Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The R21/Matrix-M vaccine is a malaria vaccine developed by the Oxford University and manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
The vaccine, which leverages Novavax’s adjuvant technology, has been licensed for use in Ghana by the country’s Food and Drugs Authority.

Notes:
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) issued guidelines for the first time for conducting ‘preliminary assessment’ of child suspects.
The guidelines will help to determine whether a child should be treated as a minor or not in criminal cases which come under the ‘heinous’ offences category of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015. Juvenile Justice Board is responsible for conducting preliminary assessment.

Notes:
Pohela Boishakh, also known as Bengali New Year, is a significant cultural festival in Bangladesh and the Bengali-speaking states of India including West Bengal.
The festival is celebrated on the first day of the Bengali calendar, which usually falls in the month of April. This year, it is celebrated on April 15.

Notes:
Union Minister of State for Tourism Shripad Naik inaugurated a Millets Food Festival of the member countries of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) in Mumbai.
It includes a variety of cuisines made of different millets prepared by chefs from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan, Russia and India.

Notes:
Cycas pectinate is a plant species of Genus Cycas which is the found in the north-eastern part of India, Nepal, Bhutan, South China etc. It is the only ‘Cycas’ species found in Bhutan.
It usually grows at an elevation of 300 m to 1200 m and in difficult terrains. A new study has found that this vulnerable species is threatened in the Himalayan country due to habitat loss and its overcollection as an ornamental plant.

Notes:
The blastomyces fungus is linked to the recent outbreak of “atypical” pneumonia among the employees of the Escanaba Billerud Paper Mill in the US.
The fungus is endemic to Michigan and is generally found in moist soil and decomposing wood. If disturbed, microscopic spores from the fungus can get dispersed in air and travel freely. Human beings can contract blastomycosis by inhaling the spores.

Notes:
The ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ Campaign was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Its purpose is to establish the Ramzan sustainable food aid endowment fund and provide a food safety net for marginalized populations in countries struggling with food insecurity.

Notes:
A “civil union” refers to the legal status that allows same-sex couples specific rights and responsibilities normally conferred upon married couples. These civil unions would be accompanied by rights such as inheritance rights, employment benefits to spouses, which are generally conferred upon married couples.
Recently, a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, began hearing a batch of petitions seeking legal recognition of same sex marriage.

Notes:
Global Buddhist Summit is being hosted by the India’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with International Buddhist Confederation.
The theme of the Global Buddhist Summit is “Responses to Contemporary Challenges: Philosophy to Praxis”.

Notes:
The governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have signed an agreement for the settlement of an inter-state boundary dispute between the two States.
It will end the dispute relating to 123 villages along the border. After the agreement, a detailed survey is to be carried out by the Survey of India to determine the boundaries of both states.