Daily Current Affairs and GK | 10 April 2024

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

1. President Droupadi Murmu inaugurated a two-day Homeopathic Symposium on 10 April 2024.

• It was inaugurated on World Homeopathy Day 2024 at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre Dwarka, New Delhi.
• Central Council for Research in Homoeopathy (CCRH) under the aegis of Ministry of Ayush is organising the symposium.
• It is based on the theme of ‘Empowering Research, Enhancing Proficiency.’
• It aims to encourage holistic health and wellness. It also aims to head towards utilization of advanced techniques for homeopathy research.
• A session on ‘Words of Wisdom’ will follow the inaugural ceremony.
• Seventeen CCRH publications will be released during the event and Padma Awardees will be felicitated.
• World Homoeopathy Day is observed every year on 10th April.
• The theme for this year’s World Homeopathy Day is “Homeoparivar: One Health, One Family”.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

2. India and European Union (EU) have launched an initiative for Electric Vehicle startups.

• In order to facilitate matchmaking event, the EU and India released an Expression of Interest (EoI).
• This EoI is for startups working in Battery Recycling Technologies for Electric Vehicles (EVs).
• The purpose of the matchmaking is to strengthen the collaboration between European and Indian clean and green technologies sector Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and startups.
• This initiative is part of the India-EU Trade & Technology Council (TTC).
• India-EU Trade & Technology Council (TTC) was announced by India and the European Commission on 25th April 2022 in New Delhi.
• Twelve innovators will be chosen. Six will be from the EU and six will be from India.
• They will be given the chance to pitch during the June 2024 Matchmaking Event.
• After their pitching presentations, six finalists will be chosen. Three will be from the India and three will be from EU.
• They will be given the opportunity to tour the EU and India, respectively.

Topic: Summits/ Conferences/ Meetings

3. Clean Economy Investor Forum will be organized by Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) in Singapore.

• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) will host its first clean economy investor forum in Singapore on June 5-6.
• India will also showcase selected ‘investible sustainable infrastructure projects’ at the forum. It is focused on energy transition, sustainable aviation fuel, battery storage hydrogen, green data centres, etc.
• This forum will bring together the region’s largest investors, innovative startup entrepreneurs, and cutting-edge project proponents and government agencies to boost investment.
• The main aim of the forum is to mobilise investments into sustainable infrastructure, climate technology, and renewable energy projects.
• Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF):
  • It was launched in May 2022.
  • It provides a platform for countries in the region to collaborate on advancing resilient, sustainable, and inclusive economic growth.
  • 14 countries are members of this Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity.
  • Trade, Supply Chain, Clean Economy and Fair Economy are the four pillars of IPEF.

Topic: Personality in News

4. Peter Higgs, Who Discovered 'God Particle', died at the age of 94.

• British physicist Peter Higgs passed away at the age of 94.
• He gave a theory on the existence of the Higgs boson particle, also known as the "God's particle".
• He served as a professor for nearly five decades at the University of Edinburgh.
• God's particle was discovered during experiments on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) near Geneva, Switzerland on July 4, 2012.
• It is one of the most significant scientific discoveries of the modern era.
• He was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2013 with François Englert for their theory that predicted the particle's existence.
• Higgs was born in Newcastle in 1929 and studied at King's College, University of London.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

5. India has lost over 1,500 sq km of land due to Soil Erosion.

• As per a new study, India’s 30 percent landmass is facing a threat of “minor” soil erosion.
• As per the study, 3 per cent of landmass is facing “catastrophic” topsoil loss.
• The study titled ‘Geospatial modeling and mapping of soil erosion in India’ has been released for the first time. Ravi Raj is the lead author student of the research.
• Topsoil which is the uppermost layer of soil is important for agriculture. It holds nutrients and moisture essential for plant growth.
• Soil erosion of the topsoil significantly reduces fertility and can lead to decreased crop yields.
• Assam lost nearly 300 square kilometres or 31 per cent of its surface soil due to “catastrophic” erosion.
• As per the FAO, it could take up to 1,000 years to produce 2 to 3 centimetres of top or surface soil, which has a depth of 6 cm.
• This study has six classifications for soil erosion — ranging from “minor” to “catastrophic”.
• Odisha is one of the hotspots for “catastrophic” erosion in India.
• As per the study, nine out of the 20 most susceptible districts to soil erosion in the country are located in Assam.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

6. India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission team has been given US space exploration award.

• For raising space exploration standards, India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission team has won 2024 Jack Swigert Jr. Award.
• Chandrayaan-3 was a mission developed by ISRO. India became the first country to land on South Pole of the Moon.
• India’s Consul General in Houston D C Manjunath received the award on behalf of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO).
• D C Manjunath received the award during the opening ceremony of the annual Space Symposium in Colorado. The award was announced in January.
• Chandrayaan-3 touched down on the lunar South Pole on August 23.
• Jack Swigert Award is given annually at the Space Symposium by the Space Foundation.
• It recognizes extraordinary achievements by a company, space agency, or consortium of organisations in space exploration and discovery.
• The award honours the memory of astronaut John L. “Jack” Swigert Jr., who served on Apollo 13 lunar mission.

Topic: Sports

7. Max Verstappen has become winner of F1 Japanese Grand Prix 2024.

• Max Verstappen came ahead of teammate Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.
• Carlos Sainz surpassed his Ferrari teammate Charles Leclerc, who secured the third spot on the podium.
• Carlos Sainz was victorious in Australia two weeks ago. 
• Red Bull's Max Verstappen won third consecutive Japanese Grand prix.
• Lando Norris of McLaren finished at fifth place. George Russell and Lewis Hamilton finished seventh and ninth respectively.
• Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda finished at the tenth position.
• Verstappen, along with seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, is now only the second driver to win three consecutive Japanese Grands Prix.

Topic: Art and Culture

8. Sangeet Natak Akademi is organizing ‘Shakti - Festival of Music and Dance’.

• This festival is being organized at seven different Shaktipeeths in India from 9th to 17th April.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi is organizing this festival to rejuvenate the temple traditions in the country.
• Sangeet Natak Akademi is organizing this festival during the Navaratri under the series of Kala Pravah.
• Shakti festival was inaugurated from 9th April from the Kamakhya Temple, Guwahati.
• It will continue at Mahalakshmi Temple, Kolhapur, Maharashtra, Jwalamukhi Temple, Kangada, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura Sundari, Udaipur, Tripura, Ambaji Temple, Banaskantha, Gujarat, Jai Durga Shaktipeeth, Deoghar, Jharkhand.
• It will conclude on 17th April, 2024 at Shaktipeeth Maa Harsidhi Temple, Jaisinghpur, Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: International News

9. India and Kazakhstan assessed security challenges and exchanged views on terrorism.

• The Ministry of External Affairs said in a release that India and Kazakhstan assessed counter-terrorism challenges during a joint working group meeting and also exchanged views on cross-border terrorism in South Asia.
• On April 8, the 5th meeting of the India-Kazakhstan Joint Working Group on Counter Terrorism was organized in Astana, Kazakhstan.
• The Indian delegation was led by KD Deval, Joint Secretary (CT), Ministry of External Affairs.
• While, the Kazakh delegation was led by Ambassador-at-Large Talgat Kaliyev of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
• During the meeting, both sides exchanged views on terrorist threats in their respective regions.
• This included state-sponsored, cross-border terrorism in South Asia as well as terrorist activities in the Afghanistan-Pakistan region.
• Both sides stressed the importance of strengthening counter-terrorism cooperation through the exchange of information, capacity building, training programs, and cooperation at multilateral forums such as the UN, EAG, and SCO.
• Both sides agreed to hold the sixth meeting of the JWG on CT in India at a mutually convenient date.

Topic: International News

10. Simon Harris became the new Prime Minister of Ireland.

• On April 9, Simon Harris became the new Prime Minister of Ireland, succeeding Leo Varadkar, who had abruptly stepped down the previous month, citing personal and political reasons.
• The Irish Parliament voted 88 to 69 in favor of Mr Harris.
• Later, he was officially appointed in a ceremony with President Michael D. Higgins, becoming the country's youngest-ever Prime Minister.
• The center-right Fine Gael party - which is part of the three-party ruling coalition - elected Mr Harris as its leader following an unopposed election after Mr Varadkar announced his resignation.
• Ireland:
  • It is a country in north-western Europe. Its capital is Dublin. It is a unitary, parliamentary republic.
  • Its Parliament or legislature is known as Oireachtas. Its lower house is Dail Eireann and the upper house is Seanad Eireann.
  • The elected President (Uachtarán) serves as the ceremonial head of state.
  • The head of government is the Taoiseach (Prime Minister), who is elected by the Dail and appointed by the President.

Topic: Art and Culture

11. New Year Ugaadi festival celebrated in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

• On April 09, Telugu-speaking people across the world celebrated the festival of Ugadi with traditional enthusiasm and gaiety to mark the Telugu New Year.
• To mark the beginning of the Hindu Lunar calendar, this festival is celebrated across Telangana, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
• Ugadi is celebrated on the first day of Chaitra, the first month of the Hindu calendar.
• People in rural and urban areas of Telangana celebrate Sri 'Shobhakrithu Nama Ugadi' according to the Telugu calendar.
• Gudi Padwa, also known as Samvatsar Padvo, is a Marathi new year celebrated by Maharashtrians and Konkanis people all over India.
• Gudi Padwa falls on the day Chaitra Navratri starts.
• This year, the festival has been celebrated on April 9 in Maharashtra. In Maharashtra, Gudi Padwa has a special significance.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Personality in News

12. British man Russ Cook became the first person to run the length of Africa.

• On April 7, extreme marathon runner Russ Cook completed his race across Africa after traveling through 16 countries along the 352-day odyssey.
• In April 2023, Mr. Cook began his adventure from the South African village of L'Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa, and proceeded to the west coast of the continent, covering a total distance of more than 16,000 kilometers.
• Before reaching Ras Angela, Mr. Cook passed through Namibia, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Guinea, Senegal, Mauritania, and Algeria.
• Known as the "Hardest Geezer", he has also raised over half a million pounds for charity during this time.

Topic: Indian Economy

13. Households’ debt reached to fresh high in December 2023.

• As per a report, India’s household debt level has touched an all-time high of 40% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in December 2023.
• The net financial savings had dropped to their lowest level at around 5% of GDP.
• As per the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) estimate financial savings had dropped to 5.1% of GDP in 2022-23. It has dropped to 47-year low.
• The first revised estimates of national income for 2022-23 released in February raised the estimated net financial savings in households to 5.3% of GDP.
• The revised estimates also raised household debt levels to 38% of GDP in 2022-23.
• As per Bank’s data, unsecured personal loans continue to grow at the fastest pace within household debt. It is followed by secured debt, agricultural loans, and business loans.
• In the first nine months of 2023, households’ gross financial savings rose to 10.8% of GDP, from 10.5% in the corresponding period of 2022-23.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

14. 15th "CIDC Vishwakarma Award" has been given to GAIL (India) Limited in the "Achievement Award for Best Construction Projects" category.

• GAIL (India) Limited won the award for its Barauni – Guwahati Natural Gas Pipeline project (BGPL). 
• On behalf of the company, GAIL's Director of Projects, Deepak Gupta, and Executive Director of Projects, AK Tripathi, accepted the award.
• The BGPL project has connected North-East India with the National Gas Grid for the first time.
• It is an integral part of Jagdishpur – Haldia & Bokaro – Dhamra Pipeline project.
• GAIL (India) Limited is India’s leading natural gas company. It is a central PSU.
• It was founded in 1984. It was founded in New Delhi. Sandeep Kumar Gupta is its Chairman and MD.