Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2021

Notes:
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has stated that the Long Period Average (LPA) for this year’s (2021) southwest monsoon is 98 per cent. The department expects a normal monsoon this year and is set to commence from June 2021.
This has a direct positive impact on the agricultural productivity of the country amidst COVID uncertainties.

Notes:
The Shipping Minister Mansukh Mandaviya announced that 110 crore rupees ROPAX Jetty project is to come up on the river Dhamra in Odisha.
Centre has approved over 50 crore rupees for developing the Roll-on/Roll-off Passenger (ROPAX) Jetty and allied infrastructure, under the Sagarmala initiative.

Notes:
The Lyrids are comets, which appear to move fairly fast, streaking through our atmosphere at an average velocity of 48 kilometers per second.
This modestly bright comet was discovered in April 1861 by an amateur astronomer, A.E. Thatcher. The Earth’s orbit coincides with the comet around April 22 each year. This year also, the annual Lyrid meteor shower is t take place on April 22.

Notes:
Kamath Committee identified 26 sectors to be included in the ₹3 lakh crore Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS).
Recently, the Finance Ministry expanded the scope of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) to cover borrowers from the healthcare segment, apart from the 26 sectors. SMA-1 borrowers in the healthcare sector are covered under ECLGS 2.0.

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:
Recently, researchers have identified a new and distinct shark species, by recognising the 300-million-year-old shark’s single tooth on its lower jaw.
The researchers named the 6.7-foot shark as “Dracopristis hoffmanorum”, or Hoffman’s Dragon Shark. The fossils were found in the Manzano Mountains, New Mexico. The skeleton of the species was found in 2013 in New Mexico.

Notes:
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has confirmed that Iran started enriching uranium up to 60 per cent. This figure is its highest-ever level of enrichment.
The decision to boost uranium enrichment and to install modernized centrifuges at the Natanz nuclear facility was made due to the recent incident damaging the electricity distribution network in Natanz.

Notes:
The United Kingdom is exploring the possibility of creating a new digital currency, which is dubbed as “Britcoin”.
The Bank of England and the Treasury are set to work together to assess the benefits of a central bank digital currency. The bank said the new currency, would be a new form of digital money for use by households and businesses.

Notes:
Recently the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has said that Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin is found to effectively neutralise the double mutant strain, B.1.617, of SARS-CoV-2. This vaccine is manufactured by Hyderabad based – Bharat Biotech
Also, ICMR has stated that at its National Institute of Virology, scientists have successfully isolated and cultured the double mutant strain which has E484Q and L452R mutations.

Notes:
The House of Representatives of the United States of America (USA) has recently passed the “No Ban Act”.
This bill aims to limit the ability of any United States president to impose a travel ban on the basis of religion. This move has been welcomed by many activists across the globe. Earlier, the US administration headed by President Donald Trump imposed “Muslim Ban” that barred travel to the US from several Muslim-majority countries.