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DAILY DOSE 27^thAPRIL -2024 CURRENT AFFAIRS

1) The State Of The Climate In Asia 2023:

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has released a report titled “The State of the Climate in Asia 2023,” which sheds light on the alarming impact of climate change.
The report highlights the severe consequences of extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and environmental changes in the Asian continent.

Key Highlights of the Report:

Asia experienced 79 extreme weather events in 2023, affecting over nine million people.
Over 2,000 deaths were directly attributed to these disasters.
Floods and storms caused the highest number of casualties and economic losses in Asia in 2023.

2) Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) On Plastic Pollution:

The fourth session of the INC to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-4), opened in Canada’s capital, Ottawa.
The resolution requested the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to convene an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop “the instrument,” which is to be based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic, including its production, design, and disposal.
The objective of the global plastics treaty is to set a global framework of standards around accountability, responsibilities, financing, material/chemical standards, import/export restrictions, targets.
An INC meets five times to develop the specific content of the new ILBI by the end of 2024.

3) Gender Gap In Indian STEM Faculties:

A significant gender gap exists in Indian STEM(science, technology, engineering, and math) faculties, with a BiasWatchIndia study revealing that only 13.5% of faculty members across 98 universities and institutes are women.
This underrepresentation is more prominent in India compared to countries like the US and UK.
Gender Gap in Indian STEM Faculties is due to :
Social Bias Against Women in Certain STEM Fields: Fields like Biology, seen as “soft sciences,” have higher female representation compared to hard sciences like Engineering and Physics.
Societal biases discourage women from pursuing fields perceived as less feminine, affecting their choices in higher education and research.
Lack of Support During PostDoc to Faculty Transition: The critical transition from postdoc to faculty often aligns with family planning, leading to difficult choices for women.
Societal pressure prioritising family over career ambitions and a lack of support structures exacerbate the challenge.

4) Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD):

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) comprising primarily Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease has been on the rise globally.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for chronic inflammatory conditions affecting the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Two main forms of IBD:

Crohn’s disease: It can affect any part of the digestive tract, from mouth to anus. Inflammation can be patchy, meaning areas of healthy tissue can be interspersed with inflamed areas. It often affects the deeper layers of the bowel wall.
Ulcerative colitis: Limited to the inner lining (mucosa) of the large intestine (colon) and rectum. The inflammation is continuous, affecting the entire colon in severe cases.
Causes: The exact cause of IBD remains unknown, but research suggests a complex interplay of factors like genetics, immune system and environmental factors.

5) Fast-Charging Sodium-Ion Battery:

Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a high-energy, high-power hybrid sodium-ion battery capable of charging in seconds.
This breakthrough could potentially revolutionize the energy storage industry and provide a viable alternative to lithium-ion batteries.
Sodium is over 500 times more abundant than lithium, making it a cheaper and more accessible alternative
Sodium-ion batteries have faced limitations such as lower power output, constrained storage properties, and longer charging times

6) India’s 1st Multipurpose Green Hydrogen Pilot Project:

SJVN Limited inaugurates India’s 1st Multipurpose Green Hydrogen Pilot ProjectS:
Geeta Kapur, Chairman and Managing Director(CMD) of SJVN Limited(formerly known as Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam) inaugurated India’s 1st multipurpose(combined Heat and Power) green hydrogen pilot project at the 1,500 megawatt (MW) Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) in Jhakri, Himachal Pradesh(HP).
She also inaugurated the first-of-its-kind centralised operation of 1500MW NJPHS and 412 MW Rampur Hydrogen Power Station(RHPS) by remotely operating Unit-II of RHPS from NJHPS, Jhakri.
The project in line with the National Green Hydrogen Mission (NGHM) will accelerate the development of green hydrogen production infrastructure in the power sector.

7) Annual Growth To Harness Demographic Dividend: RBI’s Report

According to the recent report, the Indian economy must grow at a rate of 8-10% per annum over the next decade to reap the benefits of its demographic dividend.
The RBI emphasizes that India’s developmental strategy for the coming decades should focus on maximizing the contribution of its young and growing labor force to the growth of gross value added (GVA).
Demographic Dividend in India:
Working-age population expanding rapidly
7 million per year (2021-2031)
2 million per year (2031-2041)
Opportunity for accelerated economic growth

8) NASA Human Exploration Rover Challenge 2024 Awards:

Indian students bag NASA awards for Human Exploration Rover Challenge Indian student teams from the Delhi National Capital Region (NCR) area and Mumbai (Maharashtra) have won awards from NASA‘s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) 30th Human Exploration Rover Challenge (HERC) 2024.
The Krishna Institute of Engineering & Technology (KIET) Group of Institutions, Delhi-NCR has won the “Crash and Burn” award;
The Kanakia International School from Mumbai won the “Rookie of the Year” award.
HERC 2024 competition was held at the United States of America (USA) Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, near NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

9) IAF Conducts Successful Test of Air-Launched Ballistic Missile:

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has achieved a significant milestone by successfully testing a new version of an air-launched medium-range ballistic missile.
The missile, codenamed ROCKS or Crystal Maze 2, was test-fired from a Su-30 MKI fighter jet in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

10) Randeep Hooda Honoured with Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award:

Actor Randeep Hooda was bestowed with the Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award.
This honor recognizes his remarkable contributions to Indian cinema and his recent film “Swatantrya Veer Savarkar”.