This is the current affairs of 21 & 22 April 2024. Here are questions and answers of daily current affairs for better preparation of competitive exams for government jobs.
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1. Scientists have discovered the remains of the longest species of snake found so far in the Kutch district of Gujarat.
a. Cobra Indicus
b. Russell’s Viper
c. Vasuki Indicus
d. Tiger Snake
Answer: c. Vasuki Indicus
– Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee discovered 27 fragments of the backbone of Vasuki Indicus snake in April 2024. It is known to be the longest snake ever found.
– This discovery was made in the Kutch district of Gujarat.
– The remains of the snake were found in the Panandhro lignite mine.
– The Panandhro lignite mine is a coal mine. Lignite is often referred to as brown coal.
How old is the species?
– This species likely lived in Kutch around 47 million years ago.
– According to The Hindu newspaper, this snake was related to the now-extinct Madtsoiidae snake family.
– These snakes existed at a time when the Earth looked quite different.
– At that time, Africa, India, and South America were a united landmass.
Why the name Vasuki Indicus?
– The name Vasuki is derived from the snake coiled around the neck of Lord Shiva, referred to as the King of Snakes.
– The word “Indicus” means “(of) India”.
How long was the snake?
– This snake could reach lengths of 10 to 15 meters (approximately 50 feet) or as large as a modern school bus.
– Its weight would have been around 1000 kilograms.
According to The Hindu newspaper, Vasuki Indicus had a broad and cylindrical body.
Initially thought to be a crocodile
– Scientists at IIT Roorkee found 27 large bone fragments in a coal mine in Kutch in 2005.
– Some bones were interconnected. Since then, these fossils have been considered the remains of a huge crocodile-like creature.
– However, after extensive research, scientists have revealed that it was actually one of the largest snakes ever found in the world.
Gujarat
Chief Minister – Bhupendra Bhai Patel
Capital – Gandhinagar
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2. When is World Earth Day celebrated?
a. 24 April
b. 23 April
c. 22 April
d. 21 April
Answer: c. 22 April
Theme of the year 2024:
– Planet vs. Plastics
– This theme highlights the dangers of plastic to our planet (Earth) and human health. It calls for a 60% reduction in plastic production by the year 2040, aiming to eliminate all plastic waste.
– This day is celebrated to raise awareness among millions of people about environmental challenges related to our planet, such as climate change, global warming, pollution, and biodiversity conservation.
– World Earth Day is celebrated globally by 192 countries.
– In the 1960s and 1970s, witnessing rampant deforestation and logging, Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson announced its celebration at a conference in Seattle, Washington, in September 1969.
– Subsequently, in 1972, the United Nations recognized it as an international day.
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3. Who was appointed as the Director General of anti-terrorist force NSG (National Security Guard) by the Central Government?
a. Deepak Rathore
b. Anjali Mehta
c. Nalin Prabhat
d. Daljeet Chaudhary
Answer: c. Nalin Prabhat
– Nalin Prabhat is an IPS officer of the 1992 batch from the Andhra Pradesh cadre.
– The Cabinet Appointments Committee of the Central Government approved Nalin Prabhat’s appointment.
– He will assume charge on April 22, 2024.
– He will remain in the position of DG of the NSG until August 31, 2028.
NSG
– The National Security Guard (NSG), also known as the Black Cats, was formed in 1984.
– NSG is a specialized force created for counter-terrorism and anti-hijacking operations.
– NSG played a crucial role during the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
– Chief of the Sashastra Seema Bal, Daljit Singh Chaudhary, was also overseeing additional responsibilities as the Chief of NSG.
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4. In the Lok Sabha elections 2024, six districts of which state had zero voting percentage?
a. Manipur
b. Nagaland
c. Sikkim
d. Assam
Answer: b. Nagaland
– On April 19, 2024, voting took place for 102 seats in the first phase of the Lok Sabha across 21 states and union territories.
– During this time, voting in 6 districts of Nagaland remained at zero percent as people did not turn up to vote, including local legislators.
– In 2019, voter turnout in Nagaland was 83.08%.
Why didn’t people go to vote?
– In fact, due to a demand for a separate state, the apex body of tribal organizations in the region, the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO), announced a shutdown and urged people to stay away from the electoral process.
– Hence, people there did not come out to vote.
– Consequently, the voting percentage remained zero there.
Note: – ENPO has been demanding a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland Territory’ (FNT) since 2010.
When was the shutdown announced?
– ENPO announced an indefinite shutdown in these six districts from 6 p.m. on April 18.
– However, ENPO lifted its complete shutdown on April 20, 2024, expressing regret for the inconvenience caused.
– According to Hindu newspaper, ENPO President R. Tsapikie Sangtam stated that the public notice announcing the shutdown was to mitigate potential disturbances by antisocial elements.
What did ENPO say to the government?
– ENPO alleges that successive governments have not facilitated social and economic development in this region.
– The state government has already proposed a separate entity to ensure adequate economic packages for this region, equal to other parts of the state.
Eastern Nagaland’s Six Districts
– Kiphire
– Longleng
– Mon
– Noklak
– Shamator
– Tuensang
Total voters in these six districts
– Out of the total 13.25 lakh voters in Nagaland, there are approximately 4,00,632 voters in the six districts of eastern Nagaland.
– 738 polling centers were set up in these areas, including 20 assembly constituencies.
– Even 20 legislators from these areas did not vote.
– Nagaland has only one Lok Sabha seat.
Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization (ENPO)
– ENPO is a significant organization in eastern Nagaland, comprising 7 regional tribal groups.
– The full name of this organization is Eastern Nagaland People’s Organization.
Nagaland
– Chief Minister: Neiphiu Rio
– Capital: Kohima
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5. Name the new Prime Minister of Kuwait?
a. Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
b. Ahmad Nawaf Al-Ahmad
c. Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
d. Munira Bint Abdullah Al-Mutairi
Answer: a. Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
– The Amir of Kuwait appointed ‘Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah’ as the new Prime Minister.
– This decision was taken on April 7, 2024, following the resignation of the former Prime Minister (Sheikh Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah).
Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah:
– He is an economist from Kuwait.
– He has served as the Minister of Finance and Communications from 1999 to 2005.
– Additionally, he has also served as the Minister of Health, Oil, and Information from 2006 to 2011.
About Kuwait:
– Amir: ‘Mishaal Al Ahmad Al Sabah’
– Prime Minister: Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah
– Capital: Kuwait City
– Currency: Kuwaiti Dinar
– Population: Approximately 4.2 million
– Neighboring countries: Iraq, Saudi Arabia (shares a maritime border with Iran)
– Sea: Persian Gulf
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6. Who became the first wicketkeeper to score the most runs in the Indian Premier League (IPL)?
a. Dinesh Karthik
b. Rishabh Pant
c. Quinton de Kock
d. M.S. Dhoni
Answer: d. M.S. Dhoni (Mahendra Singh Dhoni)
– He is a right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper.
– On April 19, 2024, MS Dhoni set this record against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
– In this match, he scored 28 runs off 8 balls.
– Before the start of IPL 2024, on March 22, 2024, Dhoni handed over the captaincy of CSK to Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Top 5 wicketkeepers:
Wicketkeeper – Runs – Matches – Team
1. MS Dhoni – 5051 – 251 – CSK
2. Dinesh Karthik – 4363 – 228 – RCB
3. Robin Uthappa – 3011 – 114 – KKR
4. Rishabh Pant – 2850 – 95 – DC
5. Quinton de Kock – 2812 – 90 – LSG
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7. Which Indian female player has been honored with the Asunta Lakra Award by Hockey India?
a. Savita Punia
b. Deepika Soreng
c. Vaishnavi Vitthal Phalke
d. Navneet Kaur
Answer: b. Deepika Soreng
– Hockey India has honored Indian women’s hockey team forward Deepika Soreng with the prestigious Hockey India Asunta Lakra Award for the emerging player of the year.
– Deepika was honored with this award for her outstanding performance during the year 2023.
– She had contributed 7 goals in 6 matches during her debut for the team in the Women’s Junior Asia Cup, leading the team to a gold medal victory.
– Deepika was recently named in the 33-member national women’s team core group, which is undergoing training at the SAI center in Bengaluru until May 16th.
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8. Which country has banned companies from China and Belarus from supplying technology for Pakistan’s ballistic missile program?
a. America
b. Russia
c. India
d. France
Answer: a. America
– This includes three companies from China and one from Belarus.
– According to Matthew Miller, spokesperson for the US Department of State, all assets related to these companies have been seized.
– Furthermore, entry of their officials into the country has been prohibited.
These are the companies:
– China’s Shaanxi Longde Technology, Tianjin Creative Source, and Granepec Company, and Belarus’s Minsk Wheel Tractor Plant.
– The Belarusian company Minsk Wheel used to supply chassis vehicles for long-range ballistic missiles in Pakistan.
– China’s Shaanxi Longde Company provides equipment related to missiles, such as filament winding machines, used in manufacturing rocket motor cases.
– The equipment from Tianjin Company is used in welding tanks for space launch vehicles.
– Meanwhile, the equipment from Granepec Company is used in testing rocket motors in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s Missile Program, Initiated in 1986:
– Pakistan initiated its missile program in the year 1986-87.
– Successful tests were conducted for Hatf-1 and then Hatf-2 missiles.
– Both missiles became part of the military arsenal in the 1990s.
– In 1996, Pakistan acquired ballistic missile technology with assistance from China.
– Subsequently, in 1997, successful testing of Hatf-3 was conducted, with a range of up to 800 kilometers.
– From 2002 to 2006, amidst tensions with India, Pakistan conducted the most missile testing.
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9. World number one player and tennis star Garbine Muguruza announced her retirement from the game, how many Grand Slams has she won so far?
a. Two
b. Three
c. Four
d. Five
Answer: a. Two
– Former world number one player Garbiñe Muguruza announced her retirement on April 20, 2024.
– At the age of 30, this Spanish player has announced retirement from professional tennis.
– She made this decision due to staying away from tennis for a long time, as Muguruza has not played tennis since January 2023.
– Muguruza is the only player to have defeated the Williams sisters in a Grand Slam final.
First Spanish Player to Win French Open Since 1998:
– Muguruza won the French Open in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017.
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10. When is the World Book and Copyright Day observed?
a. 22 April
b. 23 April
c. 26 April
d. 28 April
Answer: b. 23 April
– World Book Day is also known as World Book and Copyright Day.
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