Today in History (Mar 30^th, 1949)

In 1949 on March 30 Rajasthan State was established and its capital became Jaipur.

Let’s revise

A) START Programme is associated with which one of the following?

1. Space Science and Technology
2. Defence Sector development
3. Educational development of women
4. Road construction in rural India

Ans. (a)

B) START Programme has been launched by which one of the following organisation?

1. DRDO
2. NCERT
3. ISRO
4. Ministry of Road Transportation

Ans. (c)

C) Operation Sankalp has been launched by which organisation?

1. Indian Navy in Indian Ocean
2. Indian Army in Kashmir
3. Indian Air Force in Delhi
4. ISRO in Karnataka

Ans. (a)

D) Gulf of Khambhat is located in which of the Oceans?

1. Indian Ocean
2. Pacific Ocean
3. Atlantic Ocean
4. Red Sea

Ans. (a)

Note: Look the map given after these questions.

E) UNRWA stands for _____

1. United Nations Rehabilitation World Agency
2. United Nations Rescue World Authority
3. United Nations Relief and Works Agency
4. None of the above

Ans. (c)

F) UNRWA is currently working in which of the following countries/places?

1. India, Bangladesh, Japan
2. Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Jordan
3. China, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
4. None of the above

Ans. (b)

G) Who is the current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu?

1. M.K. Stalin
2. Pinarayi Vijayan
3. Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy
4. Anumula Revanth Reddy

Ans. (a)

Summary of Today’s News

Food Waste Index (FWI) Report 2024

Launched by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

• Coauthored by WRAP (Waste and Resources Action Programme) a U.K.-based non-profit
• It has been published ahead of International Day of Zero Waste (observed annually on 30 March)
• FWI tracks global and national generation of food and inedible parts wasted at retail and consumer (household and food service) levels.
• The report defines “food waste” as “food and the associated inedible parts removed from the human food supply chain”.
• Food Waste generates an estimated 8–10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
• ‘‘Food loss” is defined as “all the crop and livestock human-edible commodity quantities that, directly or indirectly, completely exit the post-harvest/slaughter production/supply chain up to, and excluding, the retail level”.
• It noted that in 2022, there was around 20% food waste of all food available to consumers.
• Hotter countries appear to generate more food waste per capita in households, potentially due to higher consumption of fresh foods with substantial inedible parts and a lack of robust cold chains.
• As compared to urban areas, rural ones generally wasted less food, due to “greater diversion of food scraps to pets, livestock and home composting”.

Initiatives for Prevention of Crimes against Peacekeepers

• Group of Friends (GOF) launched a new database designed to record crimes against Peacekeepers & monitor progress in holding perpetrators accountable.
• UN peacekeeping forces are employed to maintain or re-establish peace in an area of armed conflict. However, they sometimes face violence in deployed regions.
• The GOF was launched by India in 2022 to promote accountability for crimes against the Blue Helmets during its presidency of the UN Security Council
• These forces are also referred to as Blue Helmets as they are equipped in blue-coloured helmets. They won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1988.

CoViNet – Coronavirus Network

• The World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced a new initiative, Coronavirus Network (CoViNet), aimed at enhancing global surveillance and response capabilities against corona viruses.
• It is a network of global laboratories with expertise in human, animal and environmental coronavirus surveillance.

Terrorists Attacked Moscow, Russia

The recent terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall near Moscow, which claimed the lives of at least 137 people, highlights concerns regarding the resurgence of the Islamic State (IS). Despite the destruction of its physical caliphate in Syria and Iraq six years ago, IS has demonstrated its ability to carry out deadly attacks.
Earlier in January, IS-K, the Afghanistan-based branch of IS, executed twin bombings in Iran, killing 80 people. Since then, IS has targeted multiple countries including Turkey, Syria, and Afghanistan, indicating a resurgence in its terror capabilities. The recent Moscow attack, for which four Tajik nationals have been charged, underscores IS-K’s growing presence. Formed in Afghanistan in 2015, IS-K primarily comprises Central Asian militants and has gained prominence following the Taliban’s resurgence in Afghanistan.
The group has targeted Afghanistan’s Shia minority and is establishing networks with radicalized youths from Central Asia and Afghanistan’s Tajik and Uzbek minorities, who oppose the Taliban regime. These networks are steadily growing in strength.
In recent months, IS-K has released propaganda videos targeting Russia and President Vladimir Putin, accusing them of shedding “Muslim blood” in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Syria. Russia’s intervention in Syria in 2015 shifted the civil war in favor of President Bashar al-Assad, whom IS aimed to overthrow. Unlike previous years where anti-western propaganda was used, IS-K now employs anti-Russian and anti-Iranian rhetoric to recruit from Central Asia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Once controlling territories in Syria and Iraq, IS has transformed into a traditional terrorist organization, thriving in chaos and targeting civilians. These consecutive attacks pose a significant security threat to the Eurasian region, especially for Russia, home to many Central Asian migrant workers.
Putin, known for promising security against terror, must address security gaps. However, merely plugging these loopholes won’t suffice; addressing geopolitical factors aiding IS resurgence, such as Taliban rule in Afghanistan and instability in West Asia, is crucial to combatting the group’s growth and attacks.