Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
The University of Washington’s Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB) program is assessing the efficacy of a geoengineering strategy that involves spraying tiny sea salt particles into marine clouds. The method is also known as marine cloud seeding or marine cloud engineering. The goal is to make clouds brighter, reflecting a small amount of incoming sunlight back into space. This would help offset global warming caused by humans.

Notes:
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued a recall of Indian Spice products due to ethylene oxide contamination. Ethylene oxide is a colorless, flammable gas with various industrial uses including as a pesticide and sterilizing agent. Prolonged exposure can cause irritation to eyes, skin, and respiratory system, and poses carcinogenic risks to humans.

Notes:
Over 40 years, ISRO’s satellite imagery reveals a 178% expansion of the Gepang Gath glacial lake in Himachal Pradesh, growing from 36.49 to 101.30 hectares by 2022. ISRO warns of a 1.96-hectare yearly increase, signaling heightened risk. Glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) threaten downstream communities, triggered by natural dam failures due to factors like avalanches and extreme weather. Recent GLOFs in Sikkim caused severe flooding, damaging infrastructure and raising concerns over future events.

Notes:
World Book and Copyright Day, observed annually on April 23rd, promotes reading and publishing. UNESCO organizes events worldwide. The 2024 theme, “Read Your Way,” highlights the joy of reading. Established in 1995, it honors literary giants like Shakespeare and Cervantes. Initially celebrated in 1922 by Vicente Clavel Andres, it became an international observance in 1995. April 23 marks the death anniversaries of Cervantes and Shakespeare, prompting UNESCO’s choice of date for the celebration.

Notes:
Professor Naima Khatoon is appointed as the Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), the first woman to hold the position in its history. The appointment was made by the Ministry of Education and approved by President Droupadi Murmu. Khatoon, currently the Principal of AMU’s Women’s College, will serve for five years or until she turns 70. She becomes the third VC of a Central University and the second woman VC in India after Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit.

Notes:
The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) has achieved a milestone by creating the nation’s lightest Bullet Proof Jacket, designed to withstand Level 6 threat of BIS ammunition. Recently tested at TBRL, Chandigarh, it incorporates novel materials and processes for enhanced protection. The front Hard Armour Panel (HAP) utilizes a monolithic ceramic plate with polymer backing, providing both durability and comfort for operatives during missions, as affirmed by the Ministry of Defence.

Notes:
World Intellectual Property Day, observed annually on April 26, is organized by WIPO to highlight the significance of Intellectual Property (IP) in fostering innovation and creativity. The theme for 2024 is ‘IP and the SDGs: Building our common future with innovation and creativity’. WIPO traces its origins to the Paris Convention of 1883, which established IP protection for inventions, trademarks, and industrial designs. WIPO became a specialized agency of the UN in 1974.

Notes:
In April, 2024, former Commonwealth Games gold medalist Narsingh Pancham Yadav became the Chairman of the Athletes Commission of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). His election completed the process mandated by the United World Wrestling (UWW). The international sports body had required WFI, led by Sanjay Singh, to establish the commission to address wrestlers’ grievances as a condition for lifting the federation’s suspension.

Notes:
Indian National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval convened with his Russian counterpart, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 24, 2024. They addressed key bilateral issues, focusing on counterterrorism, cyber security, and defense cooperation. Doval attended the 12th International Meeting of High Ranking Officials Responsible for Security Matters, hosted by Russia from April 22-25, 2024, gathering senior officials from 106 countries to discuss global security challenges, underscored by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s emphasis on combatting international terrorism

Notes:
Every April 26th marks the International Chernobyl Disaster Remembrance Day, honoring the victims of the catastrophic event. On April 26, 1986, the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant explosion in Ukraine released a massive radioactive cloud, exposing around 8.4 million people to harmful radiation. The day serves to raise awareness of the disaster’s consequences and the ongoing impact on affected communities worldwide.