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:
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:
The Armed Forces plan to transform Mumbai into India’s inaugural tri-service common defense station for the Army, Navy, and Indian Air Force (IAF). This aims at fostering jointness among the services preceding the establishment of integrated theatre commands. Theatreization involves integrating army, air force, and navy capabilities to optimize resources for warfare. Such commands combine assets from all three services under unified leadership, mirroring practices in major nations like China, Russia, the US, the UK, and France.

Notes:
The forest department is eradicating Senna spectabilis, a highly invasive tree, from Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR). Originally introduced as ornamental trees by private estates, the Madras High Court ordered their removal due to ecological impact on local reserves. Belonging to the legume family, native to South and Central America, it’s also known as golden wonder tree for its bright yellow flowers. Despite medicinal uses, including treating ringworm and food-borne pathogens, its removal is necessary for preserving local ecology.

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.

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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:
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.

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Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. (IOCL) has partnered with Panasonic Energy to establish a joint venture for lithium-ion cell production in India, responding to rising demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage. This collaboration aims to support India’s goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2070. With a focus on sustainable mobility, the venture plans to leverage IOC’s distribution network and Panasonic’s battery expertise, contributing to India’s renewable energy transition and reducing carbon emissions.

Notes:
The Andhra Pradesh government is taking measures to prevent forest fires in Papikonda National Park (PNP), receiving technical assistance. PNP, located in the Eastern Ghats, is crucial for high precipitation and hosts the River Godavari. Established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1978 and upgraded to a national park in 2008, it’s recognized as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International. The region also boasts a unique dwarf goat breed, the “kanchu mekha.”

Notes:
On April 4, 2024, the Indian Army integrated the ‘Akashteer Command and Control System’ into its Air Defence Corps to bolster air defence security. Developed by BEL, this advanced system is part of India’s self-reliance initiative. The Army’s ‘Year of Technological Absorption’ in 2024 aims to expedite the integration of modern technologies, reinforcing India’s air defence capabilities. Akashteer signifies a leap in India’s military preparedness, enhancing its response to evolving threats.