Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The Cabinet Committee on Security recently approved the sanctioning of seven battalions of Indo-Tibetan Border Police and the one sector headquarters in Arunachal Pradesh.
This is seen as a major push by the Indian Government to counter Chinese manoeuvres in the region.

Notes:
A team of scientists led by the Indian Institute of Spices Research (IISR), Kozhikode, have discovered a new species of insect pathogenic fungus.
The fungus, isolated from leafhopper pest of Malabar tamarind, has been named Metarhizium indicum to indicate its Indian origin. It is said to have a potential biocontrol application.

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:
In the Union Territory of Ladakh, people from across Kargil reached the Kargil Bazaar in the form of Mourning Processions to mark Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib’s martyrdom. The day coincides with 21st day of Ramadan.
Imam Ali Bin Abi Talib was the last Caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate. He is believed to be the first Imam and the rightful political and religious successor of the Islamic prophet Muhammad by Shias.

Notes:
The India Steel 2023 is a conference and International Exhibition on the steel industry, held at Mumbai from April 19 to 21. The conference is jointly organized by the Union Ministry of Steel, Commerce Department and the FICCI.
The event provides an integrated platform for discussing prospects of the steel industry, facilitate the growth and connect new technologies & innovative products.

Notes:
Miguel Diaz-Canel recently became the first non-Castro leader in Cuba to be re-elected as president. He won a second five-year term in a parliamentary vote that had him as the sole candidate. The 62-year-old leader took over the reins in 2018 as Cuba’s first civilian leader after around 60 years of hegemony by the Castro brothers.

Notes:
The Government of India has recently notified the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 under Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960. This notification is released by superseding the Animal Birth Control (Dog) Rules, 2001.
The new rules require the respective local authorities, municipalities, municipal corporations and Panchayats to carry out sterilization and immunization of stray dogs by addressing to the issues regarding to prevention of cruelty to animals.

Notes:
HUN festival is an annual cultural festival celebrated in Manipur. It is celebrated by the Thadous community of Manipur to mark the arrival of the new year according to the community and it is a time for the community to offer prayers for a prosperous year ahead.
This year’s festival was inaugurated in the state by Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren.

Notes:
‘Magnaporthe oryzae’ is a fungus that causes ‘wheat blast’. It is currently destroying wheat crops in South America, threatening its food security in a major scale.
Scientists have warned that the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae could spread worldwide. Cases of infection have earlier been reported in Asia in 2016 and Africa in 2018.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet cleared the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill, 2023 which has provisions for harsher punishments for film piracy and the introduction of new age categories for classifying films.
The Bill will be introduced in the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament, as per the Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur.