About Public Accounts Committee (PAC):

• It is a committee of selected members of parliament, constituted by the Parliament of India, for the purpose of auditing the revenue and expenditure of the Government of India.
• It serves as a check on the government, especially with respect to its expenditure bill, and its primary function is to examine the audit report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) after it is laid in Parliament.
• C&AG assists the committee during the course of the investigation.
• The main function of the committee is to ascertain whether the money granted by parliament has been spent by the government within the scope of the demand.
• Genesis of the Committee:
  • It is one of the oldest Parliamentary Committees in India.
  • From its inception in the year 1921 till early 1950, the Finance Member was appointed as the Chairperson of the Committee, and its secretarial functions were looked after by the Finance Department (later Ministry of Finance).
  • With the coming into force of the Constitution of India on 26 January 1950, the Committee became a Parliamentary Committee under the control of the Speaker.
  • Its secretarial functions were transferred to the Parliament Secretariat (now Lok Sabha Secretariat).
• Membership:
  • PAC consists of not more than twenty-two members, fifteen elected by Lok Sabha, and not more than seven members of Rajya Sabha.
  • The members are elected every year from amongst its members of respective houses according to the principle of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote.
  • The term of office of the members is one year.
  • The Chairperson of the Committee is appointed by the Speaker from amongst the members of the Committee from Lok Sabha.
  • The Speaker, for the first time, appointed a Member of the Opposition as the Chairperson of the Committee for 1967-68. This practice has been continuing since then.
  • A Minister is not elected a member of the Committee, and if a member, after his election to the Committee, is appointed a Minister, he ceases to be a member of the Committee from the date of such appointment.
• Functions:
  • The functions of the Committee include examination of accounts showing the appropriation of sums granted by Parliament for the expenditure of the Government of India, the annual finance accounts of the Government, and such other accounts laid before the House as the Committee may think fit.
  • In scrutinising the appropriation accounts of the Government of India and the report of the C&AG thereon, the Committee has to satisfy:
    • that the moneys shown in the accounts as having been disbursed were legally available for, and applicable to, the service or purpose to which they have been applied or charged;
    • that the expenditure conforms to the authority which governs it; and
    • that every re-appropriation has been made in accordance with the provisions made in this behalf under rules framed by competent authority.

About P-8I Aircraft:

• Boeing P-8I Neptune is a long-range, multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, manufactured by Boeing (a U.S. aerospace company) for the Indian Navy.
• It has replaced the ageing fleet of the Indian Navy’s Tupolev Tu-142 aircraft.
• The P-8I Neptune is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon used by the United States Navy.
• Its advanced sensors, weapons systems, and long-range capabilities enable it to detect and respond to a wide range of threats, from submarines and surface vessels to environmental challenges.
• It can conduct anti-submarine warfare (ASW), anti-surface warfare (AsuW), intelligence, maritime patrol, and surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
• Features:
  • The aircraft has a length of 39.47 m, wingspan of 37.64 m and height of 12.83.
  • The maximum take-off gross weight of the P-8I is 85,139 kg.
  • The P-8I is manned by nine crew members.
  • It can fly at a maximum speed of 789 km/h and can reach a maximum altitude of 12,496 m.
  • It has a maximum range of over 2,222 kilometres with a time on station of four hours.

About Mpox:

• Mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is a zoonotic viral illness caused by the monkeypox virus, a species of the genus Orthopoxvirus.
• Mpox is characterized by rash or skin lesions that are usually concentrated on the face, palms of the hands, and soles of the feet.
• The first human case of mpox was recorded in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
• There are two known subtypes of mpox:
  • Clade I: It is endemic to Central Africa. It tends to cause more serious illness than clade II. Recent outbreaks of clade I have been less deadly.
  • Clade II: It is endemic to East Africa. There’s been a global outbreak of clade II mpox since 2022. It’s less likely to be fatal than clade I.
• Transmission:
  • MPXV is transmitted to people by close contact with infected animals or people or by touching virus-contaminated materials.
  • It enters the body through (often invisible) injuries or wounds in the skin, or the mucous membranes.
  • Mpox can be passed from one person to another during sexual contact.
  • During pregnancy, the virus may be passed to the fetus, or to the newborn during or after birth.
• Symptoms:
  • Common symptoms of mpox are a skin rash or mucosal lesions, which can last 2–4 weeks, accompanied by fever, headache, muscle aches, back pain, low energy and swollen lymph nodes.
  • Mpox symptoms often resolve on their own without the need for treatment.
• Treatment:
  • There are no specific treatments for monkeypox virus infection.
  • Treatment for most people with mpox is to relieve symptoms.

About Arab League:

• The Arab League, or League of Arab States, is a voluntary association of countries whose peoples are mainly Arabic-speaking or where Arabic is an official language.
• It is a regional organization of Arab states in the Middle East and parts of Africa.
• Formation:
  • It was formed in Cairo in 1945 with 6 members: Egypt, Iraq, Transjordan (later renamed Jordan), Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and Syria, with Yemen
  • The league was chartered in response to concerns about postwar colonial divisions of territory as well as strong opposition to the emergence of a Jewish state on Palestinian territory.
• The main aims of the League are to strengthen relations and to coordinate collaboration between member states, to safeguard their independence and sovereignty, and to provide collective consideration of the affairs and interests of the member states.
• Headquarters: Cairo, Egypt.
• Official language: Arabic
• Members: It currently has 22 member states: Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.
• There are 4 nations that were conferred observer status by the League: Brazil, Eritrea, India and Venezuela.
• Organisation Structure:
  • The highest body of the League is the Council, which is composed of representatives of each state.
  • Each member state has one vote, irrespective of size.
  • The League makes decisions on a majority basis. The decisions are binding only on states that voted for them.
  • The General Secretariat, the administrative and executive body of the League, runs the League on a daily basis.
  • It is headed by a Secretary-General appointed by the Arab League Council every five years.

About Hindon River:

• It is a tributary of the Yamuna
• It is a monsoon-fed
• Course:
  • It originates in the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, in the Siwalik Hills, at an elevation of about 800 meters above sea level.
  • It flows across the industrial belt of Western Uttar Pradesh for 400 kilometres before discharging into the Yamuna River in Noida.
• It has a catchment area of around 7,083 sq. km.
• Tributaries: The Kali (West) River and Krishni River are the main tributaries of River Hindon.
• It is on the banks of this river that archeologists found traces of the Harappan civilization with sites dating back to as long as 2500 BC.
• Due to urban, agricultural, and industrial waste which is being released without sufficient treatment into its waters, the Hindon is now one of the most polluted stretches in the Ganga basin.
• In 2015, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) found the Hindon’s pollution levels were so severe that it was declared a ‘dead river’ and ‘unfit’ even for bathing in several sections of the river.

About Einstein Ring:

• It is a rare ring of light around a form of dark matter, galaxy or cluster of galaxies.
• It is essentially an example of gravitational lensing.
• Einstein rings are not visible to the naked eye, and can be observed only through space telescopes such as Euclid.
• In the case of the recently discovered Einstein ring, NGC 6505 was the gravitational lens.
• The nearer galaxy distorted and amplified the light coming from a distant unnamed galaxy, located 4.42 billion light-years away.
• The first Einstein ring was discovered in 1987, and since then, several more have been discovered. 
• Significance of Einstein ring:
  • These rings help scientists investigate dark matter, which has never been detected but is believed to make up 85% of the total matter in the universe.
  • They enable scientists to learn about distant galaxies, which otherwise might not be visible.
  • They can also provide information about the expansion of the universe as the space between the Earth and other galaxies — both in the foreground and the background 

What is Gravitational lensing?

• It is a phenomenon which occurs when a massive celestial body — such as a galaxy or cluster of galaxies — creates a gravitational field which distorts and amplifies the light from distant galaxies that are behind it but in the same line of sight.
• The body causing the light to curve is called a gravitational lens.

About MITRA Platform:

• Mutual Fund Investment Tracing and Retrieval Assistant (MITRA) will assist investors in tracking and reclaiming inactive or unclaimed mutual fund folios.
• Features:
  • The platform addresses a growing concern wherein investors, over time, lose track of their mutual fund investments lack of updated contact information, or unawareness of investments made in their name.
  • It will allow investors to identify the overlooked investments or any investments made by any other person for which he/she may be rightful legal claimant and also encourage them to do KYC as per the current norms thus reducing the number of non-KYC compliant folios.
• It is developed by the Registrar and Transfer Agent (RTAs) to provide investors with a searchable database of inactive and unclaimed mutual fund folios at an industry-level which will empower the investors.
• The criteria for classifying a folio as inactive include an absence of investor-initiated transactions, financial or non-financial, for a period of ten years, despite having a unit balance.
• SEBI has also revised the mandate of the Unit Holder Protection Committee (UHPC) under Mutual Funds rules.
• The UHPC will now be responsible for reviewing inactive folios along with unclaimed dividends and redemptions, ensuring proactive steps are taken to reduce such cases.

About Fulani Community:

• The Fulani are a large and widely dispersed group of both nomadic herders and sedentary farmers living in the African Sahel/Savannah belt.
• They are concentrated principally in Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and Nigerbut can also be found in several other countries.
• Language: The Fulani language, known as Fula, is classified within the Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo language family.
• Fulani are divided into three groups: Makiyaya (herders), Fulanin Soro (those living in towns) and Bararo, which refer to Fulani living in forests. Bararo retain a close cultural connection to ancestral nature belief systems and rituals.
• Social structure of Fulani Community:
  • The social structure of the pastoral Fulani is egalitarian, in marked contrast to that of other Muslim groups, such as the Hausa.
  • They value family and community, with strong kinship ties and clear gender roles. 
  • Polygamy is practiced, and marriage is an important cultural milestone, often accompanied by elaborate rituals and festivals.
  • Their traditions are deeply intertwined with their spirituality, which is influenced by Islam, as well as their connection to the land and nature.
  • Fulani women are also known for their skill in weaving and craftsmanship.
  • Fulani women are famous for their intricate hairstyles, which are often adorned with beads, cowrie shells, and other decorative elements.

About Dokra Artwork:

• Dokra art whichis also known as bell metal craft traces its origins back more than 4,000 years.
• It is a form of folk art practiced by the Dhokra Damar tribes, who are traditionally metalsmiths.
• These artisans are primarily found in eastern India, including West Bengal, Odisha, and Jharkhand, with a notable presence in Chhattisgarh as well.
• Features of Dokra Artwork:
  • No two pieces are ever the same.
  • Each sculpture is painstakingly handcrafted, drawing inspiration from mythology, nature, and daily rituals.
• Process of Dokra Artwork:
  • The method of making Dokra is done by combining the metallurgical skills with that of the lost wax technique.
  • Artisans begin by sculpting a basic clay model of the desired object.
  • This model is then coated in wax, where fine details are meticulously etched. Another clay layer is added to form a mold, into which molten metal—typically brass or copper—is poured.
  • The heat melts the beeswax, allowing the liquid metal to take the shape of the original model. Once cooled and hardened, the outer clay mold is broken away, revealing the finished sculpture.