• Members of the European Parliament have voted to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035.
• The move aims to step up the fight against climate change through the faster development of electric vehicles.
• The voting was held on an amendment that would have allowed some auto emissions from new vehicles after 2035, which was rejected by Members of Parliament.

Key points:

• Lawmakers supported a proposal, made by the European Commission last year, to require a 100% reduction in CO2 emissions from new cars by 2035, which would make it impossible to sell fossil fuel-powered vehicles in the EU from that date.
• Attempts by some lawmakers to weaken the target to a 90% CO2 cut by 2035were rejected.

• New York state legislature is a world first, to pass the law for Digital Electronics. The “right to repair” bill enacted by the requiring digital electronics makers to make parts, tools, information, and software available to customers and independent repair businesses.
• To safeguard customers’ rights to repair and refurbish their purchased products, the “Fair Repair Act” was enacted.
• It does not include motor vehicles (these are already handled by a national Right to Repair agreement between the automakers and the aftermarket), home appliances, medical devices, public safety communications equipment like police radios, agricultural equipment, and off-road equipment.
• According to New York Assembly member, the Digital Fair Repair Act puts consumers first, levels the playing field for independent repair shops, and reduces e-waste footprint on the environment,”

• Music Maestro, AR Rahman has been appointed as ambassador of The Season of Culture, which marks the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.
• It was officially launched, by Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner to India Jan Thomson and Director (India) of the British Council Barbara Wickham.
• The Season of Culture aims to strengthen India-UK collaboration in the areas of arts, English and education.

• Quacquarelli Symonds (QS),London-based global higher education has released the 19th edition of the world’s most consulted international university ranking.
• The QS World University Rankings 2023ranks the top 900 universities based on 8 key ranking indicators.
• This is the largest ever ranking with 1,418 institutions across one hundred locations up from 1300 in the previous year.

Key points:

• The ranking was topped by the United States(US)’s Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)followed by the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom(UK) and Stanford University(US).
• Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Karnataka, ranked 155 gaining 31 places since 2022 ranking and emerged as the fastest rising South Asian university among the top 200 universities.
• 41 Indian varsities have been found place in the rankings.
• Among QS World University Rankings top 200 varsities, The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru (155th) topped among Indian universities, followed by IIT Bombay (172nd) and IIT Delhi (174th).

• The Baikho festival is celebrated in the state of Assam, which is called as gateway to northeast India. It is celebrated by Rabha tribes of India. 
• The Baikho festival is celebrated annually. It is celebrated to bring in auspicious harvest season and to fill it with abundant crops and good health.
• This is a celebration of good harvest. It is an ancient tradition. It is predominantly observed by Rabha Tribe. However, people from other communities also harmonise in the celebrations.

About Rabhas Tribes: 

• Rabhas are a Tibeto-Burman community. They reside in Lower Assam in Garo hills and Dooar region of West Bengal. They are among the plains tribe in State.
• They are an agriculture-based community. They have distinctive culture and celebrations.

• The post office in Hikkim village of Himachal’s Spiti valley at 14,567ft, which is believed to be the world’s highest post, has got a letterbox shaped office to woo the tourists.
• The tiny post office was located in a historic mud house that was visited by thousands of visitors each year.
• The pictures of Hikkim post office are one of the most widely circulated images from the Spiti valley famous as a 14,567 foot post office.

• The 125-year-old British era Kasauli Club celebrated its annual week after a gap of two years of Covid pandemic.
• The club was set up in 1880 as a Reading room.
• Initially, it was open only to British civil servants and Army officers posted at Kasauli and in Dagshai cantonment.
• It was rechristened as ‘Kasauli Club’ on January 1, 1898, by a resolution and was registered on September 21, 1898, at the Registrar’s Office, Lahore.
• The club was later renamed as “The Kasauli Club Ltd” and is now governed by the Companies Act, 1956.
• The club celebrates its annual week comprising cultural and sporting events in the form of ‘Kasauli Week’.
• This cultural bonanza was introduced by the club on May 5, 1922.
• The cultural week will culminate on June 11 and will see events like live band display, sapling plantation, events like Kasauli King, Kasauli Queen, Kasauli Princess, etc.

• Mumbai broke the world record for highest margin of victory in the history of first-class cricket by beating Uttarakhand by a staggering 725 runs in their Ranji Trophy quarter-final.
• Mumbai broke New South Wales’ 92-year-old Sheffield Shield record when they beat Queensland by 685 runs.
• In the Ranji Trophy, the previous record for highest margin for victory was held by Bengal, who had defeated Odisha by 540 runs in 1953-54.

• Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN) in Higher Education aimed at tapping the talent pool of scientists and entrepreneurs, internationally to encourage their engagement with the institutes of Higher Education in India so as to augment the country’s existing academic resources, accelerate the pace of quality reform, and elevate India’s scientific and technological capacity to global excellence.
• In order to garner the best international experience into our systems of education, enable interaction of students and faculty with the best academic and industry experts from all over the world and also share their experiences and expertise to motivate people to work on Indian problems,
• A system of Guest Lectures by internationally and nationally renowned experts would be evolved along with a comprehensive Faculty Development Programme not only for new IITs, IIMs, IISERs but also for other institutions in the country.

• The All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), under the Union Ayush Ministry, and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, are jointly working to develop innovative diagnostic tools and equipment for various Ayurvedic procedures.
• According to Dr Tanuja Nesari, Director of the Delhi-based AIIA that at least seven collaborative projects for interdisciplinary research in Ayurveda and applying engineering science principles have been undertaken.
• One is, Dhoopanyantra’ – a fumigation device for aiding wound healing is being developed to eradicate virus and bacteria from the air.
• Early cancer detection and assessment of breast cancer response to Ayurvedic drugs is being developed.
• Others are Ayurvedic rasas (tastes) on gastrointestinal secretions; herbal formulations that would reduce the harmful effects of reusing cooking oil, developing a biodegradable, herbal wound dressing.
• The effects of the ‘Brahmari pranayama’ on the nervous system is also being under study.
• The institute is also planning to establish ‘Respiratory Rehabilitation Centre’ to cater to post-Covid patients, Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients, post acute respiratory distress syndrome patients, and interstitial lung disease patients, with ayurveda therapies, yoga, meditation and modern equipment like spirometer, incentive spirometry and bronchodilators medicines.
• A few measures being undertaken where the best of traditional and modern medicine and therapies are being combined in order to provide holistic people-centered health services for all.
• India has committed to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and Universal Health Coverage by 2030.