Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
India’s DRDO and Strategic Forces Command successfully tested the ‘Agni-Prime’ ballistic missile at Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Island, Odisha. Range sensors, including two ships, captured data. Witnessed by top officials, Agni-P is a medium-range ballistic missile with nuclear capabilities, designed as successor to Agni-I and II. It boasts a 1,000-2,000 km strike range, advanced technology from Agni-IV/V, and features composite materials for lightweight and strength. It’s a two-stage, solid-fueled, road-mobile missile with dual navigation.

Notes:
Tamil Nadu has sued the Centre at the Supreme Court, alleging withholding of national disaster relief funds post-Cyclone Michaung and floods in 2023. Disaster relief funds stem from the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), established under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 after the 2004 tsunami. NDRF encompasses severe calamities like cyclones, droughts, and floods, necessitating additional funding beyond SDRF.

Notes:
The White House has instructed NASA to create a unified time standard, Coordinated Lunar Time (LTC), for the moon and celestial bodies. This aims to set international norms in space amid a competitive lunar race. LTC, to be developed by 2026, will account for lunar gravitational forces and facilitate precision in missions and data transfers. International agreements will be necessary for its establishment, fostering coordination among spacefaring nations.

Notes:
Sierra Leone’s President has declared a national emergency on substance abuse due to the surge in the use of the dangerous synthetic drug “kush.” The tropical West African country, bordered by Guinea, Liberia, and the Atlantic Ocean, faces this challenge. Its landscape comprises lightly wooded hills and mangrove swamps along the coast, with major rivers like the Rokel, Taia, Moa, and Sewa flowing through its terrain.

Notes:
The inaugural ‘Parivartan Chintan’ tri-service armed forces planning conference convened in New Delhi on April 8, 2024, organized by the Union Ministry of Defence. Led by the Chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force, alongside the Department of Military Affairs, the conference aimed to establish a unified, integrated theatre command. Chaired by Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, it sought to foster jointness, integration, and readiness for future conflicts through innovative reforms and initiatives.

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:
A new Javan rhinoceros calf was sighted in Ujung Kulon National Park on Java Island, Indonesia. This species is the rarest living rhinoceros, found solely in Indonesia’s Ujung Kulon National Park. It closely resembles the greater one-horned rhinoceros but has a smaller head and fewer skin folds. Females lack prominent horns, while males possess a single horn. Classified as critically endangered by IUCN and listed in CITES Appendix I, conservation efforts are vital for its survival.

Notes:
Neptis philyra, a rare butterfly species known as the long-streak sailor, was recently discovered in India’s Tale Valley Wildlife Sanctuary. Previously found in east Asia, it boasts serrated wings with rich brownish-black on top and yellow-brown underneath, featuring a distinctive “hockey stick” pattern on the forewing. Part of the Nymphalidae family, it thrives in habitats like evergreen forests and rocky streams, marking a significant addition to India’s biodiversity.

Notes:
Researchers at the University of Kerala developed an innovative Airbreathing Magnesium-Copper/Cupric Oxide (Mg-Cu/CuO) Fuel Cell. Unlike its predecessor, the Mg-C fuel cell, it features a reusable copper-based cathode, offering enhanced operational stability. This eco-friendly technology utilizes air and seawater to generate power, emitting only water as a byproduct. Anticipated to rival the impact of Lithium-ion batteries, it exclusively produces electricity and heat during operation.

Notes:
The Global Society for the Preservation of Baobabs and Mangroves (GSPBM) launches a pioneering effort to revive Madagascar’s iconic baobab trees. These long-lived giants, also known as the “upside-down tree,” are crucial for biodiversity. With nine species worldwide, they store water in their massive trunks, supporting life in arid landscapes. Found mainly in Africa and Madagascar, baobabs symbolize resilience, earning them the title “Tree of Life” for their ecological significance.