National

Carbon Neutral Union Territory

• In Ladakh, several initiatives are being taken to make carbon neutral Union Territory in the country.
• As part of the initiatives, the transport sector has started to promote zero emissions vehicles on the roads.

Start-up Mahakumbh

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Start-up Mahakumbh at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
• India is the third largest startup ecosystem with 1.25 lakh startups.

ICAR and Dhanuka Agritech Limited sign MoU

• Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Dhanuka Agritech Limited has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to deliver new technology to the farmers to promote natural farming in the changing environment.

International

World Happiness Report 2024

• India ranked 126, the same as last year, in the happiness index.
• Finland remained the world's happiest country for a seventh straight year.
• Out of the 143 countries surveyed, Afghanistan remained at the bottom of the list.
• The ranking of happiness is determined by individuals' self-assessed evaluations of life satisfaction, along with factors such as GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and corruption.

Defence

1500 HP engine for Main Battle Tanks

• The maiden test-firing of India’s first indigenously-made 1500 Horsepower (HP) engine for Main Battle Tanks held at BEML in Mysuru.
• The 1500 HP engine represents a paradigm shift in military propulsion systems, possessing cutting-edge features such as high power-to-weight ratio, operability in extreme conditions including high altitudes, sub-zero temperatures, and desert environments.

Sports

Paris Games

• International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that the Russian and Belarusian athletes will not be allowed to participate in the parade of nations at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games.

Person in News

Kiren Rijiju

• Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has been given an additional charge of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
• Mr Rijiju is currently holding the charge of Ministry of Earth Sciences.

Vijay Sankar and Shailesh Haribhakti

• TVS Motor Company announced the induction of Sanmar Group Chairman Vijay Sankar and Haribhakti & Associates Chairman Shailesh Haribhakti as independent directors.

Leo Varadkar 

• Irish PM Leo Varadkar announced that he was stepping down as Ireland’s Prime Minister.

Mustafa Suleyman

• Mustafa Suleyman has become the AI chief of Microsoft.

Bhushan Gagrani

• Election Commission of India directed the Maharashtra government to appoint senior IAS officer Bhushan Gagrani as the new Mumbai municipal commissioner.

Miscellaneous

e-waste

• UN agencies have warned that waste from electronics is piling up worldwide while recycling rates remain low and are likely to fall even further.
• e-waste is defined as discarded devices with a plug or battery, including mobile phones, electronic toys, TVs, microwave ovens, e-cigarettes, laptop computers and solar panels.
• It does not include waste from electronic vehicles, which fall into a separate category.
• As per UN’s International Telecommunications Union and research arm UNITAR report, about half of all e-waste is generated in Asia.

Green Hydrogen

• 41st Steering Committee Meeting of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy (IPHE) is being hosted by India in New Delhi.
• Green hydrogen is defined as hydrogen produced by splitting water into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity.

GRID-INDIA

• Grid Controller of India Limited (GRID-INDIA) has been conferred with the status of Miniratna Category-I Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE).

Navroz

• Navroz marks the traditional new year of Parsis and is a festival of Iranian origin.
• Zoroastrians in India annually observe Navroz on March 21.