1. Birth anniversary of revolutionary freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil: Bismil, the revolutionary comrade, poet, and writer, who gave the spirit of freedom, “Sarfarosh ki Tamanna,” was born on June 11, 1897. He was one of the founding members of the Hindustan Republican Association (HRA) and was hanged to death by the British on Dec 19, 1927, when he 30.
2. Government bans surrogate Ads: The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has issued new guidelines that would end the practice of surrogate advertising in any form, format, and medium. Ideally, that’s checkmate for tobacco, cigarette, and alcohol promotions in the guise of soda, music, etc. The new norms also bring guidelines against luring consumers, especially children, with gifts and discounts.
3. India abstains from voting on Iran: On Friday, India abstained from voting on a draft resolution prepared by the US and UK at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The draft slammed Iran, saying it is not cooperating on the nuclear issue with the global community.
4. Government to hold meetings with Edutech firms like Byju’s and Unacademy: Amid rising complaints that edutech firms like Byju’s and Unacademy are putting extra pressure on children and parents, the consumer affairs ministry said it would hold a meeting with these firms next week. Union consumer affairs secretary Rohit Kumar Singh added that consumers could lodge their complaints by dialing the National Consumer Helpline number 1915 with supporting documents and proof.
5. Beijing says it won’t hesitate to wage war on Taiwan: The Chinese defense minister warned his US counterpart that his country would not hesitate to wage war on Taiwan if it declares independence. Last month US President Biden, while answering a question on its policy on Taiwan, said that Washington would defend Taiwan if China attacks it.
6. The US to stop Covid testing for inbound international travelers: Easing covid-related restrictions further, the United States said it’s dropping Covid testing for international travelers arriving in the US from Sunday. Germany is also lifting mandatory testing and vax certificates for international arrivals.
7. Nasa to study UFOs: Nasa, on Thursday, spoke of its plans to forge a team of scientists to examine unidentified ariel phenomena. The effort will comprise a team of scientists and an investment of just $100,000. The team will develop a public report based on its findings in roughly nine months.
8. PM Modi calls the private sector to join India’s space program: Inaugurating the Headquarters of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Center (In-SPACe) in Ahmedabad, PM Modi called private sector companies to take part in India’s space program. He said the global space industry, worth $600 billion, will reach $1 trillion by 2040. Since India’s contribution is just 2% in this, he said, the private sector has a huge role to play here.
9. Mumbai ramps up hospital capacity: The daily cases of hospitalization in Mumbai in a week have shot from 17 to 83. With a positivity rate of 13 percent, everyday infections have also increased from 506 (on May 31) to 1,956 (by June 10). So to handle a possible surge in hospitalization, BMC is ramping up the number of available beds with oxygen support. It has also urged private hospitals to increase their capacity on notice.
10. Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is seriously ill: The former president, aged 78, has been in the hospital due to complications related to Amyloidosis. He is said to be facing a multi-organ malfunctioning and is in a difficult stage where recovery would not be possible. However, his family has said he is not on any ventilator support.