Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2023

Notes:
The Arcturus variant, also known as XBB.1.16, is a type of Omicron variant that is spreading in India. It is believed to be responsible for the surge in COVID-19 cases in India.
The surge is being monitored by the WHO as it has shown high infectivity and increased pathogenicity.

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:
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:
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 FICCI Ladies Organization and the Odisha Police has signed an MoU regarding the Reach Her Project.
Under this initiative, the FICCI Ladies Organization (FLO) will promote a healthy work environment for women employees.

Notes:
The Indian Government has invited Expression of Interest (EOI) for the development of hydrogen valley innovation clusters (HVIC) in the country.
According to the DST guidelines, a hydrogen valley is a specific geographic region where hydrogen serves more than one end sector or application.

Notes:
Exercise Orion, a bilateral military EXERCISE between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) started at the Mont-de-Marsan airbase in France.
IAF Contingent comprises of four Rafale, two C-17, two ll-78 aircraft, and 165 air warriors. This would be the first overseas exercise for the IAF’s Rafale aircraft.

Notes:
Russia’s Andrey Rublev wins Monte Carlo title after winning the final against Denmark’s Holger Rune.
The player was deprived of his national flag after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 19-year-old Rune had defeated five Top 10 players to win the title in Paris last year.

Notes:
Earth Energy Imbalance is the difference between incoming and outgoing solar radiation. It is the indicator of climate change as it provides an estimate of how much, how fast and where the Earth’s temperature is increasing.
A new study has found that around 381 ZJ of heat has accumulated on the Earth from 1971-2020 due to anthropogenic emissions. This is approximately equal to EEI of around 0.48 watts per square meters.

Notes:
The Defence Ministry conducted a two-day coastal security exercise called ‘Sagar Kavach’ off the coast of Kerala and Mahe to evaluate potential threats from the sea and assess the preparedness level of coastal security agencies by simulating real-time threats and contingencies.
The exercise involved deploying various coastal security apparatus of the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and other maritime security agencies.