IMPORTANT DAYS
First-Ever International Day for Dialogue Among Civilizations Observed on 10 June
• June 10, 2025, marked the inaugural International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, as declared by the UN General Assembly.
• The resolution was adopted on 7 June 2024, initiated by China and supported by over 80 nations.
• This day aims to promote mutual respect, open dialogue, and global unity across diverse cultural backgrounds.
• It offers an opportunity to recognize the richness of civilizational diversity and encourages intercultural understanding.
• The observance seeks to build a more harmonious, peaceful, and interconnected world.
• UNESCO emphasizes that while civilizations are shaped by intercultural exchange, they retain their unique identities.
• The term “civilization” is viewed as pluralistic, inclusive, and non-hierarchical, resisting simplistic definitions.
• This global initiative stresses the power of dialogue in overcoming differences and promoting solidarity among nations.
SUMMIT AND CONFERENCE
29th FSDC Meeting Focuses on Financial Resilience and Cybersecurity
• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman chaired the 29th meeting of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) in Mumbai on June 10, 2025.
• The meeting was attended by MoS Finance Pankaj Choudhary along with key members from RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, and other financial regulators.
• The Council evaluated India’s macro-financial stability and readiness to manage emerging risks.
• A detailed review of cybersecurity frameworks, sector-specific risks, and FSAP 2024–25 recommendations led to proposals for a targeted cyber resilience strategy.
• Key agenda items included creating a regulatory feedback mechanism to enhance rule responsiveness and effectiveness.
• Reducing unclaimed financial assets and expediting refunds through district-level outreach camps was strongly emphasized.
• The Council pushed for uniform KYC norms and smoother digital onboarding for NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs in capital markets.
• Discussions also explored boosting investment flows, factoring service accessibility, and the account aggregator ecosystem to drive financial inclusion and efficiency.
STATE NEWS
Delhi Approves Ordinance to Curb Unregulated School Fee Hikes
• The Delhi Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, has approved an ordinance to regulate private school fees.
• Education Minister Ashish Sood announced the move on June 10 after the Cabinet’s eighth meeting.
• The ordinance draws from the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Bill, 2025.
• It will be sent to the President of India via the Lieutenant Governor for final approval.
• The decision follows a previous meeting on April 29, where the draft bill was reviewed.
• On April 16, ten schools were served notices for unjustified fee hikes and failing to submit audit reports.
• The Delhi government cancelled financial reports of over 600 schools due to discrepancies and lack of transparency.
• The Supreme Court recently sought responses on a plea against fee hikes, highlighting DPS Dwarka’s withdrawal of a controversial student removal order under pressure.
APPOINTMENTS
S. Mahendra Dev Appointed as New Chairperson of PM’s Economic Advisory Council
• Renowned economist S. Mahendra Dev has been named the new Chairperson of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM).
• The position had remained vacant since November 2024, following the passing of Bibek Debroy, the council’s founding chairman.
• During the interim, NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Suman Bery had overseen the council’s responsibilities.
• Dev, an expert in agriculture and rural economics, holds a PhD from the Delhi School of Economics.
• Prior to assuming the EAC-PM role, he stepped down as independent director of Axis Bank, effective June 5, 2025.
• The EAC-PM has been reconstituted for two years or until further notice, as approved by the Prime Minister.
• Full-time members Sanjeev Sanyal, Sanjay Kumar Mishra, and Shamika Ravi continue in their roles, while several new part-time members have been added.
• New inductees include Soumya Kanti Ghosh (SBI), Prof. Pulak Ghosh (IIM Bangalore), Chetan Ghate, Pami Dua, and Prof. KV Raju, bringing fresh expertise to the advisory body.
SPORTS
Muhammad Waseem and Chloe Tryon Named ICC Players of the Month for May 2025
• UAE's Muhammad Waseem and South Africa's Chloe Tryon were honoured as ICC Players of the Month for May 2025.
• Waseem clinched the award for the second time, following strong performances in both ODI and T20I formats.
• He tallied 169 runs in five ODIs, guiding UAE to a notable series victory over Bangladesh.
• His T20I knocks of 54 and 82 runs in Sharjah highlighted his impactful contributions at the top order.
• Waseem had earlier earned this title in April 2024 for similarly dominant displays.
• Chloe Tryon received recognition for her all-round efforts during the Sri Lanka ODI Tri-Series.
• She amassed 176 runs and claimed six wickets, including a hat-trick as part of a five-wicket haul.
• Launched in January 2021, the ICC Player of the Month award celebrates exceptional performances across all international formats in both men's and women’s cricket.
Antonsen, An Se-young Among Big Winners at Indonesia Open 2025
• Anders Antonsen of Denmark secured his first Indonesia Open men’s singles title, defeating Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen, after being a finalist in both 2019 and 2024.
• The win marked Antonsen’s maiden BWF Super 1000 title, a major milestone in his career.
• South Korea’s An Se-young, currently the world no. 1, claimed her second women’s singles title at the event by overcoming Wang Zhiyi of China.
• An Se-young had previously won the Indonesia Open in 2021, reinforcing her dominance in women’s badminton.
• In the women’s doubles final, China’s top-ranked duo Liu Shengshu and Tan Ning outclassed Malaysia’s Pearly Tan and Thinaah Muralitharan.
• The men’s doubles crown went to South Korea’s Kim Won-ho and Seo Seung-jae, who triumphed over home favorites Gutama and Isfahani of Indonesia.
• France celebrated its first-ever Super 1000 title after Thom Gicquel and Delphine Delrue won the mixed doubles final, defeating Thailand’s seasoned pair.
• Organized annually since 1982 by the Badminton Association of Indonesia, the Indonesia Open remains one of the sport’s most prestigious tournaments.
AWARDS
Gram Panchayats Honoured Under Digital Governance Awards 2025
• A new award category under the National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025 was launched to recognize digital excellence by Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs).
• Titled “Grassroots Level Initiatives for Deepening Service Delivery”, the award honours Gram Panchayats for innovative digital solutions enhancing citizen services.
• This initiative is jointly led by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
• The category focuses on recognizing transparency, efficiency, and citizen-centric governance at the grassroots level.
• Out of 1.45 lakh entries from 26 states and UTs, four Gram Panchayats emerged as winners.
Gold Award: Rohini Gram Panchayat, Dhule, Maharashtra; Silver Award: West Majlishpur, West Tripura, Tripura.
• Jury Awards: Palsana Gram Panchayat (Surat, Gujarat) and Suakati Gram Panchayat (Kendujhar, Odisha) were specially acknowledged.
• Winners received trophies, certificates, and financial rewards—₹10 lakh (Gold), ₹5 lakh (Silver)—to support further public welfare efforts or fund their digital initiatives.
Anahat Singh Shines Bright with Double Wins at PSA Awards 2024–25
• Indian squash sensation Anahat Singh bagged two titles at the PSA Awards: Women’s Challenger Player of the Season and Women’s Young Player of the Season (shared with Egypt’s Amina Orfi).
• Her impressive season began in August with a national title defense and a win at the HCL Squash Tour in Kolkata.
• Anahat clinched nine titles in 11 tournaments, including eight Challenger-level wins, showcasing consistent top-tier performance.
• She recorded an incredible 29-match winning streak, underlining her dominance in the circuit.
• At the Indian Open (15k-level), she defeated squash legend Joshna Chinappa to claim the crown.
• Internationally, she secured the British Junior Open U-17 title and a bronze at the Asian Junior Team Championships.
• Anahat climbed to World No. 56, becoming India’s highest-ranked female squash player.
• In her Senior World Championship debut, she stunned World No. 29 Marina Stefanoni in a thrilling five-game encounter.