CURRENT-AFFAIRS

• An electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft is designed to use electric power for the purpose of hovering, vertical takeoff, and landing. Representing one of the latest advancements in the aerospace sector, eVTOLs are low-altitude urban air mobility vehicles typically designed to carry a small number of passengers, usually accommodating six to eight seats.
• Applications:
  • Air Taxi services
  • Delivery Services
  • Medical Assistance (EMS)
  • Cargo Transport purposes
  • Recreational Use
• Significance:
  • In future, eVTOLs are expected to revolutionize “on-demand” mobility for both intra-city and inter-city transportation. They will significantly improve connectivity between metropolitan centers and airports, offering a faster and more efficient mode of transportation.

• Recently, a well-known Indian film actor suffered from heatstroke in Ahmedabad.
• What is Heatstroke?
  • Heatstroke is the most severe heat-related illness. It occurs when the ambient temperature is so high that the body can no longer regulate its core temperature through sweating, causing the core temperature to rise to 40 degrees Celsius or higher.
• Causes:
  • Heatstroke happens when the body cannot sweat to cool itself down due to excessively high temperatures. This results in a critical imbalance of essential salts like sodium and potassium in the body. The elevated core temperature and salt imbalances disrupt organ function, leading to a range of symptoms.
• Impacts on the Human Body:
  • Heatstroke can have severe effects on the brain, causing confusion, drowsiness, and in extreme cases, coma. It can also damage the kidneys and liver. The combination of these symptoms can be fatal if not treated properly.

• Known as 'AI agents', GPT-4o and Project Astra are considered far superior to conventional voice assistants like Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant.
• Characteristics:

These advanced AI systems can engage in real-time, multi-modal interactions with humans, including text, image, and voice. Unlike traditional language models, which operate solely on text-based inputs and outputs, AI agents can process and respond to diverse inputs, such as voice, images, and environmental cues.

• Potential Uses:
  • Intelligent Assistants: Capable of handling various tasks, from offering personalized recommendations to scheduling appointments.
  • Customer Service: Provide seamless, natural interactions and instantly resolve queries without human intervention.

• Officials in Oregon recently reported a rare human case of bubonic plague, likely transmitted by a pet cat.
• About Bubonic Plague:
  • Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, a zoonotic pathogen typically found in small mammals and their fleas. Y. pestis can infect both humans and animals and is primarily spread by fleas.
  • Bubonic plague is one type of plague, named after the swollen lymph nodes (buboes) it causes. Known as the Black Death, it killed millions of Europeans during the Middle Ages.
• Other types of plague include:
  • Septicemic Plague: When the infection spreads throughout the body.
  • Pneumonic Plague: When the infection involves the lungs.

• The Andhra Pradesh government recently imposed a month-long ban on fishing within a 5-km radius of Hope Island to protect the Olive Ridley turtles off the Kakinada coast.
• About Olive Ridley Turtles:
  • Olive Ridley turtles are the smallest and most abundant sea turtles in the world. They are named for the olive green coloration of their carapace (shell).
  • Scientific Name: Lepidochelys olivacea
  • Mass Nesting: Known for their unique mass nesting behavior called Arribada, where thousands of females gather on the same beach to lay eggs.
• Distribution:
  • Olive Ridley turtles are primarily found in the warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. Odisha’s Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is recognized as the world’s largest rookery for these sea turtles.

• The Consumer Affairs Secretary recently emphasized that integrating artificial intelligence into the ‘e-Jagriti’ portal will help reduce the number of pending cases in consumer courts.
• About e-Jagriti Portal:
  • The e-Jagriti portal is an initiative by the Department of Consumer Affairs, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. It is designed to enhance the consumer experience by providing a more efficient and cost-effective solution for consumer dispute resolution across all levels.
• Features and Functionality:
  • Integration: The portal integrates various consumer grievance platforms, including the Online Case Monitoring System (OCMS), E-Daakhil, the National Consumer Dispute Redressal Commission (NCDRC) Case Monitoring System, the CONFONET website, and mediation applications, onto a single platform.

• The Secretary of the Department of Land Resources recently launched the National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) across Assam, alongside the introduction of the Unique Land Parcel Identification Number (ULPIN) seeding of geo-referenced cadastral maps.
• About NGDRS:
  • The National Generic Document Registration System (NGDRS) is an initiative by the Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India. It is part of the One Nation One Software initiative and is developed by the National Informatics Centre (NIC) Pune.
• Features:
  • Common and Configurable: NGDRS is a versatile application designed for registration departments across the country, allowing states to create state-specific instances and configure the software according to their needs.

• The Fourteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (COP14) will be hosted by the Government of Uzbekistan in Samarkand from February 12-17, 2024.
• About the Convention:
  • Also known as the Bonn Convention, this environmental treaty operates under the United Nations Environment Programme. It provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. The convention was signed in Bonn, Germany, on June 23, 1979.
• Key Features:
  • Global Focus: It is the only global and UN-based intergovernmental organization dedicated exclusively to the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic, and avian migratory species across their ranges.
  • Conservation Commitment: Parties to the convention recognize the critical importance of conserving migratory species, particularly those with an unfavorable conservation status.

• An invasive weed, Cuscuta dodder, is gradually suffocating the Chengalpet forests and Vedanthangal Bird Sanctuary, posing a threat to the local vegetation, ecosystem, and habitat of migratory birds.
• Originally from North America, this parasitic vine lacks roots and has already infested acres of trees in the reserve forests, spreading into India’s oldest bird sanctuary. The plant has been observed enveloping the canopy of Barringtonia trees, which are favored by migratory water birds for nesting. As a holoparasitic plant, it creates a canopy on the host plant and extends thousands of tendrils to form a dense mat, eventually strangling and killing the host.

• The Swachhata Green Leaf Rating system, aimed at elevating hygiene and sanitation standards in the hospitality sector, is yet to gain traction as no response has been received from the States despite repeated communiques from the Union Tourism Ministry.
• Designed to uphold top-tier cleanliness standards in hotels, resorts, and homestays, this government-led rating system has hit a roadblock with no State showing interest in its adoption thus far. The primary goal is to curb pollution in water bodies and maintain environmental cleanliness.
• This initiative targets various accommodation providers including hotels, lodges, homestays, 'Dharamshalas,' and camps equipped with portable toilets. Ratings will be assigned based on adherence to safe sanitation practices outlined in the provided guidelines.

• The Prime Minister of India has initiated the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana, a groundbreaking scheme aimed at delivering free electricity to its eligible beneficiaries.
• Under this program, the central government has earmarked an investment of ₹75,000 crores to provide 300 units of electricity per month, free of cost, to its beneficiaries. This scheme was initially announced by the Finance Minister during the interim budget speech.
• The primary objective of this initiative is to illuminate 1 crore households across the nation. Urban Local Bodies and Panchayats will be incentivized to promote rooftop solar systems within their jurisdictions.
• To ensure that the financial burden on the people is minimized, the Central Government will provide substantial subsidies directly to their bank accounts and offer highly concessional bank loans.

• The recent remarks by the Reserve Bank of India Governor suggest that as inflation continues to ease, bond yields are poised to decrease, consequently lowering borrowing costs.
• Understanding Bonds:
  • A bond serves as a fixed-income instrument wherein an investor lends money to a borrower, typically a corporation or government entity, for a specified period, receiving regular interest payments in return.
  • The term from issuance to repayment is known as the 'term to maturity,' during which the bond issuer utilizes the raised funds for various purposes, such as expansion projects, debt refinancing, or welfare initiatives.

• India has showcased an impressive engagement in citizen science and birdwatching enthusiasm by emerging as a prominent contributor to the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).
• About the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC):
  • This event, held annually over four days, involves bird enthusiasts of all ages worldwide in tallying bird populations to create a real-time snapshot of their distribution.
  • Launched in 1998 by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, GBBC aims to aid researchers in understanding bird populations and environmental conservation efforts.