Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ launched 100+ comic books created by teachers and students of CBSE schools.
The comics, which are aligned with topics of NCERT textbooks, can be accessed online on DIKSHA web portal or via the DIKSHA app on any android Smartphone. They can also be accessed through a new WhatsApp powered Chatbot. DIKSHA is a online learning portal.

Notes:
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released its new assessment recently. It highlighted the pressures faced by the two species of elephants in Africa due to poaching for ivory and human encroachment.
It announced that the Savanna elephant was “endangered” and the much smaller, lighter forest elephant was “critically endangered”.

Notes:
The Department of Economic Affairs, Union Finance Ministry decides the small saving schemes such as the PPF, NSC and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana.
The Government announces interest rates for small saving schemes at the end of every quarter. Recently after announcing steep cuts in the rates, the Finance Minister rolled back the changes to previous rates for the next quarter.

Notes:
Recently, a new view of the black hole has been released by astronomers working with the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT). In this view, the astronomers have mapped the magnetic fields close to the hole.
The event horizon telescope first revealed the images of black hole, in the year 2018, which is located in the galaxy M87 at a distance of 55 million light-years.

Notes:
The Union Health Ministry has recently approved the National Policy for Rare Diseases 2021.
This national policy aims to bring down the high cost of treatment for rare diseases. This policy has been drafted and approved in consultation with multiple stakeholders of the nation. It is also stated that 40% of beneficiaries covered under PM JAY will benefit from the policy.

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers organised a “National Dialogue on ‘Manufacturing Excellence & Innovation for Competitiveness & Sustainability of Chemicals Manufacturing’.
The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) promotes industrial development for poverty reduction and environmental sustainability. UNIDO jointly organised this national dialogue as well as a dialogue under ‘Clean Manufacturing in India’ (Swachh Udyog).

Notes:
Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the 65-year-old man behind Vietnam’s successful handling of the coronavirus pandemic, has been formally sworn in as President of the country.
Phuc was Vietnam’s Prime Minister for the last five years. He was known for his contribution for the economy boom and his government’s COVID-19 response. Pham Minh Chinh has been appointed as the new Prime Minister.

Notes:
The state of Himachal Pradesh has been reported to be affected by second wave of bird flu. Recently, 100 migratory birds have died in Pong Dam Lake in Kangra district of the state.
The National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases situated in Bhopal, has confirmed the presence of H5N8 avian influenza among dead birds. It is said that this strain is different from the H5N1 that was detected earlier this year.

Notes:
Veteran Japanese scientist Isamu Akasaki, who shared a Nobel Prize in physics for the invention of blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), passed away recently.
Akasaki was one of three Japanese-born researchers who was awarded the 2014 Nobel Prize in physics. He was also a recipient of 2009 Kyoto Prize, Japan’s highest honor, recognizing developments in advanced technology.

Notes:
The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have planned to launch a dedicated platform that would advise the poor nations on funding their climate and conservation activities.
It is proposed that the platform would consist of UN officials, non-governmental organisations, private investors and rating agencies, to aid and advise the funding activities.