Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 12th June 2024

National News 

1. Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark makes world’s first ‘immersive’ phone call 

• Nokia CEO Pekka Lundmark made a phone call using a new technology called “immersive audio and video” that improves the quality of a call with three-dimensional sound, making interactions more lifelike. 
• The call was held with Stefan Lindstrom, Finland’s Ambassador of Digitalization and New Technologies. 
• Current smartphone calls are monophonic which compresses audio elements together and sound flatter and less detailed, but the new technology will bring 3D audio where a caller will hear everything as if they were there with the other person. 
• Nokia made the call using a regular smartphone over a public 5G network. 
• The technology is part of the upcoming 5G Advanced standard and Nokia aims to get licensing opportunities with the technology which would likely take a few years to be available widely. 
• A vast majority of smartphones have at least two microphones with which this technology can be implemented by transmitting in real time the spatial characteristics of a call. 

2. Nominate sufficient number of IPS officers for deputation, says Centre 

• The Union Home Ministry has shot off a letter to 24 States that a sufficient number of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have not been nominated by the State governments for Central deputation, leading to many vacant posts in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs). 
• The letter was sent to all States, except Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Tripura and Sikkim, and the eight Union Territories. “It is to reiterate that your State/Cadre has not sent/recommended sufficient nominations of IPS officers for deputation for filling up the vacancies at different levels especially from Superintendent of Police to Inspector General in Central Police Organisations (CPOs) and CAPFs. 
• Accordingly, requesting you to forward sufficient nominations of IPS officers especially at the level of SP to IG at the earliest to enable this Ministry to fill up the vacant posts earmarked for IPS officers at Centre,” the letter on June 7 stated. 
• As on June 3, there were 129 vacant posts of Superintendent of Police (SP), 81 of Deputy Inspector-General (DIGs), and 25 of InspectorGeneral against the sanctioned strength of 129, 256, and 147, respectively. 
• The communication follows the letter of December 14, 2023 sent to all States to nominate an adequate number of IPS officers for Central deputation. The 2023 letter by Additional Secretary R.K. Singh stated that 40% of senior duty posts in each cadre were earmarked as Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) posts. 
• “The CDR of each IPS cadre determines the extent to which the number of officers could be sent on deputation to the Government of India. However, it has been the experience that the offer lists of some States do not contain sufficient numbers of names vis-a-vis CDR utilisation. 
• Hence, States need to sponsor an adequate number of officers so that posts reserved for IPS officers in CAPFs, CPOs are manned by them,” the letter said. The Ministry routinely asks the States to send IPS officers on Central deputation. 
• In February 2022, it amended the IPS tenure policy, doing away with the mandatory requirement of empowerment of IPS officers at the Deputy Inspector-General (DIG) level. It said that “o cers with minimum 14 years of experience will be eligible for appointment at the level of DIG by Centre ''. 

3. Uniform Civil Code is part of government’s agenda, says Union Law Minister Meghwal 

• Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on Tuesday said the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) was part of the Narendra Modi government’s agenda. Assuming charge at the Law Ministry, which he held in the earlier government as well, Mr. Meghwal rejected the allegation that there was conflict between the executive and the judiciary, and expressed hope that a solution would be found on the issue of the Memorandum of Procedure (MoP). 
• The MoP refers to the procedure on the appointment, elevation and transfer of High Court and Supreme Court judges, which is yet to be finalised because of differences between the executive and the judiciary. “I believe that we will certainly find a solution to it,” Mr. Meghwal told press persons after taking charge of the Ministry of Law and Justice. Responding to a question on the implementation of the UCC, he said that it was part of the government’s agenda. 
• On the issue of “One Nation, One Election”, Mr. Meghwal said the committee under former President Ram Nath Kovind had submitted its report, and the Law Commission was also working on the subject. Mr. Meghwal also signed the national litigation policy document soon after taking charge. 
• The policy document, part of the 100- day agenda of the new Narendra Modi government, will be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval in the coming days. The Law Minister said a key priority of his Ministry would be faster justice in matters pending in the Supreme Court, High Courts, lower courts, tribunals, and consumer courts. 
• The national litigation policy has been drafted and redrafted over several years by successive governments, and aims to lay down principles for responsible litigation. A national litigation policy has been a part of the BJP’s manifesto since 2014. 
• “There is a factor of ease of living in all the stakeholders related to litigation... All stakeholders, including litigants, advocates and others are part of it... the Ministry has finalised the policy document,” Mr. Meghwal said. 

4. Jaishankar signals ‘business as usual’ for foreign policy 

• External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar hit the floor running on Tuesday, sending out a message of continuity and “business as usual” for Indian foreign policy in the new government as he assumed charge at South Block for a second term, indicating there would be little change in how the new government would deal with China, Pakistan, UN Security Council reforms, and other pending issues. 
• On Monday, several hours before his portfolio was even announced, Mr. Jaishankar had called on all seven leaders from the neighbourhood who had been invited to witness Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s swearing-in. 
• By including Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, whose government had been at loggerheads with New Delhi until India accepted his demand to withdraw Indian troops from the southern atolls, Mr. Modi has attempted to get ahead of the first of many foreign policy challenges he will face in the neighbourhood during his third term. 
• While Mr. Jaishankar has served at South Block for much of the past decade, as Foreign Secretary and External Affairs Minister, he will have a new team to work with. None of the three Ministers of State for External Affairs have been retained. 
• The new Ministers of State are Kirtivardhan Singh and Pabitra Margherita. In addition, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra’s extended term ends in October, with Deputy National Security Adviser Vikram Misri widely believed to be the next in line for the post. 
• Former Foreign Secretary and Chairperson of the National Security Advisory Board Shyam Saran said he did not anticipate “any significant departures in policy”, with Mr. Jaishankar remains at the helm of External Afiairs. 
• “What I would hope to see is re-engagement with Pakistan and an e ort to seek a new equilibrium with China. The neighbourhood has suffered relative neglect with the pursuit of a high global profile. I would hope there is a refocus on the neighbourhood which remains the most critical factor for Indian interests,” 
• Mr. Saran told The Hindu when asked about the foreign policy agenda ahead. While re-engagement with Pakistan seems difficult at present, “lowerhanging fruit” such as restoring High Commissioners and restarting some of the cross-border trade for agricultural goods may be possible, especially if Mr. Modi decides to meet his Pakistan counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, next month on the sidelines of the SCO summit in Astana, Kazakhstan. 

All eyes on the meet 

• All eyes will be on whether Mr. Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet there in an effort to resolve the four-year-old stand-off at the Line of Actual Control. In an interview to the Newsweek magazine in April, Mr. Modi called India-China ties “important and significant”, and said the stand-off must be “urgently addressed” through talks, refraining from any criticism of China’s actions. 
• The next big item on the agenda for the government will be to keep the balance between the U.S. and Russia. In his second term, Mr. Modi had won accolades for navigating India to a “sweet spot” over issues such as the Russia-Ukraine war, where both sides have been keen to court India’s favour. 
• In the next few weeks, more of the balancing act will be on display as Mr. Modi visits Italy on June 13-14 to attend the G-7 outreach with Western countries and is due in Astana on July 3-4, where Russian President Vladimir Putin is expected to be present, and will travel to Russia in October for the BRICS summit. 
• While Mr. Modi is not expected to attend the Swiss Peace Conference on Ukraine this weekend, India’s decision to participate at an official level indicates that it is keeping the door open for an evolving role in resolving the conflict. 
• A balancing posture will also give New Delhi space to wait out the next few months until the U.S. elections — as the possibility of a Trump Presidency and a change in Washington would “upend what is still left of the international order”, Mr. Saran said. 

5. Rajasthan Govt to Invest ₹100 Cr. for Maharana Pratap Tourist Circuit 

• Rajasthan state government will develop the Maharana Pratap Tourist Circuit with an investment of Rs 100 crore. 
• This announcement was made during the inauguration of the Maharana Pratap Jayanti celebration in Udaipur, where the 484th birthday of the legendary Maharana Pratap of Mewar was celebrated on 9 June 2024 (according to the Hindu calendar). 
• Under the project, the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation will develop museums and basic amenities for tourists and improve the overall connectivity to these places. 
• The Mewar Complex Circuit was launched by the Rajasthan Government in 2005 with the financial assistance of the central government to develop the tourist spot in the region. 
• Two phases of the Mewar Complex circuit has been completed and the third phase of the project has been renamed as the Maharana Pratap Tourist Circuit. 

About Rajasthan 

• Capital – Jaipur 
• Chief Minister – Bhajan Lal Sharma (replace Ashok Gehlot) 
• Deputy Chief Minister – Diya Kumari and Premchand Bairwa 
• Speaker of Rajasthan Assembly – Vasudev Devnani 
• Governor – Kalraj Mishra 

6. COAI names VI’s Abhijit Kishore as chairperson 

• Telecom industry association COAI has been named Vodafone Idea’s COO Abhijit Kishore as its chairperson. 
• While, Bharti Airtel’s Chief Regulatory Officer Rahul Vatts as the vice chairperson of the association. 
• The announcement comes after COAI (Cellular Operators Association of India) concluded its annual general body meeting for 2023-24. 
• Kishore brings to the board a wide-ranging experience of over three decades with the Indian telecom industry across functions, organisations and geographies. He takes over the charge from Pramod K Mittal, a president at Reliance Jio Infocomm. 

Recent Appointment 

• CM of Sikkim – Prem Singh Tamang (2nd time) 
• Secretary of CCI – Inder Pal Singh Bindra (replace Anupama Anand) 
• DG of Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) – Kamal Kishore Soan 
• Director in Department of Rural Development – Raj Priy Singh
• Vice-Chancellor of IIFT – Rakesh Mohan Joshi 
• Chairperson of Deendayal Port Authority – Sushil Kumar Singh (replace SK Mehta) 

International News 

7. Malawi Vice President Saulos Chilima among 9 killed in plane crash 

• Malawi mourned the death of its Vice President Saulos Chilima and nine others in a deadly plane crash, President Lazarus Chakwera confirmed. The wreckage of the military plane carrying Vice President Chilima was found in a rugged mountainous region in the country's northern region after an extensive search that lasted more than a day. 
• The tragic incident occurred when the plane carrying Vice President Chilima and others, including former First Lady Shanile Dzimbiri, disappeared from radar during its scheduled 45-minute flight from the capital Lilongwe to Mzuzu in the north. 
• Air traffic controllers diverted the plane away from Mzuzu's airport due to adverse weather conditions and poor visibility, and directed it to return to Lilongwe. However, contact with the plane was suddenly lost thereafter, leaving authorities grappling with the crisis. 
• According to President Chakwera, the plane has been identified as a small, propeller-driven aircraft operated by the Malawi Armed Forces, carrying seven passengers and three military crew members. 
• Chilima was serving his second term as vice president. He also held the position from 2014-2019 under former President Peter Mutharika. He was a candidate in the 2019 Malawi presidential election and finished third behind incumbent President Mutharika and Chakwera. 
• The vote was annulled by Malawi's Constitutional Court due to irregularities. It was the first time in Africa that an election result that was overturned by a court resulted in the defeat of a sitting president. 
• Chilima had previously faced corruption charges, alleging he received money in exchange for influencing the award of government procurement contracts for the Malawi armed forces and police, but prosecutors dropped the charges last month. 

8. UNSC approves ‘Israel-Gaza ceasefire plan’ proposed by US 

• The United Nations Security Council has approved the IsraelGaza ceasefire plan proposed by the United States. The resolution “underlines the importance of ongoing diplomatic efforts by Egypt, Qatar and the United States. 
• It sets conditions for a “complete and total ceasefire”, the release of hostages held by Hamas, the return of the remains of dead hostages and the exchange of Palestinian prisoners. 
• 14 of the 15 members of the Security Council, including the US, voted in favour of the resolution. Russia abstained from voting. The resolution states that Israel has accepted the ceasefire proposal and urged Hamas to agree to it as well. 
• The plan has three phases that will culminate with a major reconstruction plan for Gaza, which has been largely destroyed in the conflict. 
• The first phase of the plan deals with a short-term ceasefire along with a hostage-prisoner swap. The resolution also requires the safe delivery of humanitarian aid “on a large scale throughout the Gaza Strip”, with 600 trucks carrying aid entering Gaza every day. 
• The second phase involves a “permanent end to hostilities” and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza. The third phase focuses on a long-term vision for the enclave and will launch a multiyear reconstruction plan for Gaza. 
• The resolution reiterates the Security Council’s “unwavering commitment to achieving the vision of a two-State solution through negotiations, where two democratic States, Israel and Palestine, live together in peace within secure and recognised borders.” 
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has publicly condemned parts of the resolution and has repeatedly said he plans to continue the military operation until Hamas is destroyed. 
• The war began with a Hamas surprise attack in southern Israel on October 7, in which the militants killed nearly 1,200 people, mainly Israeli civilians, and took about 250 others hostage. About 120 hostages still survive, 43 of whom are dead. 

9. Australia will allow noncitizen permanent residents to join the armed forces.

• Australia will allow non-citizen permanent residents who have been living in Australia for at least 12 months to join the Australian Armed Forces from July 2024. This is aimed at achieving Australia's recruitment target for its army. 
• Defence Minister Richard Marles said that citizens of Five Eyes countries will be given priority to join it. Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance that includes Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. 
• Australia is looking to strengthen its military amid growing threats from China and by increasing its current number of defence personnel to about 90,000. 
• Australia's coastline stretches once around the Earth, but it has a population of just 26 million. 
• Canberra has ramped up defence spending in recent years, buying fleets of submarines, jets and a range of combat vehicles to meet rising regional tensions. But it has struggled to find enough pilots, sailors and soldiers to operate and maintain them. Experts have warned that too few Australians wear uniforms to meet current requirements. 

10 Ukraine peace summit to be held in Switzerland, 2024 

• A peace summit for Ukraine will be held on 15-16 June 2024 in Bern, Switzerland. Nearly 90 countries and organisations, half of them from Europe, have confirmed their participation in the Swiss-hosted Ukraine peace summit over the weekend, while Russia has refused to attend the conference. 
• The summit will aim to chart a path towards a possible peace, nearly 28 months after Russian forces invaded Ukraine and the war continues. Around 160 invitations have been sent out and Emhard said it was not a "disappointment" for the Swiss government that fewer than 100 people had so far announced participation in the first phase of the peace process. 
• Brazil and China said they would not attend until both sides - including Russia - were at the negotiating table, according to Swiss officials. Beijing has been one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's top supporters since the war began. 
• Switzerland has repeatedly acknowledged that the peace process cannot happen without Russia. Switzerland is in constant contact with officials in Moscow. 
• Russia is upset by Switzerland's imposition of sanctions - the Swiss have frozen an estimated $14 billion (£11 billion) in Russian assets. Direct flights to Russia were also suspended. 

112th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) 

• The Indian tripartite delegation led by Secretary (Labour & Employment) Ms. Sumita Davra participated in the 112th Session of the International Labour Conference (ILC) of the International Labour Organization (ILO) held in Geneva, Switzerland. 
• The International Labour Organization is holding its 112th annual International Labour Conference in Geneva from 3-14 June 2024. Workers, employers and government representatives from the 187 Member States of the ILO will discuss a wide range of issues. 
• The International Labour Organization Established in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is one of the first and oldest specialized agencies of the United Nations. 

State News 

11. India's Visakhapatnam Port ranked 19th in World Bank's Container Port Performance Index 

• Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam Port has made it to the top 20 rankings in the Container Port Performance Index 2023 (CPPI 2023) developed by the World Bank and S&P Global Market Intelligence. 
• Visakhapatnam Port was ranked 19th in the index, higher than Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone Ltd (APSEZ)-operated Mundra Port (ranked 27th). 
• China's Yangshan Port topped the list for the second consecutive year, while Oman's Salalah Port retained its position at the second spot. 
• In the overall ranking, Pipavav port was ranked 41st, Kamarajar/Ennore port was ranked 47th, Kattupalli was ranked 57th, Cochin was ranked 63rd, Hazira was ranked 68th, Krishnapatnam was ranked 71st, Chennai was ranked 80th, Jawaharlal Nehru Port was ranked 96th, New Mangalore was ranked 235th and Syama Prasad Mukherjee was ranked 242nd. 
• Visakhapatnam was ranked 18th in CPPI by region (West, Central and South Asia) from Saudi Arabia to Bangladesh, while Mundra was ranked 22nd. 
• Mundra was ranked 22nd in CPPI based on throughput in the large ports category (handling more than 4 million TEUs per year) while state-owned Jawaharlal Nehru Port was ranked 90th. 
• Visakhapatnam was ranked 18th in the CPPI based on throughput in the medium ports category (handling between 0.5 million TEU to 4 million TEU per year) while Pipavav Port was ranked 34th. 
• The index is a comparative assessment of performance based on vessel dwell time in the port. The CPPI ranked 405 global container ports based on efficiency, focusing on the duration of stay of container ships at the port. 
• Its primary objective is to identify areas of growth for the benefit of multiple stakeholders in the global trade system and supply chains, from ports to shipping lines, national governments and consumers. 

12. BJP's tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi to be new Odisha CM 

• BJP leader Mohan Charan Majhi will be the new chief minister of Odisha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh announced on June 11, 2024. He said that K.V. Singh Dev and Pravati Parida have been made the Deputy Chief Ministers of the state. 
• The decision was taken at a BJP legislative party meeting, which Singh and Union minister Bhupendra Yadav attended as observers. The BJP has come to power in the state for the first time by winning 78 of the 147 seats. 
• Mohan Charan Majhi will be the first BJP chief minister in Odisha. A firebrand tribal leader, Majhi is known for his performance in the Odisha assembly. He won the 2024 assembly election from Keonjhar assembly seat. He is a four-time tribal MLA from Keonjhar assembly. 
• In the 2024 Odisha Assembly elections, Mohan Charan Majhi secured 47.05 per cent votes, winning from the Keonjhar Assembly constituency and defeating Biju Janata Dal's (BJD) Minu Majhi who got 40.84 per cent votes. 
• Mohan Majhi is considered a loyal BJP member and a strong organisational leader. Majhi has a political career spanning over two decades. His ability to connect with the masses, especially in tribal areas, has earned him popularity. 
• Majhi will have to shoulder a huge responsibility when he becomes the chief minister after Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik, who held the post for a record 24 years. 
• In 2023, Mohan Charan Majhi was suspended from the Assembly for throwing lentils at the Speaker's podium. This unique protest by Majhi and Mahaling was reportedly to expose the alleged Rs 700 crore scam in the purchase of pulses for the mid-day-meal scheme. 
• In Odisha 2024 Bharatiya Janata Party made a clean sweep in the state by winning 20 out of 21 seats. Indian National Congress won the Koraput seat. In the last Lok Sabha elections 2019, BJD won 12 seats, BJP 8 and Congress won 1 seat. 

13. According to the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey, Haryana is the top state in maximum use of milk and milk products 

• The detailed report of the Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) 2022-23 was released by the Ministry of Statistics and Program Implementation (MoSPI). It provided important information about the expenditure habits of rural and urban households of different states. 
• HCES is conducted by the National Statistical Office every 5 years. It is designed to collect information about the consumption of goods and services by households. 
• The data collected in HCES is also used to derive various other macroeconomic indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), poverty rate and Consumer Price Index (CPI). Average MPCE is calculated at 2011-12 prices. 
• The survey covered the entire Indian Union except for some remote villages in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. 

Key facts 

• Milk and milk products: Haryana (rural 41.7%, urban 33.1%) and Rajasthan (urban 33.2%) followed by Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh. 
• Beverages, refreshments and processed foods: Tamil Nadu had the highest expenditure percentage in both rural (28.4%) and urban (33.7%) areas. 
• Egg, fish and meat: Households in Kerala spent the most in this category in both rural (23.5%) and urban (19.8%) situations. 
• Food expenditure: Food accounts for about 46% of total household consumption expenditure in rural India, while it is about 39% in urban areas. 
• Rural expenditure on non-food items increased from 40.6% in 1999 to 53.62% in 2022-23 and urban expenditure increased from 51.94% to 60.83% during the same period. 

Key non-food expenditure categories: 

• Transport: Kerala had the highest percentage. Medical expenditure: It is particularly high in Kerala, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh in rural areas and West Bengal, Kerala and Punjab in urban areas. 
• Durables: The highest expenditure on durables was observed in both rural and urban areas of Kerala. Fuel and light: West Bengal and Odisha showed significant expenditure in rural and urban areas respectively. 

Awards News

14. Nethra Gururaj selected for 2024 Oscar Academy Gold Rising Program 

• Nethra Gururaj, a dynamic cinematographer from Bengaluru, has been selected for the prestigious 2024 Oscar Academy Gold Rising Program. 
• This honour places her among the most promising young filmmakers and cinematographers globally, highlighting her significant achievements and potential. 
• Nethra Gururaj, currently based in Los Angeles, has a diverse portfolio that includes short films, feature films, documentaries, music videos, and experimental pieces. 
• With a Master’s degree in Cinematography from the New York Film Academy, Los Angeles, she has skilfully combined her knowledge in writing, directing, and production design to create visually stunning narratives that resonate deeply with audiences. 

15. Tredence wins third consecutive Databricks Retail and CPG Partner of the Year Award 

• Tredence, a global data science and AI solutions company and an Elite partner of Databricks, has been named the 2024 Databricks Retail and CPG Partner of the Year. 
• Tredence has been selected from over 2,500 consulting and system integrator partners for this award, reflecting the company’s exceptional expertise in leveraging the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform to deliver unmatched value to retailers and CPG companies. 
• Tredence and Databricks have together solved last-mile analytics and AI challenges for eight of the world’s top 10 retailers and eight of the top 10 CPG firms. 
• Tredence leverages its industry-first, unified data model, along with 140+ AI/ML accelerators, to enable retail and CPG firms to modernize data at pace and unlock the value of new use cases. 

About Tredence 

• Tredence is a global data science and AI solutions provider focused on solving the last-mile problem in AI – the gap between insight creation and value realization. 
• Tredence leverages strong domain expertise, data platforms and accelerators, and strategic partnerships to provide tailored, cutting-edge solutions to its clients. 
• Tredence is 2,500-plus employees strong with offices in San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, London, Toronto, and Bengaluru, with the largest companies in Retail, CPG, Hi-tech, Telecom, Healthcare, Travel, and Industrials as clients. 

Appointment News 

16. All set for Naidu to take oath as A.P. Chief Minister today 

• Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer on Tuesday invited Telugu Desam Party national president N. Chandrababu Naidu to form the government in the State. The swearing-in ceremony will be held at Kesarapalle, near Vijayawada, at 11.27 a.m. on Wednesday. 
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a host of national leaders are scheduled to attend. Earlier in the day, at a meeting in the city, Mr. Naidu was unanimously elected leader of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly by the alliance partners — Janasena Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party. 
• The MLAs-elect from the NDA constituent parties attended the meeting besides Mr. Naidu, Janasena president Pawan Kalyan and BJP State president Daggubati Purandeswari. 
• Mr. Pawan Kalyan proposed the name of Mr. Naidu as the leader of the NDA in the Assembly, which was unanimously approved by all partners. Later, representatives of the NDA met the Governor and staked claim to form the government in Andhra Pradesh. 
• TDP State president K. Atchannaidu, Ms. Purandeswari, and Janasena Parliamentary Affairs Committee chairman Nadendla Manohar met the Governor and submitted the letter. Meanwhile, the MLAselect of the Janasena elected Pawan Kalyan as their floor leader. 
• The hot topic of discussion among the political circles currently is that Mr. Pawan Kalyan might be proposed as Deputy Chief Minister and that the Janasena might get five berths in the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet. The BJP is being tipped to get two Cabinet posts. 

17. Om Birla becomes first Lok Sabha Speaker to be re-elected as MP in 20 years 

• Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla won the Kota parliamentary seat by a margin of over 41,139 votes, thus becoming the first presiding officer to be re-elected to the Lower House in 20 years. 
• In 2019, BJP's Birla, a Lok Sabha member from Kota, was elected Speaker. In 2024, Birla retained the Kota parliamentary seat by defeating Prahlad Gunjal of the Congress. 
• The last Lok Sabha Speaker to be re-elected to the lower house was P A Sangma, who was the presiding officer of the 11th Lok Sabha from 1996 to 1998. Sangma, who was then a member of the Congress, was re-elected from Tura in Meghalaya in the 1998 Lok Sabha election. 
• In 1999, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) member GMC Balayogi was elected as Lok Sabha Speaker from Amalapuram in Andhra Pradesh. Balayogi died in a helicopter crash in 2002. 
• Shiv Sena member Manohar Joshi took over as Lok Sabha Speaker after Balayogi. However, Joshi lost to Congress leader Eknath Gaikwad from the Mumbai North Central constituency in the 2004 Lok Sabha election. 
• In 2004, CPI(M) member Somnath Chatterjee, who won the Bolpur seat, was elected as Lok Sabha Speaker. However, Chatterjee retired from politics before the 2009 Lok Sabha elections after differences with her party. 
• In 2009, Congress member Meira Kumar won the Sasaram parliamentary seat in Bihar and was elected Speaker of the 15th Lok Sabha. However, Kumar lost the elections in 2014 and 2019. 
• In 2014, BJP member Sumitra Mahajan from Indore was elected as Lok Sabha speaker. The BJP did not field Mahajan in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. 

Defence News

18. Lt. Gen. Upendra Dwivedi to take over as Army chief 

• The Union government on Tuesday announced the appointment of Lieutenant-General Upendra Dwivedi as the next Chief of the Army Stat. 
• He is now the Vice-Chief and will take over from General Manoj Pande on June 30. “The government has appointed Lt. General Upendra Dwivedi, presently serving as Vice Chief of the Army Staff, as the next Chief of the Army Staff will elect from the afternoon of June 30, 2024. 
• The present Chief of the Army Staff, General Manoj C. Pande, demits office on June 30, 2024,” the Defence Ministry said in a late-evening statement. General Pande, who was to retire on May 31, had been given a month’s extension. 
• The extension had created speculation in the military fraternity of a possible supersession and deviation from the seniority principle in the appointment of Service chiefs. Lt. Gen. Dwivedi, born on July 1, 1964, was commissioned into the Infantry (Jammu & Kashmir Rifles) of the Army on December 15, 1984. As Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, he is an alumnus of the Sainik School, Rewa.
• His command roles include leading the 18 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles Regiment and the 26 Sector Assam Rifles Brigade, as well as serving as the Inspector General in Assam Rifles (East) and 9 Corps. 
• In the rank of Lieutenant-General, he has held important positions, including that of DirectorGeneral, Infantry, and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, from 2022 to 2024, before taking over as Vice-Chief. 

19. Japan-India Maritime Exercise commences at Yokosuka 

• The 8th edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise (JIMEX-24) has started at Yokosuka, Japan. 
• The JIMEX-24 exercise is being hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF). The Japanese Navy is called the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force. 
• During the exercise, navies of both the countries will jointly hone their war fighting skills at sea and enhance their interoperability. 
• The Indian Navy’s indigenously built Stealth Frigate INS Shivalik is participating in the JIMEX -24 exercise. The JMSDF is represented by its Guided Missile Destroyer JS Yugiri. 
• JIMEX is a bilateral naval exercise between the navies of the two countries. It was started in 2012 in Japan. The 7th JIMEX -23 was hosted by the Indian Navy off Visakhapatnam in July 2023. 

Recent Exercise 

• 7th edition of Exercise Shakti between India and France – Umroi, Meghalaya 
• Exercise Poorvi Lehar by Indian Navy – East Coast of India 
• 5th edition of Joint military exercise ‘Dustlik’ between India and Uzbekistan – Termez, Uzbekistan 
• Coastal Security Exercise ‘Sagar Kavach’ – Lakshadweep Islands 
• 2nd edition of India-Mozambique-Tanzania Trilateral Exercise (IMT TRILAT 24) – Nacala, Mozambique. 
• Exercise “TIGER TRIUMPH 2024” between India and USA – Eastern Seaboard 

Important day

20. 12 June – World Day Against Child Labour 

• World Day Against Child Labour Day is celebrated every year on 12 June. 
• This year’s World Day will focus on celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of the Worst Forms of Child Labour Convention (1999, No. 182). 
• Theme 2024 – Let’s Act on Our Commitments: End Child Labour 
• The Indian Constitution prohibits children under the age of 14 from working in mines or in any hazardous occupation. The International labour Organisation (ILO) also states that a child under the age of 18 should not be involved in labour or any kind of hazardous work. 
• In 1987, the Indian central government implemented a National Policy of Child Employment that focuses on rehabilitating children and adolescents who have been exposed to hazardous occupations since an early age. 
• World Day Against Child Labour is observed to emphasise on the need to protect children from hazardous occupations and labour that are unfit for their age.