News in Shorts – 6th June 2024

World’s largest grain storage plan 

• Recently, National level Coordination Committee for the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan holds its first meeting in Delhi
• Objective: To convert Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) into Multi-Service Societies.
• Benefits: To alleviate the shortage of agricultural storage infrastructure and empower PACS to operate as procurement centers, fair price shops, custom hiring centers, and processing units. 
  • It will mitigate food grain wastage, bolster food security, curb distress sales, lower transportation expenses, and fortify PACS.

White Phosphorus Munitions

• Israel’s widespread use of white phosphorus in south Lebanon is putting civilians at grave risk and contributing to civilian displacement.
• About: White phosphorus is a pyrophoric substance that spontaneously ignites upon exposure to oxygen, emitting dense, light smoke and generating intense heat of 815 degrees Celsius. 
  • Pyrophoric substances are those that undergo spontaneous ignition or rapid combustion (within five minutes) when exposed to air.
• International Status: White phosphorus, categorized as “Pyrophoric solids, category 1” under the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals, ignites spontaneously upon contact with air, making it one of the most unstable pyrophoric substances.
• Applications: Its main military application is as a smokescreen, employed to conceal troop movements on the ground by creating visual obscurity.
• Harmful Effects: Exposure to white phosphorus can result in severe burns extending down to the bone, respiratory issues, and damage to infrastructure, crops, and livestock. 
  • Raging fires, particularly in windy conditions, can exacerbate these effects.

Five Eyes Allies

• The recruitment to the Australian military will be limited to the citizens from the UK, Canada, New Zealand and the US — the constituents of the grouping, commonly known as the Five Eyes.
• About: The Five Eyes is an intelligence alliance consisting of countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the US. 
• • These nations are signatories to the multilateral UK-USA Agreement, a treaty facilitating joint cooperation in signals intelligence.
• Functions: Countries frequently collaborate on matters concerning intelligence gathering and security.
• Working: The Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council was established in 2016.
  • It comprises the non-political intelligence oversight, review, and security entities of the Five Eyes countries.