ANSWER: D

ANSWER: C

ANSWER: A

ANSWER: C

• The state of California in USA has been battered by incessant rains caused by the atmospheric river storms.

 ABOUT ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS

• Atmospheric Rivers indicate long narrow, elongated corridors of concentrated moisture transport associated with extratropical cyclones.
• These are largest transport mechanisms of freshwater on Earth.
• Strong landfall results in huge amounts of precipitation in short periods of time leading to flooding and mudslides.
• The term “Pineapple Express” is sometimes used to refer to atmospheric rivers that originate near Hawaii and travel eastwards towards the west coast of North America.
• Characteristics of Atmospheric Rivers
  • Typically formed in the tropics or subtropics where warm ocean surfaces evaporate water into the air.
  • Develop within the low-level jet stream, a fast-flowing, narrow air current.
  • The structure of an AR is like a narrow ribbon or corridor of moisture, often extending from the equator to higher latitudes.
  • Can transport vast amounts of water vapor

ANSWER: B

• The Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) has finalised and recommended, quality standards for five spices — allspice, juniper berries, star anise, turmeric, and cardamom recently, to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) for adoption as full -fledged Codex standards.
• The Committee is chaired by India and Spices Board India functions as its Secretariat.
• R. Sudharshan is the current Chairman of the Committee.
• The seventh plenary session of the CCSCH, held in Kochi, was the first physical meeting after a gap of five years.
• As many as 109 delegates from 31 countries attended the five-day long meeting.

ABOUT CODEX STANDARDS

• These are international food texts, including- standards, codes of practice, codes of hygienic practice, guidelines and other recommendations.
• Codex texts are voluntary and not binding on national food laws.
• Codex standards are globally important because they are prepared by intergovernmental committees, are referred to resolve international trade disputes and also form the basis of aligning national standards by Codex member countries.
• Standards in Codex are finalized through an 8-step process, with reviews at several stages, using working groups chaired by member countries.

ABOUT CAC

• The Codex Alimentarius Commission(CAC) is an international food standards body established jointly by the Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO)in May 1963 with the objective of protecting consumer’s health and ensuring fair practices in food trade.
• Headquarters- Rome, Italy
• It conducts its work through various Codex committees, including CCSCH, hosted by different member countries.
• The commission has 189 Codex Members including India.

ANSWER: C

• The International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation is held annually on February 6^th.
• The theme for this year is “Her Voice. Her Future”

ABOUT FGM

• Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical reasons and is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights, the health and the integrity of girls and women.
• United Nations strives for its full elimination by 2030, following the spirit of Sustainable Development Goal 5.
• Since 2008, UNFPA, jointly with UNICEF, leads the largest global programme to accelerate the elimination of female genital mutilation.
• The Joint Programme currently focuses on 17 countries in Africa and the Middle East and also supports regional and global initiatives.

ANSWER: A

• Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko set a world record for the most time spent in space.
• He spent over 878 days and 12 hours outside the Earth’s atmosphere, totalling nearly two and a half years.
  • He has surpassed the milestone of his compatriot Gennady Padalka, who was in space for a total of 878 days, 11 hours, 29 minutes and 48 seconds across five space journeys before retiring in 2017.

 MORE ABOUT OLEG KONONENKO

• Oleg Kononenko, who is the commander of the Russian space agency Roscosmos cosmonaut corps, is on his fifth space mission.
• Alongside fellow Russian Nikolai Chub and NASA astronaut Loral O’Hara, he began his current mission to the International Space Station on September 15, 2023.
• He will complete 1000 days in space on June 5, this year, making him the first person to achieve this feat. Further, he will have spent 1,110 days in space when his current expedition trip, which is planned to end on September 23, is completed.

ANSWER: D

• Chennai Metro Rail has become the first metro service to be included in the ONDC Network, marking a significant step forward in digital commerce for metro services.
• The Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC), an initiative by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has introduced ticketing services for passengers using the Chennai Metro Rail Ltd.

ABOUT ONDC

• Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) is a network based on open protocol and will enable local commerce across segments, such as mobility, grocery, food order and delivery, hotel booking and travel, among others, to be discovered and engaged by any network-enabled application.
• The platform aims to create new opportunities, curb digital monopolies and by supporting micro, small and medium enterprises and small traders and help them get on online platforms.

ANSWER: D

• Senior IAS officer Radha Raturi was appointed as the first woman chief secretary of Uttarakhand.
• Raturi, an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the 1988 batch, replaces Sukhbir Singh Sandhu
• She is the first woman to hold the top administrative post in Uttarakhand.

ANSWER: A

• In recognition of his distinguished contributions to the realm of arts, music maestro Som Dutt Battu, aged 86 and hailing from Shimla, has been selected for the prestigious Padma Shri Award.

DETAILS ABOUT THE MAESTRO

• Among the 110 individuals chosen for the Padma Shri Award for this year, Som Dutt Battu stands as the sole representative from Himachal Pradesh.
• His notable work in the realms of Himachali folk music and classical music has left an indelible mark on the cultural landscape.
• He is a Hindustani classical vocalist of the Patiala Gharana.
• He was born on July 5, 1937, in Jasur, Kangra district.
• He is a resident of Hori (Byoliya) village in Shimla .
• His father, Pt. Ram Lal Battu, was an artist associated with the renowned Shyam Chaurasi Gharana.
• He has previously been recognized with the ‘Sangeet Natak Akademi Award’ for his significant contributions to drama, dance, music, and singing.
• Other accolades include-
  • the ‘Himachal Gaurav,’ ‘Punjab Sangeet Ratna Award,’ ‘Life Time Achievement Award,’ and the Jaswant Singh Award, highlighting the profound impact of his artistry in the field of music.