Current Affairs One - Liner : 5th December 2024

The Indo-Russian joint venture Kinet Railway Solutions announced the establishment of three depots for the Vande Bharat Sleeper project. These depots will be at the Marathwada Rail Coach Factory in Latur, Maharashtra, and two other strategic locations.

On December 4, 2024, the Rajya Sabha passed the Boilers Bill, 2024, replacing the century-old Boilers Act, 1923. The new bill aims to improve boiler safety, decriminalize minor offences, and promote ease of doing business.

On December 4, 2024, Nepal and China signed a framework agreement to advance the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This agreement aims to enhance economic cooperation and infrastructure projects, marking a significant step towards transforming Nepal from a land-locked to a land-linked country.
On December 4, 2024, the Cambridge Dictionary named "manifest" as its Word of the Year 2024. The term saw a significant rise in lookups and usage due to social media and celebrities attributing their success to manifestation.
On December 1, 2024, China's first atmospheric monitoring station in Antarctica, the Zhongshan National Atmospheric Background Station, became operational. Located in the Larsemann Hills of East Antarctica, it will conduct continuous observations of atmospheric components to support global climate change research.
On December 1, 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a record-breaking military budget for 2025, allocating $126 billion (13.5 trillion rubles). This represents 32.5% of total government spending, significantly increasing military expenditure amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

On December 4, 2024, the yield on the 10-year Indian government bond dipped to 6.6886%, its lowest level in nearly three years. This decline was due to expectations of policy easing by the RBI and India's economic slowdown, with GDP growth falling to 5.4% in the September quarter.

India won the 5th Junior Hockey Asia Cup, defeating Pakistan 5-3 in the final held in Muscat, Oman on December 4, 2024. Araijeet Singh Hundal scored four goals, while Dilraj Singh added another. This victory marks India's fifth title in the tournament's history.

International Volunteer Day is celebrated on December 5th to honor and recognize the contributions of volunteers worldwide. The theme for 2024 is "Volunteer for an Inclusive Future", emphasizing inclusivity and equality in volunteerism.

On December 5, 2024, Senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra for the third time. The ceremony was held at Azad Maidan in Mumbai.
On December 2, 2024, Justice Murdu Nirupa Bindushini Fernando was sworn in as the 48th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. She is the second woman to hold this position, succeeding Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya.

Jasleen Kaur, a Glasgow-born Scottish Sikh artist, won the Turner Prize 2024 for her exhibition "Alter-Altar". The exhibition combines political, personal, and spiritual themes using sculptures and immersive sound. Kaur received the GBP 25,000 award at a ceremony at Tate Britain in London.
India was honored with the ISSA Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024 on December 5, 2024, at the Regional Social Security Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) received recognition for its innovative social security initiatives. Dr. Mohammed Azman, President of ISSA, presented the award.

Neale Fraser, an iconic Australian tennis player and Davis Cup legend, passed away at 91 on December 2, 2024. He won three Grand Slam singles titles and led Australia to four Davis Cup victories as team captain.

Questions:

1 Which Indian organization received the ISSA Good Practice Award for Asia and Pacific 2024?

2 Which country won the 5th Junior Hockey Asia Cup in 2024?