14th-16th June 2025

1. PM Modi Conferred with Cyprus’ Highest Civilian Honour — Order of Makarios III
2. Green Fertiliser Breakthrough Wins $2M Food Planet Prize 2025
3. Meta Appoints Arun Srinivas as India Head to Lead Business Expansion
4. India’s 16th Census Announced for 2027
5. Inaugural FIFA Club World Cup 2025
6. Taylor Fritz Triumphs in Stuttgart, Defeats Zverev in Straight Sets
7. Amitabh Kant Steps Down as G20 Sherpa After 45 Years of Public Service
8. MCC Bans ‘Bunny Hop’ Boundary Catches in Major Law Revision
9. Blaise Metreweli Becomes MI6’s First Female Chief in Historic Appointment
10. India on Track to Become Global Arbitration Hub, Says Law Minister
11. Kamlesh Paswan Inaugurates India’s First Agri-Drone Indigenization Hub in Chennai
12. South Africa Clinches Maiden ICC World Test Championship 2025 Title at Lord’s
13. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 2025: Promoting Dignity and Protection for Seniors
14. World Blood Donor Day 2025: Honouring Life-Saving Heroes
15. DFCC Bank Becomes First Foreign Entity to List Bond on NSE IX at GIFT City
16. Indian Army Successfully Tests Rudrastra VTOL Drone for Precision Strikes
17. Sun Pharma Appoints Kirti Ganorkar as MD
18. Punjab Launches ‘Udyog Kranti’ to Propel Industrial Growth
19. Cristiano Ronaldo Named Global Ambassador for Esports World Cup 2025
20. ADB Approves $109.97 Million Loan to Transform Skills Development in Gujarat
21. India Halts Rare Earth Exports to Japan to Boost Domestic Capacity
22. India’s Tea Exports Rise by 9.92% to 254.67 Million Kg in CY24
23. IN Conducts PASSEX with UK’s CSG in North Arabian Sea
24. India Participates in 2nd Session of the IALA Council as Vice President in Nice, France
25. RBI Discontinued Daily VRR Auctions Amid Banking Liquidity Surplus
26. NPCI & IDRBT Partner to Boost Cyber Security in India’s Digital Payment Ecosystem
27. Vedanta Aluminium Signed an MoU with CBI for MSME Financing
28. CreditAccess Grameen Secures USD 100 million syndicated loan from South Asian and Far East Banks
29. NTPC Raises USD 750 Million Via ECB Loan to Fund Capacity Extension, Green Projects
30. Chanel’s Global CEO Leena Nair Awarded Commander of British Empire Honour
31. RBI Approves Reappointment of Pralay Mondal as MD & CEO of CSB Bank; Extends Tenure of Prashant Kumar at Yes Bank
32. RIL Sell 3.64% stake in Asian Paints for Rs.7,703 crores
33. TA Associates Exits AU SFB; BNP Paribas Acquires Bajaj Finserv Stake
34. Google-backed Pixxel Signed iDEX SPARK Grant to Develop Hyperspectral, MWIR Payloads for IAF
35. Adish Aggarwala Releases Book on PM Modi’s Legal Reforms: “Modi’s Niti Shastra”
36. MP becomes 1st State in India to bring all ULBs under a Single Portal with E-Nagarpalika 2.0

National News

1. PM Modi Begins Three-Nation Tour with Cyprus Visit

• What:
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his three-nation tour by visiting Cyprus, where he was given Cyprus’s highest civilian honour and discussed stronger ties between the two countries.
• Why:
  • The visit aims to boost cooperation in trade, investment, technology, security, and people-to-people exchanges, and to thank partner nations for their support against cross-border terrorism.
• Tell me more:
  • PM Modi’s visit to Cyprus is the first by an Indian Prime Minister in 23 years.
  • He was welcomed by Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and received the Grand Cross of the Order of Makarios III (highest honour in the island country).
  • Cyprus is important for India’s energy needs and as a possible hub in the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor.
  • Modi’s tour also includes stops in Canada for the G7 Summit and in Croatia.

Source: IE TOI

2. National Conference on Institutional Arbitration Held in Delhi

• What:
  • The Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice, organised a National Conference on Institutional Arbitration at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, in collaboration with ONGC and the India International Arbitration Centre (IIAC).
• Why:
  • The conference aimed to promote institutional arbitration as the preferred way to resolve commercial disputes and to position IIAC as a world-class arbitral institution.
• Tell me more:
  • Union Minister Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal attended as Guest of Honour and spoke about India’s tradition of consensual dispute resolution and the vision to make India a global arbitration centre.
  • Justice Hemant Gupta (Retd.), Chairperson of IIAC, highlighted the need for PSUs to adopt structured institutional frameworks.
  • IIAC is being developed as a premier international arbitration centre, especially by including IIAC clauses in PSU contracts.
  • The conference theme was “Institutional Arbitration: An Effective Framework for Dispute Resolution.”

Source: PIB

3. India Suspends Rare Earth Exports to Japan for Domestic Needs

• What:
  • India has asked state-run miner IREL to suspend its rare earth exports to Japan and focus on safeguarding supplies for domestic needs.
• Why:
  • The move aims to reduce India’s dependence on China and develop domestic capacity for rare earth processing and magnet production.
• Tell me more:
  • IREL has been exporting rare earths, mainly neodymium, to Japan under a 2012 agreement with Toyotsu Rare Earths India, but now wants to keep supplies for local use due to global supply disruptions.
  • China has recently curbed its rare earth exports, affecting global industries and prompting India to prioritize its own needs.
  • India has the world’s fifth-largest rare earth reserves but lacks domestic magnet production and relies on imports, mainly from China.
  • India is planning incentives to encourage companies to set up rare earth processing and magnet facilities.

Source: TH

State News

1. Punjab Launches Udyog Kranti to Boost Industry

• What:
  • The Punjab government launched Punjab Udyog Kranti in Mohali, introducing reforms to simplify and speed up processes for setting up industries in the state.
• Why:
  • The initiative aims to drive industrial growth, reform governance, and boost investor confidence by making it easier and faster to start and expand businesses in Punjab.
• Tell me more:
  • The reform includes a deemed approval system where applications for new or expanding businesses must be processed within forty-five working days, with automatic approvals if deadlines are missed.
  • The Fast-track Punjab portal acts as a single-window system, coordinating all clearances across departments with just one application.
  • Self-certification for building plans and structural stability has been introduced, replacing the earlier process involving empanelled experts.
  • Punjab is the first state to launch unique colour-coded stamp papers on the Invest Punjab portal, allowing industrialists to get all approvals within fifteen days by purchasing a single stamp paper.
  • The state also introduced a single window and single pen system to ensure smooth operations for industrialists.

Source: IE

2. ADB Approves Loan for Gujarat Skills Development Programme

• What:
  • The Asian Development Bank has approved a results-based loan of about Rs 927 crore to support Gujarat’s skills development programme.
• Why:
  • The programme aims to create a future-ready workforce and help Gujarat become a global industrial hub by providing advanced, industry-aligned skills.
• Tell me more:
  • The programme is led by Gujarat’s Labour, Skill Development and Employment Department in collaboration with Kaushalya: The Skill University.
  • It will strengthen the capacity of the KSU network and improve access to high-quality, industry-relevant training that uses advanced technologies.
  • The focus is on seven high-priority industries: logistics, automotive, manufacturing, information technology, renewable energy, healthcare, and agri-tech.
  • The plan includes upgrading eleven mega industrial training institutes, establishing centres of excellence, and working with private training providers through a hub-and-spoke model.
  • Kaushalya: The Skill University is the main academic partner for this initiative.

Source: BS

3. Madhya Pradesh Launches E-Nagarpalika 2.0 for Urban Governance

• What:
  • The Urban Development and Housing Department of Madhya Pradesh has launched E-Nagarpalika 2.0, a centralized web-based scheme to computerize all urban local bodies in the state.
• Why:
  • The initiative aims to promote transparency and provide efficient citizen services, supporting the Digital India vision.
• Tell me more:
  • E-Nagarpalika 2.0 integrates with other departments and important mobile apps like UMANG.
  • The new platform includes sixteen modules and twenty-four citizen services, using GIS, artificial intelligence, and cloud technology.
  • It is built on open-source technology and will be maintained by the vendor for five years.
  • The scheme builds on E-Nagarpalika 1.0, which had already computerized various citizen services, grievance systems, payments, and budget processes.
  • Integration with UMANG and other apps increases the reach of digital services.

Source: ET

International News

1. International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation Held in Nice, France

• What:
  • India, as Vice President of the International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation, took part in the second session of the IALA Council held in Nice, France.
• Why:
  • The participation aimed to highlight India’s progress in marine aids to navigation, promote international cooperation, and prepare for hosting upcoming IALA events in Mumbai.
• Tell me more:
  • The Indian delegation was led by the Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and included senior officials.
  • India showcased its initiatives like integrating vessel traffic services across major ports and planning international training at the Marine Navigation Training Institute in Kolkata.
  • India invited all member states to the third IALA General Assembly in December 2025 and the twenty-first IALA Conference in 2027, both in Mumbai.

Source: ISN

Banking and Economy

1. DFCC Bank Lists Sri Lanka’s First Green Bonds at NSE IX

• What:
  • DFCC Bank PLC from Sri Lanka has listed green bonds on the NSE International Exchange at GIFT IFSC, becoming the first foreign corporate issuer to do so.
• Why:
  • The listing aims to support renewable energy projects in Sri Lanka and aligns with the country’s goal of generating most of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030.
• Tell me more:
  • The green bonds are valued at LKR 2.5 billion and focus mainly on funding solar energy projects.
  • These bonds are Sri Lanka’s first capital market debt instruments dedicated to renewable energy and are already listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange.
  • The listing supports the vision of making GIFT IFSC a hub for sustainable and green finance, especially for the Global South.
  • The event highlighted the importance of regional financial partnerships and collaboration in sustainable finance.

Source: ET

2. RBI Stops Daily Variable Rate Repo Auctions

• What:
  • The Reserve Bank of India has discontinued daily Variable Rate Repo auctions due to a liquidity surplus in the banking system.
• Why:
  • The auctions were stopped because there is now enough liquidity in the system, making daily borrowing by banks unnecessary.
• Tell me more:
  • Daily VRR auctions began in January 2025 to address short-term liquidity tightness caused by tax outflows and foreign exchange interventions.
  • Recent auctions saw very low demand, with banks borrowing much less than the notified amount.
  • The RBI recently reduced the Cash Reserve Ratio by one hundred basis points, releasing more liquidity into the system.
  • The banking system now has a surplus of around two point seven five to three lakh crore rupees.
  • The RBI will continue to use other tools like fourteen-day VRR, Open Market Operations, and the Standing Deposit Facility to manage liquidity.

Source: NOA

3. NPCI and IDRBT Partner to Boost Cyber Security in Payments

• What:
  • The National Payments Corporation of India and the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology signed an MoU to strengthen cyber security and resilience in India’s digital payments ecosystem.
• Why:
  • The partnership aims to improve the safety of digital transactions by focusing on training, awareness, and proactive risk management.
• Tell me more:
  • Specialised training programmes will be offered for technology and cyber security professionals in banking and digital payments.
  • The programmes will cover cyber security, data privacy, and system resiliency, with a new NPCI-certified payment security certification to be launched.
  • IDRBT will provide its cyber threat intelligence service platform to NPCI and its partners for real-time threat intelligence.

Source: ET

4. Vedanta Aluminium, Central Bank of India Offer MSME Loans

• What:
  • Vedanta Aluminium signed an MoU with Central Bank of India to provide collateral-free working capital loans to MSME customers through Bharat Aluminium Company.
• Why:
  • The partnership aims to make working capital more accessible and affordable for MSMEs, supporting their business growth and strengthening the aluminium value chain.
• Tell me more:
  • Loans will range from Rs 10 lakh to 10 crore, with minimal documentation and competitive interest rates.
  • The facility will be available on Vedanta Metal Bazaar, an online platform offering digital loan processing, invoice tracking, and lien marking.
  • Customers will get standard repayment terms of ninety days with a fifteen-day grace period, and API-based services for faster disbursal.
  • Over one hundred customers already use financing on the platform, and the addition of Central Bank of India is expected to expand reach.
  • Vedanta Metal Bazaar offers more than seven hundred fifty product variants and features AI-based price discovery.

Source: ET

5. CreditAccess Grameen Raises $100 Million in Foreign Loan

• What:
  • CreditAccess Grameen has raised $100 million in external commercial borrowing from banks in South Asia and the Far East.
• Tell me more:
  • The syndicated loan facility was structured in Japanese yen and US dollars and led by Standard Chartered Bank.
  • The facility was initially planned for $70 million but was increased to $100 million, with investments from seven banks, mainly from Korea and Japan.
  • CreditAccess Grameen is the largest NBFC-MFI in India.

Source: ET

6. NTPC Raises $750 Million for Capacity and Green Projects

• What:
  • NTPC Ltd has raised $750 million through an external commercial borrowing syndicated term loan to fund capital expenditure for capacity addition and renewable energy projects.
• Why:
  • The funds will support NTPC’s expansion plans, including new and existing capacity, renewable energy projects, and refinancing of earlier loans.
• Tell me more:
  • The loan has a door-to-door tenor of ten years and an average maturity of seven years, with a base issue of $500 million and a greenshoe option of $250 million.
  • Bank of Baroda and HDFC Bank acted as lead arrangers, executing the deal through their IFSC Banking Units in GIFT City, Gandhinagar.
  • The funds will be used for projects like flue gas desulphurisation, hydro-based renewable energy, and refinancing of existing ECBs.
  • NTPC aims to achieve sixty gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2032 and increase total installed capacity to over one hundred thirty gigawatts.

Source: ET

7. Reliance Sells Major Stake in Asian Paints via Bulk Deals

• What:
  • Reliance Industries sold 85 lakh shares in Asian Paints for Rs 1,876 crore through Siddhant Commercials, following an earlier sale of 3.5 crore shares worth Rs 7,703 crore.
• Why:
  • The bulk deals were conducted to offload a significant portion of Reliance’s holding in Asian Paints.
• Tell me more:
  • As of March 31, 2025, Reliance held about 4.9% stake in Asian Paints, and after these sales, only about 2 lakh shares remain.
  • The 3.5 crore shares sold represented 3.64% of Asian Paints, while the latest 85 lakh shares accounted for 0.88%.
  • ICICI Prudential Mutual Fund bought the shares, increasing its holding in Asian Paints from 1.24% to 2.12%.

Knowledge Nuggets:

Source: FE ET

8. TA Associates Exits AU Small Finance Bank, Morgan Stanley Sells Bajaj Finserv Shares

• What:
  • TA Associates sold its entire 1.26% stake in AU Small Finance Bank for Rs 714 crore, and Morgan Stanley Asia sold 1.25 lakh shares of Bajaj Finserv for Rs 25 crore.
• Why:
  • The transactions were conducted as part of open market and block deals to exit or reduce holdings in these companies.
• Tell me more:
  • TA Associates, through TA FDI Investors, sold 93.90 lakh shares of AU Small Finance Bank at an average price of Rs 760.07 per share.
  • The buyers of AU Small Finance Bank shares were not disclosed.
  • Morgan Stanley Asia sold Bajaj Finserv shares at Rs 1,983.8 per share, acquired by BNP Paribas Financial Markets.
  • Shares of AU Small Finance Bank and Bajaj Finserv fell slightly after the deals.
  • Both deals were executed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

Source: BS

Defence News

1. Army Successfully Tests Indigenous VTOL Drones for Strikes

• What:
  • The Army has conducted successful trials of indigenous vertical take off and landing (VTOL) drones designed for cross-border strikes on enemy artillery positions.
• Why:
  • The trials aim to equip the Army with stand-off weapons that can target enemy firing positions and support missions such as taking down terrorist infrastructure and enemy cover for infiltration.
• Tell me more:
  • The trials took place at the Pokhran firing range, with drones demonstrating the ability to hit targets over a range of fifty kilometers.
  • The drones are equipped with precision-guided warheads for anti-personnel roles, can relay live video, and return automatically to the launch site.
  • Solar Aerospace and Defence Limited’s UAV, Rudrastra, showed a total range of one hundred seventy kilometers and endurance of about one and a half hours.
  • The munition used in the trial was an airburst version, effective over a wide radius.

Source: ET

2. Indian Navy, UK Carrier Strike Group Hold PASSEX

• What:
  • The Indian Navy conducted a high-tempo Passage Exercise with the United Kingdom’s Carrier Strike Group in the North Arabian Sea.
• Why:
  • The exercise aimed to strengthen operational coordination, demonstrate combat capabilities, and reinforce maritime cooperation between the two navies.
• Tell me more:
  • The exercise took place on June nine and ten, featuring Indian assets like INS Tabar, a submarine, and P-8I aircraft, while the UK deployed HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond.
  • Both navies performed synchronised tactical manoeuvres, helicopter operations, and professional exchanges of officers.
  • The exercise followed the Indian Navy’s Operation Sindoor and highlighted the readiness and strength of Indian naval units.
  • The North Arabian Sea is a key maritime corridor for global trade and energy shipments, making the exercise strategically important.
  • The joint drill supports a rules-based international order and collective deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

Source: IT

3. Indian Space Tech Firm Pixxel Gets iDEX Grant for Advanced Payloads

• What:
  • Pixxel, a Bengaluru-based space technology company, received a second SPARK grant from the Ministry of Defence’s iDEX program to develop advanced Hyperspectral and MWIR payloads for the Indian Air Force.
• Why:
  • The grant supports Pixxel’s efforts to enhance India’s airborne and space-based imaging capabilities and promote indigenous defence technology development.
• Tell me more:
  • The grant follows Pixxel’s earlier selection under the iDEX Prime Mission DefSpace Challenge to manufacture miniaturised multi-payload satellites.
  • Pixxel will use its optical engineering and satellite manufacturing expertise to build next-generation Earth observation payloads with security-grade performance.
  • The new payloads will improve operational and strategic applications for the Indian Air Force.
  • Pixxel has already launched three Firefly satellites and offers the Pixxel Aurora Earth Observation Studio for hyperspectral imagery analysis.
  • The iDEX grant aims to accelerate prototype development by Indian startups and MSMEs to foster self-reliance and innovation.

Source: pixxel

Agriculture and Rural Development

1. Garuda Aerospace Launches Agri-Drone Facility in Chennai

• What:
  • Union Minister Kamlesh Paswan inaugurated Garuda Aerospace’s new Agri-Drone Indigenization Facility in Chennai and launched 300 Centres of Excellence along with the DGCA approved Train the Trainer programme.
• Why:
  • The launch aims to make India self-reliant in drone technology, support innovation, and help achieve the vision of making India a global drone hub.
• Tell me more:
  • The facility is the country’s first hub for design, manufacturing, and testing of advanced Unmanned Aerial Systems and can manufacture over one lakh drones in the next two years.
  • Garuda Aerospace has already delivered four thousand drones and the facility covers thirty-five thousand square feet.
  • The launch included a live demonstration of agri-drones by Drone Didis, showing the company’s focus on skill development.
  • The Train the Trainer programme is designed to certify educators and professionals as drone instructors.
  • Three hundred Centres of Excellence have been set up across India with academic and industry partners to boost drone research and training.

Source: PIB

2. India’s Tea Exports and Production Rise in 2024

• What:
  • Tea exports from India increased by nearly ten percent in 2024, with both north and south Indian estates showing higher production compared to the previous year.
• Why:
  • The growth in exports and production supports the tea industry’s contribution to the economy and meets rising demand in global and domestic markets.
• Tell me more:
  • India exported over two hundred fifty-four million kilograms of tea in 2024, up from the previous year.
  • North Indian tea production rose to over one hundred fifty-four million kilograms, while south Indian production was nearly one hundred million kilograms in 2024.
  • For January to March 2025, all-India tea production was slightly higher than the same period last year.
  • North India saw a significant production increase in early 2025, while south India experienced a decline during the same period.

Source: ET

Awards

1. NitroCapt Wins Food Planet Prize for Green Fertilizer

• What:
  • NitroCapt was awarded the Food Planet Prize, the world’s biggest environmental award, for its new energy-efficient fertilizer technology.
• Why:
  • The award recognizes NitroCapt’s potential to reduce the environmental impact of nitrogen fertilizer production and improve global food production.
• Tell me more:
  • NitroCapt’s technology uses plasma to make nitrate fertilizer with only green electricity.
  • The process reduces energy use by ten times and does not use fossil fuels.
  • The fertilizer can be produced locally and may help improve soil health.
  • NitroCapt is finalizing its industrial-scale pilot and has started field trials.

Source: PHB

2. Leena Nair Awarded CBE in King’s New Year’s Honours

• What:
  • Leena Nair, CEO of Chanel, was awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Prince William as part of the 2025 King’s New Year’s Honours list.
• Why:
  • The award recognises her exceptional contributions to the retail and consumer sector in the UK.
• Tell me more:
  • The honour was presented at Windsor Castle, and Nair dedicated it to her team at Chanel, her family, and mentors.
  • She is the first Indian-origin CEO of Chanel and has led the brand since January 2022.

Source: IT

Important Days

1. World Elder Abuse Awareness Day – June 15

• Theme: Addressing Abuse of Older Adults in Long Term Care Facilities: Through Data and Action

Source: UN

2. World Blood Donor Day 2025 – June 14

• Theme: Give blood, give hope: together we save lives

Source: WHO

Sports

1. FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Kicks Off in USA

• What:
  • The first FIFA Club World Cup with 32 teams began in the USA with a match between Inter Miami and Al Ahly ending in a goalless draw.
• Why:
  • The tournament aims to become a major global event for club football, similar to the World Cup for national teams, and to increase the sport’s reach and revenue.
• Tell me more:
  • The new format expands the Club World Cup from 7 to 32 teams and will be held every four years.
  • The tournament is scheduled from June 14 to July 13 in the United States.
  • Teams are divided into eight groups of four, with the top two from each group moving to the knockout stage.
  • The total prize fund is $1 billion, with the winner earning up to $125 million.
  • Indian fans can watch the tournament live on the DAZN app.

Source: IE

2. Taylor Fritz Wins BOSS OPEN Stuttgart 2025

• Taylor Fritz won his fourth ATP Tour grass title and ninth overall by defeating Alexander Zverev in the BOSS OPEN final in Stuttgart.
• Fritz has four grass-court titles, second only to Novak Djokovic among active players.
• The BOSS OPEN is an ATP 250 event held in Stuttgart, Germany.

Source: ATP

3. MCC Announces New Rule for Boundary Fielding in Cricket

• What:
  • The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has changed Law 19.5.2 to limit airborne fielding efforts near the boundary, making “bunny hop” catches illegal from June 17, 2025.
• Why:
  • The rule aims to end confusion and ensure fairness in boundary catches by restricting multiple airborne touches outside the boundary.
• Tell me more:
  • The new rule applies to every fielder involved in a play, not just the first one touching the ball.
  • A fielder can touch the ball once while airborne from outside the boundary, but must land and stay inside the field for the rest of the play.
  • In relay catches, all fielders must meet the same grounding conditions, or a boundary will be given.
  • If a fielder steps outside the boundary after the first airborne touch, it is ruled a boundary.

Source: IT

4. South Africa Celebrates World Test Championship Win at Lord’s

• What:
  • South Africa’s cricket team celebrated their ICC World Test Championship victory at Lord’s after defeating Australia in the final.
• Tell me more:
  • The entire fifteen-player squad and support staff gathered at Lord’s with the World Test Championship mace.
  • South Africa won the final against Australia by five wickets.

Source: ICC

Appointments

1. Meta Appoints Arun Srinivas as India Head

• Meta has appointed Arun Srinivas as Managing Director and head of the company in India starting July 1.

Source: HBL

2. Amitabh Kant Steps Down as India’s G20 Sherpa

• What:
  • Amitabh Kant, retired IAS officer, announced his resignation as India’s G20 Sherpa, ending a 45-year government career.
• Tell me more:
  • Kant served as India’s G20 Sherpa for the 2023 G20 Summit in New Delhi and helped achieve consensus on the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.
  • He was the longest serving CEO of NITI Aayog from 2016 to 2022 and led key programs like the Aspirational Districts Programme.

Source: BS

3. Blaise Metreweli Appointed First Woman MI6 Chief

• What:
  • Blaise Metreweli has been appointed as the chief of the United Kingdom’s Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), becoming the first woman to lead the agency in its 116-year history.
• Tell me more:
  • Blaise Metreweli joined MI6 in 1999 and is currently responsible for technology and innovation in the agency.
  • She will take over from Sir Richard Moore later this year as the 18th chief of MI6.
  • Metreweli previously held a director-level role at MI5, the UK’s domestic security service.
  • The MI6 chief, known as ‘C’, is the only publicly named member of the agency and reports to the Foreign Secretary.

Source: LM

4. Sun Pharma Appoints Kirti Ganorkar as Managing Director

• Sun Pharmaceutical Industries has appointed Kirti Ganorkar as managing director from 1 September 2025, while Dilip Shanghvi will become executive chairman.

Source: BS

5. Cristiano Ronaldo Named Global Ambassador for Esports World Cup

• What:
  • Cristiano Ronaldo has been appointed as the Global Brand Ambassador for the Esports World Cup 2025 by the Esports World Cup Foundation.
• Tell me more:
  • Ronaldo will lead the global campaign for the event and promote the theme “Rise Above.”
  • The Esports World Cup Foundation organises the Esports World Cup.
  • Ronaldo is a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and has over six hundred fifty million followers on Instagram.

Source: esports

6. CSB Bank MD & CEO Pralay Mondal Gets RBI Reappointment

• Reserve Bank of India has approved the reappointment of Pralay Mondal as managing director and CEO of CSB Bank for three years from 15 September 2025.
• CSB Bank is an old private sector bank in India.
• The bank’s business is mainly in Kerala, with presence in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Karnataka, and Maharashtra.

Source: BS

Miscellaneous

1. ‘Modi’s Niti Shastra: The World’s His Oyster’ Book

• Senior Advocate Adish Aggarwala has released a book titled ‘Modi’s Niti Shastra: The World’s His Oyster’ reflecting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 11 years in office.

Source: N18

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