Daily Current Affairs - 12 June 2026

• India achieved a major breakthrough in the main tunnel of the Zojila Tunnel Project on 9 June 2026 at Minamarg, Kargil district, Ladakh. The 14-km tunnel on NH-1 between Baltal and Minamarg, built at 2,900-3,310 metres elevation at ₹6,800 crore, will provide year-round connectivity between Kashmir Valley and Ladakh.
• Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, LG Manoj Sinha, and CM Omar Abdullah attended the event. Features include advanced ventilation, fire detection, CCTV, avalanche protection, and snow galleries. Travel time from Sonamarg to Minamarg will drop from two hours to 30 minutes, boosting tourism, trade, and strategic mobility.

• Saudi Arabia lifted its five-year ban on imports from Lebanon on 10 June 2026. The ban, initially imposed on fruits and vegetables in April 2021 and later extended to all products due to drug smuggling concerns (especially Captagon), has now been removed.
• The decision by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman followed requests from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and PM Nawaf Salam. It reflects improved diplomatic ties and Lebanon’s efforts to strengthen state institutions and curb smuggling. The move is expected to boost Lebanese agricultural exports to Gulf markets.

• The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹449 crore contract with Accord Software and Systems Pvt Ltd (Bengaluru) on 10 June 2026 for 20 Enhanced Capability Global Navigation Satellite System (ECGNSS) Jammers for the Indian Navy. Procured under the Buy (Indian-IDDM) category with minimum 75% indigenous content, the jammers will disrupt enemy satellite navigation through signal degradation, spoofing, and interference.
• They enhance maritime security, electronic warfare capabilities, and operational safety. The deal supports Aatmanirbhar Bharat and strengthens naval defence against modern threats reliant on GPS/GLONASS-like systems.

• JSW Infrastructure received a Letter of Award on 9 June 2026 from Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority for the integrated development of the Outer Container Terminal and Berths 1-5 at Netaji Subhas Dock, Kolkata Dock System. Valued at ₹832.25 crore, the 30-year project follows the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model under PPP.
• It includes two new outer container berths and modernisation of five existing ones, adding 0.93 million TEUs (≈13 million tonnes per annum) capacity. The plan features rail-mounted quay cranes replacing older equipment. This is in addition to an earlier award for Berths 7-8.

NASA named the prime crew for the Artemis III mission, scheduled for 2027. The mission will test critical spacecraft rendezvous, docking, and exploration technologies in Earth orbit ahead of future lunar landings.

Prime Crew:

• Randy Bresnik (Commander)
• Luca Parmitano (Pilot, ESA)
• Andre Douglas (Mission Specialist)
• Frank Rubio (Mission Specialist)

Backup: Bob Hines. The crew will train on Orion systems. Artemis III, involving NASA and ESA, validates technologies for Moon and eventual Mars exploration.

• On 10 June 2026, IN-SPACe invited Expressions of Interest for the transfer of ISRO’s LVM3 (Bahubali) launch vehicle technology to private Indian companies. LVM3, India’s heaviest operational launcher used in Chandrayaan-2/3 and OneWeb missions, will be manufactured, operated, and commercialised by selected private entities.
• Eligible firms must be Indian-owned with seven years of operation, five years in aerospace, and meet financial thresholds (₹800 crore turnover or ₹2,000 crore valuation). Support from ISRO will last up to 42 months or until two launches. This advances 2020 space sector reforms.

• Astronomers at the National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), Pune, discovered five new millisecond pulsars on 10 June 2026 using India’s upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT). The pulsars were found in globular clusters Messier 69 (two) and Messier 70 (three) in Sagittarius.
• These rapidly spinning neutron stars, formed in binary systems, are key to studying stellar evolution in dense environments. One pulsar, M69A, has a close orbit with a likely white dwarf companion. The discovery highlights uGMRT’s capabilities in exploring the Milky Way’s oldest star clusters.

• In June 2026, Madhya Pradesh withdrew the two-child norm for government job eligibility and serving employees. The General Administration Department was directed to remove the provision from proposed civil services rules. Introduced in 2001 under the Congress government, the norm disqualified candidates with more than two children born after 26 January 2001 and treated a third child as indiscipline.
• The change, directed by CM Mohan Yadav, benefits aspirants and employees (around 30,000 teachers were at risk). It will not apply retrospectively; prior dismissals stand. The 1965 Conduct Rules governed the earlier restriction.

• The Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) announced a QR-code-based feedback mechanism for food and beverage outlets in Ahmedabad on 1 May 2026. The system, which began with panipuri vendors, has expanded to over 3,500 street food stalls and vendors across the city by 20 May 2026.
• Customers can scan the QR code to rate outlets on a scale of 1-5 for food quality, water quality, cleanliness, taste, and service. AMC officials review ratings weekly. Vendors’ GPS locations are recorded during registration. Outlets scoring below 3 receive warnings, while failure to display the QR code may attract penalties, including sealing of premises. The initiative strengthens food safety monitoring in line with FSSAI guidelines.

• On 10 June 2026, the Kerala Cabinet approved the Priyadarshini scheme offering free travel for women of all ages and transgender persons on Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) ordinary bus services, effective 15 June 2026. The initiative, part of “Indira Guarantees,” will cost over ₹60 crore monthly (annual estimates ₹712-1,300 crore).
• The state government will fully compensate KSRTC for revenue loss. It will run on a 100-day trial basis initially, with possible extension to fast and superfast services based on financial viability. No income or age restrictions apply.