Current Affairs Quiz - April 2026

Notes:
Union Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya attended the 75th anniversary of the National Rifle Association of India. He launched a nationwide grassroots programme to introduce 7.5 lakh school and college students to shooting. The programme is based on a “10-shot experience” to promote early exposure to the sport. It aims to prepare young talent for the 2028 Summer Olympics. The initiative will be implemented with institutions like Central Board of Secondary Education and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan. A digital platform called NRAI Athlete App was launched for athlete registration, certification, and performance tracking.

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Scientists recorded a rare orchid species named Eulophia picta for the first time in central Andhra Pradesh. It is a medium-to-small, hot-growing terrestrial orchid commonly called the Nodding Swamp Orchid. It is distributed from India to Southeast Asia and Australia, occurring in moist grasslands, sandy coastal areas, and rainforests. It also grows in semi-deciduous and dry lowland forests up to about 1000 m elevation.

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Notorious drug trafficker Mohammad Salim Dola was brought to India from Istanbul under Operation Global-Hunt. Operation Global-Hunt is related to drug trafficking and international law enforcement. It is a specialized operation conducted by India’s Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in coordination with international and Indian intelligence agencies to track down, detain, and repatriate fugitives involved in major drug trafficking syndicates.

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The First Conference on Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels hosted by Colombia and Netherlands in Santa Marta. It was announced in 2025 during COP30 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The conference serves as a political platform to promote implementation-driven action for phasing out fossil fuels. It aims to support an orderly global energy transition toward clean energy.

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Pompeii is a preserved Roman city near Naples, Italy, at the base of Mount Vesuvius. It was founded around the 6th century BCE by the Samnites and later became part of the Roman Empire. The city was destroyed and buried in 79 CE due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. The eruption preserved the city under ash, providing a unique snapshot of Roman life. Pompeii was rediscovered in 1748, revealing buildings, artifacts, and human remains. It offers one of the most complete archaeological records of an ancient city. It is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Recently, AI has helped reconstruct the face and final moments of a victim of the eruption.

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Scientists have reported that light pollution is threatening the dark skies of the Atacama Desert, one of the best locations for astronomy. The desert is known for its extremely clear atmosphere and minimal artificial light, making it ideal for observatories. The Atacama Desert is the driest desert in the world, located in northern Chile. It lies between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The region receives extremely low rainfall, with some areas recording no rain. It is known for its clear, dark skies, making it ideal for astronomical observations. Recent concerns highlight that light pollution is threatening its pristine night skies.

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Finland has launched Europe’s first fully integrated lithium project near Kokkola. The project is known as the Keliber Project, covering mining, processing, and refining of lithium. It aims to produce 15,000 tonnes of battery-grade lithium annually, meeting about 10% of Europe’s demand. Lithium is a strategic resource essential for electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy storage. The project is backed by Sibanye-Stillwater and Finnish Minerals Group.

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The Government of Maharashtra launched the Artificial Intelligence Policy 2026 to boost investment, innovation, and employment. The policy aims to attract ₹10,000 crore investment and create over 1.5 lakh jobs. It includes the establishment of 6 AI Centres of Excellence and 5 AI Innovation Cities. The cabinet meeting was chaired by Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai.

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Bengaluru Police introduced an AI-powered multilingual feature in the Namma 112 emergency helpline. It makes Bengaluru the first police unit in India to deploy such a system. The system supports more than 10 Indian and foreign languages, including Bengali, Malayalam, French, Spanish, and Arabic. It uses Voice AI for Nationwide Key Interventions (VANKI) for real-time multilingual communication. The initiative removes language barriers during emergency calls.

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NITI Aayog released the report “Moving Towards Effective City Government: A Framework for Million-Plus Cities.” India has 47 million-plus cities that house nearly one-third of the urban population and contribute about 60% of GDP. The report highlights challenges such as infrastructure deficits, poor service delivery, housing shortages, mobility issues, and environmental concerns. It notes that city governments have limited control over functions under the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act.