“IMPORTANT DAYS”

World Day Against Child Labour 2025: A Global Call to Action

Every year on June 12, the world observes World Day Against Child Labour to raise awareness about the persistent exploitation of children through forced and hazardous labour. The 2025 theme, “Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up our efforts!”, highlights both the achievements and the urgency to accelerate efforts to eliminate child labour, as 138 million children were still engaged in such work globally in 2024.

“DEFENCE”

Indian Army Participates in Exercise Khaan Quest 2025 in Mongolia

A 40-member Indian Army contingent arrived in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on June 11, 2025, to participate in the 22nd edition of Exercise Khaan Quest, a multinational peacekeeping military exercise to be held from June 14 to 28. The exercise aims to boost interoperability and operational readiness among the participating nations’ armed forces for peacekeeping missions under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

“APPOINTMENTS”

Katrina Kaif Appointed Global Tourism Ambassador for the Maldives

In a strategic tourism and diplomatic move, Bollywood actor Katrina Kaif has been named the Global Tourism Ambassador for the Maldives. The announcement was made by the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) just weeks ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s scheduled visit to the island nation. The initiative aims to enhance the Maldives’ visibility as a luxury travel destination, especially among Indian and global audiences, at a time when bilateral ties are witnessing renewed momentum.

SBI General Insurance Appoints Mohd. Arif Khan as Deputy CEO

SBI General Insurance, one of India’s leading general insurance companies, has appointed Mohd. Arif Khan as its Deputy Chief Executive Officer. A seasoned professional with over 25 years of service in the State Bank of India (SBI), Khan brings deep banking and leadership experience that is expected to strengthen the company’s strategic and operational capabilities in a rapidly evolving insurance landscape.

“NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL NEWS”

Aadhaar OTP Must for Tatkal Bookings from July 15: Railways Issues New Rules

In a major move to curb malpractices and ensure fair access to Tatkal tickets, the Ministry of Railways has announced that Aadhaar-based OTP authentication will be mandatory for booking Tatkal tickets on the IRCTC website and mobile app starting July 15, 2025. The updated rules also impose time-bound restrictions on agents and bring enhanced transparency to the reservation system.

Mumbai Ranks 6th Globally in Under-Construction Data Centre Capacity

Mumbai has secured the 6th position globally among 97 cities in terms of under-construction data centre capacity, as per the latest ‘Global Data Center Market Comparison 2025’ report by Cushman & Wakefield. With 335 MW of capacity currently being built, the city leads the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and is poised to boost its operational capacity by 62%. The surge is driven by rising demand from hyperscalers, the rapid expansion of cloud computing and AI-based workloads, and the city’s robust digital and power infrastructure.

India’s First Underwater Museum to Be Built Around INS Guldar in Maharashtra

India is set to develop its first underwater museum and artificial coral reef around the decommissioned warship INS Guldar near Nivati Rocks, located off the coast of Vengurla in Sindhudurg district, Maharashtra. The project, supported by the Union Tourism Ministry with an outlay of ₹46.91 crore, aims to promote marine biodiversity conservation, eco-tourism, and underwater adventure tourism like scuba diving and submarine tours.