Today in History (May 30^th, 1826)

On this day, May 30, The launch of the first Hindi newspaper, ‘Udant Martand,’ on May 30, 1826, was a cultural landmark.

Let’s revise

1) The south west monsoon in Indian subcontinent is critical for which type of crops?

1. Ravi Crops
2. Kharif Crops
3. Wheat crop
4. Mustered crop

Ans. (2)

2) India Meteorological Department has its headquarters in ____

1. Hyderabad
2. New Delhi
3. Chennai
4. Mumbai

Ans. (2)

3) Who is the Director General of IMD (India Meteorological Department)?

1. Kumarswami
2. K Stalin
3. Mrutyunjay Mohapatra
4. K Rajiv Kumar

Ans. (3)

4) Sakhalin Island is the territory of which country?

1. Australia
2. USA
3. India
4. Russia

Ans. (4)

5) Hiafa port which was bought by Indian company Adani Group, is located in which country?

1. Iran
2. Israel
3. Spain
4. Indonesia

Ans. (2)
6) What is I2U2?

1. An alliance of India, Israel, the United Arab Emirates and the United States
2. An alliance of India, Bangladesh, Japan, Russia
3. An alliance of China, Japan, Russia, Australia
4. An alliance of Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos

Ans. (1)

7) Gwadar port is located in which country?

1. Israel
2. Japan
3. Pakistan
4. Iran

Ans. (3)

8) Recently around 30 people died in a fire accident in a game zone building in India. This place is in the city Rajkot in ____

1. Rajasthan
2. Gujarat
3. Maharashtra
4. Uttar Pradesh

Ans. (2)

Summary of Today’s News

Indian Policy Makers must address the building fires

• The recent fires in Rajkot and Delhi, which resulted in over 30 deaths, underscore the critical issue of widespread neglect in building fire safety across India.
• Despite the existence of detailed fire safety protocols in the National Building Code of India (NBC) 2016, these guidelines are often ignored, as fire safety enforcement is the responsibility of municipalities.
• The disorganized state of India’s fire services, highlighted by the Ministry of Home Affairs, further exacerbates this problem.
• Efforts to improve fire and emergency services have been inadequate. The National Disaster Management Authority’s recommendation for a significant financial overhaul was not fully realized, and current resources fall short.
• India has far fewer fire stations and personnel than needed, with a massive shortfall of over 500,000 fire servicemen.
• Recent financial allocations and recommendations by the 15th Finance Commission aim to modernize emergency services, but more comprehensive measures are necessary.
• Synchronizing fire safety codes with the Energy Conservation Building Code is crucial to address emerging fire risks due to climate change. There is an urgent need for collective action from all stakeholders—policymakers, bureaucrats, and entrepreneurs—to tackle this persistent threat effectively.

New policy to deny government jobs for relatives of militants in Kashmir.

• The expansion of the “deep-vetting” process for government job applicants in Jammu and Kashmir by security agencies, which includes scrutinizing the backgrounds of close relatives, is set to affect over 50,000 families.
• This new policy, announced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, aims to prevent individuals related to militants or stone-throwers from securing government jobs. Regional parties argue that this move will further alienate the youth of Kashmir.
• The enhanced vetting process now includes both maternal and paternal relatives, unlike the previous checks which were limited to the applicants themselves.
• This change negates previous government rehabilitation policies that offered incentives to surrendered militants, with thousands having surrendered between 1995 and 2013.
• Given the significant number of militants killed, living in PoK, or surrendered, along with the high number of families impacted by various cases since 2008, the policy will affect a large portion of the population.
• The harsh repercussions of this policy have raised concerns among local leaders, who argue that it could drive further discontent and violence, counterproductive to India’s interests and potentially beneficial to adversaries like Pakistan.
• They suggest a need for policies focused on reconciliation and reintegration to foster peace and stability in the region.

Criticism of UN by Erdogan regarding Gaza

• Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized the United Nations and called for a unified response from the Islamic world following deadly Israeli strikes in Gaza. Erdogan accused the UN of failing to protect its staff and acting on the crisis, claiming the organization’s spirit is “dead in Gaza.”
• He also criticized Muslim-majority countries for their lack of coordinated action against the Israeli attacks. Highlighting the broader threat posed by Israel, Erdogan urged the Islamic world to make a common decision and take collective action.
• His statements were made during a session with lawmakers from his AKP party, coinciding with a UN Security Council meeting on the recent violence in Gaza.

Upcoming World Health Assembly

• The upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA) will mark a significant milestone in global public health with the introduction of a comprehensive package of amendments to the International Health Regulations (IHR).
• These amendments, derived from 300 member country proposals post-pandemic, aim to enhance countries’ capacities to respond to international public health emergencies.
• The IHR, a legally binding framework for 196 countries, outlines the obligations and rights in managing cross-border health events and includes safeguards for data privacy, informed consent, and non-discrimination.
• WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the historic nature of these amendments, highlighting the collective effort to protect global health.
• The amendments align with ongoing negotiations for an international pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response agreement, aiming to ensure coordinated global responses and equitable access to health resources during pandemics.