Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The Vegetable Production System (Veggie) is plant growth unit aboard the International Space Station. Tomatoes grown on this unit will return to Earth using SpaceX’s commercial resupply services.
Veggie’s purpose is to help NASA study plant growth in microgravity, while adding fresh food to the astronauts’ diet and enhancing happiness and well-being on the orbiting laboratory.

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:
Srijana is a two-day national conference on female infertility, which was organised by by All India Institute of Ayurveda (AIIA), under the Ministry of AYUSH on 17th April 2023, at New Delhi.
The conference witnessed participation of many scientists, practitioners and academicians from all over India who shared their success stories and knowledge through Ayurveda.

Notes:
The Coalition of Coastal Cities to Combat Marine Litter was launched recently by Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE).
It is a coalition of coastal cities that will combat marine litter pollution across India. Of the 460 million tonnes (MT) of global plastic production, nearly 353 MT comes back as plastic waste; 8 MT (2.26 per cent) of which is leaked into the marine ecosystem.

Notes:
The Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has approved a proposal to bring in industry-friendly reforms related to Authority Holding Sealed Particulars or AHSP.
Authority Holding Sealed Particulars (AHSP) is responsible for holding of sealed particulars and patterns along with supply of certified copies of drawings & specifications in respect of defence related items.

Notes:
RHESSI – Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Image satellite / probe is NASA’s old defunct satellite, which plummeted into Earth’s atmosphere and disintegrated over the Saharan desert recently.
The probe was launched in February, 2002 and probe spent 16 years studying the rush of highly-energetic particles ejected from the Sun.

Notes:
Indian iron ore miner NMDC Ltd. is exploring lithium reserves, about 200 km off Perth, Australia.
NMDC is the majority owner of a mine located in Mt Bevan in Australia. India found lithium deposits for the first time in the country in February and is planning to auction a block for mining.

Notes:
‘Vote from Home’ Initiative was introduced for the first time in the Karnataka Assembly Elections by the Election Commission of India.
This procedure was chosen by around 8,900 persons who are above 80 years old or people with disabilities in Bengaluru.

Notes:
The Hakki Pikki is a tribe predominantly living in Karnataka. According to Census 2011, there are 11,892 Hakki Pikki tribal people in the state.
The Hakki Pikkis are an endogamous community and speak a language called Vaagri Booli. Hakki Pikkis were originally a nomadic tribe who hunted birds and they are named such as the Kannada word for bird is “Hakki”. Recently, as many as 108 Hakki-Pikki community people are said to be stuck in Sudan.

Notes:
The Special Marriage Act (SMA) of 1954 provides legal framework for civil marriage between people belonging to different religions or castes.
The Act requires marriage officers to display a public notice inviting objections to an intended marriage 30 days prior to the ceremony. The Constitution Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud termed the 30-day notice period under this Act ‘patriarchal’.