ANSWER: C

ANSWER: D

ANSWER: A

ANSWER: D

• Union Cabinet has approved to establish a Regional Office of the Universal Postal Union (UPU) in New Delhi.
• The approval enables India to play active role at multilateral organizations in postal sector with emphasis on South-South and Triangular cooperation.
• India will provide a Field Project Expert, staff and office set up for UPU’s regional office.

ABOUT UNIVERSAL POSTAL UNION

• UPU is one of the oldest international organization worldwide established in 1874 by Treaty of Berne.
• Members– 192 countries, including India (India joined UPU in 1876).
• It is the primary forum for cooperation between the postal sector entities.
• It sets the rules for international mail exchanges and makes recommendations to stimulate growth in mail, parcel and financial services

ANSWER: B

• The United Arab Emirates has withdrawn from Combined Maritime Forces coalition.
• CMF is a multinational maritime partnership, that focuses on counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, suppressing piracy, training
• It was established in 2001 with headquarters in Bahrain.
• CMF also respond to environmental and humanitarian incidents.
• Combined task forces of CMF include Maritime Security Operations outside Arabian Gulf, Maritime Security Operations inside Arabian Gulf, Red Sea maritime security
• CMF is commanded by a U.S. Navy Vice Admiral.
• 38 Member countries (before UAE exit)-
  • Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Republic of Korea, Kuwait, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, the Philippines, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Türkiye, UAE, United Kingdom, United States, and Yemen.

ANSWER: C

• Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company Neuralink has received US Food and Drug Association approval to begin human trials.
• Neuralink is making a Class III medical device known as a brain-computer interface (BCI).
• The device connects the brain to an external computer via a Bluetooth signal, enabling continuous communication back and forth.
• Working
  • The device itself is a coin-sized unit called a Link. It’s implanted within a small disk-shaped cutout in the skull using a precision surgical robot.
  • The robot splices a thousand tiny threads from the Link to certain neurons in the brain.
  • Each thread is about a quarter the diameter of a human hair.
• Benefits– the device could enable precise control of prosthetic limbs, giving amputees natural motor skills.
  • It could revolutionise treatment for conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, and spinal cord injuries.
  • It also shows some promise for potential treatment of obesity, autism, depression, schizophrenia and tinnitus.

ANSWER: B

• The Maharashtra government has recently launched a new financial scheme aimed at providing support to farmers in the state.
• The scheme, known as Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana, was approved at a Cabinet meeting recently.

ABOUT THE SCHEME

• Under the Namo Shetkari Mahasanman Yojana, farmers in Maharashtra will receive an annual payment of Rs 6,000 in addition to the amount of Rs 6,000 that farmers already receive in instalments per year from the Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.
• More than 1 crore farmers in Maharashtra are expected to benefit from the scheme.
• By providing direct financial assistance, the scheme intends to empower farmers and enable them to overcome challenges and invest in their agricultural activities.

ANSWER: D

• Renowned Sanskrit scholar Ved Kumari Ghai passed away recently.
• Ghai was awarded the Padma Shri, the fourth-highest civilian award in India, in 2001 for her contributions to Sanskrit literature.
• She was also a recipient of the Sahitya Akademi Award, the highest literary award in India, in 1991 for her book “The Sanskrit Language”.

ANSWER: C

• World Milk Day is observed every year on 1^st June.
• It was created in the year 2001 by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations (UN) to promote the consumption and benefits of milk around the world.
• The theme of World Milk Day 2023 is “Showcasing how dairy is reducing its environmental footprint, while also providing nutritious foods and livelihoods.”

ANSWER: D

• The Chanshal Pass, or Chanshal Valley links Dodra Kwar and Rohru in the Shimla district of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh.
• The pass sits atop Chanshal Peak, which at 4,520 metres (14,830 ft) is the highest peak in the Shimla district.
• The pass remains open from May to november and is covered with snow for the rest of the year.
• Chanshal is a mountain range that cuts the Dodra Kawar Valley from the Rohru area. Its peaks reach 17,000 feet (5,200 m) and can be accessed from Chanshal Pass.