Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
The completion of twenty years of the Free Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) initiative marks a significant milestone in HIV/AIDS treatment. Started on April 1, 2004, it provides vital treatment for Persons living with HIV (PLHIV). This initiative utilizes a combination of drugs to suppress HIV replication, drastically reducing HIV prevalence and new infections globally. In 2023, HIV prevalence in 15-49 year-olds dropped to 0.20%, with India’s share in PLHIV decreasing to 6.3%.

Notes:
The 56th National Kho Kho Championship 2023-24 saw Maharashtra dominating both men’s and women’s categories at Delhi’s Karnail Singh Stadium and Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium. Maharashtra’s men’s team won against Indian Railways in a thrilling final, while the women’s team led by Sampada Maurya triumphed over Airport Authority of India. The championship featured 37 teams in each category, organized by the Kho Kho Federation of India.

Notes:
Recently, a destructive tornado hit Mainaguri, Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, leaving five dead and over a hundred injured within its 10-minute rampage. Tornadoes, though rare, afflict India’s eastern regions like West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand, especially pre-monsoon. A 2016 study by India Meteorological Department noted increased tornado activity in Bengal, with fatalities. Rising occurrences in India are attributed to factors like warming Bay of Bengal and unusual wind patterns.

Notes:
The World Bank’s ‘South Asia Regional Update: Jobs for Resilience report’ highlights that the region, including India, isn’t leveraging its demographic dividend due to insufficient job creation. While projecting a robust 6.0-6.1% growth for 2024-25, South Asia’s output surpasses other emerging markets, largely driven by India. However, private investment remains weak, posing downside risks to growth. The report emphasizes the need for addressing underlying vulnerabilities to sustain growth in the region.

Notes:
The 2nd INSA-NCGG LEADS program, held in New Delhi from April 1-7, 2024, is a collaborative effort between the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG). It aims to cultivate future leaders in science and technology, promoting visionary leadership and scientific excellence in India. Professors and scientists from various prestigious institutions participate, supported by NCGG’s governance training and INSA’s scientific excellence promotion.

Notes:
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare recently launched the myCGHS app for iOS devices. Developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC), it aims to improve access to Electronic Health Records and resources for CGHS beneficiaries. The app offers services such as appointment booking, accessing lab reports, and checking medical reimbursement status. Security features like 2-factor authentication ensure user data confidentiality. It’s designed to enhance information and accessibility for CGHS beneficiaries.

Notes:
Forest authorities in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharama Raju district recently harvested water from an Indian laurel tree (Terminalia elliptica). Also known as Asna or Indian laurel, it grows mainly in dry and moist deciduous forests. Its wood is prized for furniture and musical instruments, while its leaves sustain silkworms for Tussah silk production. Medically, the bark treats diarrhea, yielding oxalic acid. Additionally, its bark and fruit are sources of pyrogallol and catechol for dye and leather tanning.

Notes:
The United States and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement to collaborate on developing tests for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models, following commitments made at the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit. Bletchley Park, known as the birthplace of modern computing, will host the world’s first global AI summit in 2023. Both countries aim to share information on AI capabilities and risks, conduct joint testing exercises, and align approaches to deploying AI systems safely.

Notes:
The Sannati Buddhist site, discovered in the 1990s by ASI excavations, underwent neglect until a restoration project in 2022. Situated by the Bhima River near Kanaganahalli in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, it’s renowned for the Chandrala Parameshwari Temple. Notable findings include the Maha Stupa constructed over three phases from 3rd Century B.C. to 3rd Century A.D. and the Ranamandala area showcasing a chronological scale from prehistoric to early historic eras. An inscription in Prakrit using Brahmi script was also unearthed.

Notes:
Zimbabwe along with Zambia and Malawi has declared a state of disaster due to severe drought. President Emmerson Mnangagwa attributes it to an “El Nino-induced drought,” affecting over 80% of Zimbabwe. Climate change exacerbates the crisis, causing dire food shortages and humanitarian crises in the region.