About Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri:

• They are two new species of ant flies.
• These insects belong to the Microdontinae subfamily of hoverflies.
• Metadon ghorpadei was discovered in Delhi’s Northern Ridge Forest.
• Metadon reemeri was found in the Siruvani Hills of the Western Ghats.
• Globally, many Microdontinae species are considered rare or threatened due to their specialised habitat requirements and patchy distribution.
  • They are known for their unique association with ants, as their larvae live inside ant nests and feed on ant broods, a specialised behaviour called myrmecophily that makes them exceptionally rare and difficult to detect.

About Bhitarkanika National Park:

• It is located in the Kendrapara district of Odisha.
• The mangrove swamp situated on the delta formed by the three rivers, namely Brahmani, Baitarani, and Dhamra, the park houses an array of creeks, backwaters, estuaries, deltas, and mudhuts.
• The national park is surrounded by the Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. Gahirmatha Beach and Marine Sanctuary lie to the east, and separates a swamp region covered with a canopy of mangroves from the Bay of Bengal.
• It is India’s second largest mangrove ecosystem after the Sunderbans.
• Proximity to the Bay of Bengal makes the soil of the area enriched with salt.
• The vegetation and species of the sanctuary are those that are mainly found in the tropical and subtropical intertidal regions.
• It is also designated as a Ramsar site.
• Flora: Mangrove species, casuarinas, and grasses like the indigo bush.
• Fauna:
  • It is home to the largest congregation of the endangered saltwater crocodile in the country.
  • The Gahirmatha Beach is the largest colony of the Olive Ridley Sea Turtles.
  • It is also home to numerous animals like hyenas, wild boar, Chitals, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Wild Boar, Jungle cat, Wild Pigs, etc., and migratory birds, which make it their home during the winter season, lending a vibrant hue to the ecosystem.
  • It is also home to eight varieties of Kingfisher birds, which is also a rarity.

About Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD):

• Often referred to as a “silent” disease, MASLD is a liver condition that can progress over time if left unaddressed.
• It is a long-lasting liver condition caused by having too much fat in the liver.
• Previously known as Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), its name was changed to better reflect the condition’s underlying causes.
• The new term highlights that the disease is a metabolic one, linked to factors such as obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
• It is the most common form of liver disease in the world.
• MASLD ranges in severity from hepatic steatosis — sometimes called diffuse hepatic steatosis, or formerly fatty liver infiltration or simply fatty liver — to a more severe form of disease called metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), formerly called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
• Treatment: Treating MASLD with a healthy diet, physical activity, and weight loss can slow or even reverse liver damage, especially if it is at an earlier stage.

About Muna Island:

• It is situated in the Southeast Sulawesi province of Indonesia.
• It is known for its diverse culture and natural beauty, including lush forests and pristine beaches.
• The island is home to the Muna people, who have a rich cultural heritage and are known for their traditional crafts and dances.
• The economy of Muna Island is primarily based on agriculture, fishing, and local crafts.
• The main town and principal port is Raha, on the northeastern coast across the Strait of Buton from the neighbouring island of Buton to the east.
• One of the most famous natural attractions on Muna Island is the Liangkobori Cave, which contains prehistoric paintings.
• Additionally, there is Napabale Lake, which has a natural tunnel connecting it directly to the sea.

About Borax:

• Borax, also known as sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a powdery white mineral.
• It’s a combination of boron, sodium, and oxygen.
• Chemical Formula: Na2B4O7·10H2O
• It is used in many ways—as a component of glass and pottery glazes in the ceramics industry, as a solvent for metal-oxide slags in metallurgy, as a flux in welding and soldering, and as a fertilizer additive, a soap supplement, a disinfectant, a mouthwash, and a water softener.
• Borax occurs naturally in evaporite deposits produced by the repeated evaporation of seasonal lakes.
• Borax can also be produced synthetically from other boron compounds.
• Naturally occurring borax is refined by the process of recrystallization.

About ICE Cloud:

• It is an indigenous, comprehensive digital platform for conducting complex scientific research using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and High-Performance Computing (HPC).
• It provides ease of access to computational resources.
• It is built indigenously to provide cloud services for research and development that is reproducible.
• It now offers an open-access platform equipped with supercomputers and tools for software development, AI, quantum technologies, simulation studies and more.
• The platform is available to students, scientists, researchers, start-ups and others.
• ICE offers an array of services — storage, bioinformatics tools, virtual hosting, pipeline execution, AI visualisation, development environments on the cloud and seamless collaboration features.
• Use Cases of ICE Cloud: Research Institutes, Researchers, Developers and Industry
• It was funded by the Department of Biotechnology (DBT) to support scientific research.

About Steel Slag:

• Steel slag is an industrial byproduct obtained from the steel manufacturing
• It is produced in large quantities during steel-making operations that use electric arc furnaces.
• It can also be produced by smelting iron ore in a basic oxygen furnace.
• Composition: Primarily, slag consists of calcium, magnesium, manganese and aluminium silicates and oxides in various combinations.
• The cooling process of slag is responsible mainly for generating different types of slags required for various end-use consumers
• Applications of Steel Slag:
  • Environmental Remediation: It has found use as a barrier material remedy for waste sites where heavy metals tend to leach into the surrounding environment.
  • Steel slag forces the heavy metals to drop out of solution in water run off because of its high oxide mineral content.
  • It has been used successfully to treat acidic water discharges from abandoned mines.
  • It can replace coarse aggregate due to a higher impact and crushing strength, better anti-skid capacity.

About Kaladi:

• Kaladi is a famous Dogra cuisine.
• It is a traditional dairy product of Udhampur district, Jammu & Kashmir.
• It has received Geographical Indication tag (GI).

Key Facts about Geographical Indication Tag

• It is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.
• This is typically used for agricultural products, foodstuffs, wine and spirit drinks, handicrafts and industrial products.
• The Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 seeks to provide for the registration and better protection of geographical indications relating to goods in India.
• This GI tag is valid for 10 years following which it can be renewed.

About Atal Pension Yojana:

• It was launched by the Government of India.
• It was designed to encourage voluntary savings for retirement by offering defined pension benefits, linked to the age of joining and amount of contribution.
• Key Features of Atal Pension Yojana:
  • Target Group: It is aimed at workers in the unorganised sector.
    • It was initially available to all citizens of India between 18 and 40 years of age.
    • Later, it mandated that individuals paying income tax are not eligible to join the scheme.
  • Guaranteed Pension: Subscribers can opt for a fixed pension ranging from ₹1,000 to ₹5,000 per month, depending on the contribution made.
  • Government Co-Contribution: For subscribers who enrolled between June 1, 2015, and March 31, 2016, and met certain criteria, the government contributed 50% of the subscriber’s amount or ₹1,000 per annum for five years.
  • It is administered by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA).
  • Exit and withdrawal options 
    • Exit at age 60: Full pension begins.
    • Exit before age 60: Permitted only in cases of death or terminal illness.
    • Voluntary Exit: Allowed, but the subscriber only receives the contribution made (with interest) and government co-contribution (if any) is forfeited.