About Mount Erebus:

• It is a stratovolcano located on the western half of Ross Island, off the coast of Antarctica in the Ross Sea.
• It is the world’s southernmost active volcano.
• It is an intraplate volcano and belongs to the McMurdo Volcanic Group, located in the so-called Terror Rift, which is part of the West Antarctic Rift System.
• It is the second tallest volcano in Antarctica, after Mount Sidley.
• It is one of only two volcanoes on the continent that are considered to be active; Deception Island is the other.
• It is also one of only a few volcanoes in the world that contain an active lava lake.
• The lava lake in the summit crater has been active since at least 1972. Most eruptions are small and Strombolian in character, tossing bombs onto the crater rim.
• It is also the only known volcano that releases tiny crystals of pure gold into the atmosphere.

About Arul Mihu Navasakthi Vinayagar Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple located in Victoria, the capital of Seychelles.
• It is the only Hindu temple in Seychelles.
• The temple was built in 1992 by the Hindu community living in Seychelles, which constitutes around 2% of the population.
• The temple is dedicated to Lord Vinayagar (or Lord Ganesha), and is located in the heart of Victoria on Mahé Island.
• Architecture:
  • It looks very similar to the famous temples of Tamil Nadu and other parts of South India, with its vibrant and intricate Dravidian architecture.
  • Its most striking feature is the colourful gopuram, or entrance tower, which rises nearly 100 feet into the sky.
  • The tower is covered with beautifully carved statues of Hindu gods, goddesses, and mythological figures.
  • Every statue is painted in bright colours, making the temple stand out against the green hills.
  • At its centre is the garbha griha, or “womb chamber,” where the principal deity, Lord Vinayagar, is enshrined.
  • The temple also has a mandapam, an open hall used for religious ceremonies, prayers, and celebrations.

About Ayushman Sarathi:

• It is a WhatsApp chatbot that will enable beneficiaries to access key services under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY).
• The Chatbot is developed by the National Health Authority (NHA).
• The chatbot is built on secure API-based integration with existing PM-JAY systems and is more than just an information bot.
• It is a functional tool that will deliver real-time information and perform services directly within the chat window.
• It provides users with quick and convenient access to essential PM-JAY services anytime and anywhere, reducing the need for physical visits to healthcare facilities.
• This gives beneficiaries 24/7 access to Ayushman Bharat scheme services.
• Services Offered:
  • It lets users check their eligibility under PM-JAY, apply for and download their Ayushman Card, complete eKYC, link Aadhaar, lock or unlock their PM-JAY card, among other services.
  • As the Ayushman Bharat scheme offers Rs 5 lakh insurance to all elderly aged 70 and above, they can access their Ayushman Vaya Vandana Card, which is issued specifically to seniors, enabling them to avail of the scheme’s benefits.
  • Users can also view their wallet balance and treatment history, locate nearby empanelled hospitals, register, track or withdraw grievances, request a callback, and submit feedback after hospital discharge.

About Southern Birdwing:

• The Southern Birdwing, also called the 'Sahyadri Birdwing', is a large and striking butterfly endemic to South India, primarily in the Western Ghats.
• Scientific Name: Troides minos
• It is India’s second largest butterfly
• It is the state butterfly of Karnataka.
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • Found in the Western Ghats.
  • Found in diverse habitats from lowland evergreen forests near the coast to mixed deciduous forests, dry scrub, and agricultural fields.
  • Conservation Status:

○   IUCN Red List: Least concern.

About Malaprabha River:

• It is an important tributary of the Krishna River and flows through Karnataka.
• Course:
  • The river originates in the Western Ghats, in the Sahyadri hill range, at Kanakumbi village in the Belgaum district.
  • The Shri Mauli Devi temple marks the birthplace of Malaprabha at Kanakumbi; the place has a long history going back to prehistoric times, and it's a pilgrimage center.
  • From there, it flows eastward and then northeast, finally merging with the Krishna River at the confluence point known as Kudala Sangama in the Bagalkot district.
• Malaprabha's main tributaries are Bennihalla, Hirehalla, and Tuprihalla.
• There is a dam known as Renukasagar built on this river.
• It is home to several ancient temples and heritage sites, including the renowned Aihole, Pattadakal, and Badami temple complexes.

About Academic Bank of Credits:

• It is a revolutionary digital platform by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.
• It is regulated by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
• It is built to support every learner’s journey by providing a digital platform for storing, managing, transferring, and redeeming academic credits earned by students from recognised educational institutions.
• Objectives: The main objective of ABC is to create a flexible, learner-friendly education system in which learning achievements can be recognised, stored, and used throughout a person's life.
• It supports the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the National Credit Framework (NCrF).
• How Does Academic Bank of Credits Work?
  • Students register on the ABC portal and receive a unique ABC ID or APAAR ID linked to their Aadhaar and DigiLocker account.
  • Students belonging to eligible Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) can use the ABC facility.
  • Academic institutions upload credit data directly to the ABC portal against each student's account.
  • Students can accumulate, transfer, and redeem credits across HEIs without losing academic progress.
  • Credits are valid for a maximum of 7 years or the duration prescribed by the relevant academic discipline. Once redeemed, credits cannot be reused.
  • Credit redemption and certificate issuance are handled by academic institutions via the National Academic Depository (NAD) platform.
  • The NAD serves as the backbone of ABC, securely storing all academic awards and records.
• Key Features of Academic Bank of Credits:
  • Academic Mobility: Students can study across multiple HEIs and transfer their credits seamlessly between programmes and institutions.
  • ABC provides students with a seamless, consent-based document exchange system that streamlines verification and significantly reduces processing time.
  • Multiple Entry and Exit (MEE): ABC enables the MEE framework under NEP 2020.
  • SWAYAM Integration: Students may avail up to 40% of credits from the SWAYAM online platform.
  • National Credit Framework (NCrF): ABC is aligned with the NCrF, covering academic, vocational, and experiential learning.

About Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections:

• These are massive blasts of magnetized plasma released from the Sun’s outer atmosphere, which then travel through interplanetary space.
• When those ICMEs are directed towards Earth and encounter Earth’s magnetic field, they can disturb it and cause geomagnetic storms.
• They produce colorful, dazzling auroras in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
• The level of activity of the Sun has an 11-year cycle, and more ICMEs are created during the maxima of these cycles.
• ICMEs are responsible for the most severe of geomagnetic storms when they impinge upon Earth’s magnetosphere.
• ICMEs also provide an enormous plasma laboratory to study physical processes in space.
• Impacts of Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections: These storms have adverse effects on satellite operations, GPS and radio communications, aviation routes, and power grids.

About United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific:

• It is the most inclusive intergovernmental platform in the Asia-Pacific region.
• It was established in 1947.
• Mandate: To promote economic and social development in the Asian and Pacific region by fostering cooperation between its members and associate members.
• Members: The Commission promotes cooperation among its 53 member States and 9 associate members in pursuit of solutions to sustainable development challenges.
• It is one of the five regional commissions of the United Nations.
• Functions: One of the main functions of UNESCAP is to promote economic and social development through regional and subregional cooperation and integration.
• It carries out work in the areas such as:
  • Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Financing for Development, Trade, Investment and Innovation, Transport, Environment and Development, Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction and Social Development etc.
• Headquarters: Bangkok, Thailand.

About Project BRAHMANK:

• It is an initiative of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO).
• Historical Background: It was raised on 29 June 2011 at Ranaghat, East Siang District, Arunachal Pradesh and became fully functional on 03 December 2011.
• It is responsible for development and maintenance of strategic road infrastructure across the Siang, East Siang, West Siang, Upper Siang and Shi-Yomi districts of Arunachal Pradesh, as well as parts of Dhemaji district in
• It has been instrumental in providing strategic and operational connectivity to the Armed Forces while bringing remote villages into the national mainstream.

Key Facts about the Border Roads Organisation:

• It is a road construction executive force in India that provides support to the Indian Armed Forces.
• BRO was entirely brought under the Ministry of Defence in 2015.
• Establishment: It was formed on 7 May 1960 to secure India’s borders and develop infrastructure in remote areas of the north and northeastern states of the country.
• It develops and maintains road networks in India’s border areas and friendly neighboring countries.
• Motto: Shramena Sarvam Sadhyam (everything is achievable through hard work).