Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2019

Notes:
In Mumbai, EsselWorld launched India’s first foreign interactive and exotic world park at the Essel World Bird Park in Gorai. The rain forest themed park is spread across 1.5 acres and is home to over 500 birds belonging to 60 different exotic species. Hence, this is the first bird park in India to host three different varieties of birds – aquatic, terrestrial and free flying birds – across terrains, ranging from rainforests, deserts, rocky decks and lakes, all located within EsselWorld in Gorai. It is equipped with small ponds for aquatic birds, dense cover of trees for birds to incubate their eggs and a water stream that offers drinking water to birds. It also houses a special bird’s kitchen and healthcare centre. Some of the key attractions in the park are Ostriches, African grey parrots, Blue gold macaws, Toucans, Black swan and Rainbow lorikeet among others.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has recently successfully test fired the underdevelopment long range subsonic cruise missile ‘Nirbhay’ from launch complex-3 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Chandipur, Odisha. It has a operational range of 1000 km and can fly very low to the ground to avoid detection by enemy radar called terrain hugging capability. The state-of-the-art missile is the India’s first indigenously designed and developed long-range sub-sonic cruise missile. It is capable of loitering and cruising at 0.7 Mach at altitude as low as 100 metre and covered the designated target range in 42 minutes and 23 seconds.

Notes:
The 8th edition of Home Expo India 2019 began at India Expo Centre and Mart in Greater Noida on April 16. It covers sectors with maximum thrust and growth potential in home decor, furnishing, furniture, flooring and textiles. About 500 companies in permanent marts will be exhibiting their collection under these categories. The 3-day exhibition has been organized by the Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts.

Notes:
The World Haemophilia Day (WHD) is observed every year on April 17 to increase awareness of haemophilia and other inherited bleeding disorders. The 2019 theme ‘Outreach and Identification’, encourages people to meet and connect with other people who have had similar experiences, and what it is like.It will be observed with the slogan – ‘Reaching Out: The First Step to Care’. Haemophilia is an inherited genetic disorder that impairs the body’s ability to form clots. This condition is dangerous as it can cause excessive loss of blood in case of injuries, easy bruising, and also bleeding between joints and in the brain. Haemophilia can only be managed but does not have a cure.

Notes:
Nepal has successfully launched its first satellite NepaliSat-1 into space from Virginia in the United States. The satellite was developed by the Nepalese scientists. NepaliSat-1 is a low orbit satellite which will be in the 400-km distance from the Earth’s surface. It will be stationed at the International Space Station (ISS) for a month and then it will be sent to orbit the earth. The satellite will take photographs on a regular basis to gather geographical information of the country. It weighs 1.3 kilograms, making it a small satellite with limited capability. The Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) initiated the launch of the country’s own satellite under the BIRDS project of the Japanese Kyushu Institute of Technology. The BIRDS project has been designed in association with the United Nations (UN) and aims at helping countries launch their first satellite.

Notes:
The World Heritage Day (WHD) is celebrated every year on April 18 to promote the cultural heritage across the world. The 2019 theme is ‘Rural Landscapes’. It is also a day of international solidarity in favor of strengthening and safeguarding heritage world-wide. The day also aims to seek recognition for the people involved in preserving the sites, especially scientists, archaeologists, geographers and engineers. As of 2018, India has 36 World Heritage Sites including Western Ghats, Sundarbans National Park, Taj Mahal, City of Ahmadabad, Nalanda University, Mahabodhi Temple in Bihar and Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh.

Notes:
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) Mission of NASA has discovered its first Earth-size planet – HD 21749c. The newly-discovered planet is about 89% Earth’s diameter. The planet is likely very hot, with surface temperatures perhaps as high as 800 degrees F (427 degrees C). It orbits HD 21749, a K-type dwarf star located 53 light-years away in the southern constellation. It is likely a rocky as it circles its parent star in just 7.8 days. This is the 10th confirmed planet discovered by TESS, and hundreds of additional candidates are now being studied.

Notes:
Two Indian Navy warships – the stealth guided missile destroyer INS Kolkata and tanker INS Shakti – will participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR) as part of 70TH Anniversary celebrations of PLA (Navy) at Qingdao, China on 23 April, 2019. IFR is a parade of naval ships, aircraft and submarines, and is organised by nations to promote goodwill, strengthen cooperation and showcase their organisational capabilities. IFR also serves as an ideal platform for world’s navies to showcase their prowess and indigenous ship designing and ship building capabilities in a global/ international arena.

Notes:
The Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery has recently inaugurated by a Buddhist scholar Shyalpa Tenzing Rinpoche at Lisankhu village in Sindhupalchok district in Nepal. The Monastery has been reconstructed with Government of India (GoI) grant of 18.9 million Nepalese rupees. Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of India Dr. Ajay Kumar was also present on the occasion. In addition to reconstructing the monastery, the project also included building additional infrastructure such as residences, kitchen, sanitation facilities and compound wall. The Chhyoiphel Kundeling Monastery was established in 1946 with the active initiation and contribution of Lisankhu villagers. It has been carrying out various socio-cultural activities like teaching Buddhism,Thangka painting, wood carving and sculpting etc. Apart from being an important heritage building, the monastery is also an integral part of social and cultural life of people in the area.

Notes:
The Cholamandalam MS General Insurance Company Limited has been certified with ISO 31000:2018 by TUV India for applying a risk management system in line with the standard. The Certificate is an international risk management standard which provides guidelines, principles, framework, and a process for managing risk. It can be used by any organization regardless of its size, activity or sector. The application of these guidelines can be customized to any organization and its context. It is valid for a period of 3 years from April 07, 2019, to April 06, 2022.