Weekly Current Affairs: Quizzes, 01 to 06 April 2024

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, the International Energy Agency (IEA) published the Clean Energy Transitions Programme annual report 2023. The Clean Energy Transitions Programme is the flagship programme launched by IEA in 2017 for taking action to achieve a clean energy transformation worldwide. The program utilises the Agency’s expertise and influence to offer analysis, technical assistance, and capacity building to developing countries for the Clean Energy transition. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The programme supports emerging and developing countries in establishing clean energy transition goals in line with the objectives of the 2015 Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations and facilitating coordination among multilateral organisations such as the Group of 20 (G20) and UN-affiliated collaborations. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• IEA was established in 1974 as an intergovernmental organisation under the  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) framework. For a nation to be considered for IEA membership, it must already be a member of the OECD. Currently, the IEA comprises 31 member countries and eleven associate countries. Hence, statement 3 is correct.
• IEA  has four main areas of focus: a) Energy security, b) Economic development, c) Environmental awareness, and d) Engagement worldwide. The headquarters of the IEA is located in Paris, France.

EXPLANATION:

• A recent study highlighted that due to climate change and geological shifts, Earth’s changing rotation may prompt clocks to skip a second, potentially necessitating a “negative leap second” around 2029. Leap second is used to combat the long-term slowdown in the Earth’s rotation caused by the constant melting and refreezing of ice caps. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The study notes that as glaciers and ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica melt at an accelerating rate thanks to rising temperatures, all that extra liquid is redistributing weight across the planet. That’s ever-so-slightly slowing down the Earth’s rotation on its axis.
• A negative leap second refers to a proposed adjustment to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), where one second would be subtracted from the standard timekeeping system. The positive leap second (one-second addition to clocks). It is done when the length of the day is rising (the Earth is spinning more slowly). Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Leap seconds are added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) to correct the discrepancy between astronomical time (UT1) and atomic time. Since the Earth’s rotation is not constant but gradually slows down, leap seconds have been used to ensure that our clocks remain in sync with Earth’s rotation. A leap second is usually inserted either on June 30 or December 31. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, the Supreme Court has issued notice on a petition advocating for counting all Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) paper slips in elections. The petition challenges the current practice of verifying only five randomly selected Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in each assembly segment of a parliamentary constituency. 
• The VVPAT was first used in an election in India in September 2013 in Noksen (Assembly Constituency) in Nagaland. VVPAT and EVMs were used on a large scale for the first time in India, in 10 assembly seats out of 40 in the 2013 Mizoram Legislative Assembly election. Hence, option A is not correct.
• It is an independent system that consists of two parts, namely, a VVPAT Printer and a VVPAT Status Display Unit (VSDU) attached to the Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) that allow the voters to verify that their votes are cast as intended. It is a method of providing feedback to voters using a ballotless voting system. 
• The EVMs and VVPATs are separate entities and are not connected to any network. These machines are jointly developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and Electronics Corporation of India (ECIL).

EXPLANATION:

• The Securities and Exchange Board of India recently launched a new version of the SEBI Complaint Redress System (SCORES 2.0). The new version of SCORES strengthens the investor complaint redress mechanism in the securities market by making the process more efficient through auto-routing, auto-escalation, monitoring by the designated bodies and reduction of timelines, the regulator said in a note. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• SCORES 2.0 introduces several features to streamline investor complaint resolution across the securities market. These include standardised timelines for complaint resolution, set at 21 calendar days from the complaint's receipt date, automatic routing of complaints to relevant authorities, and monitoring of timely resolution by designated bodies.
• SCORES is a web-based centralised grievance redress system of SEBI that was launched in 2011. SCORES enables investors to lodge and follow up on their complaints and track the status of redressal of such complaints online from anywhere. This helps market intermediaries and listed companies to receive complaints online from investors, redress such complaints, and report redressal online.  Hence, statement 2 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, the Andhra Pradesh forest department, with the help of the Konda Reddi tribe, discovered water stored in trees in the Papikonda National Park of the Alluri Sitaram Raju district.
• The Konda Reddys, also known as Hill Reddys, are one of the most backward tribal groups present in India. It is a prominent community in Andhra Pradesh, India. They can be found on both the banks of river Godavari, in the hilly forest region of Khammam and Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh. These tribal groups can also be found in Telangana, Pondicherry, Orissa, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• They inhabit on both the banks of the Godavari River (East and West Godavari districts), in the hilly forest region of Khammam (Telangana) and Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh). Their mother tongue is Telugu, and they have a unique accent. Hence, statement 2 is correct. 
• The Konda Reddy tribe is divided into exogamous septs to regulate marital relations. Konda Reddi's primary religion is Folk Hinduism, characterised by local traditions and cults of local deities worshipped at the community level.
• Their society, which is patriarchal and patrilocal, is governed by a Kula Panchayat and led by a hereditary headman known as 'Pedda Kapu' in each village. The tribe also celebrates with the Bison horn dance during festive and marriage occasions. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, Vaikom Satyagraha completed 100 years on March 30, 1924. It was the first anti-caste movement, as the pupils of the depressed class and untouchables were restricted from entering the temple. The agitation was initiated by T. K. Madhavan, an Ezhava leader, who advocated for temple entry rights through his newspaper Deshabhimani. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• This Satyagraha established the rights of the oppressed classes to walk on the roads to the Shree Mahadeva Temple in Vaikom in Kottayam district. The Vaikom Satyagraha occurred from 30 March 1924 to 23 November 1925. It followed Mahatma Gandhi's methods of protest. The Vaikom Satyagraha was a testing ground for the Gandhian principles of Satyagraha. It was tested and proved to be the most effective means for the first time.  Sikhs from Punjab, known as Akalis, supported the volunteers by opening a community kitchen (langar). Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• Notable figures like Mahatma Gandhi, Chattampi Swamikal, and Sree Narayana Guru extended their support to the movement, which gained nationwide recognition. Mahatma Gandhi arrived at Vaikom in March 1925 to negotiate a compromise and resolve the issue definitively. This movement helped establish equal rights and curb discrimination against Scheduled Castes in Indian Society. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Ahead of the Lok Sabha Election on April 19, 2024, the BJP has launched a fresh offensive against the Congress and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu. PM Modi also criticised the DMK for mishandling the Katchatheevu island issue, accusing the ruling party of Tamil Nadu of neglecting the state's interests.
• Katchatheevu is a 285-acre uninhabited off-shore island in the Palk Strait. The island is located between Neduntheevu, Sri Lanka and Rameswaram, India. It was formed due to volcanic eruptions in the 14th century. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• The Raja of Ramnad (currently, Ramanathapuram, the state of Tamil Nadu) owned Katchatheevu island and later became part of the Madras Presidency. The Island became part of the Madras Presidency during the British Raj. In 1921, Sri Lanka and India claimed this land for fishing, and the dispute remained unsettled. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• The issue emerged when both countries signed these Agreements in 1974-76. In 1974, an agreement signed by Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi of India and Sirima R.D. Bandaranaike of Sri Lanka acknowledged Katchatheevu as part of Sri Lanka’s territory, leading to a change in ownership. As per the agreement, Indian fishermen were still allowed to access Katchatheevu.
• Another agreement in 1976, during the Emergency in India, barred either country from fishing in the other’s Exclusive Economic Zone. It also restricted fishing in each other’s waters without explicit permission from either country. Despite the agreement, the Sri Lankan government administered the Island. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently. the Tripura Chief Minister announced that two traditional items from the state, Matabari Pera and Pachra, have been honoured with the Geographical Indication (GI) tag, marking a significant milestone for local artisans and weavers.
• Matabari Pera, a dairy-based confectionery that served as prasad at the Tripurasundari temple, and Pachra, a handwoven cloth used by Indigenous communities in Tripura. The GI tag ensures legal protection against unauthorised imitation or misuse of the product, safeguarding its authenticity and preserving its cultural heritage. This recognition also facilitates market access and promotion, both domestically and internationally, fostering economic opportunities for local communities involved in its production. Hence, option C is correct.

EXPLANATION: 

• Recently, the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) has launched the White Rabbit Collaboration, aimed at maintaining and advancing the White Rabbit technology. 
• White Rabbit technology is developed to synchronise devices in accelerators down to sub-nanoseconds, overcoming the challenge of establishing a common notion of time across a network. White Rabbit Switches provides sub-nanosecond synchronisation accuracy, which formerly required dedicated hard-wired timing systems, with the flexibility and modularity of real-time Ethernet networks. It achieves sub-nanosecond accuracy in Ethernet-based networks. It uses the Precision Time Protocol to achieve sub-nanosecond accuracy, allowing for precise clock phase adjustment and offset. 
• It addresses the issue of potential delays caused by the time taken for light to travel through fibre-optic cables and the processing time of electronic signals. The technology has applications in various sectors, including finance and research infrastructures, and is being evaluated for potential use in the future quantum internet. White Rabbit could significantly impact the global landscape of time dissemination technologies, potentially reducing reliance on satellite-based systems.
• Hence, option C is correct.

EXPLANATION:

• Recently, a team of Indian scientists have made significant progress in understanding the genetic makeup of the virus responsible for lumpy skin disease that led to the deaths of approximately 1,00,000 cattle since May 2022. 
• It is a Viral disease caused by Poxvirus, transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito or tick. The virus belongs to the genus capripoxvirus, a part of the poxviridae family. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
• LSD infects cattle and water buffalo, usually through vectors such as blood-feeding insects. It was first identified in an outbreak in Zambia in 1929.  It is not a Zoonotic disease, meaning it cannot affect humans. Hence, statement 2 is correct, and statement 3 is not correct.
• Fever, weight loss, enlarged lymph nodes, skin nodules, mouth lesions, decreased milk production, and excessive nasal and salivary secretion in infected animals characterise the disease. The spread in South Asia first affected Bangladesh in 2019 and reached India in August of that year, with initial cases detected in Odisha and West Bengal. According to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), mortality rates of the disease of 1 to 5 per cent are considered usual. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.
• Lumpi-ProVacInd was jointly developed by ICAR’s National Research Centre on Equines (NRCE) and the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI). Anti-inflammatory painkillers can be used to keep up the appetite of affected animals.