Daily News Analysis : 30 June 2024

OpenAI launched CriticGPT

The AI company OpenAI recently launched “CriticGPT”, a GPT4 based model that will help coders in spotting errors and bugs. It will help human testers to identify errors in complex codes generated by ChatGPT. The code review outcomes are improved by 60% by CriticGPT. The code will improve Large Language models and provide AI trainers with better tools to evaluate AI outputs. 

Key Points:

A) OpenAI’s most recent model, CriticGPT, is built upon the GPT-4 model and is specially tailored to analyze and identify mistakes in ChatGPT’s output code.
B) The tool will help the company with the process of alignment with AI systems, through what developers term Reinforcement learning from human feedback or RLHF. 
C) This will help make responses from large language models more accurate.

USD 1.5 Billion grant by World Bank to push India’s Green Hydrogen Projects

The World Bank recently approved a USD1.5 Billion loan to support India’s Green Hydrogen projects. It will help India accelerate its low carbon energy development. This is the second tranche of loan provided by the World Bank with the first one being provided in June 2023 to accelerate India’s development of low carbon energy. The major objective of the fund will be to promote a market for green Hydrogen, electrolysers and increased renewable energy penetration.

Key Points: 

A) The operation will seek to promote the development of a vibrant market for green hydrogen, continue to scale up renewable energy, and stimulate finance for low-carbon energy investments.
B) India holds the title of being the quickest expanding major economy globally, with projections indicating a sustained rapid growth trajectory.
C) Decoupling economic growth from emissions growth will require scaling up renewable energy, especially in hard-to-abate industrial sectors.

70th anniversary of Panchsheel30 JUN 2024

Beijing is celebrating the 70th anniversary of “Five principles of Peaceful Coexistence ” also known as Panchsheel in india. It came into effect after the first Sino-Indian Agreement of 1954 and ended by the 1962 war. The Panchsheel policy was proposed by Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in 1954 supported by the then Indian Prime Minister JL Nehru. The five principles were inspired from the Buddhist concept of Pancasila.

Key Points:

A) The ceremony in Beijing was chaired by Prime Minister Li Qiang. 
B) President Xi Jinping was delivered the keynote address. 
C) China’s recent proposal to establish a global community with a common destiny has embraced and advanced the essence of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which have paved the way for the effective establishment of such a community.

AI Preparedness Index of IMF30

India was ranked 72nd out of 174 economies globally in the newly released AI Preparedness Index (AIPI) of IMF. The Neighbouring Countries of India namely Bangladesh, China and Sri Lanka were ranked 113, 31 and 92. The parameters of analysis are based on the country’s digital infrastructure, Human capital, Labour policies, innovation, integration and regulation. 

Key Points:

A) The Index has categorised each country into Advanced Economy (AE), Emerging Market Economy (EM), and Low-Income Country (LIC).
B) Singapore (0.80), Denmark (0.78), and the United States (0.77) are among the highest-rated AEs, with India categorised as an EM with a 0.49 rating.
C) The rating for each country is given based on the assessment of readiness in four key areas – digital infrastructure, human capital and labour market policies, innovation and economic integration, and regulation.
 

Arundhati Roy awarded PEN Pinter Prize 2024

Arundhati Roy will be conferred with the PEN Pinter Prize 2024 at the ceremony co-hosted by British Library. The award was set up in 2009 by English PEN in memory of Nobel Laureate playwright Harold Pinter. The award is conferred to the writer of outstanding literary merit resident in the UK, Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth.

Key Points:

A) She will receive the award at a ceremony co-hosted by the British Library on October 10, where she will also deliver an address.
B) Arundhati Roy is best known for her novel ‘The God of Small Things’, which won the Booker Prize in 1997 and has been translated into more than 40 languages.
B) This year’s jury for the PEN Pinter Prize comprised English PEN chair Ruth Borthwick, actor Khalid Abdalla, and writer Roger Robinson. 
 

Assam to introduce first ever Witness protection scheme

The State government of Assam recently gave approval to States first ever witness protection scheme for better justice delivery. The scheme states that a witness in any case could apply for Witness Protection in prescribed form before a competent authority for seeking Witness Protection Order. The scheme will ensure adherence to Section 398 of Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. 

Key Points:

A) According to the scheme, a witness in any case could apply for Witness Protection in prescribed form before a competent authority through its member secretary for seeking Witness Protection Order.
B) The Competent Authority is a standing committee in each District chaired by the District and Sessions Judge.
C) The state government also approved to hold a special recruitment drive of experienced contractual teachers in government schools as part of strengthening the education system.
 

ESA to develop Zero Debris Satellites30 JUN 2024

The European Space agency recently signed contracts with AIRBUS, OHB and Thales Alenia Space for the development of large Low Earth Orbit(LEO) Satellite platforms adhering to Zero Debris standards. The major objective is to promote a cleaner and safer space environment. The initiative will help in preserving Endangered Low Earth orbits for future use. 

Key Points:

A) The collaborative effort includes Airbus Defence and Space, OHB, and Thales Alenia Space, each tasked with designing zero-debris platforms for large LEO satellites. 
B) This initiative aims to pave the way for zero-debris production lines, a crucial move to preserve lower Earth orbits for future use.
C) Holger Krag, Head of Space Safety at ESA, emphasised the importance of this development.
 

Bioplastic Park to be developed in UP

The Government of Uttar Pradesh is set to establish a Rs 2000 crore Bioplastic park in Kheri District of Uttar Pradesh. The initiative is aimed at combating environmental pollution. Bioplastics is a type of plastic made from natural materials like sugar beet, corn, sunflower etc and is also known as Natural Plastic. The park is to be developed over an area of 1000 hectares in Kumbhi village.

Key Points:

A) Balrampur Sugar Mills Firm is set to develop a park spanning over 1,000 hectares in Kumbhi village of the district through a public-private partnership (PPP) model.
B) The Uttar Pradesh Expressways Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA) has been designated as the key agency overseeing the development of the park.
C) The park is expected to generate a significant number of employment opportunities and facilitate the growth of various ancillary industries in the region.

 Gassy Cattles to face carbon tax in Denmark

Denmark has passed a new bill seeking the World’s first emission tax on livestock beginning 2030. The tax is to target greenhouse gases emitted by the country’s cows, pigs and sheep. The cattle usually emit Methane, a greenhouse gas by burps. Methane is one of the most hazardous Greenhouse gases with a much larger Global Warming Potential than Carbon dioxide or water Vapour. 

Key Points:

A) The aim is to reduce Danish greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels by 2030, said Taxation Minister Jeppe Bruus.
B) As of 2030, Danish livestock farmers will be taxed 300 kroner ($43) per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2030.
C) The tax will increase to 750 kroner ($108) by 2035.
 

63rd Inter State Athletics Championship

Gurindervir Singh emerged as the fastest man on Indian tracks with a 10.32 seconds sprint to win the 100m event. The other two fastest men in the country Animesh Kujur and Amlan Borgohain duly completed the top three in the event. Gurindervir could not break his own record of 10.21 second set in 2021.

Key Points:

A) SS Sneha from Karnataka claimed the title of the fastest woman in the championships by completing the women’s 100m final in 11.62 seconds.
B) Despite being the national record holder in the women’s 1500 meters, KM Deeksha could only finish third; Lili Das from West Bengal came first with 4 minutes 13.87 seconds and Delhi Chanda came second with 4 minutes 14.85 seconds.