About Colorado River:

• It is a major river of North America.
• The name "Colorado" comes from Spanish and means "colored reddish." This is because the river used to carry a lot of silt, which made its water look red.
• Origin:
  • It rises in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, United States.
  • Colorado forms an international boundary between Arizona (US) and Mexico and drains North America’s vast semi-arid and arid area.
• The intensive development along the river has earned it the name “Lifeline of the Southwest.”
• Lakes: It forms several major reservoirs, including Lake Mead and Lake Powell.
• Tributaries:
  • It has several tributaries, including Green, Gunnison, San Juan, Dolores, Little Colorado, Gila, and Virgin Rivers.
  • The Green River is the longest river feeding into the Colorado River.
• One of the Colorado River’s most famous features is the Grand Canyon, which it carved over millions of years.
  • Grand Canyon landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction.
• The river also flows through Canyonlands National Park and Horseshoe Bend in Arizona.
• Major Dams:
  • Hoover Dam is an arched dam.
    • It is one of the world’s highest dams and one of the largest concrete dams in volume.
    • It holds back Lake Mead, one of the world’s greatest reservoirs.
• Parker Dam: It is the deepest dam on earth.
• Glen Canyon Dam: It created one of the biggest reservoirs in the United States, known as Lake Powell.

About Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA):

• It is an independent, non-profit research organisation focused on revealing the trends, causes, and health impacts, as well as the solutions, to air pollution.
• It is based in Helsinki, Finland.
• CREA uses scientific data, research, and evidence to support the efforts of governments, companies, and campaigning organisations worldwide in their efforts to move towards clean energy and clean air.
• CREA investigates the sources and trends of health-harming pollutants, particularly those resulting from fossil fuel combustion, which cause millions of premature deaths annually.
• The NGO produces regular publications and data products addressing topics such as coal phase-out, industrial emissions, and the environmental impacts of energy production.
• CREA’s research also covers geopolitical issues, such as the financing of fossil fuel imports during conflicts.
• Its works are funded through philanthropic grants and revenue from commissioned research.

About Charles Correa Gold Medal:

• It is an annual award initiated in 1998 by the Indian architect and urbanist Charles Correa.
• The medal recognises quality and talent among young students of architecture for their undergraduate thesis project in a first professional degree course.
• The Charles Correa Foundation (CCF) administers the Gold Medal annually.
• Eligibility: Final-year students pursuing undergraduate professional degree at eligible Indian architecture colleges.
• Selection:
  • Participating colleges nominate one student’s individual thesis project.
  • The student must be the sole author of the project. Group work is not permitted.
  • A jury of eminent architects reviews the submissions and identifies an outstanding student who will be awarded the Medal.
  • The applicant college of architecture must be located in India and approved by the Council of Architecture (COA).
  • Initially the award was open only to Mumbai and Goa architecture colleges, but from 2022 forward, CCF invites all colleges across India.
• From 2025 to 2027, the medal focuses on thesis projects that address ‘Equitability through Design’.

Who was Charles Correa?

• He was a renowned Indian architect and urban planner.
• He was credited with the creation of modern architecture in post-Independence India.
• Understanding the needs of the urban poor, Correa used traditional methods and materials to plan the urban designs.
• In the majority of his designs, he applied for the 'open-to-sky' concept.
• His major projects include the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial at the Sabarmati Ashram, National Crafts Museum in New Delhi, Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal, Jawahar Kala Kendra in Jaipur, and the British Council in Delhi.
• He was one of the chief architects of Navi Mumbai.
• His work also includes projects in townships and public housing projects in Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru (Bangalore), and other cities in India.
• In 1984 he founded the Urban Design Research Institute in Mumbai, and a year later he became Chairman of the National Commission for Urbanisation.
• Awards and Recognitions:
  • He was awarded the second highest civilian honour, the Padma Shri in 1972 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2006.
  • He was also honoured with the 1984 Royal Gold Medal by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
  • He was acclaimed as “India’s greatest architect” by RIBA when it mounted an exhibition on him in 2013.

About Akash Missile System:

• It is a short-range surface-to-air missile (SAM) system.
• It is designed to protect vulnerable areas, points and assets from a range of aerial threats, including fighter aircraft, cruise missiles, drones, and helicopters.
• It was indigenously designed and developed by India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and is produced by Hyderabad-based Bharat Dynamics Ltd. (BDL).
• It was developed under India’s Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme (IGMDP).
  • The programme also involved the development of the Nag, Agni, and Trishul missiles, as well as the Prithvi ballistic missile.
• It is currently in service with the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Indian Army.
• Akash is distinguished from adjacent systems within India's tiered air-defence grid.
  • It occupies the medium-range layer, below the long-range S-400 Triumf acquired from Russia and the indigenous-Israeli Barak-8/MR-SAM, and above short-range systems such as the quick-reaction surface-to-air missiles (QRSAM) and the man-portable point-defence weapons.
• Features:
  • The system features a launcher, a missile, a control centre, an integral mission guidance system, a multifunctional fire control radar, a system arming and explosion mechanism, a digital autopilot, C4I (command, control, communication, and intelligence) centres, and supporting ground equipment.
  • It features a solid-fuel, ramjet propulsion system, capable of reaching speeds of Mach 2.5 to 3.5 (up to 4,200 km/h).
  • It covers a range of 5 km to 25 km and can engage aerial threats flying between 100 meters and 20 kilometers in altitude.
  • It can simultaneously engage multiple targets in Group Mode or Autonomous Mode.
  • Its sophisticated Rajendra radar can track numerous targets and guide multiple missiles concurrently.
  • It is fully automatic, features built-in electronic counter measures, and is mobile across different terrains.
• Variants:
  • Akash-1S: Incorporates an indigenous radio-frequency (RF) seeker for improved terminal accuracy, moving away from pure command guidance.
  • Akash Prime: Upgraded RF seeker and optimised for high-altitude, low-temperature operation, addressing performance gaps observed in mountainous theatres.
  • Akash-NG (New Generation): Introduces an active electronically scanned array (AESA) multifunction radar, an active RF seeker, a canisterised launcher, and extended range.

About Kamala Hydroelectric Project:

• Kamala Hydroelectric Project (formerly Subansiri Middle Hydroelectric Project) is a 1,720 MW hydroelectric project planned on the Kamala River (a major tributary of the Subansiri River) in Arunachal Pradesh‘s Kamle district.
• It is a storage-based scheme with a flood moderation component.
• The project involves construction of concrete gravity dam and an underground powerhouse.
• In addition to power generation, the project also envisaged to provide flood relief in the Brahmaputra valley.
• The project will be implemented on a Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) basis through a joint venture company with 74% equity by NHPC and 26% by the Govt of Arunachal Pradesh (GoAP).
• The project is proposed to be financed with a debt-equity ratio of 70:30, supported by Government of India grants for enabling infrastructure (Rs 1,340 crore) and flood moderation component (Rs 4,743.98 crore), along with 100% SGST reimbursement by GoAP.
• The State will receive 12% free power and an additional 1% earmarked for the Local Area Development Fund (LADF).

About Iodine:

• It is a chemical element and a member of the halogen elements, belonging to Group 17 (Group VIIa) of the periodic table.
• Properties:
  • It is a nonmetallic, nearly black solid at room temperature with a glittering, crystalline appearance.
  • The molecular lattice of iodine contains discrete diatomic molecules, which are also present when iodine is molten or in a gaseous state.
  • Iodine is a bluish-black, lustrous solid. It volatilises at ambient temperatures into a blue-violet gas.
  • It has ability to form stable compounds with both metals and nonmetals.
    • Example: For instance, iodine reacts with alkali metals to produce iodides.
  • Occurrence:
    • Iodine is a naturally occurring element that is essential for the good health of people and animals.
    • It is found in small amounts in sea water and in certain rocks and sediments.
  • Uses:
    • Iodine is an essential component of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
      • Thyroid hormones regulate many important biochemical reactions, including protein synthesis and enzymatic activity, and are critical determinants of metabolic activity.
    • It is widely used in medical antiseptics, iodized salt for nutritional supplementation, photographic chemicals, and as a catalyst in various industrial processes.
    • It is used in nuclear medicine for diagnostic imaging and treatment procedures, particularly due to its natural affinity for the thyroid gland.

About PM-DAKSH Scheme:

• The Pradhan Mantri Dakshata Aur Kushalata Sampanna Hitgrahi (PM-DAKSH) Yojana, is a Central Sector Scheme that was launched during 2020-21.
• Aim: To provide skills through good quality institutions so that candidates from its target group can find employment.
• Target Group: Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Castes, Economically Weaker Sections, and the De-notified Tribes in India (DNTs), ‘Safai Karamcharis’ or waste pickers.
• Eligibility:
  • Age: 18-45 years
  • Family Income: OBC and EWS candidates must have a family income below Rs. 3 lakh, while there is no income limit for SC, DNT, or Safai Mitras/Waste Pickers.
• There are four types of skill development training programmes under this namely, Up-skilling/Re-skilling, Short Term Training Programmes, Long Term Training Programmes, and Entrepreneurship Development Programme.
• Implementation: It is implemented through the National Scheduled Castes Finance and Development Corporation (NSFDC), National Backward Classes Finance & Development Corporation (NBCFDC) and National Safai Karamcharis Finance and Development Corporation (NSKFDC).
• It has been merged with the Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment

About Shamonda Virus:

• It is an insect-borne virus from the Orthobunyavirus group.
• It belongs to the same group as Schmallenberg virus, which causes reproductive disorders ​in livestock.
• It was first detected in cattle in Nigeria in 1965, it has since been found in parts of Africa and Asia.
• Transmission: It is transmitted by biting midges and mainly affects cattle, though infections have also been identified in sheep, goats, horses and alpacas.
• Treatment: There are currently no commercially available vaccines against Shamonda virus.  
• First Human Infection: Shamonda virus has historically not been recognised as a cause of disease in humans. However, the first ever reported human infection with Shamonda virus has been reported in France.

About Emissions Gap Report 2026:

• Emissions Gap Report is an annual report published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
• The EGR series tracks our progress in limiting global warming well below 2°C and pursuing 1.5°C in line with the Paris Agreement.
• It is launched every year ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP).
• The EGR is co-produced by UNEP, the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre (UNEP-CCC) and partners.

Key Highlights of Emissions Gap Report 2026:          

• Global greenhouse gas emissions totaled 4 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (GtCO₂e) in 2025, around 0.16 GtCO₂e lower than in 2024. 
• More than two-thirds of all GHGs emissions are from fossil sources; rest being CO₂ from the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF), methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gas emissions (F-gases).
• The world has lost the opportunity to keep warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels without, or with only limited, overshoot.
• To reach the lowest-overshoot pathway, global greenhouse gas emissions would need to fall by: 18% by 2030, 45% by 2035 and 69% by 2040.
• The full implementation of countries’ Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) would reduce emissions by only 5% to 8% by 2030 and 11% to 15% by 2035, relative to 2025.