Today in History (Mar 27^th, 1841)

The first fire engine with a steam boiler was designed and built by Paul Rapsey Hodge and publicly tested on March 27, 1841, at the City Hall, New York City. It was 14 feet long and weighed about 8 tons.

Let’s revise

A) What is TTP in context of Pakistan based terrorist organisations?

1. Taliban Terrorist Party
2. Taliban Theocratic Party
3. Tehrik I- Taliban Pakistan
4. Taliban Democratic Party

Ans. (c)

B) What is the name of border line between Pakistan and Afghanistan?

1. Macmohan Line
2. Durand Line
3. Hindenburg Line
4. Maginot Line

Ans. (b)

C) Find correct statement about Pakistan and Afghanistan

1. Pakistan is a secular state but not Afghanistan
2. Afghanistan is a secular state but not Pakistan
3. Afghanistan and Pakistan both are secular state
4. Afghanistan and Pakistan both are non secular states

Ans. (d)

D) Who is the current PM of Pakistan?

1. Shehbaz Sharif
2. Imran Khan
3. Nawaz Sharif
4. Omar Ayub Khan

Ans. (a)

E) Who is the current head of Afghanistan?

1. Mullah Hibatullah Akhundzada
2. Nawaz Sharif
3. Omar Khan
4. None of the above

Ans. (a)

F) When Afghanistan Taliban did come into power in recent years?

1. August 2023
2. August 2021
3. March 2024
4. February 2024

Ans. (b)

G) Which one of the following is a landlocked country?

1. Pakistan
2. Afghanistan
3. Iran
4. Oman

Ans. (b)

H) Select the pair of the countries having largest distance between them

1. Nepal-Afghanistan
2. Nepal-Pakistan
3. India-Afghanistan
4. India-Nepal

Ans. (a)

Summary of Today’s News

Earth Hour

• Earth Hour” is set to be observed on March 23 from 8.30pm to 9.30pm (IST).
• Earth Hour was famously started as a lights-out event in Sydney, Australia in 2007.
• Since our beginnings, Earth Hour has been known for the symbolic “lights off” in support of our planet.
• It is organized by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
• It is symbolic event to raise awareness about climate change and promote energy conservation.
• Beyond the hour, Earth Hour inspires people to take further action for a sustainable future.

Summary of Today’s News

Cycling Manifesto

Cycling in India transcends transportation; it’s a matter of social justice, transforming lives. Despite the dominance of car-centric infrastructure and rising motor vehicle ownership, cycling in India has shown resilience. National household ownership of cycles increased marginally from 48% to 55% between 1998-99 and 2019-21, with significant growth observed in states like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. In contrast, population-weighted average car ownership across these states was only 5.4% in 2021.
State governments should expand and implement Bicycle Distribution Schemes (BDS) beyond rural areas to include urban areas as well. Uttar Pradesh’s scheme, which provides free bicycles to laborers, could serve as a model for broader implementation across states.
Urban cycling requires more than just providing bicycles. Current road designs pose significant hazards, with multi-lane roads and wide junctions making cycling risky. In Delhi, for instance, cyclists are estimated to be 40 times more likely to be involved in traffic fatalities compared to car occupants for the same distance traveled. Cities need to invest in dedicated cycling infrastructure like cycle tracks, safe parking, and repair shops. Political parties in India should consider including a cyclists’ manifesto in their election promises.

Israel and Hamas dig in as international pressure mounts for ceasefire in Gaza

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to continue Tel Aviv’s offensive and criticized a UN Security Council resolution urging a halt to the fighting. He argued that this resolution had empowered Hamas to reject a separate proposal for a ceasefire and the release of hostages.
Hamas demands the release of hostages’ contingent upon Israel agreeing to a more permanent ceasefire, withdrawing its forces from Gaza, and releasing hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including top militants.
“Israel will not surrender to Hamas’s delusional demands and will continue to act to achieve all the goals of the war: releasing all the hostages, destroying Hamas’ military and governing capabilities and ensuring that Gaza will never again be a threat to Israel.”