This is the current affairs of 9 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. Which former Deputy Governor of RBI was appointed by the World Bank as a member of its Economic Advisory Panel?
a. Vinod Sahni
b. Rakesh Mohan
c. Rakesh Maria
d. Kamal Hasan
Answer: b. Rakesh Mohan
– He is also a part-time member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council.
– The World Bank’s Economic Advisory Panel will focus on strategic issues for the World Bank Group related to its objectives, research agenda, and activities.
World Bank:
– Headquarters: Washington D.C., USA
– Established: July 1944
– President: Ajay Banga
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2. Which country has the largest number of elephants in the world at 1.3 lakh, whose President threatened to send 20 thousand elephants to Germany for taking action against trophy hunting?
a. India
b. Russia
c. Botswana
d. Nigeria
Answer: c. Botswana
What is Trophy Hunting?
– Trophy hunters are individuals who kill wild animals for sport and then display parts of their kills as trophies, such as horns, antlers, hides, or heads.
– Trophies are often displayed in trophy rooms, also known as game rooms or gun rooms.
– Trophy hunting typically involves killing large game animals for entertainment, such as elephants, lions, big cats, and bears.
– Hunters often pay large sums for their kills and record their achievements in record books kept by membership organizations.
– Trophy hunting can contribute to conservation by reducing populations of species facing overpopulation challenges.
– The USA legally imports at least 126,000 animal trophies each year, and the European Union imports 11,000-12,000.
Why are there so many elephants in Botswana?
– Botswana has remained a safe haven for elephants due to its stable government and low human population.
– For instance, after widespread illegal hunting in neighboring Namibia and Angola, elephants stopped crossing the Chobe River and instead preferred to stay in secure Botswana.
– It’s noteworthy that elephants are considered highly intelligent animals.
– Botswana has also implemented strict conservation policies. When incidents of illegal hunting increased in 2013, it announced a “shoot-to-kill” policy to target suspected poachers. The following year, the country also banned trophy hunting – hunting that was previously conducted under official government licenses.
– As a result, the elephant population in the country has steadily increased over the past few years. According to a report by the conservation organization Conservation Frontlines, while there were fewer than 10,000 elephants in the country in the 1960s, the population had reached 80,000 by the mid-1990s. Now, this number has reached up to 130,000.
– Today, elephants inhabit nearly 40% of Botswana’s land.
Why have elephants become an issue in Botswana?
– Due to the increasing elephant population in Botswana, there has been a rise in human-elephant conflicts.
– Media reports indicate that these animals have become a threat to rural communities in the country, regularly causing damage to homes, consuming or destroying crops, and trampling or killing people and livestock.
– A large population of elephants also poses a threat to other species, causing significant biodiversity loss and habitat degradation by uprooting trees for browse and consuming large quantities of water, which could lead to a decline in non-elephant wildlife populations.
So is hunting the only solution?
– In efforts to address the issue, Botswana has donated elephants to other countries.
– In 2023, it gave nearly 8,000 elephants to neighboring Angola, and in 2022, it donated 500 elephants to Mozambique.
– However, this has had no real impact on animal populations. With over a hundred thousand elephants in Botswana, contraception is also not an option.
– This is why the country lifted its ban on trophy hunting in 2019.
– Botswana argues that this not only helps to limit the elephant population but also boosts the local economy, as hunters often pay up to $50,000 for each elephant they kill in other countries.
What is the dispute between Botswana and Germany?
– At the beginning of 2024, Germany imposed strict limits on importing trophies from hunted animals.
– It’s important to note that Germany is one of the largest importers of hunting trophies.
– On April 3rd, Botswana’s President opposed this move by Germany. In an interview, he stated that Germany’s stance would impoverish people in his country. He also said that hunting helps to control the soaring number of elephants in Botswana, which is home to the largest elephant population in the world, approximately 130,000.
Elephants in India
– There are an estimated 23,000-41,000 elephants in India’s 29 elephant reserves.
Botswana
– Capital: Gaborone
– President: Mokgweetsi Masisi
– Currency: Pula
– Population: 2.4 million
– Neighboring countries: Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia
Germany
– Capital: Berlin
– Chancellor: Olaf Scholz
– Currency: Euro
– Population: 86 million
– Neighboring countries: Denmark, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, France, Belgium, Netherlands
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3. In which district of Gujarat did researchers find the remains and cemetery of a 5,200-year-old Harappan settlement?
a. Ahmedabad
b. Kachchh
c. Anand
d. Bhavnagar
Answer: b. Kachchh
– Archaeologists from Kerala University, with the assistance of several institutions, have identified a cemetery of the Harappan civilization in ‘Padta Bet’, Gujarat.
– This cemetery, believed to be 5,200 years old, has been discovered.
– Excavations have revealed evidence of the Harappan civilization dating back from around 3200 BCE to 1700 BCE.
– It includes circular and rectangular structures made of mud bricks and stones.
– Along with graves, pottery has also been found during the excavation.
– Prior to this, in the year 2018, a collective burial site with 500 graves was discovered in this area.
– Since then, continuous work has been ongoing.
– Now, along with artifacts of clay pots and animal bones, the presence of skeletons indicates the presence of a 5,200-year-old Harappan settlement, which has been excavated by a team of archaeologists from a hill known locally as Padta Bet, located 1.5 kilometers away.
Harappa
– Harappa was a part of the Indus Valley Civilization.
– This civilization flourished around 2500 BCE in the western part of South Asia.
– Presently, this region lies in Pakistan and western India.
– The Indus Valley Civilization is considered one of the oldest civilizations in the world.
– Around 1400 sites of the Indus Valley Civilization have been discovered, out of which 925 sites are in India. 80 percent of the sites are located around the Indus River and its tributaries. So far, excavation has been conducted at only 3 percent of the total sites.
Gujarat
Chief Minister – Bhupendra Bhai Patel
Capital – Gandhinagar
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4. Under which project the Air Defense Corps of the Indian Army received the Automated Air Defense Control and Reporting System in April 2024?
a. Agniveer Project
b. Akashteer Project
c. Bharatmala Project
d. Hind Project
Answer: b. Akashteer Project
– Deployment of this system began on April 4, 2024, with the first batch of control centers from BEL Ghaziabad displaying green flags.
What is the AkashTeer Project?
– It has been developed by Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL).
– It’s an Automatic Air Defense Control and Reporting System.
– This system comprises a network of sensors and radars.
– It issues alerts about enemy aircraft, jets, helicopters, drones, and missiles.
– Based on alerts received from this system, surface-to-air missiles and rockets can be fired from ground to air.
– It is capable of monitoring low-level aerial areas in war zones.
– And it will effectively control ground-based air defense weapon systems.
– In 2023, the Ministry of Defence signed a contract worth Rs. 1982 crore with BEL for the development of this system.
– Prior to this, India relied on foreign systems.
Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL)
– It is a Government of India-owned aerospace and defense electronics company.
– It is one of the sixteen public sector undertakings under the Ministry of Defence of India.
– Its headquarters are in Bengaluru.
– It was established in 1954.
Note:
– Indian Army Chief: General Manoj Pandey
– Indian Navy Chief: Admiral R. Hari Kumar
– Indian Air Force Chief: Air Chief Marshal Vivek Ram Chaudhari
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5. Name the country’s largest air military exercise organized in April 2024, in which all the Air Force stations across the country participated?
a. Aakash Yuddh
b. Gagan Shakti
c. Vayu Milan
d. Vajra Prahar
Answer: b. Gagan Shakti
About Gagan Shakti War Exercise:
– Where: Field Firing Range, Pokhran
– When: From April 1 to April 10 (10 days)
– Number of Air Force Personnel: Approximately 10,000 participated.
– The Air Force is conducting exercises in various parts of the country.
– This is India’s largest military air exercise.
Note: The Indian Air Force conducted exercises on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway with its various aircraft on April 6 and 7.
– The Air Force has also conducted exercises in Jammu and Kashmir.
Previous Organized Exercises:
– Before this, this exercise was organized in the year 2018.
– During that time, more than 11,000 sorties were completed in the two-phase air warfare exercise.
Types of Aircraft Used in the War Exercise:
– As per the directives of the Ministry of Defence, both Western and Northern commands are participating in the war exercise.
– For this exercise, the military airfields of Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh, Ambala, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh are being used.
Combat Aircraft Included in the War Exercise:
– Tejas, Rafale, Sukhoi-30, Jaguar, Mirage 2000, Chinook, Apache, and Prachand, among others. In addition to these, the Air Force’s transport aircraft such as Globemaster, C-130J Super Hercules, C-295, Air Warning and Control System, and Humanitarian Assistance System were also included.
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6. When is Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) Valour Day celebrated?
a. 10 April
b. 9 April
c. 8 April
d. 7 April
Answer: b. 9 April
– On April 9, 1965, a detachment of the CRPF defeated the Pakistani army at Sardar Post in Kutch, Gujarat.
– CRPF killed 34 Pakistani soldiers and captured four alive.
– In this battle, 6 CRPF personnel were martyred.
– CRPF is the largest Central Armed Police Force in India.
– It operates under the authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.
CRPF Headquarters: New Delhi
Establishment: July 27, 1939
Motto: Service and Loyalty
Director General: Anish Dayal Singh
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7. When is World Homeopathy Day celebrated?
a. 10 April
b. 11 April
c. 12 April
d. 13 April
Answer: a. 10 April
– On this day, April 10, 1755, the founder of the homeopathic system of medicine, Dr. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann, was born.
– This day is celebrated in commemoration of his birthday.
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8. Who won the Formula One ‘Australian Grand Prix’ 2024?
a. Carlos Sainz
b. Fernando Alonso
c. Sergio Perez
d. Max Verstappen
Answer: a. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari’s Driver)
– Carlos Sainz is a Spanish racing driver.
– He drives for Ferrari and is 29 years old.
– The Australian Grand Prix race took place in March 2024.
– Carlos Sainz remained in first place.
– Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc finished in second place.
Carlos benefited from Max Verstappen’s withdrawal
– During the race, there was a fire in Max Verstappen’s car engine, forcing him to withdraw from the race. Therefore, Carlos Sainz benefited from Max Verstappen’s withdrawal.
– He was on course to win the race. Carlos Sainz ended it by winning the Australian Grand Prix.
Note: The Australian Grand Prix is an annual motor racing event. It was first held in the year 1928.
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9. Name the winning team (both men and women) of National Kho Kho Championship 2023-24?
a. Maharashtra
b. Delhi
c. Railway
d. Odisha
Answer: a. Maharashtra
– The team from Maharashtra emerged as champions in the 56th National Kho Kho Championship 2023-24.
– This team won titles in both the men’s and women’s categories.
– The final match of the men’s competition was between Maharashtra and the Indian Railways team.
– Whereas the final match of the women’s competition was between Maharashtra and the Airport Authority team.
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10. According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), which country has the highest number of doping cases in the world?
a. Thailand
b. South Africa
c. India
d. USA
Answer: c. India
– The term “doping” in sports refers to the use of prohibited substances by athletes with the aim of gaining unfair advantage in competitive processes.
– According to a report published in the Hindustan Times newspaper, testing of 3,865 samples, including urine, blood, and dried blood spots (DBS) of Indian athletes, was conducted from January 1, 2022, to December 31, 2022. Among these, 127…
– India’s Analytical Adverse Findings (AAFs) stood at 3.2%.
World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
– The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999 as an independent international agency by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and governments worldwide.
– Its primary objective is to combat the unauthorized use of performance-enhancing drugs (doping) by athletes in sports.
– WADA plays a significant role in the development, harmonization, and coordination of anti-doping rules and policies across all sports worldwide.
– WADA is an international organization that has affiliated national anti-doping organizations conducting doping tests on its behalf.
– Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
– President: Witold Bańka
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