LEGAL NEWS

Supreme Court Reviews OBC Certificate Rights for Children of Single Mothers

• A single mother with OBC status moved the Supreme Court, challenging rules that only recognize paternal caste for certification.

• The Delhi Revenue Department’s guidelines require an OBC certificate from the father, denying recognition through the mother.

• The petitioner argued this violates Articles 14 and 21, affecting the child’s rights to equality and personal liberty.

• The case highlights gender bias in caste certification, especially affecting single mothers and their children.

• The 2012 Supreme Court ruling in Rameshbhai Dabhai Naika vs. State of Gujarat held that caste from the father is a presumption, not an absolute rule.

• That judgment allowed for maternal caste recognition in cases like divorce or single parenting.

• However, in Rumy Chowdhury v. Dept. of Revenue, the Delhi High Court denied caste rights from the mother, citing protection of SC/ST quotas.

• In contrast, the 2024 Gauhati High Court ruling emphasized lived experiences over lineage, validating a child’s OBC status through the mother.

• The ongoing case may define a national standard for caste inheritance in single-parent households.

• A Supreme Court verdict in favour of the petitioner could reshape caste law and strengthen gender equality in India.

Karnataka Introduces First State Law to Tackle Fake News

• The Karnataka Mis-Information and Fake News (Prohibition) Bill, 2025, is designed to monitor and control digital content, targeting the spread of fake news across social media platforms.

• Offenders may face penalties of up to seven years in prison, marking a tough stance on misinformation.

• The Bill allows a designated committee to classify content as fake news, raising concerns over censorship and lack of checks.

• Fake news is broadly defined, covering fabricated content and manipulated audio or video.

• Misinformation includes knowingly or recklessly sharing false claims.

• While opinions and artistic works are exempt, vague definitions may cause confusion over what qualifies as artistic expression.

• The Bill follows a Bombay High Court ruling that struck down parts of the IT Rules, 2021, due to insufficient judicial oversight.

• As India’s first state-level law on digital content, it may influence other states considering similar regulations.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Pakistan Assumes July 2025 Presidency of UN Security Council

• Pakistan began its one-month presidency of the UN Security Council in July 2025.

• This leadership role is part of Pakistan’s current two-year term as a non-permanent member, which started in January 2025.

• Pakistan secured the seat with overwhelming backing—182 out of 193 votes.

• The Council presidency rotates monthly in alphabetical order among its 15 members.

• Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad will lead Council sessions on behalf of Pakistan.

• Two key events are scheduled: one on multilateral conflict resolution, and another on UN–OIC cooperation.

• This marks Pakistan’s eighth term on the Security Council since 1952.

• Previous terms include 1952–53, 1968–69, 1976–77, 1983–84, 1993–94, 2003–04, and 2012–13.

Quad Condemns Terror Attack and Announces Key Indo-Pacific Initiatives

• The Quad strongly denounced the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, including one Nepali national.

• Member nations called for swift action to bring those responsible—planners, perpetrators, and financiers—to justice.

• They urged global cooperation under international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.

• A united stance was reiterated against all forms of terrorism, with specific condemnation of cross-border terrorism.

• The Quad launched the Critical Minerals Initiative to boost economic security and supply chain resilience in the Indo-Pacific.

• Plans were unveiled for the Quad Ports of the Future Partnership, with Mumbai as a key location.

• A logistics training exercise is scheduled under the Quad Indo-Pacific Logistics Network to enhance joint airlift and logistics capabilities.

• The 10th Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Washington, DC, emphasized cybercrime prevention and a shared commitment to a free, open Indo-Pacific.

NATIONAL NEWS

Teghbir Singh Becomes Youngest to Summit Mount Elbrus

• Six-year-old Teghbir Singh from Punjab set a world record by climbing Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Russia and Europe.

• The 18,510-foot ascent was completed with his father, Sukhinderdeep Singh, between June 20 and 28.

• At just 6 years, 9 months, and 4 days, Teghbir broke the previous record held by a 7-year-old climber.

• He was officially recognized by the Mountaineering Federation of Russia’s Kabardino-Balkarian Republic.

• In August 2024, he became the youngest Asian to conquer Mount Kilimanjaro.

• That Kilimanjaro feat earned him spots in both the Asia and India Book of Records.

• Earlier in April 2024, he also completed the trek to Everest Base Camp in Nepal.

• Teghbir’s remarkable journey reflects both determination and early passion for mountaineering.

India Rejoins Unicode Consortium to Promote Digital Inclusion of Indian Languages

• The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has rejoined the Unicode Consortium as a Supporting Member.

• India is now one of only two governments worldwide with voting rights in the consortium.

• The Unicode Consortium standardizes text and emojis globally, supporting multilingual digital communication.

• Its work ensures that scripts from various languages, including Indian ones, are digitally represented and accessible.

• India’s association with Unicode dates back to 2000, under the Technology Development for Indian Languages (TDIL) initiative.

• TDIL aimed to build a digital ecosystem for Indian languages and regional scripts.

• By rejoining, India strengthens efforts to preserve linguistic diversity and improve language accessibility online.

• This move enhances India’s role in shaping global digital language standards.

New Identity and Regional Expansion for Women and Child Development Institute

• The former National Institute of Public Cooperation and Child Development has been officially renamed the Savitribai Phule National Institute of Women and Child Development.

• This rebranding symbolizes a deeper national focus on uplifting women and improving child development initiatives.

• The institute will now prioritize region-specific strategies, tailoring support to the unique needs of different areas.

• A new regional facility will begin operations in Ranchi, Jharkhand, from 4 July 2025, aimed at expanding its presence in Eastern India.

• The Ranchi branch will serve as a hub for Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal, offering closer and more effective access.

• Its primary role will include facilitating research, training, and implementation of central programmes like Mission Shakti, Mission Vatsalya, and Poshan 2.0 under Mission Saksham Anganwadi.

• Until now, these states had to depend on distant centres in Guwahati or Lucknow, which posed logistical challenges.

• The upcoming centre is set to improve the efficiency and reach of welfare schemes for women and children in the eastern region.

AWARDS

PM Modi Honoured in Ghana During Landmark Visit

• Prime Minister Modi received Ghana’s top civilian award, the Officer of the Order of the Star, from President John Mahama in Accra.

• The award recognized Modi’s global leadership and commitment to strengthening international ties.

• Modi accepted the honor on behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, dedicating it to the youth and India’s cultural heritage.

• He thanked the people and government of Ghana, calling the award a symbol of growing bilateral friendship.

• The Prime Minister announced a skill development center to support Ghana’s youth and the 'Feed Ghana' initiative.

• India committed to doubling ITEC and ICCR scholarships and enhancing digital payment systems via Bharat UPI.

• Collaboration in education, healthcare, defense, agriculture, and affordable medicines was also outlined.

• This visit marked the first by an Indian PM to Ghana in over 30 years, highlighting deeper ties with Africa.

SPORTS

Smriti Mandhana Achieves Landmark Feats in Women's International Cricket

• Smriti Mandhana became the first Indian woman to register centuries across all three formats of international cricket.

• She hit a brilliant 112 off just 62 balls in the opening T20I against England in Nottingham to reach this landmark.

• Her powerful knock included 15 boundaries and 3 sixes, boasting a striking rate of 180.65.

• With this feat, Mandhana joins an elite group of only five women globally to score centuries in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is.

• She built a strong 77-run opening partnership with Shafali Verma, followed by a 94-run stand with Harleen Deol.

• Mandhana and Verma also became the top-scoring pair in women’s T20Is, accumulating a record 2724 partnership runs.

• They overtook the Australian duo of Alyssa Healy and Beth Mooney, who held the previous record with 2720 runs.

• These milestones further solidify Mandhana’s legacy as one of the greats in women’s international cricket.

Divyanshi Bhowmick Makes History at Asian Youth Table Tennis Championships

• Divyanshi Bhowmick won the U-15 Girls’ Singles title at the 29th Asian Youth Championships in Tashkent, defeating China’s Zhu Qihi 4-2 in the final.

• With this win, she secured a spot at the upcoming World Youth Championships.

• In the semifinals, she edged past China’s Liu Ziling in a hard-fought seven-game thriller.

• The 14-year-old became the first Indian in 36 years to claim the U-15 continental title.

• The last Indian winner in this category was Subramanian Bhuvaneswari in 1989, when the event was held in New Delhi.

• India ended the tournament with four medals — one gold, one silver, and two bronze.

• Top-seeded pair Ankur Bhattacharyya and P.B. Abhinand suffered an early exit in U-19 Boys’ Doubles after losing to an unseeded Malaysian team.

• Despite leading 2-1, the Indian duo missed a medal chance due to a surprise turnaround in the match.