Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
The Eco-Niwas Samhita (ENS) introduced the Residential Envelope Transmittance Value (RETV), a metric measuring heat transfer in buildings. It’s a Residential Energy Conservation Building code by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), setting standards for energy-efficient residential buildings. ENS 2018 (Part 1) focuses on envelope designs, while ENS Part 2 (ENS 2021) addresses code compliance and electromechanical systems. Lower RETV values lead to cooler indoor environments and decreased energy usage, aiming for an RETV of 15W/m² or less for optimal efficiency and comfort.

Notes:
Tropical cyclone Gamane struck Madagascar, claiming 18 lives and displacing thousands, reported by the country’s disaster management office. Madagascar, the world’s second-largest island, spans 592,800 sq. kilometers in the Indian Ocean. Its geography comprises three regions: eastern coastal strip, central plateau, and western low plateaus. The Tsaratanana Massif in the north hosts Maromokotro, Madagascar’s highest peak at 2,876 m.

Notes:
The Konda Reddi tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in the Godavari region, possess valuable indigenous knowledge. They reside along the Godavari river and in hilly forests of Andhra Pradesh. Their language, Telugu, has a distinct accent. Marriage customs include negotiations, elopement, and capture. The tribe practices Folk Hinduism, worshiping local deities. They have a patriarchal family structure allowing polygamy.

Notes:
The INDRA app, launched during World Meteorological Day celebrations by School of Naval Oceanology & Meteorology and Indian Naval Meteorological Analysis Centre at Southern Naval Command, facilitates weather information dissemination. Developed by BISAG and Indian Navy, it aids quick decision-making. BISAG, an Autonomous Scientific Society under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, focuses on geo-spatial technology development, research, and capacity building. Its three main domains are Satellite Communication, Geo-informatics, and Geo-spatial technology.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued an advisory to the AI industry, particularly targeting major platforms like Google. It requires platforms to submit an action report within 15 days. Key points include needing permission for testing AI models, explicit approval for under-tested or unreliable AI, and proper labeling of potential errors. Startup founders criticized this, calling it demotivating.

Notes:
In March 2024, UNESCO’s Executive Board added 18 new sites to the Global Geoparks network, bringing the total number of sites to 213 across 48 countries. The new sites are located in Belgium, the Netherlands, Brazil, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Spain. Global Geoparks are single geographical areas that are managed with a holistic concept of protection, education, and sustainable development.

Notes:
Chamayavilakku, or the Kottankulangara Festival, celebrates goddess Bhagavathy in Kerala. Men don women’s attire, carrying lamps in processions. They hold Chamayavilakku, symbolizing devotion, circling the temple. Boys under 10 dress as girls for Kakkavilakku daytime rituals.

Notes:
The caracal, a medium-sized wild cat native to Africa, Middle East, and parts of Asia, including India, faces extinction due to habitat loss, hunting, and illegal trade. In India, it’s called Siya gosh, meaning ‘black ear’. Known for its distinctive long ears and hunting prowess, the caracal primarily preys on small mammals and birds. Despite being listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, conservation efforts are crucial to safeguard its population.

Notes:
South Korea’s KSTAR fusion reactor that is also called as Korean artificial sun, operating at the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy, achieved a breakthrough by sustaining plasma at 100 million degrees Celsius for 48 seconds, setting a new world record. This surpasses its own previous record and marks progress toward clean, limitless energy through nuclear fusion. Despite challenges, fusion holds promise as a climate solution. Director Si-Woo Yoon highlights the significance of stable, high-temperature plasmas for future fusion reactors.

Notes:
India’s President, Smt Droupadi Murmu, launched the nation’s inaugural home-grown gene therapy for cancer at IIT Bombay. The groundbreaking “CAR-T cell therapy” offers affordable hope in the cancer fight. This medical milestone, a part of ‘Make in India,’ embodies ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat.’ Developed collaboratively by IIT Bombay, Tata Memorial Hospital, and ImmunoACT, it marks a significant achievement in research and development. Gene therapy holds promise in treating various diseases, heralding a new era in healthcare.