Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
Microsoft and OpenAI are jointly embarking on a $100 billion project to create “Stargate,” an AI supercomputer. Scheduled for launch in 2028, it follows OpenAI’s AI upgrade in 2022. The project aims to surpass existing data centers’ capabilities by 100 times. Divided into five phases, with Stargate as the fifth, a smaller fourth-phase supercomputer is slated for release in 2026. Significant costs will be allocated to acquiring essential AI chips.

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:
Adani Total Energies Biomass Limited (ATBL), a subsidiary of Adani Total Gas Limited (ATGL), has commissioned the first phase of Barsana BioGas plant in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. The project, developed in three phases, will have a total capacity of 600 tonnes per day, producing 42 tonnes per day of Compressed Biogas (CBG) and 217 tonnes per day of organic fertilizer. It’s set to be India’s largest agri-waste-based bio-CNG plant, costing over ₹200 crore, utilizing advanced anaerobic digestion technology for sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

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:
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:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to establish the Digital India Trust Agency (DIGITA) to counter cybercrime, focusing on legal app approval and curbing illegal loan apps. DIGITA aims to centralize verification of digital lending apps, ensuring compliance with RBI regulations. Unverified apps may face penalties and law enforcement action. Maintaining a public list of approved apps, DIGITA enhances consumer protection and aids in combating financial crimes in the digital lending sector.

Notes:
An anti-dumping investigation has commenced on imports of ‘insoluble sulphur’ from China and Japan. Insoluble sulphur, an amorphous form of sulfur, doesn’t dissolve in carbon disulfide. Widely utilized as a rubber additive, especially in automobile parts like tires and shoes, it acts as a vulcanization accelerator, enhancing rubber quality and durability through cross-linking. This process, vital in the rubber industry, improves product wearability and overall quality.

Notes:
Uttar Pradesh leads India with the most Geographical Indication (GI) certified products, now totaling 69 after the addition of 15 new items, surpassing Tamil Nadu’s 58. Sanjhi art, originating in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh in the 16th century, is renowned for intricate designs and spiritual significance. Associated with the mother goddess Sanjhi, the craft involves mud images crafted into cosmic forms. It originated around Krishna temples and is now practiced nationwide.

Notes:
Bindyarani Devi, Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022 silver medalist, secured a bronze at the IWF World Cup 2024 in Phuket, Thailand, lifting 196 kg in the women’s 55 kg category. Conversely, Tokyo Olympics silver medalist Mirabai Chanu placed 12th. Despite not medaling, Chanu qualified for the Paris Olympics 2024, becoming India’s sole weightlifter to do so. Kang Hyon Gyong of North Korea clinched gold, while Romania’s Mihaela Cambei took silver.

Notes:
The Tamil Nadu State Forest Department, with WWF-India, radio-collared a male Nilgiri Tahr in Mukurthi National Park, marking the first collar operation without tranquilization. Nilgiri Tahr, also called Varaiaadu, is Tamil Nadu’s state animal and the sole mountain ungulate in southern India. With an endangered status, its habitat spans the Western Ghats. Threatened by habitat loss and poaching, the species’ resilience underscores its ecological significance in high-stress environments.