Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
IIT Madras hosts the 6th Shaastra Rapid FIDE Rated Chess Tournament from March 30 to 31, 2024, in Chennai. It’s the sole IIT in India to conduct an annual Open Rapid Rating Tournament. Over 35 players from IIT Madras join, alongside international players from countries like Australia, England, America, and Singapore. Notable participants include six grandmasters, sixteen International Masters, three female grandmasters, and a Woman International Master.

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:
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 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:
The International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT) is a EU-funded project granting researchers access to Arctic research stations across Europe, Russia, and North America. It facilitates work in remote areas, fostering cross-fertilization and enabling comparative measurements. Researchers contribute to new research directions while accessing otherwise inaccessible regions.

Notes:
Mr. Sita Ram Meena, a 2008 batch IFS officer, has been appointed as India’s Ambassador to the Republic of Niger. Previously serving as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, this appointment marks a significant career advancement. Mr. Meena’s diplomatic experience and expertise position him well for this new role, which underscores India’s commitment to strengthening ties with Niger on the international stage.

Notes:
SEBI launched SCORES 2.0, enhancing complaint resolution for investors in securities markets. The system features auto-routing, auto-escalation, and monitoring by designated bodies, reducing complaint resolution timelines. SCORES is an online platform for lodging complaints. The new version is more user-friendly and aims for quicker complaint resolution. An application for SCORES will also be launched later.

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:
Indian scientists have made significant strides in decoding the genetic structure of the lumpy skin disease virus, responsible for the deaths of around 100,000 cattle since May 2022. Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) is a viral infection affecting cattle, caused by the LSDV, a member of the capripoxvirus genus. Though endemic in Africa, Middle East, and parts of Asia, LSD doesn’t infect humans and spreads through blood-feeding insects or contaminated feeding and water sources.

Notes:
High sea waves, termed swell waves, have flooded coastal homes in Kerala, known locally as Kallakkadal or swell surge. Occurring primarily during pre-monsoon and sometimes post-monsoon, Kallakkadal results from distant storms generating ocean swells. Coined by fishermen, Kallakkadal signifies the sea’s thief-like arrival. These waves originate from the southern Indian Ocean, taking several days to reach Kerala’s coast. UNESCO recognized the term in 2012, highlighting its significance in describing this coastal flooding phenomenon.