Current Affairs Today - Latest Current Affairs Questions 2024

India and the United States have launched cooperation to deploy 10,000 India-made electric buses in Indian cities. The partnership, announced during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the White House, focuses on expanding electric public transportation options in India, promoting clean urban environments, and fostering healthy communities.

Leaders from around the world gathered at the high-level Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) summit hosted by the United Nations in New York and endorsed a firm political declaration. This announcement underlines their shared commitment to create a sustainable and inclusive world by 2030. The leaders reiterated the importance of the “Addis Ababa Action Agenda” and called for urgent action to implement the UN Secretary-General's resolution for SDG promotion.

The Indian Navy has submitted a proposal to the government for the construction of its second indigenous aircraft carrier, known as Indigenous Aircraft Carrier-2 (IAC-2). Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) delivered the first indigenously built aircraft carrier (IAC-1) INS Vikrant to the Indian Navy in July 2022.

The Government of India has announced the institution of “National Science Awards”, a series of awards to honor scientists in India. These awards will be presented under four categories, including “Vigyan Ratna” for lifetime achievement, “Vigyan Shri” for distinguished contribution, “Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar” for encouraging young scientists and “Vigyan Yuva Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar” for teams of scientists. “Science Team” is involved for giving recognition. The awards will launch in 2024 and will cover 13 domains ranging from physics to environmental science.

To support Kerala's efforts to combat the Nipah virus outbreak, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has allowed the state to conduct TrueNat testing in some hospitals. TrueNat tests use portable, smart chip-based, battery-powered RT-PCR kits. Only hospitals equipped with Level 2 biosafety facilities, which have strict protocols in place to prevent specimen contamination, will be allowed to use TrueNat testing facilities.

UNESCO World Heritage tagged “Hoysala Temples” are located in the state of Karnataka. These temples are collectively called the “Sacred Group of Hoysalas”. UNESCO has officially included the “Sacred Group of Hoysalas” in its prestigious World Heritage List. These ancient temples, which were previously on the UNESCO tentative list since 2014, are now gaining global recognition for their extraordinary cultural and historical importance. Hoysala sacred groups include the famous temples of Belur, such as the Chennakesava Temple and Halebid, which feature star-shaped architectural plans.

The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) is set to launch a groundbreaking online platform called Bima Sugam, which aims to become the world's largest online marketplace for insurance products and services. The platform will provide customers a user-friendly interface to explore and choose insurance plans from various companies covering life, health and general insurance, including motor and travel insurance. It will streamline claim settlement, offering paperless processing based on policy numbers. IRDAI has allocated a budget of Rs 200 crore to facilitate insurance.

The Government of India introduced the Constitution (128th Constitutional Amendment) Bill, 2023, which proposes to reserve 33% seats for women in the Lok Sabha (lower house of the Parliament of India) and state legislatures. This reservation will also apply to seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST). These amendments were the result of recommendations made by the Balwantrai Mehta Committee in 1957 and the Ashok Mehta Committee in 1977, with the aim of strengthening local self-governance and empowering local bodies in rural and urban India.

Indian Coast Guard conducted a massive exercise “Operation Sajag” off the west coast with an aim to enhance coastal security. ‘Operation Sajag’ is conducted monthly to assess the effectiveness of coastal security measures and identify areas for improvement. Its focus is on re-legitimizing the coastal security system by increasing awareness among fishermen at sea.

Designed by British architects Lutyens and Baker, the Old Parliament House served as the Imperial Legislative Council during British rule and later as the Constituent Assembly and Parliament of India. The Chausath Yogini Temple in Mitawali, Madhya Pradesh is believed to have inspired the circular, pillared structure of the old Indian Parliament. Built in the 14th century, this temple was dedicated to 64 powerful Yoginis. and contains unique architectural elements, including a hippedal design with no roof.