Daily GK Update- 11th Mar, 2024

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. PM Modi lays foundation stone of “Experience of Spirituality at Chitrakoot Ghat” project in Chitrakoot: Prime Minister Narendra Modi performed Bhoomi Pujan and inaugurated projects worth 118 crore 72 lakh rupees in Madhya Pradesh through video conferencing. These include various projects in Gwalior and Chitrakoot under Swadesh Darshan 2.0 scheme and development work of Amarkantak and Pitambara Peeth Temple Datia under Prasad scheme. PM also laid the foundation stone of the “Experience of Spirituality at Chitrakoot Ghat” project in Chitrakoot.

 

2. Arjun Munda inaugurates agriculture integrated command and control center: Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Arjun Munda has inaugurated the Agriculture Integrated Command and Control Centre established at Krishi Bhawan in New Delhi. Aim – To empower the farmers of the country by equipping them with information, services and facilities. The objective of the new initiative is to provide farmers the information about the reality of the farm and also to find out what are the real challenges in the agriculture sector. With the availability of real-time data and its analysis, their problems can be resolved and capacity will be expanded.

 

3. PM Modi unveils 125-feet tall statue of Lachit Borphukan: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has unveiled a 125-foot bronze statue of ‘Ahom general’ Lachit Borphukan in Assam’s Jorhat. The ‘Statue of Valour’ was unveiled by the PM at the Lachit Barphukan Maidam Development Project at Hollongapar near Teok. The height of the statute, built by Ram Vanji Sutar, is 84 feet and it is set on a pedestal of 41 feet, making the structure 125 feet tall. The foundation of the statue was laid by former President Ram Nath Kovind in February 2022.

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. India signs free trade pact with 4 European countries: India signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with four European countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Objective – with a goal of reaching $100 billion in investments in India and one million jobs. In the last two years, India has signed trade agreements with Australia and the United Arab Emirates, and a deal with the United Kingdom is in the final stages as PM Narendra Modi aims to hit $1 trillion in annual exports by 2030. The EFTA countries, which are separate from the European Union, for the first time, the FTA also included a chapter on commitments to human rights and sustainable development.

 

2. Asif Ali Zardari sworn in as Pakistan’s 14th President: Asif Ali Zardari took oath as the 14th President of Pakistan. Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa administered the oath to the 68-year-old Mr Zardari in a small yet formal ceremony at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the Presidential Palace. Mr Zardari replaces Dr Arif Alvi, who stayed in office for five months after completing his five-year term in September 2023. This is the second time that Mr Zardari has won the presidency, a record for any civilian. Earlier he served as the 11th president of Pakistan from 2008 to 2013 and is one of the four democratically elected presidents to have completed their five-year constitutional term.

 

3. 10 March – International Day of Women Judges: The International Day of Women Judges is celebrated on 10 March every year. The day is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of women judges worldwide. It also serves as a reminder of the importance of women’s participation in all levels of decision-making for the achievement of equality and democracy. The United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Women Judges on 10 March to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women in the judiciary.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

 

SPORTS

 

1. Hardeep S Puri Inaugurates 5th ONGC Para Games: Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has inaugurated the 5th Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) Para Games at New Delhi’s Thyagaraj Stadium. The ONGC Para Games is a testament to the spirit of the participating athletes. The 5th ONGC Para Games, featuring a total of 371 athletes will witness active participation across a range of sporting disciplines. Athletes from various oil and gas public enterprises will compete across disciplines such as athletics, badminton, table tennis, and wheelchair racing.

 

2. Umpire Marais Erasmus set to retire: Veteran South Africa umpire Marais Erasmus has announced his retirement from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. His illustrious career spanning over two decades will culminate with his final officiating duty during the second Test between New Zealand and Australia. The Christchurch Test will be Erasmus’ 82nd men’s Test match as umpire, putting him 10th on the list of umpires to officiate in most Test matches. Erasmus also officiated 124 men’s ODIs, 43 men’s T20 matches, and 18 women’s T20 matches. In 131 international games, he has also served as the TV umpire.

 

3. James Anderson becomes first pacer to pick 700 Test wickets: England great James Anderson has become first-ever fast bowler to pick up 700 Test wickets in 187 matches. The 41-year-old got to the major landmark when he dismissed Kuldeep Yadav on Day 3 of the fifth and final Test against hosts India at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala. The legendary fast bowler became only the third man after Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan (800) in 133 mathes and leg-spinner Shane Warne (708) in 145 matches to achieve the feat.

 

 

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. India to construct a 10,000-GPU Supercomputer for self-sufficient AI advancement: The Indian government, led by PM Narendra Modi, has approved a new $1.24 billion investment for the IndiaAI mission, a “national-level” plan designed to create an all-Indian AI ecosystem from scratch. This initiative aims to create an all-Indian AI ecosystem from scratch, bolstering India’s technological prowess and fostering innovation in AI. The HPC system, expected to include 10,000 “or more” GPUs as AI accelerators, will be developed through a public-private partnership to support startups and research organizations.

 

AWARDS AND HONOURS

 

1. India receives ‘Measles and Rubella Champion’ award: India has been bestowed with the prestigious measles and rubella champion award for its exemplary efforts in combating these diseases. The award was received by the ambassador Sripriya Ranganathan on behalf of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare at American Red Cross Headquarters in Washington. This accolade celebrates the country’s unwavering commitment to public health and its outstanding leadership in curbing the spread of these infectious diseases among children.

 

2. Krystyna Pyszkova wins the Miss World 2024: Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic was crowned as the new Miss World 2024. The previous Miss World 2022, Karolina Bielawska from Poland, crowned her successor in a magnificent ceremony. This is the 71st edition of the Miss World pageant for the year 2024 took place in Mumbai.

Runners-Up and Continental Winners-

 

3. Amitav Ghosh awarded Erasmus Prize for highlighting Climate Crisis: Indian writer Amitav Ghosh has been awarded the ‘Erasmus Prize’ 2024 for highlighting the climate change crisis. 67-year-old Ghosh has been honoured with the award by the Premium Erasmianum Foundation of the Netherlands. Amitav Ghosh will receive the award in person in the Netherlands in November.

Ghosh has received this award for his passionate contribution to highlighting the global crisis of climate change through writing and on the theme of ‘imagining the unimaginable’. In 2023, this award was received by South African comedian ‘Trevor Noah’.