Today in History (Apr 25th, 2008)
The first World Malaria Day was observed on April 25, 2008. Since then, it has been observed annually on April 25 to commemorate the adoption of the Abuja Declaration in 2000, which aimed for increased investment in malaria prevention and control, and set a target of reducing malaria deaths on the continent by half by 2010.
Summary of Today’s News
Operation Kaveri
The Government of India launched Operation Kaveri to bring back the Indian citizens from conflict-torn Sudan. Nearly 3,000 Indians are stranded in various parts of Sudan, including Khartoum and the Darfur region. India had stationed two C-130J aircraft in Jeddah and stationed INS Sumedha at Port Sudan to evacuate its citizens. The political crisis in Sudan turned into a nationwide armed conflict after a disagreement between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) over the security sector reform.
Vibrant Villages Plan to be merged with PM Gati Shakti Plan.
The Vibrant Villages Programme, which aims to develop infrastructure and stop migration in the border villages along the Sino-Indian Border, will be merged with the PM Gati Shakti Plan. The programme covers 2967 villages in 19 districts across four States and the Union Territory of Ladakh. The scheme has been allocated Rs. 4,800 crores in 2023-24. The digital platform of PM Gati Shakti brings 16 Ministries for the coordinated implementation of infrastructure connectivity projects.
Malaria to be a notifiable disease in India.
Malaria is all set to become a notifiable disease across India, with Bihar, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Meghalaya set to put into the notifiable disease category. Malaria is a notifiable disease in 33 States and the Union Territories in India. India aims to become Malaria-free by 2027 and eliminate it by 2030.
Hope Space Probe Mission
The United Arab Emirates Hope Space Probe Mission is the first inter-planetary mission of the Arab world, which aims to explore Mars. It has been orbiting Mars for two years, regularly flying past Deimos, the smaller Moon of Mars, and Phobos.
