NATIONAL:
1. Right to Change One’s Name
Why in news – Right to change one’s name is part of the right to life under Article 21.
Key Points –
• Sadanand & Anr. vs CBSE & Ors –
• Delhi HC held that the right to identity is an “intrinsic part” of the right to life under Article 21.
• Md. Sameer Rao vs. State of U.P –
• It is vested in every citizen under Articles 19(1)(a), 21, and 14 of the Constitution.
2. Summer Solstice 2023
Why in news - Every year, June 21 is marked as the day of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere of the world.
Key Points –
• It is marked to celebrate the beginning of summer when one of Earth’s poles is on the maximum tilt towards the sun.
• It is the longest day of the year with the shortest night.
• After this day, the days start getting shorter, slowly and steadily.
• The Sun reaches its northernmost position at the Tropic of Cancer.
INTERNATIONAL:
1. Same-Sex Marriage
Why in news - Estonia became the first central European country to allow same-sex marriage.
Key Points –
• The law would come into effect in 2024.
• It is a secular Baltic country.
• Latvia and Lithuania, the other two Baltic country’s bills stuck in their parliaments.
2. Petteri Orpo
Why in news - Petteri Orpo has been elected as Finland's prime minister by the parliament.
Key Points –
• He succeeded Sanna Marin.
• He is the leader of the conservative party which intends to implement strict measures on immigration.
3. Yoga in Oman
Why in news - Oman became the first foreign government to promote country through Yoga.
Key Points –
• Embassy of India in Oman has launched an iconic short video called “Soulful Yoga, Serene Oman”.
• The Embassy of India partnered with “Visit Oman”, a subsidiary of Oman’s Ministry of Tourism to produce this video.
• The Embassy has organized a 5-month long journey of Yoga titled “Oman Yoga Yatra”.
SCIENCE – TECH:
1. GEMCOVAC- OM
Why in news - India's first indigenous mRNA vaccine for the Omicron variant of COVID-19 GEMCOVAC-OM was approved.
Key Points –
• Developed by - Gennova Biopharmaceuticals.
• Thermo-stable vaccine i.e, does not require ultra-cold chain infrastructure.
• It was supported under the Mission COVID Suraksha, implemented by Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC).
• Central Drugs Laboratory (CDL), Kasauli has the mandate of national regulations of vaccines produced indigenously for the domestic market.
mRNA Vaccines –
• mRNA vaccines use a small piece of synthetic mRNA (messenger RNA) that encodes the instructions for making a viral protein.
• Once the mRNA is injected into the body, cells take up the mRNA and use it to produce the viral protein. This protein then triggers an immune response, leading to the production of antibodies and the activation of immune cells.
• The purpose of mRNA vaccines is to stimulate an immune response without causing the actual disease.
Value Addition –
• After Moderna and Pfizer, Gennova is the third company to develop an mRNA COVID-19 booster vaccine (first in India).
• Omicron is a highly transmissible COVID-19 variant.
SECURITY:
1. Ex Khaan Quest 2023
Why in news - Multinational Peacekeeping Joint Exercise “Ex Khaan Quest 2023” has commenced in Mongolia.
Key Points –
• It featured participation from military contingents and observers from over 20 countries.
• Indian Army representation - GARHWAL RIFLES.
• Aim - enhancing interoperability and training uniformed personnel for the United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO).
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. Olympic Order
Why in news - International Olympic Committee presented the Director-General of WHO Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus with the Olympic Order.
Key Points –
• Reason - for his inspirational role in ensuring the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 took place despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
• IOC honored the WHO, as an organization, with the Olympic Cup for 2021.
• President Bach invited Dr Tedros to be an IOC guest of honour at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
• IOC President - Thomas Bach.
2. Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for 2023
Why in news - Noted author Salman Rushdie has been awarded the prestigious Peace Prize of the German Book Trade for 2023.
Key Points –
• Reason - for his resolve in the face of a "constant threat to his life.
• His masterpiece book – “Midnight's Children” (1981).
• He wrote the novel Satanic Verses in 1988 which caused widespread uproar in the Muslim world.
• He was attacked in August 2022 in New York before the publication of his most recent novel “Victory City”.
IMPORTANT DAYS:
1. World Refugee Day 2023
Why in news – It is celebrated annually on 20 June.
Key Points –
• Theme - Hope Away from Home.
• June 20, 2001 - Designated by the United Nations as World Refugee Day. Earlier it was known as Africa Refugee Day.
• India is not a signatory of the 1951 UN Refugee Convention that prohibits any country from pushing back refugees to the countries from where they hail.
BIHAR:
1. Delayed Monsoon in Bihar
Why in news – The prolonged severe heatwave, coupled with delayed monsoon rains in Bihar, has severally affected the sowing of paddy seedlings.
Key Points –
• Just 31% of overall transplantation done so far across nine divisions.
• Total coverage area of paddy cultivation in the state - around 35 lakh hectares.
• In 2022, the paddy seedling coverage stood at 97% as against the targeted area.
POINTERS:
• North India's first Skin Bank has been inaugurated in which hospital - Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi.
• Citizens of how many countries have created a Guinness World Record by participating in a yoga session at the United Nations - 140 countries.
• Who has been appointed as the Director of USA East Coast by the Indian Economic Trade Organisation - Nutan Ruoongta.
• Who recently won the Canadian Grand Prix - Max Verstappen.
• Which country has launched a new landmark Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) - United Kingdom.
• Intel and which country have signed a $32.8 billion chip plant deal – Germany.
• Who has introduced UPI software development kit (SDK) for faster payments to its merchants – Paytm.
• Ministry of AYUSH has planned which event to commemorate International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2023 - Ocean Ring of Yoga.
• China and Pakistan signed a $4.8 billion deal to build a 1200-megawatt nuclear power plant in which city – Chashma.
• Who has launched a ‘Knowledge Sharing’ platform to share knowledge and insights related to topics such as road design, construction, road safety, environment sustainability and related fields – NHAI.