Current Affairs

Chang'e-7 mission: Egypt, Bahrain join China to build hyperspectral camera

Egypt and Bahrain have joined China as international partners to develop and deliver scientific instruments for the Chang’e-7 mission, the Chinese lunar mission aimed at searching for water ice at the moon’s South Pole in 2026, according to a report in South China Morning Post (SCMP).

Last week, the Egyptian Space Agency, Bahrain’s National Space Science Agency, and the Changchun Institute of Optics, Fine Mechanics and Physics signed a cooperation agreement for the joint development of a hyperspectral camera.

On Tuesday, the China National Space Administration (CNSA) announced that the camera will image and analyse lunar surface materials from orbit, including the Moon’s polar regions, the report said.



Infosys ranked 74th most valuable global brand in Kantar BrandZ report

Infosys has secured a spot among the 100 most valuable brands in the world, according to Kantar, the Bengluru-headquartered IT services company said on Wednesday.

In its annual 'BrandZ Most Valuable Global Brands' report, Infosys is ranked as the 74 most valuable brand in the world and ranked as the 20 most valuable global B2B (business to business) technology brand, according to a release.

The Kantar BrandZ recognition is a validation of the client trust that Infosys has earned, and the relevance of its capabilities, especially in domains like enterprise AI where technologies like generative AI and cloud continue to evolve, the release added.



Pema Khandu named as next Arunachal Pradesh CM

Pema Khandu-led BJP in Arunachal Pradesh won the assembly polls by securing a landslide victory by winning 46 seats in the 60-member assembly.

Pema Khandu is set for another term as chief minister of Arunchal Pradesh after he was re-elected as the BJP legislature party leader in the state. Khandu will meet Governor KT Parnaik to stake his claim to form the government. Khandu, along with his cabinet colleagues, will be sworn in on Thursday morning, marking the continuation of his leadership in the state.

Senior BJP leaders Ravi Shankar Prasad and Tarun Chugh were sent as observers for the election of legislature party leader in Arunachal Pradesh.



Apple Intelligence: How Apple used Google's help to train its AI models

On stage on Monday CEO Tim Cook's Apple announced a splashy deal with OpenAI to include its powerful artificial intelligence model as a part of its voice assistant, Siri.

But in the fine print of a technical document Apple published after the event, the company makes clear that Alphabet's Google has emerged as another winner in the Cupertino, California, company's quest to catch up in AI.

To build Apple's foundation AI models, the company's engineers used its own framework software with a range of hardware, specifically its own on-premise graphics processing units (GPUs) and chips available only on Google's cloud called tensor processing units (TPUs).



Army launches integrated generator monitoring, control system 'Vidyut Rakshak'

A tech-based innovation -- an integrated generator monitoring, protection and control system -- developed by the Indian Army was launched on Monday. 'Vidyut Rakshak', developed by the Army Design Bureau (ADB) was launched here by the Army's Vice Chief Lt Gen Upendra Dwivedi.

Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande, in his message, appreciated the ADB and said, "While the Indian Army is observing the 'Year of Tech Absorption', this milestone success of Vidyut Rakshak from 'innovation to induction' sets precedence and signifies Indian Army's commitment and efforts to leverage technology as a catalyst for transformative change."

Vidyut Rakshak is an Internet of Things-enabled integrated generator monitoring, protection and control system. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of interrelated devices that connect and exchange data with other IoT devices and the cloud.



RITES sign MoU with Eastern Railway’s Andal Diesel Shed to increase efficiency of repair and maintenance process

RITES Ltd on Tuesday (June 11) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Eastern Railway’s Andal Diesel Shed in the Asansol Division of West Bengal. RITES Ltd is a leading consultancy firm specializing in transport infrastructure.

According to a press statement from RITES, the MoU establishes a framework for cooperation in the major scheduled repair and maintenance of Diesel-Electric Locomotives owned by RITES and other clients.

“This MoU sets up a framework for collaboration on major schedule repair and maintenance of Diesel-Electric Locomotives owned by RITES and other clients at the Andal Diesel Shed facility,” a press statement from RITES said.



Indian Deaf Cricket Team To Play First Ever Bilateral Series Against England

The Indian deaf cricket team will face England in a bilateral T20 series for the very first time starting June 18. The seven-match series will begin at The County Ground, Derby before moving to Northamptonshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire where the final game will be played on June 27. Rajesh Aggrawal, IAS, Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, said: "I am thrilled to support the Indian Deaf cricket team as they embark on their first-ever Bilateral T20 Deaf Series against England.

"This landmark event not only showcases the exceptional talent of our athletes but also highlights the importance of inclusivity in sports." The all-India men's selection committee picked a 15-man squad for the series and will be captained by Virender Singh.



Indian Navy’s indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik arrives in Japan to take part in ‘JIMEX 24’

Indian Navy’s indigenous stealth frigate INS Shivalik has arrived at Yokosuka to take part in the eighth edition of a bilateral Japan-India maritime exercise, officials said on Tuesday.

“Having grown in scope and complexity over the years, ‘JIMEX 24’ provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices and facilitates operational interactions between IN (Indian Navy) and JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force) to foster mutual cooperation and reaffirm their shared commitment towards maritime security in the Indo-Pacific,” a Navy spokesperson said in a statement.

INS Shivalik arrived at Yokosuka in Japan to participate in the eighth edition of the exercise.



Ficci appoints Jyoti Vij as new director general with immediate effect

The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) on Tuesday announced the appointment of Jyoti Vij as its director general. Vij is currently the additional director general at Ficci. She will take charge of the Ficci secretariat with immediate effect.

She graduated from Shri Ram College of Commerce in 1988 and later received her master's in business economics from the University of Delhi in 1990. In 1993, she joined the industry body and has served it in various capacities.

On Vij's appointment, Ficci president Anish Shah said, "We are delighted to welcome Jyoti Vij in her new role. Her thought leadership, strengths in policy formulation, people skills and long experience in the organisation will add immense value to Ficci."



2025 to be International Year of Quantum Science and Tech

The United Nations has said 2025 will be designated the ‘International Year of Quantum Science and Technology’. In a statement, the body said the initiative will be “year-long”, “worldwide”, and that it will “be observed through activities at all levels aimed at increasing public awareness of the importance of quantum science and applications.”

The proclamation is the result of a resolution led by Mexico in May 2023 and which was soon joined by other countries. By November that year, almost 60 countries had co-sponsored the resolution and the UNESCO General Conference adopted it. In May this year, Ghana submitted a draft resolution to the U.N. General Assembly asking for an official proclamation, with the support of over 70 other countries. The General Assembly acceded on June 7.