Today's Current Affairs 27th February 2024

INTERNATIONAL

Algeria Inaugurates World’s Third-Largest Mosque

• Algeria celebrated the grand opening of what has been acclaimed as “Africa’s largest mosque” and the third-largest mosque in the world. President Abdelmadjid Tebboune presided over the ceremony, officially revealing the Great Mosque of Algiers as the world’s third-largest mosque.
• Originally proposed by former President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the mosque’s inauguration is a culmination of his vision for a monumental legacy akin to Morocco’s Mosque Hassan II. 

NATIONAL

PM Modi Inaugurates Sikkim’s First Railway Station in Rangpo

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi ceremonially laid the foundation stone for Sikkim’s inaugural railway station in Rangpo.
• Governor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, present at the ceremony, emphasized the pivotal role of the railway station in Sikkim’s journey towards progress. He highlighted its alignment with the vision of ‘Viksit Bharat@2047’
• Initially awarded to IRCON International in May 2010 at a cost of Rs 4,084.69 crore. 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

Gaganyaan Mission and ISRO Projects Inauguration by PM Modi

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi disclosed the identities of the four pilots currently undergoing training for India’s first human space flight mission, Gaganyaan, during his visit to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center (VSSC) in Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram.
• PM Modi inaugurated three key space infrastructure projects during his visit to Kerala, including the PSLV Integration Facility (PIF) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota.

 NVIDIA & Indian govt Join Forces for Sovereign AI

• Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Union IT Minister, recently met with Shanker Trivedi, senior vice president at NVIDIA, at the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).

 OBITUARY

Shafiqur Rahman Barq, India’s Oldest MP & Samajwadi Party Leader, Dies at 94

• Shafiqur Rahman Barq, a senior leader of the Samajwadi Party and MP representing Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh passed away. 

Karnataka Congress MLA Raja Venkatappa Naik Passes Away

• Raja Venkatappa Naik, a revered figure in Surapur’s political landscape in Karnataka passed away at the age of 66.

 SUMMITS AND MOU’S

US-India Cybersecurity Initiative Launched

• In a collaborative effort between the US Consulate and the Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agriculture (MCCIA), the first-ever US-India Cyber Security Initiative has been launched.
• MCCIA Director General Prashant Girbane emphasized the strategic importance of the Initiative for citizens, businesses, and governments. 

BANKING AND ECONOMY

NSSO Survey Shows Poverty Down to 5%: NITI Aayog CEO

• NITI Aayog CEO B V R Subrahmanyam highlights key findings from the latest NSSO consumer expenditure survey, revealing a significant reduction in poverty levels to below 5% in India.
• The gap between urban and rural consumption has decreased from 84% in 2011-12 to 71% in 2022-23. 

Defence Minister Approves Financial Incentive Scheme for Armed Forces Personnel Excelling in Asian Games

• Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has demonstrated unwavering support for Armed Forces personnel who excelled in the 19th Asian Games and 4th Asian Para Games, held in Hangzhou, China, during September-October 2023.