Current affairs 04 November 2024

India ranks 72 in AI Preparedness Index 2023.

• Singapore leads the AI Preparedness Index with a score of 0.80, followed by Denmark and the U.S., as advanced economies are better equipped with AI frameworks.
• India ranks 72nd, scoring 0.49, with high ChatGPT awareness (45% user rate) and over 338 AI startups, showing growth in AI adoption.
• Other Countries: Bangladesh (0.38) on 113, Sri Lanka (0.43) on 92, and China (0.63) on 31

Demand of Ho language to be included in 8th Schedule of Constitution.

• Ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma stressed on the inclusion of Ho language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
• Ho is a Munda language of the Austroasiatic language family spoken primarily in India by about 2.5 million people (0.202% of India's population) per the 2001 census.
• It is spoken by the Ho, Munda, Kolha and Kol tribal communities.

Himalayan Glacial Lakes Expand by 10.81% Due to Climate Change.

• Glacial lakes and other water bodies across the Himalayan region saw a 10.81 percent increase in area from 2011 to 2024 due to climate change.
• The Central Water Commission's report states that with a 33.7 percent expansion of the surface area, the lakes in India experienced an even more substantial rise.
• Ladakh, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal showed the most notable expansions.

India’s Updated Biodiversity Action Plan Launched at COP 16.

• MoS for Environment Kirti Vardhan Singh launched India’s updated National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan at COP 16 in Colombia.
• The NBSAP emphasizes a collaborative approach, addressing challenges in ecosystem and wetland restoration, and sustainable coastal area management.
• The plan aims to halt biodiversity loss by 2030, with a vision for harmonious living with nature by 2050.

Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto as Republic Day Chief Guest.

• India to invite Indonesia's new President, Prabowo Subianto, as the chief guest for Republic Day 2025.
• The government has already engaged the new government of Mr. Subianto, who was sworn in with his Vice-President, Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
• Indian Army contingent also reached Indonesia for the ninth edition of a joint special forces exercise, Garud Shakti 2024.