Current Affairs Quiz - March, 2024

Notes:
The theme for Ordnance Factories Day 2024 is “Operational Efficiency, Readiness, and Mission Accomplishment in the Maritime Domain”. The theme highlights the importance of improving the country’s naval capabilities through efficient ordnance manufacturing and supply networks. Ordnance Factories Day is celebrated annually on March 18th. The day commemorates the establishment of the Ordnance Factory in Cossipore, Kolkata.

Notes:
Google DeepMind unveiled SIMA, an AI gaming agent adept at executing tasks across diverse virtual environments using natural language instructions. SIMA, or Scalable Instructable Multiworld Agent, functions as a generalist AI capable of various tasks. It acts like a virtual companion, navigating dungeons or constructing castles based on user commands. Trained to understand human language, SIMA autonomously completes assigned challenges or tasks within video game settings.

Notes:
Exercise Tiger Triumph, occurring from March 18 to 31, 2024, is a bilateral Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) drill between India and the USA on the Eastern Seaboard. It focuses on enhancing interoperability and refining SOPs for rapid disaster response. The Harbor Phase runs from March 18 to 25, featuring joint training, exchanges, and social events. Afterward, participating ships engage in maritime, amphibious, and HADR operations. Both Indian and US forces, including naval, army, and air assets, partake in the exercise.

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Srinagar hosted its inaugural Formula-4 car racing event along Dal Lake’s Boulevard Road, covering a 1.7 km track from Lalit Ghat to Nehru Park. Organized by the Federation of Motor Clubs of India, it aimed to boost youth interest in sports. Divisional Commissioner Vijay Kumar Bidhuri highlighted its potential to promote sports careers. Unlike Formula 1, Formula-4 races reach speeds up to 210 km/h, with participants as young as 15.

Notes:
Guyana’s Defence Force has agreed to buy two Dornier 228 aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in India. The twin-engine turboprop aircraft is designed for maritime patrol and is highly versatile. The aircraft will be equipped with advanced equipment such as a Glass Cockpit, Maritime Patrol Radar, Electro Optic Infra-Red device, and Mission Management System. The contract with HAL is worth Rs 458.87 crore.

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The International Day of Happiness is celebrated on March 20th every year to promote happiness, mental health, and well-being. The United Nations General Assembly established the day on June 28, 2012, and it has been celebrated annually since then. It encourages balanced economic growth, sustainable development, and poverty reduction. The day underscores the importance of happiness for human survival and promotes human rights. In 2024, the UN invites global participation to spread joy and prioritize well-being.

Notes:
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the United Nations’ (UN) climate agency, releases the State of the Global Climate report. The 2023 report confirms that 2023 was the warmest year on record, with the global average near-surface temperature 1.45 °Celsius (with a margin of uncertainty of ± 0.12 °C) above the pre-industrial baseline. The report also confirms that 2023 was the warmest 10-year period on record. The WMO also said there is a “high probability” that 2024 will be another record-hot year.

Notes:
Malayalam poet Prabha Varma won the 2023 Saraswati Samman for his work Roudra Sathwikam. The K.K. Birla Foundation selected Varma for the award, which is given annually to an outstanding literary work written in an Indian language. The award includes a citation, plaque, and 15 lakh rupees. Roudra Sathwikam is a 2022 poetic work that explores the conflict between power and politics, the individual and the state, and art and power. The Saraswati Samman is one of the most prestigious awards in India, and was established in 1991. The award is given to an Indian citizen for an outstanding literary work published in the last 10 years.

Notes:
Researchers at IIT Madras devised a method utilizing phosphoric acid to treat bauxite residue, commonly known as Red Mud. This process extracts valuable materials, including ceramics with notable dielectric and optical properties, suitable for electronic components and energy storage. Red Mud, a byproduct of aluminum production, harbors toxic heavy metals like arsenic, lead, and mercury. Its corrosive nature and high alkalinity pose significant threats to soil and ecosystems.

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World Sparrow Day is celebrated annually on March 20th. The day is dedicated to raising awareness about the protection of sparrows and other birds that share our environment. It is a call to action to remember the delicate beauty around us that must be protected. The theme for World Sparrow Day 2024 is “I Love Sparrows”. This theme highlights the special connection between humans and sparrows.