About Zircon Missile:

• The 3M22 Zircon (Tsirkon), NATO code-named SS-N-33, is a scramjet-powered hypersonic cruise missile developed by Russia.
• Initially designed to target naval assets, the missile has evolved to include land-attack capabilities, making it an important tool for precision strike missions.
• It entered service in 2022, with initial deployments on Project 22350 Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates.
• Features:
  • It has an estimated length of 9 meters (30 feet) and a diameter of 60 cm (24 inches), with an estimated weight of between 3,000 and 4,000 kg (3–4 tons).
  • The missile is powered by a two-stage propulsion system.
    • The first stage consists of a booster engine powered by solid fuel, which accelerates the missile to supersonic speeds.
    • After reaching a certain speed, the scramjet engine in the second stage ignites, utilizing liquid fuel to accelerate the missile to hypersonic speeds.
  • Its speed—reaching up to Mach 9—makes it extremely difficult to intercept.
  • The operational range of the Zircon is reported to be around 400–450 km (250–280 miles) at low altitudes, while it can extend up to 1,000 km (620 miles) in a semi-ballistic trajectory.
  • It is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads, providing it with a versatile role in modern warfare.
  • The missile uses a combination of inertial navigation, radar homing, and plasma stealth to navigate towards its target.
  • One of the key features of the Zircon is its ability to generate a plasma cloud during hypersonic flight, which absorbs radio waves and makes the missile more difficult to detect by radar. This phenomenon is known as plasma stealth.

About Pink Tax:

• The Pink tax is neither a real tax nor is it a government-imposed fee.
• It is a term used to describe the extra cost that some companies charge for products marketed to women compared to similar products marketed to men.
• This means women might end up spending more money for the same product that men get for less.
• When companies charge more for pink (female) products compared to blue (male) versions, the extra revenue does not go to the government but benefits the companies
• Pink toys, haircuts, dry cleaning, razors, shampoos, body lotions, deodorants, facial care, skincare items, beauty care, clothing, T-shirts, jeans, salon services ,etc. suffer the tax.
• The term “Pink Tax” is believed to have originated in the U.S. in California in 1994.
  • It emerged following the realisation that brands in various cities consistently charged women higher prices for goods and services than men.
  • As per a study done in the U.S., personal care products targeting women were 13% costlier than men’s. Further, women’s accessories and adult clothing were 7% and 8% more expensive.
• Pink Tax in India:
  • The "pink tax" is not prohibited by law in India, and there are no set government regulations on this pricing practice.
  • Female-targeted goods and services prices are determined based on market dynamics and demand.
  • While there is limited research on the pink tax in India, surveys indicate price variations between products for women and men.
  • While there are no specific laws in India to address the issue of Pink Tax, the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission ruled that companies must follow fair pricing policies and avoid gender-based price discrimination.

About Dongsha Islands:

• The Dongsha Islands, also known as the Pratas Islands, are a small group of three islands located in the northern part of the South China Sea.
• It lies approximately 445 km southwest of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, and 320 km southeast of Hong Kong.
• The Dongsha Islands are governed by Taiwan. There are no permanent residents. But Taiwanese marines are stationed
• These islands are characterized by a circular coral atoll structure.
• They are composed primarily of clastic coral and reef flats approximately 15 miles (24 kilometers) in diameter, enclosing a lagoon about 10 miles (16 kilometers) in diameter.
• The island group includes Dongsha Island, being the only island above sea level, about 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) long and a little over 0.5 miles (0.8 kilometers) wide, and Northern Vereker and Southern Vereker atolls, both of which are below sea level.

About INS Trikand:

• It is a Talwar-class guided-missile frigate of the Indian Navy.
• It is the third and final ship of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy.
• It was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia.
• It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29 June 2013 at Kaliningrad, Russia.
• It is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet and operates under the Western Naval Command headquartered at Mumbai.
• Features:
  • INS Trikand carries a state-of-the-art combat suite, which includes the supersonic BRAHMOS missile system, advanced surface-to-air missiles Shtil, an upgraded A190 medium-range gun, electro-optical 30 mm close-in weapon system, anti-submarine weapons such as torpedoes and rockets, and an advanced electronic warfare system.
  • The weapons and sensors are integrated through a Combat Management System ‘Trebovanie-M’, which enables the ship to simultaneously neutralise multiple surface, sub-surface, and air threats.
  • Powered by four gas turbines, INS Trikand is capable of speeds more than 30 knots and is configured to carry a Kamov 31 helicopter.
  • It has a complement of about 300 personnel, including officers.

About Garra nambashiensis:

• It is a new species of freshwater fish which belongs to the Labeonine family.
• It was discovered in Taretlok, a tributary of the Chindwin River, near Nambashi Valley in Manipur’s Kamjong district.
• It was collected from “swift-flowing riffles (shallow sections of a river or stream) with algae-covered gravel beds and mixed substrate comprising cobbles, boulders, pebbles, sand, fine silt, and coarse sediments.
• The species features a quadrate-shaped proboscis, 7-8 acanthoid tubercles on the anterolateral margin, black spots on the opercle, 8-11 dorsal-fin scales, and six black stripes extending to the hypural plate.
• It typically measures 90-140 mm (9-14 cm), and locals call it Nutungnu.
• Currently, 60 species of Garra have been recorded from various river systems in the Northeast, encompassing the Eastern Himalayan and Indo-Burma regions.
  • Of these, 32 are grouped in the ‘proboscis species group’ and occur in the Chindwin, Brahmaputra, Barak, and Kaladan river systems.
  • Eight species have been recorded from the Chindwin river system alone, including the recently described G. chingaiensis.

About INS Androth:

• It draws its name from Androth Island in the Lakshadweep archipelago. 
• It is the second of eight anti-submarine warfare-shallow watercraft (ASW-SWC) built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), Kolkata.
• The ASW SWC ships have been indigenously designed and constructed as per the Classification Rules of Indian Register of Shipping (IRS)at GRSE, Kolkata 
• Features of INS Androth
  • It is approximately 77 meters in length and it is the largest Indian Naval warships.
  • Propulsion: The ship is propelled by a diesel engine-waterjet combination, which allows for high speed and efficient maneuverability in shallow waters.
  • Armament: It is equipped with state-of-the-art lightweight torpedoes, indigenous ASW rockets, and advanced shallow water SONAR,
  • It enables effective submarine detection and engagement in littoral zones.
  • It strengthens the Navy's Anti-submarine, coastal surveillance and mine laying capabilities.
  • It is built by using over 80 percent indigenous content, reflecting growing domestic capabilities and reducing dependency on imports.

About International Electrotechnical Commission:

• It is a nonprofit organization which was established in 1906.
• It is the organization that prepares and publishes international Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies.
• IEC’s mission is to promote, through its members, international cooperation on all questions of electrotechnical standardization and related matters. 
• Its standards are developed in a consensus process by experts from the participating countries.
• IEC Standards are often used as a basis to globally harmonize technical requirements in IEC member and non-member countries.
• IEC standards reach over 150 countries.
• Standardization Management Board (SMB) is an apex governance body of IEC responsible for technical policy matters.
• The IEC works closely with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• It is the world’s leading body for developing international standards for electrical, electronic and related technologies, with a network of 30,000 experts worldwide.
• It is the fourth time India is hosting the prestigious IEC General Meeting, after 1960, 1997 and 2013.
• It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

About Koala:

• Koala bear (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia.
• It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats.
• Koalas are asocial animals, congregating only during the breeding season.
• They spend most of their time eating and sleeping in eucalyptus trees, and their paws have two opposing thumbs to help them grasp and climb up tree trunks.
• Habitat: They can be found in habitats ranging from relatively open forests to woodlands, and in climates ranging from tropical to cool temperate.
• Distribution: Koalas are distributed across eastern and southeastern Australia, including northeastern, central, and southeastern Queensland, eastern New South Wales, Victoria as well as southeastern parts of South Australia.
• Food: Koalas are herbivorous (folivorous) animals, feeding primarily upon the leaves of the eucalyptus tree.
• Conservation status: IUCN: Vulnerable
• Threats: These species are facing compounded threats from disease, habitat loss, climate change and road collisions.

Chlamydia in koalas

• Koalas suffer from both bacterium species Chlamydia pneumonia and Chlamydia pecorum.
• The disease occurs in koalas multiple ways, including through mating, infected discharges and at birth. 
• It can cause eye infections, blindness, urinary tract problems, and even infertility.
• Infected koalas often become weak, dehydrated, and more vulnerable to predators and bushfires.
• In some areas of Australia, up to 70% of wild koalas carry the disease.
• Chlamydia spreads quickly in koalas because they live in overlapping territories and groom each other.

About Ho Tribe:          

• The Ho or Kolha people are an Austroasiatic Munda ethnic group of India.
• They call themselves the Ho, Hodoko and Horo, which mean 'human' in their own language.
• Distribution: They are mostly concentrated in the Kolhan region of Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal and Bihar.
• Belief system of Ho Tribe
  • Over 90% of the Ho practices the indigenous religion Sarnaism.
  • They have a village priest called a deuri.
  • They have a spirit doctor called a deowa who makes sacrifices to these spirits and gods. Much of this happens in a sacred grove outside the village.
• Language: Ho people speak the Ho language, an Austroasiatic language closely related to Mundari.
• Occupation: The majority of the Ho tribe is involved in agriculture, either as land owners or labourers, while others are engaged in mining.
• Women have higher status among the Ho than they do in most tribes.
• Most villages have a dedicated dancing ground, called akhra, usually consisting of a cleared space of hard ground under a spreading tree.
• Traditional Ho music incorporates native instruments including a dama (drum), dholak, dumeng (mandar), and the rutu (flute).

What is the Manki- Munda system?

• The Munda, or the head of the village, was responsible for resolving socio-political disputes at the village level.
• Each village had one Munda, appointed hereditarily.
• The Manki headed the pidh, which generally consists of 8 to 15 villages. If cases were not resolved by the Munda, they moved upwards to the Manki.
• The Manki and Munda had no responsibilities for revenue or land-related issues.
• The system was purely an internal, self-governing mechanism, with no sovereign authority outside or the concept of paying taxes.