Daily Current Affairs

Correct Answer: B. Henry Dunant

World Red Cross Day is observed every year on May 8 to mark the birth anniversary of Henry Dunant — Swiss humanitarian who founded the International Red Cross Movement after witnessing the suffering caused by war (specifically the Battle of Solferino in 1859). Henry Dunant was born on May 8, 1828. He was the first-ever recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 1901 — shared with Frédéric Passy. The International Red Cross is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Correct Answer: D. Magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster

NASA successfully tested a magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster — a high-power plasma engine that could play a major role in future human missions to Mars. The test was conducted by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California on 24 February 2026. The experimental propulsion system achieved 120 kilowatts of power during testing. MPD thrusters use magnetic fields to accelerate ionised gas (plasma) and produce thrust, enabling much faster space travel than traditional chemical rockets.

Correct Answer: A. Basaidarapur, New Delhi

Union Minister for Labour and Employment Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya launched the nationwide free annual health check-up initiative for workers aged 40 years and above under the new Labour Codes. The programme was launched from the ESIC Medical College and Hospital in Basaidarapur, New Delhi. ESIC stands for Employees' State Insurance Corporation, a statutory body under the Ministry of Labour and Employment that provides health insurance and social security.

Correct Answer: C. Venice

India opened its Pavilion at the 61st International Art Exhibition — La Biennale di Venezia 2026 — in Venice, Italy. The exhibition was inaugurated in the presence of Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and senior international cultural dignitaries. The India Pavilion presented the exhibition titled 'Geographies of Distance: remembering'. La Biennale di Venezia is a major contemporary art exhibition founded in 1895 and held biennially in Venice.

Correct Answer: B. Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)

IndiaAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to promote AI-based healthcare innovation in India. The partnership combines IndiaAI's digital infrastructure and AI ecosystem with ICMR's medical research expertise. IndiaAI is the Government of India's flagship Artificial Intelligence initiative under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). ICMR is India's apex body for medical research, headquartered in New Delhi.

Correct Answer: D. First-ever Nobel Peace Prize (1901)

Henry Dunant won the first-ever Nobel Peace Prize in 1901, sharing it with Frédéric Passy of France. He won for founding the International Red Cross Movement after witnessing the suffering caused by the Battle of Solferino (1859). His ideas led to the founding of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Geneva Conventions which established humanitarian rules of war. The ICRC has won the Nobel Peace Prize three times — in 1917, 1944, and 1963.

Correct Answer: A. Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), Southern California

NASA's plasma engine test was conducted by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California on February 24, 2026. The magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thruster achieved 120 kilowatts of power during testing. JPL is a federally funded research and development centre managed for NASA by Caltech (California Institute of Technology). JPL is famous for managing many of NASA's robotic missions including the Mars rovers Curiosity and Perseverance.