Daily Current Affairs Quiz: April 10, 2024

Notes:
Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) launched TSAT-1A, an optical sub-metre-resolution Earth observation satellite, with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Built in collaboration with Satellogic Inc., it offers military-grade imagery capabilities and multispectral/hyperspectral imaging. Deployed for Indian defense, it enhances preparedness and strategic decision-making. Assembled in Karnataka, it marks the private sector’s first foray into military satellite development, complementing India’s existing ISRO-built spy satellites.

Notes:
Zimbabwe’s ZiG, a new gold-backed currency, saw a 0.2% strengthening to 13.53 per US dollar following its debut. Despite this, its introduction caused nationwide disruption as banks, retailers, and utilities struggled to adapt. Governor John Mushayavanhu announced an exchange rate of 13.56 per dollar during the unveiling last Friday. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe’s website published this data, highlighting the country’s ongoing efforts to establish a stable local currency.

Notes:
The Directorate General of Trade Remedies (DGTR) has recommended a five-year anti-dumping duty on sodium cyanide (NaCN) imported from China, the EU, Japan, and Korea. The investigation, conducted under the Customs Tariff Act and Rules, cited suppressed prices, production declines, and financial losses for domestic industry. Economic non-viability has led to production suspension despite capacity expansion. Sodium cyanide, used in various applications including insecticides and metal extraction, appears as a white crystalline solid with the chemical formula NaCN.

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:
India has invoked the WTO’s Peace Clause for the fifth time, citing breach of rice subsidy limits. The clause shields developing nations from dispute challenges regarding subsidy breaches. Global trade norms dictate subsidies should not exceed 10% of production value based on a 1986-88 reference price. India seeks amendments to this formula and proposed the Peace Clause in 2013 as an interim measure until a permanent solution is negotiated.