Daily Current Affairs- 9th June 2025

Daily Current Affairs- 9th June 2025

Birsa Munda Punyatithi 2025: 125th Death Anniversary of Tribal Icon Birsa Munda

In the News: On 9 June 2025, India observed the 125th Punyatithi (death anniversary) of revolutionary tribal leader Birsa Munda, with nationwide tributes led by the Prime Minister and large public ceremonies in Jharkhand, marking a key moment in the run-up to his 150th birth-anniversary celebrations later this year.

Key Points:

• Birsa Munda Punyatithi is commemorated each year on 9 June; the 2025 observance marked exactly 125 years since his death in Ranchi Jail on 9 June 1900.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid homage via an X post, calling him a “great hero of the freedom struggle” who devoted his life to protecting tribal rights and welfare.
• In Ranchi, Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar and Chief Minister Hemant Soren laid wreaths at the Birsa Samadhi Sthal in Kokar and at Birsa Chowk, extolling his “Jal-Jungle-Zameen” legacy of land, forest and water rights.
• The Ranchi Municipal Corporation conducted a special cleanliness drive around the memorial sites ahead of the ceremonies, highlighting local reverence for the tribal icon.
• Images from SocialNewsXYZ show large gatherings of tribal followers, community leaders and students offering ‘Johar’ salutations and traditional Sarna prayers at the memorial.
• The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) and other paramilitary units issued social-media tributes, applauding Munda’s “indomitable spirit” on the 125th anniversary.
• Schools, government offices and tribal councils across Jharkhand, Odisha and Chhattisgarh organised lectures, essay contests and folk-dance performances to disseminate Munda’s life and ideals.
• The remembrance revived discussion of his Ulgulan (“Great Tumult”) rebellion of 1899-1900, which spurred the Chotanagpur Tenancy Act 1908 safeguarding tribal land rights.
• Since 2021, the Government of India has celebrated his 15 November birth anniversary as Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas; the 125th Punyatithi serves as a prelude to year-long events culminating in his 150th birth anniversary in November 2025.
• The Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav campaign streamed short documentaries on 9 June, urging citizens to learn about tribal contributions and Birsa Munda’s enduring message of self-rule and social justice. 

Ladakh Reservation and Language Regulations Promulgated by President

In the News: On 3 June 2025, President Droupadi Murmu used her powers under Article 240 of the Constitution to promulgate three landmark regulations for the Union Territory of Ladakh, introducing an 85 per cent local job quota, declaring five official languages, and reserving one-third of Hill-Council seats for women, thereby meeting several long-standing regional demands.

Key Points:

• The package comprises the Union Territory of Ladakh Reservation (Amendment) Regulation 2025, the Ladakh Official Languages Regulation 2025, and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (Amendment) Regulation 2025, all issued simultaneously through a Presidential notification.
• The Reservation Regulation caps the total quota for locals in public employment and admissions at 85 per cent, excluding the 10 per cent Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota, and applies uniformly to Groups A–D posts and professional institutions.
• Within the 85 per cent ceiling, 80 per cent is earmarked for Scheduled Tribes, 4 per cent for residents along the LoC/LAC, and 1 per cent for Scheduled Castes, reflecting Ladakh’s tribal demographic profile.
• A new domicile framework defines eligibility as 15 years continuous residence (since 31 Oct 2019) or seven years of schooling plus Class 10/12 in Ladakh; children of Central-government employees who have served 10 years, and spouses/children of domiciles also qualify.
• The Hill-Council Amendment reserves 33 per cent of seats for women in both Leh and Kargil Autonomous Hill Development Councils, with rotation based on constituency serial numbers to ensure wider representation.
• The Languages Regulation declares English, Hindi, Urdu, Bhoti and Purgi as Ladakh’s official languages, while mandating continued use of English for existing official work.
• It instructs the Administrator to establish an Art, Culture & Language Academy and to make “special efforts” for the promotion of Shina, Brokskat, Balti and Ladakhi, safeguarding endangered dialects.
• All three regulations draw legal authority from Article 240 and Section 58 of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019, marking the first comprehensive statutory framework tailored exclusively to Ladakh since its creation as a separate UT.
• Civil-society groups such as the Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA) welcomed the steps on jobs and language but reiterated their demand for Sixth-Schedule constitutional safeguards for land and ecology. 

UN Celebrates First International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations

In the News: On 10 June 2025, the United Nations will be observing the inaugural International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations, spotlighting intercultural understanding as a linchpin of global peace. The commemoration—created by General Assembly resolution 78/286 in June 2024—mobilised events from Paris to New York and underscored that open dialogue can counter prejudice, strengthen solidarity, and “build one human family rich in diversity,” in the words of UN Secretary-General António Guterres.

Key Points:

• The Day is fixed for 10 June each year after the General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/78/286 by consensus on 7 June 2024, following a proposal tabled by China and co-sponsored by more than 80 Member States.
• The resolution calls on governments, UN entities, civil society and academia to mark the occasion with educational and cultural initiatives that highlight the value of civilizational diversity, mutual respect and global solidarity.
• For the first observance, a UNESCO–China symposium titled “Youth Dialogue on the Future along the Silk Roads” convened at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 5 June 2025, engaging young researchers, diplomats and cultural experts in three thematic panels on art, philosophy and science.
• At UN Headquarters in New York on 9 June, the UN Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)—celebrating its 20th anniversary—co-hosted a high-level Thematic Dialogue with Egypt, Peru, Spain and Uzbekistan, followed by the multimedia exhibition “Echoes of Dialogue: Interwoven World Heritage” and an intercultural art performance.
• Secretary-General António Guterres stated in his video address that “dialogue is the path to peace,” urging humanity “to listen, to speak and to connect” so every person can live “equal in dignity and human rights.”
• UNGA President Philemon Yang and UNAOC High Representative Miguel Moratinos stressed that dialogue among civilizations helps eliminate discrimination, prevents conflict and advances the universal values enshrined in the UN Charter.
• Media outlets noted that the initiative stems from China’s 2023 Global Civilization Initiative, with diplomats from Kenya and other nations praising Beijing’s role in shepherding the resolution through the Assembly.
• The observance complements—but does not replace—UNESCO’s World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development celebrated annually on 21 May, giving the UN system two distinct platforms focused on intercultural dialogue.
• During the 2024 debate, several delegations framed the new day as a building-block for the September 2025 Summit of the Future, arguing that renewed intercultural trust is essential for reviving multilateral cooperation. 

World Energy Investment Report 2025

In the News: The International Energy Agency (IEA) released the 10th edition of its flagship World Energy Investment (WEI) Report, providing the first full snapshot of 2024 spending and an early read-out for 2025. The study shows global capital flows rising to a record USD 3.3 trillion, with clean-energy technologies attracting twice as much money as fossil-fuel supply and electricity grids emerging as a critical bottleneck.

Key Points:

• Headline Numbers: Total energy investment is set to reach USD 3.3 trillion in 2025, up 2 percent in real terms from 2024; around USD 2.2 trillion will go to renewables, nuclear, grids, storage, efficiency and electrification, versus USD 1.1 trillion for oil, gas and coal.
• Solar Dominates: Spending on solar PV—both utility-scale and rooftop—will soar to USD 450 billion, making it the single largest line-item in the entire investment ledger; battery-storage spending is set to top USD 66 billion.
• Electricity-Centric Era: Investment in the electricity sector (generation, storage and networks) will hit USD 1.5 trillion, roughly 50 percent more than all spending to bring new oil, gas and coal to market.
• Grid Bottleneck: Annual outlays on power grids now average about USD 400 billion, barely 40 percent of what is spent on generation assets, creating vulnerabilities that have already triggered blackouts and curbed new renewable connections.
• Other Low-Carbon Technologies: Expenditure on nuclear power has risen 50 percent in five years to > USD 70 billion, while approvals for gas-fired plants have rebounded, led by the United States and the Middle East.
• Coal Resurgence in Asia: China cleared ≈ 100 GW of new coal-fired capacity in 2024 and India another ≈ 15 GW, pushing global coal plant approvals to their highest level since 2015 and highlighting continued energy-security concerns.
• Geographical Shifts: China remains the world’s largest single energy investor, while Europe and the United States continue to expand clean-tech spending; however, grids and storage lag behind new renewables everywhere.
• India Spotlight: In India, 83 percent of power-sector investment flowed to clean energy in 2024, with solar PV accounting for more than half of all non-fossil spending; India also topped the league table for development-finance inflows, receiving USD 2.4 billion in clean-energy project finance.
• Financing Imbalances: Despite the global surge, energy-poor regions—especially in Sub-Saharan Africa—still attract less than 3 percent of clean-energy investment, reflecting high borrowing costs and weak policy frameworks.
• Critical Minerals & Supply Chains: The report warns that soaring demand for lithium, copper and rare earths could strain supply by the late 2020s unless upstream investment accelerates and recycling scales up rapidly.
• Net-Zero Gap: The IEA reiterates that annual clean-energy investment must triple to about USD 4 trillion by 2030 to align with the Net-Zero 2050 pathway, underscoring the need for faster capital mobilisation and lower cost of capital in emerging markets. 

Tamil Nadu Declares Dhanushkodi as Greater Flamingo Sanctuary

In the News: On 5 June 2025, coinciding with World Environment Day, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin formally announced that the 524.8-hectare Dhanushkodi lagoon in Ramanathapuram district had been notified as the Greater Flamingo Sanctuary, granting statutory protection to one of India’s most vibrant coastal wetlands.

Key Points:

• A Government Order dated 4 June 2025 and the Tamil Nadu Government Gazette Extraordinary No. 256 (5 June 2025) confer sanctuary status under Section 18 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972, covering 5.3 km² of revenue and forest land.
• The site lies within the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, featuring sand-dunes, mudflats, marshes and mangroves dominated by Avicennia and Rhizophora, which stabilise the coastline and buffer storm surges.
• A 2023-24 wetland census recorded 10,761 birds from 128 species, with large flocks of Greater and Lesser Flamingos using the lagoon as a crucial halt on the Central Asian Flyway for migratory water-birds.
• The protected area doubles as a nursery for fish, molluscs and crustaceans that underpin local artisanal fisheries, and its beaches are recognised sea-turtle nesting sites.
• Dhanushkodi becomes Tamil Nadu’s first exclusive flamingo sanctuary, expanding the State’s growing network of bird sanctuaries and aligning with the Tamil Nadu Wetlands Mission target of restoring 100 wetlands in five years.
• Management will rest with the Environment, Climate Change & Forests Department, which will prepare an Integrated Management Plan for habitat restoration, invasive-species control and community-based eco-tourism.
• The 2025-26 State Budget earmarks ₹50 crore for a Marine Conservation Foundation to support research facilities and visitor infrastructure in Dhanushkodi and other coastal sanctuaries.
• Conservationists welcomed the notification but flagged threats such as a recent plastic nurdle spill from the sunken cargo ship MSC Elsa 3, which has littered sanctuary beaches and triggered rapid-response clean-ups.
• Ecologically, the lagoon’s mangroves provide breeding and feeding grounds while acting as natural barriers against erosion; their protection is expected to boost coastal resilience and improve local livelihoods through sustainable tourism.
• The declaration advances India’s commitments under the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) and complements nearby protected areas such as the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, creating a contiguous coastal-wetland conservation landscape in South India. 

First Gene-Edited Sheep Marks Milestone in Livestock Biotechnology

In the News: Researchers at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology (SKUAST-Kashmir) publicly unveiled India’s—and South Asia’s—first gene-edited sheep, a Kashmir Merino lamb whose myostatin (MSTN) gene was knocked out with CRISPR-Cas9, yielding about 30 percent more muscle mass than unedited counterparts and signalling a transformative leap for the nation’s animal-biotech ambitions.

Key Points:

• The lamb was conceived after July 2024 micro-injection of CRISPR reagents into single-cell embryos; a surrogate ewe carried the pregnancy to term and delivered a healthy 3.15 kg male on 15 December 2024, but the breakthrough was disclosed only after six months of genetic validation.
• Researchers disrupted the MSTN gene, a natural brake on skeletal-muscle growth, thereby mimicking the double-muscling trait of Texel sheep and boosting live-weight gain by roughly 30 percent within three months of birth.
• Whole-genome sequencing confirmed the edit introduced no foreign DNA, distinguishing the lamb from transgenic organisms and aligning it with India’s 2022 policy that treats site-directed nuclease-1 edits as conventional breeding for regulatory purposes.
• The project was led by Prof. Riyaz A. Shah, whose team previously cloned Noori, the world’s first Pashmina goat (2012), underscoring SKUAST-Kashmir’s decade-long expertise in advanced reproductive technologies.
• Funding and biosafety oversight came from the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), which views precision breeding as essential for meeting rising meat demand and reducing import dependence.
• Scientists project that editing MSTN could raise carcass yield by up to 8 kg per animal, potentially adding ₹10,000–₹12,000 to farm-gate value while maintaining wool output, a dual-purpose benefit for the Kashmir Merino breed.
• The achievement follows global precedents such as CRISPR-edited hornless dairy cattle and GalSafe™ pigs cleared by the US FDA, positioning India among a small group of countries with proven gene-edited livestock capability.
• Parallel academic work—including a recent BMPR-IB HDR point-mutation that raised fecundity in fine-wool sheep—shows CRISPR’s versatility for traits beyond growth, broadening the technology’s relevance for Indian flocks.