10 PM Current Affairs Quiz : April 30, 2018

The members of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation would participate in a multilateral joint military exercise to be held in the Ural mountains of Russian in 2018. The previous Peace Mission was held in 2016 in Kyrgyzstan but India and Pakistan did not participate in it at they were not full time SCO members then. The main aim of the exercise, Peace Mission, will be to enhance counter-terror cooperation among the eight SCO member countries. This would be the “first time” troops from India and Pakistan – South Asia’s biggest rivals – would be taking part in an international military exercise.

Sulfur dioxide is an invisible gas and has a nasty, sharp smell. It reacts easily with other substances to form harmful compounds, such as sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid and sulfate particles.About 99% of the sulfur dioxide in air comes from man made sources. The main source of sulfur dioxide in the air is industrial activity that processes materials that contain sulfur, eg the generation of electricity from coal, oil or gas that contains sulfur. Some mineral ores also contain sulfur, and sulfur dioxide is released when they are processed. In addition, industrial activities that burn fossil fuels containing sulfur can be important sources of sulfur dioxide.

Sulphur dioxide is sometimes used as a preservative for dried apricots and other dried fruits owing to its antimicrobial properties, (it is sometimes called E220 when used in this way.)

As a preservative, it maintains the appearance of the fruit and prevents rotting.Sulphur dioxide is produced naturally when wine and beer are made and it is often added to wine to stop it from continuing to ferment in the bottle.

For the first time, In 1925, a Mid Day Meal Programme was introduced for disadvantaged children in Madras Municipal Corporation.With a view to enhancing enrollment, retention and attendance and simultaneously improving nutritional levels among children, the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education (NP-NSPE) was launched as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme on 15th August 1995, initially in 2408 blocks in the country. By the year 1997-98 the NP-NSPE was introduced in all blocks of the country. It was further extended in 2002 to cover not only children in classes I -V of Government, Government aided and local body schools, but also children studying in EGS and AIE centres.Presently, School going children between the years of 6 to 14 i.e., primary and upper primary are covered under this scheme.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) is a UN specialized agency, established by States in 1944 to manage the administration and governance of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention).The Organization is made up of an Assembly, a Council of limited membership with various subordinate bodies and a Secretariat. The chief officers are the President of the Council and the Secretary General.The Assembly, composed of representatives from all Contracting States, is the sovereign body of ICAO. It meets every three years, reviewing in detail the work of the Organization and setting policy for the coming years. It also votes a triennial budget.The Council, the governing body which is elected by the Assembly for a three-year term, is composed of 36 States.

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is the premier central police force of the Union of India for maintaining internal security. Originally it was constituted as the Crown Representative Police in 1939, and is one of the oldest Central paramilitary forces of India. CRPF was raised as a sequel to the political unrest and the agitations in the then princely States of India following the Madras Resolution of the All-India Congress Committee in 1936.

After Independence, the force was renamed as Central Reserve Police Force by an Act of Parliament on December 28, 1949.The force played a significant role during the amalgamation of the princely States into the Indian Union. It helped the Union Government in disciplining the rebellious princely States of Junagarh and the small principality of Kathiawar in Gujarat which had declined to join the Indian Union.

For the first time in the history of paramilitary forces in India, thirteen companies of CRPF including a detachment of women were airlifted to join the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka to fight the militant caders. Besides, CRPF personnel were also sent to Haiti, Namibia, Somalia and Maldives to deal with law and order situation there, as a part of the UN Peacekeeping Force.

Derby is a medium range BVR(Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air missile.It has been indigenously developed by Israel.Recently, The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) successfully fired Derby air-to-air BVR Range missile to expand the firing envelope as well as to demonstrate safe operation of the aircraft.