Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
IIT Madras hosts the 6th Shaastra Rapid FIDE Rated Chess Tournament from March 30 to 31, 2024, in Chennai. It’s the sole IIT in India to conduct an annual Open Rapid Rating Tournament. Over 35 players from IIT Madras join, alongside international players from countries like Australia, England, America, and Singapore. Notable participants include six grandmasters, sixteen International Masters, three female grandmasters, and a Woman International Master.

Notes:
IIT Kanpur recently signed an MoU with Conlis Global, a Canadian biotech company, for licensing a groundbreaking technology promoting bone healing and regeneration. Nano Hydroxyapatite-based Porous Composite Scaffolds, developed indigenously, possess biodegradable, osteoinductive, and osteopromotive properties crucial for bone regeneration. Highly biocompatible, these scaffolds demonstrate robust mechanical strength and foster excellent interaction between polymer networks and solvents, facilitating cell-material interactions with osteoblast cells.

Notes:
Hockey India Awards 2023 were held on March 31, 2024, in New Delhi. Salima Tete and Hardik Singh were named Women’s and Men’s Players of the Year, respectively. Started in 2014, the awards honor India’s top hockey talents. Hardik Singh, Vice-Captain from Punjab, won FIH Player of the Year and Best Midfielder awards. Salima Tete, from Jharkhand, received recognition for her achievements at the Asian Games and as the AHF Emerging Player of the Year.

Notes:
Paradip Port Authority in Odisha surpassed Deendayal Port Authority in Kandla as India’s top cargo-handling major port in 2023-24. Handling 145.38 MMT of cargo, it registered a 7.4% growth from the previous year. It’s capable of handling 289 MMT. Notably, it excels in coastal shipping, handling 59.19 MMT of coastal traffic and achieving highest productivity among major ports. Established in 1962, it became India’s 8th major port in 1966, now under the Ministry of Ports.

Notes:
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Pollution Control Vessel Samudra Paheredar, along with a helicopter, docked at Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam on April 02, 2024, continuing its ASEAN deployment. Crew will focus on marine pollution response, search & rescue, and law enforcement through professional interactions, training, and sports events with Vietnam Coast Guard. Demonstrating India’s shipbuilding prowess, the visit strengthens bilateral ties and showcases cooperation. 25 NCC cadets will join in environmental activities.

Notes:
The Bhojshala complex, located in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, is a historically contested site between Hindus and Muslims. Protected by the Archaeological Survey of India, it holds significance as a temple for Hindus and a mosque for Muslims. An arrangement by ASI allows Hindus to conduct pujas on Tuesdays and Muslims to offer namaz on Fridays. Recently, the Supreme Court rejected a stay on ongoing scientific surveys, emphasizing no physical alterations to the structure

Notes:
High sea waves, termed swell waves, have flooded coastal homes in Kerala, known locally as Kallakkadal or swell surge. Occurring primarily during pre-monsoon and sometimes post-monsoon, Kallakkadal results from distant storms generating ocean swells. Coined by fishermen, Kallakkadal signifies the sea’s thief-like arrival. These waves originate from the southern Indian Ocean, taking several days to reach Kerala’s coast. UNESCO recognized the term in 2012, highlighting its significance in describing this coastal flooding phenomenon.

Notes:
The indigenous wheat variety Kathiya Gehu from Bundelkhand, Uttar Pradesh, earns a Geographical Indication (GI) tag, marking a breakthrough for agricultural recognition. It’s the first farm produce from Uttar Pradesh to achieve this distinction, highlighting the region’s agricultural significance. The GI tag acknowledges the unique qualities and geographical origin of Kathiya Gehu, ensuring its protection and promoting its heritage. This recognition bolsters the cultural and economic value of Bundelkhand’s agricultural heritage.

Notes:
The United States and the United Kingdom have signed an agreement to collaborate on developing tests for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) models, following commitments made at the Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit. Bletchley Park, known as the birthplace of modern computing, will host the world’s first global AI summit in 2023. Both countries aim to share information on AI capabilities and risks, conduct joint testing exercises, and align approaches to deploying AI systems safely.

Notes:
Romania has developed the world’s most powerful laser, which is part of the European Union’s Infrastructure ELI project. The laser, called the “Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics”- (ELI-NP) laser, is located in Magurele, Romania, near Bucharest. It uses Chirped-Pulse Amplification, which is a groundbreaking technology based on the inventions of Nobel Physics Prize winners Gerard Mourou and Donna Strickland. The laser is operated by the French company Thales and is expected to have revolutionary applications in healthcare and space exploration.