1. Recently the Cabinet approved the establishment of International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), how many Big Cats are included under the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)? – 7
Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully test-fired the indigenously developed (Very Short Range Air Defence System) (VSHORADS) portable air defence system from Chandipur off the Odisha coast.
Environment
6. Melanochlamys Droupadi, recently seen in the news, belongs to which species? – Sea slug
Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have identified a new species of head-shield sea slug, Melanochlamys Droupadi, along the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal.
Measuring up to 7 mm, it’s a small invertebrate with a brownish-black body and a distinctive ruby red spot.
Inhabiting wet sandy beaches, the hermaphroditic slug forms a protective mucus sheath, leaving a trail like a turtle as it moves beneath the sand.
Sea slugs, mollusks found in various marine environments, include 18 known species globally.
Sports
7. Which country won the 1st UEFAWomen’s Nations Football League2023 -24 title? – Spain
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Director General Daljit Singh Chaudhary has been appointed as the Additional Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG).
Awards & Honours
10. The Bengali translation of which French novel has won the Romain Rolland Book Prize-2024? – Novel Stalin Couch
The Global Waste Management Outlook 2024, co-published by UNEP and ISWA, highlights key trends.
Predictions indicate municipal solid waste will surge from 2.3 to 3.8 billion tonnes by 2050.
The direct cost of global waste management, at USD 252 billion in 2020, is projected to nearly double by 2050 without immediate intervention.
Barriers include insufficient urgency recognition, incomplete data, and climate impact underestimation, as well as gendered aspects, informal sector undervaluation, and inadequate legislation.
Important Days & Weeks
12. In which state is the ‘Chapchar Kut’ festival celebrated every year in the month of March? – Mizoram
Misc
13. How many railway stations have successfully achieved the prestigious “Eat Right Station” certification? – 150
150 railway stations and 6 metro stations have earned the coveted “Eat Right Station” certification, a part of the Eat Right India movement by FSSAI.
Led by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, the initiative mandates stringent food safety, hygiene, and nutrition standards for all vendors at certified stations.
