Current Affairs 16th April 2024
Welcome to your one-stop shop for staying informed on what’s happening around the globe! Today, on Current Affairs 16th April 2024, we’ll delve into the latest news and developments shaping our world.
NATIONAL AFFAIRS
1) India lost 2.33 million hectares of tree cover since 2000: Global Forest Watch
According to the Global Forest Watch (GFW) monitoring project statistics, India has lost 2.33 million hectares (Mha) of tree cover since 2000, representing a 6% decline in tree cover from 2001 to 2023.
Key Findings:
- According to the statistics, India lost 4,14,000 hectares (414 thousand hectares (Kha)) of humid primary forest (4.1%) between 2001 and 2023, accounting for 18% of overall tree cover loss during the same time period.
- Assam saw the greatest loss of tree cover at 3,24,000 hectares (324kha) compared to the national average of 66.6kha, followed by Mizoram (312kha), Arunachal Pradesh (262kha), Nagaland (259kha), and Manipur (240kha).
- Arunachal Pradesh has the greatest tree cover at 6.11 million hectares (Mha) compared to an average of 957 kha, followed by Assam (2.57 Mha), Chhattisgarh (2.28 Mha), Kerala (2.28 Mha), and Odisha (1.92 Mha).
About Global Forest Watch:
Global Forest Watch is a World Resources Institute (WRI) program that was started in 2014 in collaboration with Google, USAID, and other partners.
Click here to read from source
2) MoA&FW Introduced ‘CDP-SURAKSHA’, a Digital Platform to Disburse Subsidies to Horticulture Farmers
The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW) launched a digital platform named CDP-SURAKSHA (Cluster Development Programme – System for Unified Resource Allocation, Knowledge, and Secure Horticulture Assistance) to distribute CDP subsidies to horticulture farmers.
CDP, created by the MoA&FW, is a key sector initiative of the National Horticulture Board (NHB) that intends to reform farm markets and boost the horticulture industry.
About CDP-SURAKSHA:
The CDP-SURAKSHA would enable farmers to get subsidies in their bank accounts immediately by using an e-RUPI (electronic rupee/e-Rupee) voucher issued by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI).
Features:
Database integration with PM-KISAN (Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi), cloud-based server space from the National Informatics Centre, validation by UIDAI (Unique Identification Authority of India), eRUPI integration, local government directory (LGD), content management system, geotagging, and geofencing.
Working:
- The portal provides access to farmers, suppliers, implementing agencies (IA), cluster development agencies (CDAs), and NHB authorities.
- Farmers can order planting supplies such as seeds, seedlings, and plants based on their requirements and pay their proportionate share of the cost. The subsidy amount paid by the government will display on the screen, and an e-voucher will be produced.
- The seller will get the voucher and distribute the necessary materials to the farmers.
Note:
- An e-RUPI voucher is a one-time payment mechanism that may be redeemed at retailers who accept e-RUPI without the need of a card, digital payments app, or internet banking.
- Organisations or the government can share the e-RUPI with beneficiaries for a specific purpose or activity via SMS or QR code.
Click here to read from source
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
3) India Among 12 Nations Responsible for 60% of world’s mismanaged plastic waste: EA Report
According to the EA Earth Action’s 2024 study titled “Plastic Overshoot Day- September 5, 2024,” India is one of the top 12 nations responsible for around 60% of the world’s unmanaged plastic garbage.
The 12 nations are: China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam, Iran, Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, the United States of America (USA), and Turkey.
- India has one of the lowest per capita plastic garbage generation rates in the world, at 8 kilogram per year.
- Plastic Overshoot Day occurs when plastic garbage exceeds waste handling capacity, resulting in environmental contamination.
Plastic Overshoot Day is expected to be celebrated internationally on September 5th, 2024. India’s Plastic Overshoot Day is scheduled on April 23rd, 2024.
About EA Earth Action:
EA Earth Action is a non-profit organization that does environmental research, consults, and develops solutions.
- Co-CEOs– Julien Boucher and Sarah Perreard
- Headquarters– Lausanne, Switzerland
- Established in 2013
Click here to read from source
BANKING & FINANCE
4) Indian Fintech Startup Funding surges 59% in Q1CY2024: Tracxn report
- According to Tracxn Geo Quarterly Report from market intelligence platform Tracxn, in first quarter (Q1) of Calendar Year (CY) 2024 (Q1CY2024), Indian fintech startups raised USD 550.8 million across 33 agreements, showing a 59% rise over Q4 2023’s USD 346.7 million raised in 53 deals.
- Despite this spike, financing fell on a year-on-year (Y-o-Y) basis by 57% compared to Q12023’s USD 1.3 billion.
- India ranks 3rd internationally in fintech financing, after the United States (US) and China.
- Bengaluru, Karnataka topped the fintech financing in Q1 2024, followed by Mumbai, Maharashtra and Hyderabad, Telangana highlighting their prominence as fintech centers.
About Tracxn:
- Chairperson and Managing Director– Neha Singh
- Headquarters– Bengaluru, Karnataka
Click here to read from source
5) PayU partners with PayPal to enhance cross border payments for Indian merchants
PayU, a major online payment system, has announced its cooperation with PayPal, an American global fintech firm. The strategic alliance intends to enhance the cross border payment experience for Indian merchants.
- PayU will utilize PayPal ISU2.0 API(Application Programming Interface) to enable clients access to more customized , safe and inclusive payment experience.
- It will give a more efficient merchant onboarding process which is directly integrated with PayU dashboard. It will also enable Indian merchants to create PayPal accounts with an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven strategy that decreases drop-offs and allows for real-time activation.
- At checkout, consumers will be offered a variety of payment alternatives, including PayPal, PayPal Pay Later, and several local Alternative Payment alternatives (APMs).
About PayPal:
- Chairman: John J. Donahoe
- Headquarters: California, United States of America(U.S.A.)
- Established: 1998
Click here to read from source
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
6) CNS R. Hari Kumar presented Gallantry, Distinguished Service Awards to Naval personnel
On April 14, 2024, Admiral Radhakrishnan Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), presided over a Naval Investiture Ceremony at INS Hansa (Indian navy’s air station), Goa, bestowing Gallantry and Distinguished Service medals to Naval personnel on behalf of President of India Droupadi Murmu.
Key Points:
- 35 soldiers won honors for courage, leadership, professional accomplishments, and exceptional service.
- Notable awardees included Commander (Cdr) Manish Singh Karki, Cdr Kaustab Banerjee, Lieutenant (Lt) Cdr Panneerselvam Vishnu Prasanna, and Lt Cdr Bhaskar, who received Nao Sena Medals (Gallantry).
- The CNS Trophy for Best Green Practices 2023 was presented to Naval Dockyard in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and the INS (Indian Naval Ship) Valsura.
- Various Naval units, including INS Teg, INS Kolkata, INS Karmuk, INS Sumedha, INS Sumitra, and INS Sharda, submarine INS Sindhukesari, aircraft squadron INAS 550, and shore facilities Chilka, Circars, Eksila, Dronacharya, and Naval Ship Repair Yard (Karwar), received Unit Citations.
- The CNS also awarded the Lt VK Jain Memorial Gold Medal 2024 to Shubham Hira for pioneering research in weapon enhancement and electrical engineering, as well as the Capt Ravi Dhir Memorial Gold Medal 2024 to Tabsheer Ahmed Wani for improving aviation safety.
Click here to read from source
APPOINTMENTS & RESIGNATIONS
7) IMF Reappoints Kristalina Georgieva as MD of IMF for 2nd Term
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Executive Board reappointed Bulgarian economist Kristalina Georgieva as Managing Director (MD) of the IMF for a second five-year term beginning on October 1, 2024.
She has been serving as the IMF’s 12th MD since 2019. Her current term will expire on September 30, 2024.
About Kristalina Georgieva:
- Kristalina Georgieva was an Assistant Professor at the University of National and World Economy (UNWE) from 1977 until 1993.She worked as an environmental economist for the World Bank (WB) beginning in 1993.
- She was the Vice-President of the European Commission from November 2014 to December 2016.
- She also held the positions of Vice-President for Budget and Human Resources and Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid, and Crisis Response at the European Commission.
- She was the World Bank’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) from January 2017 till September 2019. She also served as WB’s interim president from February to April 2019.
- In September 2019, she was selected as the IMF’s MD, becoming the second woman to lead the IMF following Christine Lagarde, who served as MD from 2011 to 2019.
Awards:
- In 2010, the European Voice awarded her “European of the Year” and “Commissioner of the Year” for her role in the EU’s humanitarian response to disasters.
- In 2020, she earned the Atlantic Council’s Distinguished International Leadership Award for her outstanding efforts in public service.
About International Monetary Fund(IMF):
- Managing Director- Kristalina Georgieva
- Headquarters: Washington D.C., the United States of America (USA)
- Established in 1944, formed after the Bretton Woods Conference held in 1944 in USA
- Member nations- 190
Click here to read from source
ACQUISITIONS & MERGERS
8) Larsen & Toubro Concludes Divestment of its Entire Stake 51% in L&T IDPL
On April 11, 2024, Larsen & Toubro (L&T) announced the completion of the divestiture of L&T Infrastructure Development Projects Limited (L&T IDPL), a joint venture between Larsen & Toubro Limited and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), with 51% and 49% shares, respectively.
Epic Concesiones Private Limited, an investee firm of Edelweiss Infrastructure Yield Plus Strategy managed by Edelweiss Alternative Asset Advisors Limited (EAAA), purchased holdings in L&T and CPP investments.
This is consistent with L&T’s strategy of exiting non-core companies in order to reduce its exposure to the asset-heavy development project portfolio and increase its Return on Equity.
This deal represents a critical milestone in the implementation of our strategic Lakshya 2026 plan.
In India, L&T IDPL has been in the forefront of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) paradigm for infrastructure development.
Larsen & Toubro is an Indian multinational that specializes in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) projects, high-tech manufacturing, and services.
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
9) DRDO & Indian Army Successfully Conducted Flight Trials of MPATGM Weapon System (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
On April 13, 2024, the Indian Army and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully completed warhead flight testing of the Man Portable Anti-tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Weapon System at the Pokhran Field Firing Range (PFFR) in Jaisalmer district, Rajasthan.
The system is now ready for final user evaluations before to induction into the Indian Army.
About MPATGM Weapon system:
- The MPATGM weapon system consists of an MPATGM, a launcher, a Target Acquisition System (TAS), and a Fire Control Unit (FCU).
- DRDO created and developed MPATGM in-house in collaboration with VEM Technologies Private Limited of Hyderabad, Telangana.
Points to note:
- The fire experiments were done to achieve compliance with the whole operating envelope as defined in the General Staff Qualitative Requirements (Infantry, Indian Army).
- MPATGM’s Tandem Warhead System penetration experiments were likewise successful.
Features:
- The missile is approximately 1.3 meters (m) long and has a diameter of around 0.12 meters.
- It has a striking range of 2.5 kilometers and weighs around 14.5 kg.
- MPATGM is outfitted with a sophisticated Infrared Imaging Seeker and advanced avionics.
- It is scheduled to be produced by Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL) at Bhanoor, Telangana.
About Defence Research and Development Organisation(DRDO):
It is the MoD’s Research and Development (R&D) wing.
- Chairman- Dr. Samir Vankatpati Kamat
- Headquarters- New Delhi, Delhi
- Established in 1958
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
SPORTS
10) 2024 Badminton Asia Championships: Christie and Wang Won men’s and women’s singles Titles, Respectively (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
At the Badminton Asia Championships 2024 in Ningbo, China, Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie won the men’s singles championship, while Wang Zhi Yi of China won the women’s singles title.
About the Winners :
- Indonesian player Jonatan Christie won the gold medal in men’s singles, beating Chinese shuttler Li Shi Feng.Christie has won two men’s singles titles in a row. In March 2024, he won his first All England Open Badminton Championships 2024 (United Kingdom) championship over fellow Indonesian Anthony Ginting.
- World No. 9 Chinese player Wang Zhi Yi won the continental women’s singles title by beating Olympic champion and compatriot Chen Yu Fei. This is Wang’s second championship of the year and her first triumph against Yu Fei. Zhi Yi also won the Indonesia Masters Super 500 2024 (Indonesia) championship in January 2024.
China finished as the most successful country at the Badminton Asia Championships 2024, winning three gold and two silver medals.
List of the Winners at the Badminton Asia Championships 2024:
|
Championship |
Winner | Runner |
|
Men’s Singles |
Jonatan Christie (Indonesia) | Li Shi Feng (China) |
|
Women’s Singles |
Wang Zhi Yi (China) |
Chen Yu Fei (China) |
|
Men’s Doubles |
Liang Wei Keng and Wang Chang (China) |
Goh Sze Fei |
|
Women’s Doubles |
Baek Ha-na and Lee So hee (South Korea) |
Zhang Shu Xian |
| Mixed Doubles | Feng Yan Zhe and Huang Dong Ping (China) |
Seo Seung-jae |
About Badminton Asia Championship:
The Badminton Asia Championships are an event hosted by the governing organization Badminton Asia to recognize the finest Asian badminton players.
Badminton Asia is the governing organization of badminton sport in Asia under the banner of the Badminton World Federation (BWF).
- The Chinese Badminton Association arranged the “Bank of Ningbo Badminton Asia Championships” with authorization from Badminton Asia.
- The competition began in 1962 and has been conducted yearly since 1991. The 41st edition of the Badminton Asia Championships took place in the Ningbo Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium in Ningbo, China, from April 9 to April 14, 2024.
Click here to read from source
11) Indian Athlete Aishwarya Mishra’s 400m Bronze at 2023 Asian Championships to be Upgraded to Silver (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
Aishwarya Mishra is poised to see her bronze medal from the women’s 400m sprint at the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand, upgraded to silver.
This comes after the original silver medalist, Farida Soliyeva of Uzbekistan, failed a doping test. Soliyeva’s positive test involved meldonium, a substance banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) since 2016.
Consequently, the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), the governing body for anti-doping in athletics, has levied a three-year ban on Soliyeva starting September 13, 2023, and has annulled all her results since July 13, 2023.
This disqualification paves the way for Mishra’s medal upgrade.
Haruna Kuboyama of Japan will win the bronze medal.
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
BOOKS & AUTHORS
12) Maker of Modern Goa: The Untold Story of Pratap Singh Rane authored by Vijayadevi Rane (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
A book titled “Maker of Goa: The Untold Story of Pratap Singh Rane” is the biography of Pratap Singh Rane, the former Chief Minister (CM) of the state of Goa (formerly UT-Goa, Daman, and Diu), penned by Vijayadevi Rane (Pratap’s wife) and published by Rupa publishing.
About Pratap Singh Rane:
- Pratap’s political career lasted over 50 years, and he holds the record for winning 11 consecutive elections as a Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA).
- He is also Goa’s longest-serving chief minister, having held the position six times.
- Rane was chosen as Goa’s first chief minister after the state was separated from Daman and Diu as a Union Territory.
- He founded Goa University in 1984 in Panaji, Goa.
Click here to read from source
13) Sam Pitroda launched a new book titled “The Idea of Democracy” (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
Satyanarayan Gangaram Pitroda, or Sam Pitroda, an Indian engineer and entrepreneur who received the Padma Bhushan award, virtually published his latest book, “The Idea of Democracy”. The book was published by Penguin Business, a division of Penguin Random House India.
The book expresses the author’s concerns regarding the condition of democracy and future obstacles in nations such as India and the United States of America (USA).
About Sam Pitroda:
- Sam Pitroda, from Odisha, served as the founding Chairman of India’s Telecom Commission and the first Chairman of the Worldtel Initiative of the International Telecommunication Union (1995).
- Pitroda established the Center For The Development Of Telematics (C-DOT) as an independent telecom R&D organization in 1984.
- He advised the Prime Minister (PM) on technology missions for water, literacy, immunization, oil seeds, telecom, and dairy. iv.In 2009, he was honored with the Padma Bhushan for Science and Engineering.
Click here to read from source
(Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
IMPORTANT DAYS
14) 40th Siachen Day – 13 April 2024 (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
Every year on April 13, the Indian Army commemorates Operation Meghdoot, which they launched on the same day in 1984, by observing Siachen Day.The Day commemorates the courage and sacrifice of Indian Army personnel serving on the world’s highest and coldest battleground, the Siachen Glacier, which is part of the Union Territory (UT) Ladakh in the eastern Karakoram range of the Himalayas.
The Indian Army’s deployment in Siachen Glacier will observe its 40th anniversary on April 13, 2024.
Operation Meghdoot:
- In 1984, the Indian military launched Operation Meghdoot, thereby securing control of the entire Siachen Glacier in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) (now in the northern Ladakh region).
- It marked the first assault on the world’s highest battlefield, resulting in Indian troops gaining control of the entire Siachen Glacier.
- The escalation of Pakistan’s activities in Ladakh prompted India to take action to safeguard its interests. iv.The Indian Air Force (IAF) played a pivotal role in this operation.
The operation involved airlifting Indian Army soldiers, with IAF helicopters operating in the area.
Points to note:
Both India and Pakistan maintain a permanent military presence in the region at a height of over 6,000 meters (20,000 feet).
IAF helicopters has been operating in the Siachen Glacier since 1978, flying the Chetak helicopters, the 1st IAF helicopter to land in the Glacier in October 1978.
Operation Meghdoot:
- Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister, granted permission for Operation Meghdoot.
- On the heels of this authorization, Major R S Sandhu and Captain Sanjay Kulkarni of 4 Kumaon, along with one platoon, were deployed via helicopter near Bilafond La on 13 April 1984.
- Sia La was occupied by 17 April 1984, marking a significant milestone in the operation.
- Colonel Narendra Kumar(known as Bull), Indian soldier and mountaineer, played a major role in the launch of Operation Meghdoot to secure the Siachen Heights.
- The operation resulted in India gaining 70 kilometers long Siachen Glacier and all of its tributary glaciers, as well as 3 main passes of the Saltoro Ridge immediately west of the glacier, Sia La, Bilafond La, and Gyong La.
- Currently, the Indian Army remains the first and only army in the world to have taken tanks and other heavy ordnance up to an altitude range of over 5000 meters.
Click here to read from source
15) 105th Anniversary of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre – 13 April 2024 (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
13th April 2024 marks the 105th Anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre (also known as the Amritsar Massacre), held on 13 April 1919 in Amritsar, Punjab, British India (now in Punjab).
The Day aims to honour the victims of the massacre and this tragic event also served as a pivotal moment in India’s fight for independence.
About the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre:
- Amritsar erupted on Baisakhi as hundreds protested Rowlatt Act and leaders’ arrest at Jallianwala Bagh.
- Colonel Dyer dispatched 50 soldiers, sealing exits, then fired upon a peaceful unarmed gathering.
- Thus, in enforcing martial law, he ruthlessly fired upon the Amritsar crowd.
- In a 10-minute barrage, gunmen unleashed 1650 shots.
It killed an estimated 379 persons, including men, women, and children, and wounded over 1,000 more.
Rowlatt Act:
- Following Sedition Committee’s advice, British enacted Rowlatt Act in 1919 to curb political crimes. The Act was intended to control India’s growing nationalist movement.
- The Rowlatt Act, fiercely contested, empowered arrest and imprisonment of Indians for two years, bypassing trials.
About Jallianwala Bagh Memorial:
- Government of India built a national monument in 1951 at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar, to honor the massacre victims.
- The Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust manages the memorial.
Monuments and Structures:
- On April 13, 1961, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President, inaugurated the Flame of Liberty Memorial in the garden. It consists of a 30-foot-high central pylon situated in the midst of a shallow tank.
- American architect Benjamin Polk designed the red sandstone structure using 300 slabs featuring the Ashok Chakra.
- The monument also includes a Gallery, Museum, and monument Monuments that explain the historical background and impact of the atrocity.
Formation of the Hunters Commission:
- On October 14, 1919, the government of India constituted the Disorders Inquiry Committee, often known as the Hunter Commission.
- It was founded on directives issued by Edwin Montagu, Secretary of State for India.
- Lord William Hunter’s committee investigated the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.
- The Hunter Commission’s final report was issued in March 1920. The report unanimously criticized Dyer, but no punishment was imposed.
Click here to read from source
16) World Chagas Disease Day 2024 – April 14 (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
Every year, on April 14th, World Chagas Disease Day swings into action to raise awareness about Chagas Disease (also known as American trypanosomiasis). This neglected tropical disease (NTD) can wreak havoc, causing major cardiac and intestinal problems if left unchecked.
WCDD also seeks to promote early detection, extend diagnostic coverage, and ensure equal access to clinical care for Chagas disease.
The topic of WCDD 2024 is “Tackling Chagas Disease: Detect Early and Care for Life.”
Background:
- In 2019, the 72nd World Health Assembly proclaimed April 14 as World Chagas Disease Day.
- The inaugural World Chagas Disease Day was commemorated on April 14, 2020.
About World Health Organisation (WHO):
- Director General– Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
- Headquarters– Geneva, Switzerland
- Established on– 7 April 1948
Click here to read from source
17) National Fire Service Day 2024 – April 14 (Current Affairs 16th April 2024)
India honors fallen firefighters & educates on fire safety through Fire Service Week (April 14th-20th).
Fire Service Week remembers Bombay Dock blast victims (1944, Victoria Dock).
The topic of National Fire Service Day 2024/National Fire Service Week 2024 is
“Ensuring Fire Safety and Contributing to Nation Building.”
The dock explosion occurred on April 14, 2024, which is also the 80th anniversary.
Background:
In 1965, during its 11th meeting, the Standing Fire Advisory Council (SFAC) declared April 14th as National Fire Service Day and the week following the day as “National Fire Service Week to commemorate the 1944 Dock Explosion.”
About 1944 Bombay Dock explosion:
- A fatal explosion ripped through SS Fort Stikine docked at Bombay Port in 1944, scattering its deadly cargo.
- Approximately 231 persons were killed in the explosion, with an additional 476 wounded. This comprises around 66 firefighters.
Click here to read from source
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