Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has hosted the 40th Scientific Expedition to Antarctica (40-ISEA). The expedition has successfully returned to Cape Town on April 10, 2021.
The team returned after completing a journey of about 12 thousand nautical miles in just 94 days. The 40-ISEA was onboard the chartered ice-class vessel ‘MV Vasiliy Golovnin’. This achievement concludes four successful decades of India’s scientific endeavour in Antarctica.

Notes:
Russia has unveiled a new series of space Lunar missions. The first of those missions, named as “Luna 25”, is scheduled to launch this October.
The country had a 45-year drought of moon landings. The lander has been designed to study the ice permanently frozen below the moon’s surface. The scientists will also evaluate the dangers posed by sharp fragments of lunar dust.

Notes:
The Gujarat Authority for Advance Ruling (AAR) has ruled that Flavoured milk is ‘beverage containing milk’ and will attract 12 per cent GST.
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation, which markets dairy product under Amul brand, had approached the AAR on the taxability under the GST of flavoured milk.

Notes:
The liver is the second largest and the most complex organ in the body, with the exception of the brain.
World liver day is observed on every 19 April, to spread awareness about liver related disorders and diseases. The theme for this year is ‘Keep your liver healthy and disease-free.’

Notes:
The Amnesty International has released its annual report “global review of the death penalty”. As per the report, there is an overall decrease in the number of global death penalties in the year 2020, but some countries have increased the death penalty of executions.
As per the report, China is considered to be the world’s most prolific executioner in the world.

Notes:
The communist Party of Cuba, has chosen Mr. Díaz-Canel as the party’s new leader. He has been the President of Cuba since the year 2018.
In both the positions as Communist Party leader and as President, he has replaced Raul Castro, which has brought a political dynasty to an end, which was in power since the 1959 revolution.

Notes:
The International Energy Agency, which is headquartered in Paris (France) has recently released a report, which states that energy related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions across the globe have risen by about 1.5 billion tonnes in the year 2021.
This is considered to be the largest increase in carbon emission since the year 2010.

Notes:
India has been ranked at the 87th position among 115 countries in Energy Transition Index (ETI), which is released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
The top spot is occupied by Sweden followed by Norway and Denmark. The top 10 positions have been occupied by Western and Northern European countries.

Notes:
Yasukuni Shrine (meaning “Peaceful Country”) is a shrine located in Tokyo, Japan. It commemorates those who died in service of Japan in several wars including the 2.4 million war dead from WWII.
Recently, the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sent a ritual offering of potted plant to Yasukuni Shrine, to mark the spring festival. However, China and South Korea were irked by the action of the Prime Minister

Notes:
The Senate of the USA has recently passed a legislative bill to combat the increase in the number of hate crimes against Asian Americans and Pacific people in the country.
This measure is expected to fasten the review of hate crimes and provide support for local law enforcement agencies to respond to such crimes. The USA has reported several such hate crime incidents in the past.