Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The plasmonic paint makes use of nanoscale structural arrangement of aluminum and aluminum oxide and not traditional pigments to create different colors. It has been recently created by Florida-based researchers.
It is believed to be the lightest paint in the world. It is also the first environmentally friendly, large-scale and multicolor alternative to pigment-based colorants.

Notes:
The ‘Government Trends Report’ was released recently by the Deloitte Center for Government Insights.
It highlighted 9 trends that are reshaping how the governments deliver solutions to the common citizen. The report cites six shifts that have emerged as factors behind this transition in the government’s approach towards delivering public value.

Notes:
Japan’s Overseas Security Assistance (OSA) programme was announced recently. It will provide financial assistance to help foreign nations strengthen their defences.
As per the foreign ministry, since the help would be offered as grants, only poor nations will be able to receive it.

Notes:
Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project involves the setting up of India’ largest nuclear power station in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.
A pressuriser was delivered for Reactor 5 of this power plant by AEM-Technologies Izhora, which is part of the machine-building division of Rosatom – Atomenergomash.

Notes:
Ministry of Electronics and IT has notified amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
These rules seek to create an open, safe, trusted and accountable internet. It seeks to enforce greater due diligence by online gaming and social media intermediaries.

Notes:
Siren sphagnicola is a newly discovered species of Siren. Sirens are elongated eel-like aquatic salamanders.
The species was found in the seepage areas in the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain of the US. One of these species, Siren reticulata, was recently described.

Notes:
The Supreme Court set aside the orders passed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) on January 31, 2022, and the Kerala High Court on March 2, 2022, refusing to renew Malayalam news channel Media One’s broadcast license.
The apex court recently quashed the ‘sealed cover’ ban on Media One after the channel argued that it went against the principles of natural justice.

Notes:
National Panchayat Awards 2023 were conferred recently by Panchayati Raj Ministry to recognize best performing Panchayats in the areas that align with the 17 SHGs.
Telangana won 8 out of 27 various categories of the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Panchayat Satat Vikas Puraskar (DDUPSVP) for the years 2021 – 2022. It was followed by Kerala with 4, Jammu and Kashmir with 3, and Maharashtra with 3.

Notes:
Genome India Project is an initiative of the Central Government that involves sequencing of 10,000 Indian human genomes and creating a database.
The Department of Biotechnology has sequenced close to 7,000 genomes and 3,000 of these are already available for public access.

Notes:
Scientists at the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), a Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) facility, reported the presence of rare-earth elements (REEs) in Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh.
These elements are key components in many electronic devices and whose industrial applications span sectors like imaging, aerospace, and defence.