Current Affairs One - Liner : 4th April 2024

• National:
• On April 1, 2024, Meta partnered with the Press Trust of India (PTI) to expand its third-party fact-checking program in India. This partnership allows PTI to identify and rate misinformation across Meta platforms. With this, Meta now has 12 fact-checking partners in India, covering 16 Indian languages.

• Starting from April 1, 2024, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) has made it mandatory for all Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) beneficiaries to link their CGHS Beneficiary ID with their Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ID. This integration aims to create digital health identification of CGHS beneficiaries and store their digital health records. The linking process must be completed within 30 days.
• The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has extended the deadline for geo-tagging of properties to June 30, 2024. This is due to technical issues faced by taxpayers while registering their properties on the MCD portal. Geo-tagging will help in digitally mapping properties using the Geographic Information System (GIS). This initiative aims to improve urban planning and governance efficiency.
• The BMW Group and Tata Technologies have formed a Joint Venture (JV) to establish an automotive software and IT development hub in India. The JV will focus on strategic software development for software-defined vehicles (SDV) and business IT. The agreement was signed on 2nd April 2024.
• On March 30, 2024, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) cancelled the FCRA licenses of five NGOs for alleged violation of the foreign funding law. The affected NGOs are CNI Synodical Board of Social Service, Voluntary Health Association of India, Indo-Global Social Service Society, Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action, and Evangelical Fellowship of India. They can no longer receive foreign contributions or utilise the existing funds.
• The Election Commission of India has indeed roped in actor Ayushmann Khurrana to encourage the youth to vote in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Khurrana emphasized the importance of voting and being conscious citizens by participating in the process of nation-building. He stated, "Everyone must vote and be conscious citizens by participating in the process of nation-building.
• The Indian government has firmly rejected China’s attempts to rename places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that these actions will not change the fact that Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.
• On April 3, 2024, the DGTR recommended a definitive anti-dumping duty on the import of flexible slabstock polyol from China and Thailand. The duty is $534 per tonne for products from Wanhua Chemical Group and $608 per tonne for other Chinese producers. This action was taken following an appeal by Manali Petrochemicals Ltd, India’s sole producer of this polymer.
• International:
• Liberty Media Corporation, the owner of Formula 1, announced the acquisition of MotoGP from Dorna Sports S.L. on April 1, 2024. The deal is worth €4.2 billion and is expected to be completed by 2024. Liberty Media will acquire approximately 86% of Dorna, with Dorna management retaining around 14% of its equity.
• Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in for his third term as Egypt’s President on April 2, 2024. The ceremony took place in the new Egyptian Parliament building in Cairo. His term will run until 2030.
• S.A.R.A.H. (Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health) is the World Health Organization’s first AI-Powered Digital Health Promoter. It was launched on April 2, 2024. S.A.R.A.H. can engage users in 8 languages on multiple health topics, providing information to help optimize their health and well-being journey. It uses generative AI trained with the latest information from WHO and trusted partners.
• Banking:
• TATA AIG General Insurance Company Limited has introduced a comprehensive travel insurance product called “Travel Guard Plus”. This product is designed to provide complete coverage for travellers with a variety of bundle plans.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has approved Axis Bank’s acquisition of an additional 6% stake in Max Life Insurance. This reduces Max Financial Services Ltd’s stake in Max Life from 87% to 81%. The deal is valued at ₹1,612 crore and is expected to support Max Life’s future growth.
• Economy:
• The World Bank in its semi-annual economic outlook titled ‘East Asia and Pacific April 2024 Economic Update, April 2024: Firm Foundations of Growth‘ projected East Asia and Pacific’s (EAP) growth to ease to 4.5% in 2024 from 5.1% in 2023. This is largely due to an anticipated deceleration in economic activity in China. The growth in EAP excluding China is expected to pick up to 4.6% from 4.4% in 2023.
• Apps & Portals:
• The OptiDrop platform, developed by C-CAMP in Bengaluru, was unveiled on April 4, 2024. The primary aim of the OptiDrop platform is to simplify and reduce the cost of studying single cells. It allows for precise and cost-effective analysis of single cells encapsulated in droplets.
• Sports:
• Bindyarani Devi, an Indian weightlifter, made history by winning a bronze medal at the IWF World Cup 2024 held in Phuket, Thailand on Tuesday, April 2, 2024. She competed in the 55kg women’s category and lifted a total of 196kg (83kg snatch + 113kg clean and jerk), which led her to finish third in the standings.
• On 1st April 2024, Arjun Erigaisi, an Indian chess grandmaster, became India’s highest-ranked player, surpassing former world champion Viswanathan Anand. As of April 2024, he is ranked ninth in the world. He has won several tournaments, including the 2022 Indian Championship and the 2023 Sharjah Masters. This is a significant achievement for Indian chess.
• Important Days:
• The Army Medical Corps (AMC) celebrated its 260th Raising Day on 3rd April 2024. The event was held in New Delhi and attended by over 700 veterans of AFMS, civil and service dignitaries. The theme for the Raising Day was ‘Swastha Bharat, Viksit Bharat’, which translates to ‘Healthy India, Developed India’.
• International Carrot Day, celebrated annually on April 4th, is a day dedicated to the carrot, a popular vegetable known for its health benefits. The day encourages people to include carrots in their diets and serves as a platform for sharing carrot-related recipes and creative ways to enjoy this vegetable.
• Awards & Honours:
• Dr. Karthik Kommuri was conferred with the Distinguished Overseas Dental Specialist (Orthodontics and Orofacial Pain) title at the National Fame Awards 2024, held at The Club in Mumbai on April 3, 2024. His exceptional contributions to his field were recognized.

• Obituaries:
• Juan Vicente Pérez Mora, the world’s oldest man, passed away at the age of 114 on April 2, 2024. He was born on May 27, 1909, in Venezuela. His longevity was attributed to a healthy lifestyle and strong faith. He is survived by a large family.

Questions:

Q.1 Who won a bronze medal at the IWF World Cup 2024 in weightlifting?
a. Mary Kom
b. Bindiya Rani Devi
c. Bindyarani Devi
d. Geeta Phogat
Q.2 Who was conferred with the Distinguished Overseas Dental Specialist (Orthodontics and Orofacial Pain) title at the National Fame Awards 2024?
a. Dr. Ramesh Kumar
b. Dr. Anil Sharma
c. Dr. Suresh Reddy
d. Dr. Karthik Kommuri