Current Affairs One - Liner : 3rd July 2024

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) celebrated the 9th anniversary of three key programs that have reshaped Indian cities: AMRUT, Smart Cities Mission, and PMAY-U. Launched in 2015, these initiatives have improved essential urban infrastructure, from water and sanitation to housing, and incorporated technology to enhance the lives of millions of urban residents.

C-DAC, MosChip and Socionext are designing an HPC processor named AUM. This Indian-made processor will use Arm architecture and be built on TSMC's cutting-edge 5nm technology, aiming for domestic HPC system development. The project is a collaboration announced on July 1st, 2024.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a ‘Maharatna’ and a Fortune Global 500 Company, proudly announced its partnership with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as the official principal partner for four years, starting from the Paris Olympics ’24 through the Los Angeles Olympics ’28.
The Snowblind malware is a new Android threat that exploits a built-in security feature to bypass anti-tamper mechanisms and steal banking credentials. It cleverly repacks apps, making them unable to detect accessibility features used to extract sensitive information like login credentials and gain remote access to the app.
Air India is all set to establish South Asia’s largest Flying Training Organisation (FTO) in Amravati, Maharashtra, India. With an investment exceeding ₹200 crore, this ambitious project aims to address the growing demand for pilots.

The first-ever India-Belarus Consular Dialogue took place in Minsk on 28 June 2024. During this significant meeting, the Indian delegation, led by Dr. Aman Puri, JS (CPV), engaged in discussions with their Belarusian counterparts, led by Mr. Andrei Kozhan, Head of General Directorate for Consular Affairs. The dialogue covered a wide range of consular issues, including the welfare of Indian students in Belarus and efforts to enhance tourism between the two nations.

DBS Bank India partnered with Receivables Exchange of India Limited (RXIL) to provide pre-shipment financing for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in India. This collaboration leverages RXIL's platform, which is the first RBI-licensed exchange under the Trade Receivables electronic Discounting System (TReDS).

India’s Aditya-L1 spacecraft, a solar observatory, has completed its first halo orbit around the Sun-Earth L1 point. Launched on September 2, 2023, Aditya-L1 was inserted into its targeted halo orbit on January 6, 2024. It takes approximately 178 days to complete a revolution around the L1 point.

According to a report by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation (MoSPI), the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) added 10.9 million new members in the financial year 2023-24, which is a 4% decline compared to the previous year.

On June 30, 2024, India marked the 109th Foundation Day of the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) by launching the Fauna of India Checklist Portal. This comprehensive document covers 104,561 species of fauna reported from India, making India the first country in the world to prepare such a checklist.

The 13th edition of the India-Thailand joint military Exercise MAITREE commenced on July 1, 2024, at Fort Vachiraprakan in Tak Province. This exercise aims to strengthen the longstanding military ties between the two nations.

India was among the 25 countries that participated in the third UN-led conference on Afghanistan in Doha. The conference aimed to find ways to improve the lives of Afghan people under Taliban rule. Representing India at the conference was J.P. Singh, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs.

The Bangladesh Navy recently signed a significant contract with India’s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE) for an 800-tonne ocean-going tug. This deal was made possible under a $500-million line of credit extended by India to Bangladesh for defense equipment purchases. The tug, valued at approximately $21 million, will be delivered to Bangladesh within 24 months as per the contract.

International Plastic Bag Free Day is celebrated on July 3 every year. This global initiative aims to eliminate the use of plastic bags. While plastic bags may seem convenient for grocery shopping, they pose a significant strain on the environment. Countries like Bangladesh, South Africa, Rwanda, China, Australia, and Italy have implemented bans on thin plastic bags.

Akhilesh Pathak assumed office as the new Chief General Manager of the Southern Region Transmission System-I (SRTS-I) of the Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd on Monday, July 1, 2024. He will oversee the transmission system comprising sub-stations and projects in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and part of Karnataka.
Edward Kieswetter, the Commissioner of the South African Revenue Service (SARS), has been re-elected as the Chairperson of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) for a second term.
Dick Schoof, the former spy chief, was sworn in as the new Dutch prime minister on July 2, 2024. He now leads a right-wing coalition cabinet with a mission to implement the “strictest-ever” immigration policy in the country.
Manoj Kumar Singh assumed the role of Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh on June 30, 2024. He is a senior IAS officer known for his management skills and is considered one of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s “trusted” officials in the state bureaucracy.
Manoj Ahuja assumed charge as the Chief Secretary of Odisha on July 1, 2024. He is a senior IAS officer from the Odisha cadre, and he took over from the outgoing Chief Secretary, Pradeep Kumar Jena. Additionally, Nikunja Bihari Dhal has been appointed as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister (CM) of Odisha.

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan will be honored at the 77th edition of the Locarno Film Festival with the prestigious Pardo alla Carriera, recognizing his remarkable career in Indian cinema. Known as “King Khan,” Shah Rukh Khan has appeared in over 100 films across various genres, captivating audiences worldwide.

Questions:

1 For how many years will Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) be the principal partner of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA)?

2 How long does it take for Aditya-L1 to complete one revolution around the L1 point?