Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

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Released by the Interactive Entertainment and Innovation Council (IEIC) and WinZO, the report highlights India’s dominance in gaming. With 568 million users, India leads as the largest gaming market globally, projected to hit $6 billion by 2028. The industry’s growth is evident, with Indian gaming companies soaring from 25 in 2015 to over 1400 in 2023. MeitY oversees gaming regulations, facilitating 100% FDI and initiatives like the Draft National AVGC Policy and National AVGC Centre of Excellence.

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Romania and Bulgaria have partially joined the Schengen Area, marking a significant step in their integration with the European Union. After years of negotiations, air and sea travelers from both countries now have ID-check-free access. However, land border checks persist, notably due to Austria’s concerns over illegal migration. The Schengen Area, established in 1985, encompasses 23 EU states plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Prior to this expansion, around 3.5 million people crossed internal borders daily.

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Indian and Nepalese Sanskrit scholars unite to enhance Sanskrit research and education. The three-day Nepal-India International Sanskrit Conclave in Kathmandu, organized by Niti Anusandhan Pratisthan, Nepal, along with Delhi’s Central Sanskrit University and India Foundation, saw over 120 experts participating. A five-point resolution includes annual conferences, a study center for unpublished Sanskrit manuscripts, support for gurukuls’ development, joint research, and training programs. The initiative aims to strengthen cultural ties and preserve Sanskrit heritage.

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The International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic (INTERACT) is a EU-funded project granting researchers access to Arctic research stations across Europe, Russia, and North America. It facilitates work in remote areas, fostering cross-fertilization and enabling comparative measurements. Researchers contribute to new research directions while accessing otherwise inaccessible regions.

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Researchers have found evidence of ozone on Jupiter’s moon Callisto, revealing insights into chemical processes on icy celestial bodies. The study focuses on the chemical evolution of “SO2 astrochemical ice,” composed of sulfur dioxide under ultraviolet irradiation. Analysis of UV absorption spectra of irradiated ice samples unveiled a distinct ozone formation signature. Callisto’s stable surface suggests it may harbor subsurface oceans or potential habitats, making it a potential candidate for extraterrestrial life.

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Uttar Pradesh leads India with the most Geographical Indication (GI) certified products, now totaling 69 after the addition of 15 new items, surpassing Tamil Nadu’s 58. Sanjhi art, originating in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh in the 16th century, is renowned for intricate designs and spiritual significance. Associated with the mother goddess Sanjhi, the craft involves mud images crafted into cosmic forms. It originated around Krishna temples and is now practiced nationwide.

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Recently, a destructive tornado hit Mainaguri, Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal, leaving five dead and over a hundred injured within its 10-minute rampage. Tornadoes, though rare, afflict India’s eastern regions like West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand, especially pre-monsoon. A 2016 study by India Meteorological Department noted increased tornado activity in Bengal, with fatalities. Rising occurrences in India are attributed to factors like warming Bay of Bengal and unusual wind patterns.

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Political outfits and leaders honored the 104th anniversary of the Perungamanallur massacre in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. On April 3, 1920, 16 Piramalai Kallar community members were killed, protesting the oppressive Criminal Tribes Act of 1911. The massacre symbolizes resistance against colonialism. Britishers used the Act for fingerprinting and population control. Eventually repealed after Independence, the Act underwent amendments over the years, marking progress in mitigating its draconian measures.

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Venomous Pelagia noctilucas, or purple-striped jellyfish, are blooming along Visakhapatnam’s coast in Andhra Pradesh. Jellyfish blooms occur when populations rapidly increase due to warm ocean temperatures. These blooms detrimentally impact fishing and tourism industries. Natural factors like ocean and wind currents can also contribute to these occurrences.

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India aims to establish its inaugural privately managed Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) by 2029-30, allowing trading rights to the operator. As the world’s third-largest oil importer and consumer, India prioritizes stable petroleum supply. Presently, it has three operational SPRs with a combined capacity of 5.33 MMT. To bolster energy security, India plans two new facilities in Karnataka and Odisha, with private companies permitted to trade 100% of stored oil in a public-private partnership model, enhancing SPR capacity and financing.