One Liner Current Affair
National Affairs & Governance
- Supreme Court sought fresh compliance reports from states on bonded labour rehabilitation gaps.
- Jal Jeevan Mission flagged state delays in tap water connections for rural areas.
- Centre cleared guidelines for faster railway land leasing under Gati Shakti for cargo corridors.
- New digital traffic surveillance pilot launched in Delhi for AI-based challans.
- Bihar and Assam remained on high flood alert; NDMA teams deployed for quick rescue.
- National cybersecurity audit flagged gaps in state smart city digital safety.
- Enemy Property Act updates: more scrutiny to reclaim vested properties of enemy nationals.
Economy & Infrastructure
- India’s June trade deficit widened mainly due to crude oil imports rising.
- GST collections topped ₹1.6 lakh crore for the seventh straight month.
- Coal India pushed for more captive green power units to cut carbon footprint.
- Maize Summit 2025 stressed maize’s role in ethanol blending and livestock security.
- New EPR rules for non-ferrous metals aim at higher aluminium and copper recycling by 2033.
- SEBI plans stricter disclosure for small and mid-cap mutual funds to safeguard investors.
International & Strategic
- India-Japan to expand pilot projects for green hydrogen under Indo-Pacific climate deals.
- Indian Navy joined ASEAN for advanced anti-piracy and maritime domain awareness exercises.
- India reaffirmed support for the AU-led Sudan peace plan.
- Brazil ties deepened with talks on co-producing Akash missiles for Latin America.
- BRICS New Development Bank expanded lending with new members: Colombia and Uzbekistan.
Science, Health & Innovation
- Kerala activated fresh Nipah surveillance after new hotspots were reported by the WHO.
- CSIR announced the rollout of affordable genome kits for rare disease diagnosis.
- ISRO to map urban heat islands with satellite data for climate-resilient city planning.
- IIT study showed shifts in India’s monsoon flood patterns — Ganga basin floods falling, Kerala pre-monsoon floods rising.
Environment & Climate
- Odisha’s mangrove cover increased slightly due to coastal replanting.
- States to use drones for checking illegal encroachments in forest reserves.
- Rajasthan opened bids for massive solar parks under India’s 500 GW renewable energy goal.
- SECI’s green energy deals now crossed 60 GW, boosting solar and hybrid generation.
Society & Welfare
- PM-POSHAN kitchens to adopt digitised tracking of food supply funds.
- WHO flagged lifestyle disease rise; urged India to push ‘health taxes’ on sugary drinks.
- Local bodies advised to fast-track community forest rights data mapping.
Culture & Places
- Newly discovered Odisha temple site may belong to the Somavamshi dynasty, rewriting local art history.
- The Seine River in Paris reopened for swimming after a major clean-up ahead of the Olympics.
- Peru’s ancient coastal ruins push new links between Andes and Pacific cultures.
Supreme Court and ECI
Context: The Supreme Court has asked the Election Commission (EC) to also accept Aadhaar, EPIC, and ration cards for voter verification during Bihar’s ongoing special revision of electoral rolls, as pleas challenge the exercise’s scope and fairness.
Key Highlights (points format)
- The Supreme Court noted the EC’s list of 11 verification documents is not exhaustive and directed Aadhaar, EPIC, and ration card to be considered valid proofs.
- The court did not stay the special intensive revision (SIR) but flagged that its legality and timing will undergo judicial review.
- The Bench said the issue strikes at the “roots of democracy”, emphasising the right to vote.
- The EC argued Aadhaar is not proof of citizenship, but the court observed that it is widely used to establish identity.
- Petitioners argued the SIR amounts to a “citizenship screening” and may disenfranchise vulnerable groups lacking other documents.
- Justices questioned the tight deadlines and the Bihar-specific rollout before the upcoming elections.
- About 60% of enumerations have been completed and uploaded to the new ECI Net platform.
- The court will next hear the matter on July 28, ahead of draft electoral roll publication in August.
10% BRICS-wide tariff
Context: An Indian delegation will soon visit the U.S. to clarify the impact of President Trump’s proposed 10% BRICS-wide tariff and continue talks on a mini trade deal and broader bilateral investment treaty.
Key Highlights
- The U.S. President has threatened additional 10% tariffs on BRICS nations while letters have already imposed higher tariffs on Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, and others.
- India seeks clarity on whether the new BRICS tariff overlaps with the tariffs already communicated via letters.
- The uncertainty raises concerns about the credibility of any trade deal, as signed deals may be reopened.
- An Indian trade negotiating team will soon travel to the U.S. for in-person discussions, after two previous rounds of visits.
- The upcoming visit will also advance talks on a “mini” trade deal and a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA).
- The U.S. recently announced a 50% tariff on all copper imports, which India also wants clarified.
- Trade experts warn of unpredictable U.S. trade policy under Trump, which could affect India’s export and investment plans.
U.S. sanctioned Francesca Albanese
Context: The UN has condemned the U.S. for sanctioning Francesca Albanese, a UN special rapporteur critical of U.S. and Israeli actions in Gaza, warning it sets a dangerous precedent for UN and ICC officials.
Key Highlights
- The U.S. sanctioned Francesca Albanese for urging the ICC to act against U.S. and Israeli officials, companies, and executives over Gaza.
- UN rights chief Volker Turk demanded a prompt reversal of the sanctions, calling them unacceptable.
- UN Secretary-General’s office warned that using unilateral sanctions against UN-appointed experts undermines international institutions.
- Ms. Albanese vowed to continue her work despite the U.S. move, saying the sanctions aim to weaken her mission.
- The UN urged a halt to all attacks and threats against UN experts and ICC judges, who have also faced U.S. sanctions in recent years.
- The U.S. Secretary of State defended the sanctions, calling Ms. Albanese’s actions “illegitimate and shameful”.
500% tariff on countries importing oil from Russia
Context: U.S. President Donald Trump has supported a Bill proposing a 500% tariff on countries importing oil from Russia, which could severely impact India’s energy security and crude oil imports.
Key Highlights
- India’s oil imports from Russia have surged from less than 2% in 2022 to 35-40% of total crude imports in FY25.
- The proposed U.S. Bill — Sanctioning Russia Act of 2025 — includes primary and secondary sanctions to penalise countries buying Russian oil if Russia does not negotiate peace with Ukraine.
- Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stressed that Russian oil is not under global sanctions and that India’s purchases stabilise global oil markets.
- Disruption of Russian oil supply could spike oil prices above $120–130 per barrel, raising India’s import bill and widening the current account deficit.
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar discussed India’s concerns with U.S. lawmakers, underlining India’s energy security interests.
- Trump said the Bill would be enforced or terminated at his discretion, highlighting uncertainty for India’s oil trade strategy.
Roadmap for Strengthening State Science and Technology Councils
Context: NITI Aayog has proposed that the Department of Science and Technology (DST) reduce its regular ‘core’ funding for State Science & Technology (S&T) Councils and instead shift to project-based support to improve efficiency and impact.
Key Highlights
- The suggestion was released in the report “Roadmap for strengthening State Science and Technology Councils,” unveiled on Thursday.
- State S&T Councils decentralise scientific governance, funding local research, patent support, and science outreach tailored to local socio-economic needs.
- Despite their role, Central grants form only a tiny share of State S&T budgets — e.g., Gujarat’s Council got only ₹1.07 crore from the Centre out of a ₹300 crore budget; Kerala’s Council received none.
- Most of India’s R&D output still comes from centrally funded institutions; State-level councils struggle to keep pace with changing research priorities.
- The report’s comparative budget study showed a 17.65% rise in total funding for 2023–24 and 2024–25, but regional funding disparities persist.
- The NITI Aayog concluded that project-based funding could help improve accountability and drive focused innovation aligned with local needs.