About Taleju Bhawani Temple:

• It is located in Kathmandu, Nepal.
• The temple lies within Kathmandu Durbar Square, part of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage property.
• It is dedicated to Goddess Taleju Bhawani, regarded as a form of Goddess Durga.
• The temple was constructed in the 16th century by King Mahendra Malla.
  • The Malla dynasty, which ruled the Kathmandu Valley from the 12th to the 18th century, is deeply intertwined with the worship of Goddess Taleju Bhawani.
• For the general public, the temple opens its doors just once a year during Maha Navami (the ninth day of Dashain).
• Architecture: It is a masterpiece of Newar pagoda architecture.
  • Key architectural features include:
    • Three-tiered pagoda roof with elaborately carved eaves and gilded finials.
    • 12-stage plinth representing the layers of the universe and spiritual ascent.
    • Four main decorative gateways, each guarded by stone lions.
    • Golden statues of the ten-armed goddess inside the inner sanctum.
    • Elaborately carved wooden windows and torana (ornamental arches above doorways).
    • The overall layout is modeled on the Shri Yantra, the sacred geometric diagram believed to embody the goddess herself.

About Kharg Island:

• It is a small coral island in Iran located in the northern Persian Gulf.
• It is one of relatively few Persian Gulf islands with natural freshwater resources, making it suitable for settlement by small populations.
• The island experiences hot and humid summers, and its highest point, Mount Didehban, stands at 87 meters above sea level.
• It facilitates as much as 90 percent of the country’s oil exports and is vital for Iran’s economy.
• Its strategic significance lies in its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global oil passage.

About GSAT-7B:

• It is the Indian Army’s first dedicated communications satellite.
• It is part of the GSAT-7 series
• It is expected to be launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) around mid-2028.
• It will be the heaviest communication satellite India has ever built.
• It will sit in a geostationary orbit.
• Till now, the Indian Army has been dependent on GSAT-7A and other surveillance satellites like the RISAT 2BR1 imaging satellite for communication and surveillance operations.
• GSAT-7B is designed to provide Indian Army beyond-line-of-sight communications for deployed troops and military formations, as well as weapon systems, airborne platforms, and other mission-critical assets.
• It will provide the army with secure, round-the-clock connectivity across remote border areas and challenging terrain, supporting day-to-day military operations and effective battlefield command and control.

GSAT 7 Series Satellites:

• They are advanced communication satellites developed by the ISRO to meet the communication needs of the Indian defence services.
• GSAT-7 (Rukmini):
  • It is an advanced communication satellite developed by ISRO and primarily provides communication services to the Indian Navy.
  • It is India’s first military satellite.
  • It was launched in 2013 from an Ariane 5 ECA rocket from Kourou in French Guiana.
• GSAT 7A:
  • It was launched in 2018.
  • It primarily provides communication services to the Indian Air Force.
  • It also helps in satellite-controlled operations of UAVs.
• GSAT-7R (CMS-03):
  • It was launched in 2025, a replacement for the Rukmini satellite.
  • The homegrown satellite enables seamless and secure communications between warships, aircraft, submarines, and maritime operations centres.

About Puzhal Lake:

• Puzhal Lake, also known as Red Hills Lake, is a manmade freshwater lake located in Tamil Nadu.
• It was built in the 19th century, during the British Period.
• It is one of the three main rain-fed reservoirs from where water is being drawn to be supplied in the city of Chennai, the other two being the Chembarambakkam Lake and Porur Lake.
• It's like a giant natural storage tank that collects rainwater and water from other sources.
• This water is then treated and sent through pipes to homes and businesses across the city.
• At the lake, there is a tower esteemed as Jone Tower, which is used to calculate the depth of the water level in the lake.
  • This tower was built in the year 1881 and is the main attraction of the lake.
• It provides critical refuge for resident waterbirds and long-distance migratory avifauna.
• During autumn and winter, trans-continental migrants arrive across the Central Asian Flyway (CAF), seeking open water and abundant foraging grounds.

About People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA):

• It is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) committed to ending abusive treatment of animals in business and society and promoting consideration of animal interests in everyday decision-making and general policies and practices.
• It is the largest animal rights organization in the world.
• PETA was founded in 1980 by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, who were influenced by Australian ethicist Peter Singer’s book Animal Liberation (1975).
• It is based in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, with entities worldwide.
• Initially recognized for exposing cruelty in research laboratories, PETA has grown into a global entity with over ten million members and considerable annual expenditures.
• The very heart of all of PETA’s actions is the idea that it is the right of all beings—human and nonhuman alike—to be free from harm.
• PETA advocates that animals should not be used for human benefit and promotes alternatives made possible by technological advancements.
• PETA opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and focuses on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time:
  • in laboratories
  • in the food industry
  • in the clothing trade and
  • in the entertainment business
• PETA also works on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals who are often considered “pests” and cruelty to domesticated animals.
• PETA works through public education, investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, protests, and negotiations with companies and regulatory agencies.

About European Bee-Eater:

• It is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family, Meropidae. 
• These brightly-colored birds predominantly eat flying insects, especially bees and wasps
• It is also known as Golden Bee-eaters because of their beautiful coloration.
• Appearance: It has dark, thick, and slightly downward curved bills.
• Habitat: They are commonly found near freshwater systems and inhabit a variety of habitat types such as forest, savanna, shrubland, grassland, and agricultural areas.
• Distribution: The have a broad distribution covering much of Europe and Africa.
• Behaviour: These are migratory, diurnal birds that spend most of their time foraging for food. 
• Diet: They are carnivores (insectivores) and mainly eat insects, especially bees, wasps, and hornets.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern.

About Baltic Sea:        

• It is a semi-enclosed inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean, situated in Northern Europe.
• It is often cited as the world’s largest brackish inland water body.
• It is the youngest sea.
• Surrounding Countries: It is bordered by Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Russia. 
• Key Branches and Basin:
  • It comprises several branches and basins, which include, from northeast to southwest, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and the Gulf of Riga; the central-southern area known as the Baltic Proper; and the Danish straits of Kattegat and Skagerrak, which connect to the North Sea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.
• Its water salinity levels are lower than that of the world oceans due to the inflow of fresh water from the surrounding land and the sea’s shallowness. 
• Islands: It is home to many islands and archipelagos. Gotland, located off the coast of Sweden, is the largest island in the Baltic Sea.
• Issues: Algal Harmful Blooms are also one of the issues that affect the Baltic Sea.

About International Energy Agency:

• It is an autonomous intergovernmental organisation within the OECD framework.
• It works with governments and industry to shape a secure and sustainable energy future for all.
• Historical Background: It was established in 1974, in the wake of the 1973-1974 oil crisis, to help its members respond to major oil supply disruptions.
• Mandate: Tracking and analyzing global key energy trends, promoting sound energy policy, and fostering multinational energy technology cooperation.
• Focus Area: It focuses on four main areas: energy security, economic development, environmental awareness and engagement worldwide.
• Headquarters: Paris, France.
• Member Countries: It consists of 32 member countries and 14 association countries.
  • A candidate country to the IEA must be a member country of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• India joined this organization in 2017 as an Associate member.
• Reports Published by IEA: World Energy Outlook, World Energy Balances, Energy Technology Perspectives, World Energy Statistics and Net Zero by 2050.

About Cheer Pheasant:          

• It is also known as Wallich’s pheasant or chir pheasant, belongs to the pheasant family,
• Habitat: It is found in steep, rocky hillsides studded with scrub, stunted trees and grassy slopes between 1,200 and 3,350 metres.
• Distribution: It is mainly found in Western Himalaya from northern Pakistan through Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, to central Nepal.
• Characteristics of Cheer Pheasant:
  • The cheer pheasant’s nest is a simple ground scrape, tucked beneath undergrowth or sheltered by rocks.
  • It exhibits high natal philopatry, individuals often return to, or remain near, the area where they were born to breed.
  • It depends on early successional grasslands created by traditional grass cutting and burning practices.
  • Diet: It depends on items such as roots, tubers, bulbs, buried seeds and possibly insect larvae and earthworms.
• Conservation Status of Cheer Pheasant
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I.