Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
Project CAVForth was launched in 2019 to provide fully autonomous full-sized bus service across the Forth Road Bridge.
CAVForth is a joint project of various institutions and it is part funded by the UK Government’s Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. It will be the first registered service in the UK to use full-sized autonomous buses. Bus services under this project will be launched in Scotland soon.

Notes:
In Japan, an estimated 1.5 million working-age people are living in isolation, a phenomenon known as hikikomori.
Due to the phenomenon, they avoid social contact, further raising worries about their mental health and social well-being. According to a survey, the COVID-19 pandemic has been linked to about one-fifth of the specific incidents, with the most common reason being “quitting jobs”.

Notes:
The Union Finance Ministry notified the formation of a committee to review the pension system for government employees.
The four-member committee is headed by Finance Secretary T V Somanathan. It will also have Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT); Special Secretary, Department of Expenditure; and Chairman of Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) as its members.

Notes:
Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus is a contagious and deadly viral hepatitis that affects adult domesticated and wild rabbits.
The rabbits are threatening the bio-diversity and agriculture of the southern region of Central Otago. New Zealand is currently considering the use of the virus that causes this disease to cull the rabbits, which are turning into a plague.

Notes:
The ‘Support for Poor Prisoners Scheme’ is set to be launched by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Under this scheme, state government will receive financial support from the Home Ministry to help underprivileged prisoners who are unable to get bail or secure release from prisons due to financial constraints.

Notes:
National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical System (NM-ICPS) was approved by the Union Cabinet in 2018 at the total outlay of Rs.3660 crores for a period of five years.
The National Workshop on Technology Innovation in Cyber-Physical Systems (TIPS) was organized to deliberate on ways to strengthen NM-ICPS.

Notes:
USS Milius is a guided missile destroyer of the US Navy. Recently, it conducted an operation to assert navigational rights and freedoms in the South China Sea near the Spratly Islands.
The US Navy destroyer’s operation occurred while the Chinese military exhibited its power for the third consecutive day around Taiwan.

Notes:
Spike Anti-Tank Missiles is a fire-and-forget anti-tank guided missile and anti-personnel missile developed by Israel.
Israel signed a defense deal with Greece to provide it with over USD 400 million worth of Spike anti-tank missiles. According to Rafael, the missiles can be launched from around 45 different platforms, on land, in the air, and at sea.

Notes:
Draft ‘Sagarmala Innovation and Start-up Policy’ was released recently by the Indian Government. It seeks to nurture start-ups and other entities to co-create the future of India’s growing maritime sector.
The Draft policy seeks the creation of digital Portal based selection of startups ensuring a transparent process.

Notes:
Colistin is an antibiotic drug which is used to treat bacterial infections caused by susceptible Gram negative bacteria. Generally, it is used as a last resort when all other drugs do not respond. It is also called as polymyxin E
Recently, researchers in Los Angeles of USA have found bacteria that resist this drug in the US county’s wastewaters.