Current Events Quiz

26/11 Accused Rana Extraditable

• Pakistan-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, wanted in India for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is extraditable under the U.S.-India extradition treaty.
• Rana faces charges for his role in the Mumbai attacks and is associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
• The 2008 Mumbai attacks resulted in 166 deaths and 239 injuries.

Return of Indians Stranded in Ukraine Warzone

• External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar expressed strong concern about Indian nationals recruited for the war in Ukraine and called upon Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to ensure their return to India soon.

NATO at 75

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) came into being on April 4, 1949, with 12 founding members, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Belgium, and others.
• NATO's aim was to deter Soviet Union expansion under Stalin.
• Today, NATO has 31 members, with Sweden's recent accession taking the total to 32.
• Finland became the 31st NATO member in April last year, adding 1,300 kilometers to the alliance's frontier with Russia.
• NATO members enjoy protection under Article 5 of the treaty, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all.

Factory Accidents and Inspection Reform

• Explosions and fatal industrial accidents have been frequent in India, with poor inspection rates and a shortage of personnel contributing to the problem.
• A boiler in a chemical factory was not registered under the Indian Boiler Regulations, 1950.
• 156 chemical factories in the Dombivli MIDC area were supposed to be relocated to Patalganga, but the Maharashtra government has not taken action.

Gujarat HC Rejects State Govt's Probe Report on Vadodara Boat Tragedy

• The Gujarat High Court rejected an inquiry report submitted by the State government into a boat tragedy in Vadodara in January this year.
• The court ordered a fresh probe into the incident.

Smart Cities Mission Period Extended

• The Centre has extended the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) till March 31, 2025.
• SCM was launched in June 2015, with 100 cities chosen through a competition to be developed as smart cities.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train

• The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is expected to begin operations in Gujarat by 2027 end and will later be extended to Maharashtra.
• Trial runs are expected to start in 2026 between Surat and Bilimora (a 50-km stretch).

Board of National Research Foundation

• The Executive and Governing Boards of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) have no representation from Indian industry.
• ANRF was conceived to give strategic direction to scientific research in India.

Air Pollution and Death Rates

• A spike in air pollution in Indian cities that have cleaner air may raise death rates higher than in cities with higher pollution loads.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee Session

• India will host the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee from July 21-31 in New Delhi.
• The World Heritage Committee comprises representatives from 21 State Parties to the World Heritage Convention (1972).

UFO Day

• UFO Day has its roots in the so-called Roswell Incident on July 2, 1947, when something crashed at a ranch in New Mexico.
• There were reports that the U.S. military had recovered a "flying disc".

Hurricane Beryl

• Hurricane Beryl killed seven people as it churned towards Jamaica.

26/11 Accused Rana Extraditable

• Pakistan-origin Canadian businessman Tahawwur Rana, wanted in India for his role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is extraditable under the U.S.-India extradition treaty.
• Rana faces charges for his role in the Mumbai attacks and is associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.
• The 2008 Mumbai attacks resulted in 166 deaths and 239 injuries.

Return of Indians Stranded in Ukraine Warzone

• External Affairs Minister S.Jaishankar expressed strong concern about Indian nationals recruited for the war in Ukraine and called upon Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to ensure their return to India soon.

NATO at 75

• The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) came into being on April 4, 1949, with 12 founding members, including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., France, Belgium, and others.
• NATO's aim was to deter Soviet Union expansion under Stalin.
• Today, NATO has 31 members, with Sweden's recent accession taking the total to 32.
• Finland became the 31st NATO member in April last year, adding 1,300 kilometers to the alliance's frontier with Russia.
• NATO members enjoy protection under Article 5 of the treaty, which states that an attack on one member is considered an attack against all.

Factory Accidents and Inspection Reform

• Explosions and fatal industrial accidents have been frequent in India, with poor inspection rates and a shortage of personnel contributing to the problem.
• A boiler in a chemical factory was not registered under the Indian Boiler Regulations, 1950.
• 156 chemical factories in the Dombivli MIDC area were supposed to be relocated to Patalganga, but the Maharashtra government has not taken action.

Gujarat HC Rejects State Govt's Probe Report on Vadodara Boat Tragedy

• The Gujarat High Court rejected an inquiry report submitted by the State government into a boat tragedy in Vadodara in January this year.
• The court ordered a fresh probe into the incident.

Smart Cities Mission Period Extended

• The Centre has extended the Smart Cities Mission (SCM) till March 31, 2025.
• SCM was launched in June 2015, with 100 cities chosen through a competition to be developed as smart cities.

Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train

• The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train is expected to begin operations in Gujarat by 2027 end and will later be extended to Maharashtra.
• Trial runs are expected to start in 2026 between Surat and Bilimora (a 50-km stretch).

Board of National Research Foundation

• The Executive and Governing Boards of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) have no representation from Indian industry.
• ANRF was conceived to give strategic direction to scientific research in India.

Air Pollution and Death Rates

• A spike in air pollution in Indian cities that have cleaner air may raise death rates higher than in cities with higher pollution loads.

UNESCO World Heritage Committee Session

• India will host the 46th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee from July 21-31 in New Delhi.
• The World Heritage Committee comprises representatives from 21 State Parties to the World Heritage Convention (1972).

UFO Day

• UFO Day has its roots in the so-called Roswell Incident on July 2, 1947, when something crashed at a ranch in New Mexico.
• There were reports that the U.S. military had recovered a "flying disc".

Hurricane Beryl

• Hurricane Beryl killed seven people as it churned towards Jamaica.