16 June 2025.
Sport
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Pranati Nayak
• Pranati Nayak vaults to her third bronze medal at Asian Championships.
• On Saturday, she won her third medal at the Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships in Vault, held in Jecheon, South Korea.
• Nayak had previously won bronze twice, in 2019 Ulaanbaatar and 2022 Doha, and this time finished third again with a score of 13.466.
Divya Deshmukh
• Indian chess sensation Divya Deshmukh defeated World No. 1 Hou Yifan at the World Team Blitz Championship.
• Divya pulled off a remarkable victory against the Chinese Grandmaster in a gripping encounter, highlighting her rising stature in international chess.
Book
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Book on PM Modi
• Senior advocate and former Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) president Adish C Aggarwala has penned a book on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• The book titled Modi’s Niti Shastra: The World’s His Oyster provides a comprehensive analysis of the legal revolution during Modi’s three terms.
• The release coincides with the completion of 11 years of PM Narendra Modi’s tenure, in June 2025.
“India: 5000 Years of History on the Subcontinent”
• Audrey Truschke’s book India: 5000 Years of History on the Subcontinent has been released.
• The book describes how India has been continually reshaped by its astonishing diversity, religious and political innovations, and social stratification.
A Memoir, “A Different Kind of Power”
• A memoir titled A Different Kind of Power, written by Jacinda Kate Laurell Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, has been released.
• Jacinda Ardern served as the 40th PM of New Zealand from 2017 to 2023.
• At age 37, she became the youngest PM in over 150 years.
Desi Oon
• Desi Oon, an animation film by filmmaker Suresh Eriyat, won the Jury Award for Best Commissioned Film at the Annecy International Animation Festival 2025 in France.
• The film also won Best Film at the World Audio, Video and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) 2025, held in Mumbai. WAVES is India’s leading animation and design recognition platform under the Create in India Challenge.
• In addition to the Annecy honour, the film has been shortlisted at Cannes Lions 2025 in the Film Craft Lions category, marking a landmark achievement for India’s animation industry.
Important Day
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World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – 15 June 2025
• World Elder Abuse Awareness Day is a globally recognised observance highlighting the mistreatment, neglect, and violence faced by the elderly.
• Held annually on June 15, it brings together governments, communities, and individuals to promote dignity, respect, and protection for senior citizens.
• Theme: “Addressing Abuse of Older Adults in Long Term Care Facilities: Through Data and Action.”
World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought – 17 June
• Established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1994, this day highlights the urgent need to protect and restore degraded land for a sustainable future.
• The 2025 observance falls at the midpoint of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021–2030).
• Theme: “Restore the Land. Unlock the Opportunities.”
• The day was officially proclaimed following the adoption of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
World Sickle Cell Awareness Day – 19 June 2025
• A critical global health observance dedicated to raising awareness about sickle cell disease (SCD), a chronic hereditary blood disorder affecting millions worldwide.
• Recognised by the United Nations, it aims to improve understanding, early diagnosis, patient care, and support for those affected.
• Theme: “Global Action, Local Impact: Empowering Communities for Effective Self-Advocacy.”
World Refugee Day 2025 – 20 June
• Observed annually on June 20, this day honours refugees worldwide.
• Designated by the United Nations, the 2025 theme is “Solidarity with Refugees.”
Prelims MCQs
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Q1) Which of the following statements about Belum Caves is/are correct?
They are formed in black limestone due to underground water activity.
They are the longest natural underground cave system in India.
The caves have historically been inhabited by Buddhist and Jain monks.
Options:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q2) With reference to Geo-Heritage Sites in India, consider the following statements:
They are notified by the Archaeological Survey of India.
These include sites of geological, geomorphological, or paleontological significance.
Lonar Crater and St. Mary’s Island are examples of such sites.
Options:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q3) Which of the following Indian institutes made it to the Top 200 for the first time in QS World Rankings 2026?
a) IIT Delhi
b) IIT Bombay
c) IIT Madras
d) IISc Bangalore
Q4) With reference to Indian Standard Time (IST), consider the following statements:
IST is calculated from the reference longitude 82°30′E, which passes through Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh.
India observes Daylight Saving Time during the summer months.
IST is 5 hours 30 minutes ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
Options:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q5) Which of the following statements is/are correct regarding the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III?
It is the highest civilian award of Cyprus.
It was recently conferred on the Prime Minister of India.
It is named after the first President of Cyprus.
Options:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3