Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
The Decision Support System (DSS) for Delhi’s air pollution, developed by IITM Pune, will resume in September with new features. It forecasts Delhi’s air quality and pollution sources, including emissions from Delhi and neighboring districts. It also assesses the impact of emission interventions and biomass burning. Now, it will extend to eight surrounding NCR districts. DSS, operational in winter, halted temporarily due to forecast discrepancies. It collaborates with SAFAR for comprehensive air quality data.

Notes:
Traditional products from Tripura, Matabari Pera Prasad and Rignai Pachara textiles, have recently earned Geographical Indication (GI) tags, bringing the state’s total to 4 GI protected products. Matabari Pera Prasad, a sweet from Tripureswari temple, is made from milk and sugar. Rignai Pachara textiles, traditional hand-woven attire, symbolize Tripura’s cultural heritage. These products’ GI recognition highlights their significance and authenticity, attracting global attention and marketing opportunities.

Notes:
Judith Suminwa Tuluka became the Democratic Republic of Congo’s first female Prime Minister, succeeding Jean-Michel Sama Lukonde. This historic appointment by President Felix Tshisekedi fulfilled a campaign promise. Tuluka, former Planning Minister, and assumed office just a month after Lukonde resigned from the position, which he held for three years. Her appointment marks a significant step towards gender equality and representation in Congolese politics.

Notes:
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) plans to establish the Digital India Trust Agency (DIGITA) to counter cybercrime, focusing on legal app approval and curbing illegal loan apps. DIGITA aims to centralize verification of digital lending apps, ensuring compliance with RBI regulations. Unverified apps may face penalties and law enforcement action. Maintaining a public list of approved apps, DIGITA enhances consumer protection and aids in combating financial crimes in the digital lending sector.

Notes:
Natural gas is often termed a ‘bridge fuel’ aiding countries in transitioning from coal and oil to renewable energy. As society shifts towards cleaner energy, bridge fuels like natural gas aim to minimize environmental impact. Debates center on the duration and source of this transition. While natural gas emits less greenhouse gases, its role as a bridge fuel also hinges on factors like enhancing energy independence and reducing pollution costs.

Notes:
Mirabai Chanu, Tokyo Olympics medallist, secures her spot at the Paris Olympics, making history as the sole Indian weightlifter to qualify. At the IWF World Cup in Phuket, Thailand, the 29-year-old Olympic silver medalist finished third in Group B of women’s 49kg, earning 11th place overall. After a six-month injury lay-off, Chanu lifted a total of 184kg at the event, solidifying her berth for the 2024 Paris Games.

Notes:
Forest authorities in Andhra Pradesh’s Alluri Sitharama Raju district recently harvested water from an Indian laurel tree (Terminalia elliptica). Also known as Asna or Indian laurel, it grows mainly in dry and moist deciduous forests. Its wood is prized for furniture and musical instruments, while its leaves sustain silkworms for Tussah silk production. Medically, the bark treats diarrhea, yielding oxalic acid. Additionally, its bark and fruit are sources of pyrogallol and catechol for dye and leather tanning.

Notes:
Director General Rakesh Pal of the Indian Coast Guard opened the Indian Coast Guard Aquatic Centre in ICGS Mandapam near Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu, on April 6, 2024. During his 4-day tour across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Puducherry, he assessed operational readiness and infrastructure development. Interacting with officers, he emphasized a collective vision for safe seas. Established in 1977 under the Ministry of Defence, the Indian Coast Guard aimed to combat smuggling and protect marine resources, formally inaugurated in 1978 by Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

Notes:
Scientists have proposed a model elucidating Arrokoth’s ice core, a celestial body in the Kuiper Belt, named ‘sky’ in Powhatan language. Discovered in 2014 by Hubble, Arrokoth is the farthest explored object by humans, resembling a snowman. It’s believed to hold ancient gaseous ice. The Kuiper Belt, also known as Edgeworth-Kuiper belt, comprises icy bodies orbiting beyond Neptune, named after astronomer Gerard Kuiper who hypothesized its existence in the 1950s.

Notes:
India aims to halt urea imports by 2025 as local production surges with new fertilizer plants. Currently importing 30% of its 35 million tonnes annual requirement, the country saw urea production rise from 225.08 to 284.95 lakh tonnes between 2014-15 and 2022-23. The government’s strategy includes reviving closed plants and promoting alternative fertilizers like nano-liquid urea to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce reliance on imports from Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.