Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
National Maritime Day, observed annually on April 5th, honors the pivotal role of maritime transport in global trade. It commemorates the 1919 voyage of SS Loyalty from Mumbai to London. Additionally, ‘World Maritime Day’ is celebrated on the last Thursday of September, with the 2024 date set for September 26th. This year’s theme for India’s National Maritime Day, declared by the Union Shipping Ministry, is “Navigating the Future: Safety First.”

Notes:
The Sannati Buddhist site, discovered in the 1990s by ASI excavations, underwent neglect until a restoration project in 2022. Situated by the Bhima River near Kanaganahalli in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, it’s renowned for the Chandrala Parameshwari Temple. Notable findings include the Maha Stupa constructed over three phases from 3rd Century B.C. to 3rd Century A.D. and the Ranamandala area showcasing a chronological scale from prehistoric to early historic eras. An inscription in Prakrit using Brahmi script was also unearthed.

Notes:
Zimbabwe along with Zambia and Malawi has declared a state of disaster due to severe drought. President Emmerson Mnangagwa attributes it to an “El Nino-induced drought,” affecting over 80% of Zimbabwe. Climate change exacerbates the crisis, causing dire food shortages and humanitarian crises in the region.

Notes:
SJVN Limited received the 15th CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2024 for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Contribution. The company also secured the ‘Achievement Award for Social Development and Creating Impact’ and the ‘CIDC Partners in Progress Trophy’. Geeta Kapur, Chairperson and Managing Director, highlighted SJVN’s commitment to CSR initiatives, managed through the SJVN Foundation. SJVN spent over Rs 450 crore on diverse CSR activities including education, healthcare, infrastructure, disaster relief, and cultural promotion. CGM (HR) Baljit Singh accepted the awards.

Notes:
Irish researchers at University College Dublin discovered that Criollo cattle excel in adapting to a warming world due to their long-established resilience to hot and humid climates. Through micro-evolutionary analysis, they identified advantageous coat traits for solar radiation tolerance. Utilizing whole-genome sequencing, they pinpointed genes associated with thermotolerance, reproduction, fertility, and disease immunity.

Notes:
Juan Vicente Perez Mora, recognized by Guinness as the world’s oldest man, passed away shortly before his 115th birthday. His longevity secrets included hard work, early bedtimes, and a daily glass of aguardiente. Governor Freddy Bernal hailed him as a symbol of Tachirense values: humble, hardworking, and devoted to family.

Notes:
RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das, leading the Monetary Policy Committee, has maintained the repo rate at 6.5% for the 7th consecutive time, as announced on April 5, 2024. Predicting a 7% growth for India’s economy in FY 25, with a 4.5% expected Consumer Price Index inflation, Das emphasized inflation control and pledged an accommodative policy for growth. The first MPC meeting for FY 2024-25 convened from April 3-5, with the next scheduled for June 5-7, 2024.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) warns mobile users of “juice jacking,” a cyber threat where compromised USB charging stations transfer malware or steal personal data. Coined by journalist Brian Krebs in 2011, it’s not limited to phones but any USB-charged device. Perpetrators use it to install malware, steal sensitive data, or gain unauthorized access. Incidents occur in public spaces like airports, hotels, and shopping centers, raising security concerns.

Notes:
A groundbreaking discovery has unveiled a vast ocean hidden beneath the Earth’s crust, located 700 kilometers deep within a rock called ringwoodite. This subterranean reservoir, three times the volume of all surface oceans combined, was detected using a network of 2000 seismographs across the US. Ringwoodite’s unique properties, detailed in a 2014 scientific paper, allow it to absorb and trap water, supporting the theory of Earth’s internal water origin and reshaping our understanding of the planet’s water cycle.

Notes:
Mexico ended diplomatic ties with Ecuador after Ecuadorian police raided the Mexican embassy in Quito on April 5, 2024, seeking to arrest former VP Jorge Glas, granted asylum by Mexico. President Lopez Obrador denounced the breach of Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, asserting sovereignty violation. Brazil and UN Secretary-General Guterres criticized Ecuador’s actions. The Convention, established in 1961, governs diplomatic norms including the establishment of embassies in receiving states.