Daily Current Affairs Quiz: April 26, 2023

Former Chief Minister of Punjab and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) veteran Parkash Singh Badal passed away at 95 at a private hospital in Mohali.
Parkash Singh Badal served as the Chief Minister of Punjab multiple times. He was the CM from 1970-1971, 1977-1980, 1997-2002, and 2007-2017. He was also the youngest Chief Minister to have ever held office in the state of Punjab.

Punjab CM: Bhagwant Mann
Punjab Governor: Banwarilal Purohit

Japan’s health ministry has approved the country’s first abortion pill, allowing women to seek safe abortions for the first time, following many discussions over controversial rules of consent.

Japan Capital: Tokyo
Japan Currency: Yen
Japan PM: Fumio Kishida

The West Stand at the Sharjah cricket stadium has been renamed after Indian former cricketer, Sachin Tendulkar in a special ceremony in the UAE, honouring the Indian cricket legend on his 50th birthday.
Sharjah Cricket Stadium holds the Guinness record for most One-Day internationals played (244).

The gate at the Sydney Cricket Ground was also named after Sachin Tendulkar on his 50th birthday.
CEO of Sharjah Stadium: Khalaf Bukhatir

Md. Sahabuddin takes oath as the 22nd President of Bangladesh – Veteran freedom fighter, jurist and politician Md. Sahabuddin was sworn in as the 22nd President of Bangladesh on 24 April 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

He was administered the oath of office by Parliament Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury in the presence of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, Cabinet members and other dignitaries.

Bangladesh PM: Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh Capital: Dhaka

Bangladesh Currency: Taka

India has launched a rescue operation named Operation Kaveri to evacuate its stranded citizens from Sudan.

Two C-130s aircraft and the navy ship INS Sumedha is on standby to evacuate Indians.
The name for rescue operations in Sudan has been kept Operation Kaveri for the same purpose that Prime Minister Modi chose to name rescue ops in Ukraine Operation Ganga.

Kaveri is one of the major Indian rivers flowing through Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Over 3000 participants from 38 countries – including NATO Allies and partners – participated in the 2023 edition of the annual exercise “Locked Shields,” hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn (Estonia).

“Locked Shields” is the world’s largest cyber defence exercise. It started on 18 April 2023 and involved protecting computer systems from real-time attacks and simulating tactical and strategic decisions in critical situations.

Below is the India Exercise name with Particular Nations:

Exercise Name     Participant Nations

Sampriti                    India & Bangladesh
Mitra Shakti             India & Sri Lanka
Maitree Exercise     India & Thailand
Vajra Prahar             India & US
Yudh Abhyas            India & US
Nomadic Elephant  India & Mongolia
Garuda Shakti          India & Indonesia
Shakti Exercise         India & France
Dharma Guardian   India & Japan
Surya Kiran              India & Nepal

Mongolia Ambassador to India Dambajav Ganbold has informed that the first oil refinery of Mongolia, which is built and funded with Indian assistance, will be completed by 2025.

The first stage of the Mongol Oil Refinery will be built with a $1.2 billion Indian soft loan.

The development has strategic implications as Mongolia depends entirely on Russia for its energy imports. It would help Mongolia meet 70% of its demand domestically.
Mongolia Capital: Ulaanbaatar
Mongolia Currency: Togrog
Mongolia PM: Ulsyn Yeronkhii

The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe will launch a gold-pegged digital currency and legalize them in the country.

It is believed that the government took this step to stabilise the local currency after its continuous devaluation compared to the U.S. dollar.

This initiative taken by Zimbabwe will allow the exchange of Zimbabwean dollars with digital gold tokens and secure Zimbabweans against currency volatility.

Zimbabwe Capital: Harare
Zimbabwe Currency: Zimbabwean Dollar
Zimbabwe President: Emmerson Mnangagwa

Union Minister for Labour & Employment and Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav, launched new features in eShram Portal.

The new features added to the eShram portal will enhance the utility of the portal and facilitate ease of registration for unorganised workers.

The eShram registered workers can now connect with Employment opportunities, Skilling, Apprenticeship, Pension Schemes, Digital Skilling and States schemes through the eShram portal.

The Union Minister also formally launched the Data Sharing Portal (DSP) for sharing of eShram data with the State/ UT Governments.
e-Shram portal:

The Ministry of Labor and Employment has developed an eSHRAM portal to create a national database of unorganised workers. It was launched in 2021.

This will allow workers to receive Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through e-Shramik Unique ID Number.

Magnaporthe oryzae’ is a fungus that causes a ‘wheat blast’. It is currently destroying wheat crops in South America, threatening its food security on a major scale.
Scientists have warned that the fungus Magnaporthe oryzae could spread worldwide. Cases of infection

have earlier been reported in Asia in 2016 and Africa in 2018.

Magnaporthe oryzae infects wild and cultivated grasses, most notably rice and wheat.
The pathogen affects the crop in a ‘wheat blast’ disease.

On Wednesday, the Public Enterprise Selection Board (PESB) selected Shantanu Roy for the position of Chairman & Managing Director at BEML Limited. Currently, Roy is working as Director (Mining & Construction Business), at BEML Limited.

Altogether three candidates were interviewed for the post. Other candidates were Anil Jerath, Director (Finance), BEML Limited and Sanjay Som, Executive Director, BEML Limited.

Subject to requisite clearances and ACC approval, Shantanu Roy will replace Amit Banerjee who is retiring on July 31, 2023.

On 24th April 2023, Uneecops Technologies Limited, a Delhi-based company specialising in green hydrogen and solar development, announced its plans to set up the First green hydrogen microgrid project in Leh Region (Ladakh).

This is a pioneering initiative that is expected to revolutionise sustainable energy solutions in the region and pave the way for similar projects in the future.

This microgrid will be a sustainable and cost-effective solution for the major hydro-power company’s guest house at the Power Station in Alchi, Leh.

The project also includes three years of operations and maintenance services to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted operation of the microgrid.

This aspect of the project highlights the company’s commitment to providing reliable and sustainable energy solutions to its customers.

The project is aligned with the country’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions and promoting renewable energy sources. As such, it represents a step towards sustainable development in the region.
About Uneecops Technologies Ltd.: MD – Piyush Jain Headquarters – NewDelhi.

On April 21, 2023, the two largest Private sector banks of India, HDFC Bank and Axis Bank signed the definitive agreements with insurance technology startup Go Digit-Life Insurance to pick up each a 9.94% equity stake of the insurance firm for payment of each Rs 69.90 crore, which will be made in two tranches.

Stake Acquisition – Two Tranche of Payment:

i.HDFC Bank: • It has made the first tranche of payment of Rs 10.93 crore towards the acquisition of a 9.94% equity stake.

• As per HDFC Bank’s definitive agreement, the remaining amount of Rs. 58.97 crores would be invested by the bank at its discretion in the second tranche post-completion of the Initial Subscription.

ii. Axis Bank: • It has also made its 1st tranche of payment of Rs 10.93 crore towards the acquisition.

• The transaction is expected to be completed by 3 to 6 months from the execution date.
About Axis Bank:
MD & CEO – Amitabh Chaudhry
Headquarters – Mumbai, Maharashtra.
Establishment – 1993
Tagline – Badhti Ka Naam Zindagi

On April 21, 2023, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Indian Navy (IN) successfully conducted a maiden flight trial of a sea-based endo-atmospheric Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) interceptor off the coast of Odisha in the Bay of Bengal.

• This has enhanced India’s deterrence capabilities against aerial intrusion.
Purpose: To engage and neutralize a hostile ballistic missile threat Key Points:

I . The missile is capable of taking down incoming ballistic missiles from the sea.

ii. Before this, DRDO has successfully demonstrated land-based BMD systems with the capability to neutralize ballistic missile threats, emerging from adversaries.

iii. With these developments, India has joined the elite club of Nations having Naval BMD capability. About Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO): Chairman– Dr Samir V Kamat Headquarters– New Delhi, Delhi

United Nations(UN) English Language Day is annually observed across the globe on 23rd April to promote the English language and to celebrate the history, culture and achievements associated with the English language.

The day, 23rd April, also marks the birth and death anniversary of English playwright, poet and actor, William Shakespeare.
Background:

i.In 2010, the United Nations Department of Global Communications observed the first-ever UN English Language Day, as a part of its initiative to establish language days to promote and celebrate all 6 official languages – Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish – of the UN.

ii. The UN’s language days are annually observed to celebrate multilingualism and cultural diversity.
Language Days of UN: • French – 20 March • Chinese – 20 April • English – 23 April • Spanish – 23 April

World Book and Copyright Day are annually observed across the globe on 23rd April to honour the role of books and reading and to promote a reading culture worldwide, particularly among young people.

The theme of World Book and Copyright Day 2023 is “Indigenous Languages”, which is centred around the native languages of a particular country.

Background: During the 28th session of UNESCO’s General Conference held in Paris, France, from 25th October to 16th November 1995, UNESCO adopted a resolution proclaiming the 23rd of April of every year as World Book and Copyright Day.

• The resolution provided international recognition to a tradition started by the Official Book Chamber in Catalonia, Spain, which began celebrating the day in 1923.
The first-ever World Book and Copyright Day was observed on 23rd April 1996.