Current Affairs Today - Latest Current Affairs Questions 2024

'International Tourism Expo' is being organized in Greater Noida from 22nd February. Travel agents from more than 120 Indian cities are participating in this three-day expo. Internationally, Saudi Arabia is the premium partner country for the event, while Maldives, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are the partner countries.

Lough Neagh, the largest freshwater lake in the British Isles, will face a dangerous ecosystem collapse in 2024, marked by the absence of its native fly. Located in east-central Northern Ireland, covering 392 km² with a 5,700 km² catchment area, it serves as an important water source, supplying over 40% of Northern Ireland's drinking water. . Known for being Europe's largest wild eel fishery and hosting 100 bird species, it holds cultural and archaeological importance as a jewel in the region.

NTPC Green Energy has entered into an agreement with Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation to set up India's largest green hydrogen production plant. This plant will be constructed on 1,200 acres of land at Pudimadaka in Achyutapuram mandal in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Under this, the target is to produce 1,200 tonnes of green hydrogen every day.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has launched a joint initiative with the Ministry of AYUSH on public health of tribal students. More than 20 thousand tribal students will benefit from the joint national level project of health screening and management through Ayurvedic treatments. The initiative aims to cover students in the age group of 10 to 18 years enrolled in classes 6th to 12th in 55 EMRSs identified in 14 states of the country.

Recently Himachal Pradesh's 2024-25 annual budget gives priority to environmental concerns, unveiling Chief Minister Green Development Scholarship Scheme for postgraduate researchers. Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, in a presentation on February 17, emphasized the dangers of climate change and outlined action plans at the district and panchayat levels. The state aims to collaborate with the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change and the German development agency GIZ to address the impact of climate change on agriculture and horticulture and conduct need assessment studies for effective mitigation.

Recently, the ASEAN-India Goods Trade Agreement (AITIGA) Joint Committee meeting was held in New Delhi from 16-19 February, 2024, its third meeting since the signing of the agreement in 2009. Eight sub-meetings were initiated in September 2022 for a comprehensive review. -Committees were established to enhance trade convenience and mutual benefit of the agreement. The recent meeting assessed the progress of negotiations, identified focus areas for further discussions, and updated the work program, directing sub-committees to continue negotiations.

Recently, Uttar Pradesh received ₹740 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (PM-USHA) scheme, a modified version of the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA), the highest in India. The centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Education aims to enhance the quality of higher educational institutions in the state in line with the National Education Policy 2020. PM-USHA emphasizes on conforming to the prescribed norms, standards and accreditation for quality assurance in higher education.

Recently the European Union launched Mission Espides to protect commercial ships in the Red Sea from possible attacks by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. This EU naval mission involves deploying warships and airborne early warning systems in the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters. Participating countries include France, Germany, Italy and Belgium. The Aspides ships, operating under strict rules of engagement, are stationed in Larissa, Greece, and are authorized to fire only in response to Houthi attacks. The mission, initially planned for one year, is subject to renewal.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh will officially inaugurate the 12th edition of MILAN 2024, a major naval exercise conducted by the Indian Navy in Visakhapatnam. On this occasion, he will also inaugurate Milan Village at Eastern Naval Command Base. The city of Visakhapatnam is all set for the official launch of MILAN 2024, the largest multinational naval exercise of the Indian Navy.

The Sominsai Festival, deeply ingrained in Japanese culture, recently celebrated the final celebration of its millennium-long legacy. Taking place on the seventh day of the Lunar New Year, this ancient tradition featured furious naked wrestling between hundreds of men on wooden talismans. A captivating spectacle of tradition and spirituality, the festival has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape of Japan.