Current Affairs Quiz - April, 2024

Notes:
Tulsi (Shabari) waterfall in Chitrakoot welcomes the first glass skywalk bridge in Uttar Pradesh, resembling Lord Rama’s bow and arrow, costing Rs 3.70 crore. Constructed in the Kodand forest area by the Forest and Tourism Department and Pawan Sut Construction Company, it’s part of a plan to develop the site into a premier eco-tourism destination. With a load capacity of 500 kg/sqm, the bridge offers panoramic views of the waterfall.

Notes:
The IMF raised India’s GDP growth projection for FY 2024-25 to 6.8%, up 30 basis points from its previous forecast. India’s growth is anticipated to stay strong due to robust domestic demand and a growing working-age population. Globally, growth is projected to continue at 3.2% for FY 2024-25 and FY 2025-26. India retains its status as the world’s fastest-growing economy, outpacing China’s growth projection of 4.6% in the same period.

Notes:
Bengaluru hosts the inaugural international workshop on ‘Emerging Technologies & Challenges for Exoskeleton’ organized by DRDO. Inaugurated by Dr. Samir V Kamat, Secretary of Department of Defence R&D, the event underscores exoskeleton technology’s significance in military and civilian realms. Lt. Gen. JP Mathew highlights its history, challenges, and dual-use potential. Talks by experts from ETH Zurich and Northwestern University delve into technical aspects. Dr. UK Singh emphasizes collaborative efforts to address challenges in developing future exoskeleton technologies.

Notes:
Tiranga Barfi of Varanasi linked with India’s independence, attained Geographical Indication (GI) status. Dhalua Murti Metal Casting Craft from Varanasi also received GI recognition. The GI Registry Office in Chennai listed 75 new products from Uttar Pradesh, including these. Varanasi now boasts 34 GI products, contributing to Uttar Pradesh’s total of 75. Other items like Bareilly Zardozi and Tharu Embroidery also gained GI registration, bringing the state’s total to 75, a record.

Notes:
Israel reportedly utilized GPS spoofing to disrupt Iran’s missile targeting by interfering with GPS navigation signals. This cyberattack involves broadcasting false GPS signals, misleading receivers into providing inaccurate location data. GPS spoofing exploits weaknesses in satellite signals, posing significant threats to navigation and various industries like logistics, telecommunications, and defense. Unlike jamming, spoofing is more sophisticated and potentially catastrophic, highlighting the critical importance of safeguarding GPS systems.

Notes:
The World Health Organization (WHO) introduces the term ‘Infectious Respiratory Particles’ (IRPs) to describe pathogens transmitted through the air, addressing a lack of common terminology during the COVID-19 pandemic. IRPs encompass particles expelled through breathing, talking, coughing, or sneezing. They exist across a spectrum of sizes, with two descriptors: Airborne transmission (inhalation) and Direct deposition (exposure to expelled particles). This clarifies communication and aids efforts to combat pathogen transmission.

Notes:
Discovered in Gujarat, a fossil vertebrae confirms ‘Vasuki Indicus’ as the largest snake ever, estimated at 11-15 meters and 1 tonne. Likely an ambush predator in marshy swamps, it lived during a period of high global temperatures. Comparable to Titanoboa, a Colombian snake measuring 43 feet long and weighing over a tonne, Vasuki Indicus sheds light on prehistoric serpents’ immense size and ecological roles.

Notes:
According to a 2024 report from the New Lancet Commission, breast cancer is projected to cause one million deaths a year by 2040, an increase of more than 50% from 2020. The report states that, from 2020 to 2020, 7.8 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 685,000 of those women died from the disease that same year. The report also predicts that global breast cancer diagnoses will exceed three million annually by 2040.

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:
A musical dance program titled “Tagore on the Padma Boat” took place at Rabindra Kuthibari, Kushtia, Bangladesh. Directed by UK-based Tagore scholar Dr. Anand Gupta, the event featured performances by Bangladesh-trained artists in Rabindra Sangeet and Dance, many of whom are Vishwa Bharati alumni. Organized by the Indira Gandhi Cultural Centre, Dhaka, in collaboration with the Department of Archaeology, Bangladesh, it commemorated Rabindranath Tagore’s legacy on the Padma River.