Today in History (August 31^st,2020)

Pranab Mukherjee (11 December 1935 – 31 August 2020) was the 13th President of India. He was a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress. The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by the Indian National Congress appointed him as the candidate for the President of India in July 2012 and in the presidential election, Pranab Mukherjee defeated the opposition candidate P.A. Had won by defeating Sangma.

A)What is the Axis of Resistance?

1. A group of Western nations against Middle Eastern influence
2. A coalition of Iranian-backed groups opposing Israel and U.S. influence
3. An alliance of European countries supporting Middle Eastern peace
4. A military alliance formed by the U.S. and its allies

Answer: 2)
Explanation: The Axis of Resistance is described as a coalition of Iranian-backed groups that oppose Israel and U.S. influence in the Middle East.

B) Which of the following groups is NOT part of the Axis of Resistance?

1. Hezbollah
2. Hamas
3. Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ)
4. Al-Qaeda

Answer: 4)
Explanation: The Axis of Resistance includes Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and the Houthis, but not Al-Qaeda.

C) When did the roots of the Axis of Resistance begin to form?

1. After World War II
2. During the Iranian Revolution of 1979
3. With the creation of Israel in 1948
4. After the end of the Cold War

Answer: 2)
Explanation: The roots of the Axis of Resistance trace back to the Iranian Revolution of 1979, which led to the rise of radical Shia Muslim clerics and the expansion of Iranian influence.

D) Why did Iran start supporting non-state actors in the Middle East?

1. To gain control over oil reserves
2. To counter threats from Israel and the U.S.
3. To form alliances with Sunni-majority nations
4. To promote Western cultural values

Answer: 2)
Explanation: Iran began supporting non-state actors to counter perceived threats from Israel and the U.S., as well as to expand its influence in the region.

E) What is Vyomitra, recently seen in news?

1. A satellite designed by ISRO
2. A humanoid robot designed by ISRO
3. A space mission by ISRO
4. An astronaut selected by ISRO

Answer: 2)
Explanation: Vyomitra is a humanoid robot designed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is intended to be part of the Gaganyaan mission.

F) Who will be carried by the Gaganyaan mission in 2025?

1. Vyomitra
2. A team of astronauts from NASA
3. A robotic rover
4. A weather monitoring satellite

Answer: 1)
Explanation: The Gaganyaan mission will carry Vyomitra, the humanoid robot designed by ISRO, as part of its mission objectives.

G) Where will the Gaganyaan mission’s crew land after the 3-day mission?

1. On the Moon
2. In a desert
3. In seawater
4. On Mars

Answer: 3)
Explanation: The Gaganyaan mission is planned to bring its crew back safely to Earth by landing in seawater.

H) What is the purpose of humanoids in space missions?

1. To conduct scientific experiments
2. To perform tasks autonomously and assist astronauts
3. To communicate with extraterrestrial beings
4. To monitor weather conditions on Earth

Answer: 2)
Explanation: Humanoids are robotic systems designed to resemble humans and function autonomously to assist astronauts with repetitive and/or dangerous tasks in space.

I) What will the Gaganyaan mission achieve?

1. Launch a crew of 3 members to Mars
2. Conduct research on the International Space Station
3. Launch a crew of 3 members to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission
4. Deploy a new satellite for Earth observation

Answer: 3)
Explanation: The Gaganyaan mission aims to launch a crew of 3 members into an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and return them safely to Earth.

Summary of Today’s News

Cyclone Asna forms over Kutch; heavy rain batters Gujarat

• This is the first cyclonic storm in the Arabian Sea in August since 1976. The name Asna, meaning “the one to be acknowledged or praised”, has been given by Pakistan. Between 1891 and 2023, only three cyclonic storms formed in the Arabian Sea in August (in 1976, 1964, and 1944), according to IMD.
• It is moving away from the western coast and is expected to continue this trajectory over the next 48 hours.
• Impact on Gujarat: Heavy rainfall in Gujarat and Kutch, with isolated areas in Saurashtra also affected. Rainfall has led to 32 deaths, over 18,000 people relocated, and around 1,200 rescued. Security forces used helicopters for evacuation. Rainfall has significantly exceeded average levels in several regions.
• Low Pressure Area: A well-marked low-pressure area has formed in the Bay of Bengal off north Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha. It is expected to intensify into a depression and move west-northwestward, bringing light rain to both states.
• Rainfall Statistics: Gujarat has experienced 111% of its expected rainfall, with Kutch at 177%, Saurashtra at 124%, and other regions also receiving above-average rainfall. Vadodara has seen some improvement as water levels in the Vishwamitri river decreased, though flooding persists in low-lying areas.
• Overall Situation: Excessive rainfall this August has been much higher than forecasted by the IMD earlier in the month.

Senior bureaucrat T.V. Somanathan takes charge as Cabinet Secretary

• New Cabinet Secretary: T.V. Somanathan has assumed the role of Cabinet Secretary as of Friday, succeeding Rajiv Gauba.
• Background: Somanathan is a 1987-batch IAS officer from the Tamil Nadu cadre with a PhD in Economics from Calcutta University, and he has completed Harvard Business School’s Executive Development Program. He is also a Chartered Accountant, Cost Accountant, and Company Secretary.
• Previous Roles: Before becoming Cabinet Secretary, Somanathan served as Finance Secretary and Secretary of the Department of Expenditure. He has also been Joint Secretary and Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
• Tamil Nadu Experience: In Tamil Nadu, he held key positions including Managing Director of Chennai Metro Rail Corporation, Secretary to the Chief Minister, Additional Chief Secretary, and Commissioner of Commercial Taxes, playing a crucial role in the GST rollout.
• World Bank and Publications: Somanathan worked at the World Bank, including as Director from 2011 to 2015, and has published over 80 papers and articles on economics, finance, and public policy, along with authoring three books.

India yet to take a decision on Pak. invite to SCO meet

• SCO Invitation: Pakistan has invited India to the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of Government (HoG) meeting in Islamabad on October 15-16. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not yet decided on India’s participation or its level of representation.
• Historical Context: India typically sends the Vice-President or External Affairs Minister to SCO HoG meetings, as the Head of Government role (Prime Minister Modi) is reserved for Heads of State summits. India has also avoided attending SAARC meetings in Pakistan since 2016.
• Travel Plans: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Brunei Darussalam on September 3-4, Singapore on September 4-5, and the United Nations for the “Summit of the Future” on September 22-23.
• Modi’s participation in the UN General Assembly and a possible Quad Summit in New York remains unconfirmed due to scheduling conflicts with international leaders.
•Upcoming Meetings:
• Modi may meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UNGA.
• Modi will travel to Russia for the BRICS summit on October 22-24.
• On October 25, Modi is expected to host German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Delhi for a biannual summit, where Ukraine-related discussions are anticipated.
• India’s Role: Modi has expressed a willingness to play a “constructive role” in fostering peace, particularly in relation to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Era of uninterrupted dialogue with Pak. is over, says Jaishankar

• End of “Uninterrupted Dialogue”: Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar declared that the era of “uninterrupted dialogue” with Pakistan has ended. This approach was previously advocated by Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar during the UPA era.
• Dynamic Neighborhood Relations: Jaishankar emphasized that neighboring relationships are inherently challenging and require a dynamic approach. He referenced political issues in countries like Bangladesh and the Maldives as examples of common regional problems.
• Focus on Pakistan: Relations with Pakistan have been strained since 2016, especially after incidents like the Pathankot and Uri attacks. Jaishankar indicated that the dialogue model with Pakistan needs to be reassessed in light of these developments.
• Response to Actions: Jaishankar stated that India is not passive and will respond based on the direction of relations with Pakistan. The situation is now influenced by changes such as the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
• Future Relationship: The Minister implied that the future of India-Pakistan relations will be shaped by ongoing events and India’s reactions to them.

SHe-Box (Sexual Harassment e-box) Portal

Context:
Union Ministry of Women and Child Development recently launched the new SHe-Box portal.
Key points about SHe-Box Portal:
• It is a centralized platform for registering and monitoring complaints of sexual harassment of women in the workplace.
• It serves as a centralized repository of information related to Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) formed across the country, encompassing both the government and private sectors.
• It offers a common platform to file complaints, track their status, and ensure time-bound processing of complaints by ICs.
• It provides assured redressal of complaints and a streamlined process for all stakeholders.
• The portal will also enable real-time monitoring of complaints through a designated nodal officer.
• The portal will ensure that complaints can be safely registered without personal information being publicly accessible.
• The SHe-Box portal can be accessed at https://shebox.wcd.gov.in/.
Points to Remember:
• In 2017, an upgraded version of SHe-Box was launched based on The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, where women who are harassed at any workplace can register their case on this, SHe-Box, file their complaint, and then two types of committees will be formed.
• One, for private institutions, an internal committee will be formed, and
• Two for government institutions, a local committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the DM or DC or an officer appointed by them, and actions will be taken by them from time to time.