About Paradip Port:

• It is one of the major ports of India.
• It is the only major port in the State of Odisha, situated 210 nautical miles south of Kolkata and 260 nautical miles north of Visakhapatnam.
• It is situated on the Bay of Bengal on the delta of the Mahanadi River at the mouth of one of its branches.
• It is strategically situated so as to serve a vast hinterland spreading over the states of Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
• The Port of Paradip, an autonomous body under the Major Port Trusts Act, 1963, functioning under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, is administered by a Board of Trustees set up by the Government of India headed by the Chairman.
  • The Trustees of the Trust Board are nominated by the Government of India from various users of the Port such as shippers, ship owners, Government Departments concerned and also port labour.
• Paradip Port achieved a milestone by joining the 150 million metric tonne (MMT) club and maintaining its top position in cargo handling among India’s major ports by recording 150.41 MMT cargo in 2024-25.

About Sarcophagus:

• Used to bury leaders and wealthy residents in ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece, a sarcophagus is a coffin or a container to hold a coffin.
• They were intended to be displayed above ground, but they were sometimes entombed or placed in burial chambers.
• The word "sarcophagus" comes from ancient Greek words. Sarx means "flesh," and phagein means "to eat." So, "sarcophagus" literally means "flesh-eating."
• This name came from a special type of limestone that people believed could help bodies decompose quickly.
• First used in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Greece, the sarcophagus gradually became popular throughout the ancient world.
  • The earliest stone sarcophagi were used by Egyptian pharaohs of the 3rd dynasty, which reigned from about 2686 to 2613 B.C.E.
• Example: The most famous Egyptian sarcophagus is perhaps the golden sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun.

About Fishing Cat:

• It is a stocky and powerfully built medium-sized wild cat
• Scientific Name: Prionailurus viverrinus
• Distribution:
  • It is native to South and Southeast Asia.
  • They inhabit the peninsular region of India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Java, and Pakistan.
  • In India, fishing cats are mainly found in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, on the foothills of the Himalayas along the Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys, and in the Western Ghats.
  • It is the state animal of West Bengal.
• Habitat:
  • They are found in a variety of wetland habitats, including mangrove forests, swamps, marshes, and other areas near water sources.
  • The species is adapted to both fresh and saltwater habitats, and is able to tolerate a wide range of weather conditions, from tropical rain forests to temperate regions.
• Features:
  • Fishing cats are powerfully built with short limbs and a stocky body.
  • Their fur is coarse and brownish gray in color with distinctive dark markings.
  • The markings are a combination of both spots and stripes. These spots are arranged longitudinally across the body.
  • The fishing cat is an adept swimmer and enters water frequently to prey on fish, as its name suggests. It is known to even dive to catch fish.
  • They show strong sexual dimorphism.
  • They are nocturnal.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable.

About Barren Island:

• It is a volcanic island located in the Andaman Sea.
• Popularly known as a submarine emergent volcano, the island is a part of the Indian union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• It lies about 138 kilometers northeast of the territory’s capital, Port Blair.
• It lies above the subduction zone of India and Burmese plates.
• It is the only active volcano in the Indian subcontinent.
• It is a stratovolcano composed of lava, rock fragments, and volcanic ash.

About Impatiens selvasinghii:

• It is a new species of flowering plant.
• It was discovered in the Kudremukh range of the Western Ghats in Karnataka.
• It is one of the smallest flowered balsams from the Western Ghats.
• It has an exceptionally small flower size and prominently-lobed wing petals, which makes it unique.
• In India, the genus Impatiens is represented by more than 280 taxa, chiefly distributed in the Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats.
  • Over 210 taxa are endemic to India, of which 130 are endemic to the Western Ghats, and 80% of taxa in the Western Ghats are categorized as endangered.

About Adi Yuva Fellowship:

• It is supported by United Nations India.
• It is a first-of-its-kind programme designed to empower tribal youth through structured learning, mentorship, and career development.
• Features of Adi Yuva Fellowship:
  • Under this initiative selected tribal youth will undertake a 12-month paid Fellowship, with a tailored learning plan that balances knowledge-building, on-the-job experience, and reflective practice.
  • Allowances: Fellows will receive monthly allowances, comprehensive health and life insurance, and access to high-quality UN and commercial learning platforms.
  • This programme will link Fellows to national skilling and employability schemes such as PMKVY 4.0, NAPS, and PM Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana.
  • Selection process: The fellows will be selected through a competitive process and placed with UN agencies at the national, state, and district levels.

About Adi Karmayogi Volunteers Programme:

• It is supported by UNFPA.
• Objective: It will equip tribal youth to act as catalysts for grassroots change and strengthen last-mile service delivery in tribal regions.
• 82 UN Community Volunteers as Adi karmayogi Volunteers have been deployed across 82 blocks in 13 districts of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthanfor an intensive two-month grassroots engagement.
• Under this, volunteers will support Village Vision 2030 planning, awareness drives, outreach, and improved access to schemes and services.

About Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2025:

• It represents a significant milestone in benchmarking logistics performance across States and Union Territories.
• It was conceived on the lines of the Logistics Performance Index of World Bank in 2018
• It is prepared by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• LEADS 2025 Framework is as follows
  • Objective Indicator: It consists of regulatory and institutional support and logistics enablers.
  • Perception indicators: It consists of Logistics Infrastructure, Logistics Services, Operating and Regulatory Environment, introduced Sustainable Logistics.
  • Two major features of LEADS 2025:
    • Performance assessment of 5–7 key corridors based on journey time, truck speed, and waiting periods.
    • API-enabled evaluation of section-wise speeds on major road corridors
    • Significance: It supports India’s vision of a globally competitive and future-ready logistics ecosystem.

About Tropical Forests Forever Facility:

• It is an innovative multilateral global permanent fund dedicated to supporting tropical forest conservation over the long-term.
• It is a global initiative led by the Government of Brazil.
• The idea for the fund was presented by the Brazilian government in 2023, at COP28 in the United Arab Emirates.
• Goal: The TFFF is a blended finance structure that seeks to mobilize US$125 billion in capital from public and private sector sources.
• The fund would be used to pay the tropical forest countries (TFC) a fixed amount of money per hectare of standing forest.
• Financial Mechanism:
  • It aims to raise capital from two main sources, sponsors and market investors through financial markets by issuing debt instruments such as bonds.
    • Sponsors: Sponsors would be the ‘high income’ countries as classified by the World Bank, along with philanthropies. (account for 20 per cent of the total corpus)
    • Market Investors: Institutional investors, sovereign wealth funds, and endowments (account for 80 per cent of the total corpus) investing through debt instruments.
    • Fund Management: Funds are managed via a Multilateral Development Bank (MDB), e.g., World Bank.

About Smog Eating Photocatalytic Coatings:

• It is designed to neutralise harmful gases like nitrogen dioxide and volatile hydrocarbons that contribute to toxic air.
• It usually uses titanium dioxide as a coating which has advantages for being low-cost and chemically stable.
  • Titanium dioxide is also known for its compatibility with traditional construction materials.
• Photocatalytic activity helps fight pollution by breaking down harmful substances and organic waste into less toxic or harmless matters using light energy, thereby making air and water cleaner.

What is Smog?

• Smog is used to refer to a type of air pollution caused by a combination of smoke (and other pollutants) and fog.
• Smog encompasses a broad category of air pollutants created through a multitude of processes that relate specifically to the atmospheric conditions of the formation region. 
• Two distinct types of smog are recognized: 
  • Sulfurous smog: It results from a high concentration of sulfur oxides in the air and is caused by the use of sulfur-bearing fossil fuels, particularly coal.
  • Photochemical smog: It occurs most prominently in urban areas that have large numbers of automobiles.

About International Criminal Court:

• It was established by an international agreement, the Rome Statute, on 17 July 1998.
• The Rome Statute sets out the Court’s jurisdiction, structures, and functions.
• The Statute entered into force on 1 July 2002.
• It is the only permanent international criminal tribunal.
• Mandate: ICC investigates and, where warranted, tries individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the crime of aggression. 
• Members: There are 125 member countries, (China, India, Israel, Russia, and the United States are not ICC parties).
• Funding: The Court is funded by contributions from the States Parties and by voluntary contributions from Governments, international organizations, individuals, corporations, and other entities.
• Composition of International Criminal Court
  • Judges: The court has eighteen judges, each from a different member country, elected to non-renewable nine-year terms.
  • The Presidency: Consists of three judges (the President and two Vice-Presidents) elected from among the judges. It represents the Court to the outside world and helps with the organization of the work of the judges.
  • Office of the Prosecutor (OTP): OTP is responsible for receiving referrals and any substantiated information on crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court. OTP examines these referrals and information, conducts investigations, and conducts prosecutions before the Court.
  • Registry: It provides administrative and operational support to the Chambers and the Office of the Prosecutor.
• Jurisdiction of International Criminal Court
  • Unlike the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which hears disputes between states, the ICC handles prosecutions of individuals.
  • The ICC is only competent to hear a case if:
    • the country where the offence was committed is a party to the Rome Statute; or
    • The perpetrator’s country of origin is a party to the Rome Statute.
    • The ICC may only exercise its jurisdiction if the national court is unable or unwilling to do so.
  • The ICC only has jurisdiction over offences committed after the Statute’s entry into force on 1 July 2002.

About Indrayani River:

• It is located in Maharashtra.
• It is a tributary of the Bhima River (a tributary of the Krishna River).
• Course:
  • It is a rain-fed river that originates from the Western Ghats, near the hill station of Lonavala, located along the Mumbai-Pune Highway.
  • It flows through the Pune district before merging into the Bhima River at Tulapur.
  • It travels a total length of 3 km.
• The river has great religious importance, and the two sacred towns, Alandi and Dehu, are situated on its banks.
  • Dehu is known to be a sacred place for being the hometown of the poet Saint Tukaram, who was a popular saint of Maharashtra, and Alandi holds the samadhi of the poet Dnyaneshwar.
• The Indrayani also passes through the industrial town of Pimpri-Chinchwad and plays a role in irrigation and local agriculture.
• Valvan Dam at Kamshet, situated on the Indrayani River, is a hydroelectric generating station.

About Baltic Sea:

• It is a semi-enclosed inland sea of the Atlantic Ocean, situated in Northern Europe.
• It extends northward from southern Denmark to within a few degrees latitude of the Arctic Circle, separating the Scandinavian Peninsula from continental Europe.
• It comprises several branches and basins, which include, from northeast to southwest, the Gulf of Bothnia, the Gulf of Finland, and the Gulf of Riga; the central-southern area known as the Baltic Proper; and the Danish straits of Kattegat and Skagerrak, which connect to the North Sea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean.
• To the east, the White Sea-Baltic Canal, opened by Russia in 1993, allows traffic from the Baltic—via the Gulf of Finland and a chain of rivers and major lakes—to the White Sea, itself an arm of the Arctic Ocean.
• To the southwest, the Kiel Canal, opened in 1895, cuts through the Jutland peninsula to connect the Baltic with the North Sea.
• Surrounding Countries: It has a coastline of approximately 8,000 km, shared by several countries, including Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
• It is often cited as the world’s largest brackish inland water body.
• Islands: It is home to over 20 islands and archipelagos. Gotland, located off the coast of Sweden, is the largest island in the Baltic Sea.
• Algal Harmful Blooms are also one of the issues that affect the Baltic Sea.

About Bagram Air Base:

• It is the largest air base in Afghanistan, located north of the capital, Kabul.
• It has a strategic position at the crossroads of Iran, Pakistan, China's Xinjiang province, and Central Asia.
• It was built during the Cold War by the Soviet Union.
• The airbase served Soviet operations in the country for decades until they withdrew in the late 1980s.
• The US revamped the facility following its own occupation of Afghanistan decades later.
• It had served as a crucial hub in the US war against the Taliban and Al Qaeda since 2001.
• Features:
  • It has runways longer than many international airports, and hardened shelters, hospitals, and fuel depots.
  • The base also housed fast-food restaurants to cater to the US troops, along with shops selling everything from electronics to Afghan rugs.
  • Bagram also had a massive prison complex.

About Yuan Wang 5:

• Launched in 2007, Yuan Wang 5 is part of a series of specialized tracking ships built by China for strategic space and missile monitoring.
• It is operated by China’s People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force.
• It can provide near-real-time situational awareness to the PLA Rocket Force and Navy.
• It also plays a role in validating the performance of China’s new generation of intercontinental ballistic missiles and hypersonic weapons, providing telemetry data critical for weapons development and operational readiness.
• Features:
  • It displaces about 25,000 tons, has a length of over 222 metres, a beam of over 25 metres, and can accommodate 400 people.
  • The ship is driven by diesel engines and can generate sufficient electricity to light up a small town of over 300,000 inhabitants.
  • With endurance measured in weeks, the ship can remain on station during key test windows or naval exercises.
  • Its suite of high-power phased-array radar systems is capable of detecting ballistic missile launches at distances exceeding 3,000 kilometers.
  • These radars track the trajectory of missiles through various flight stages, from boost to reentry, while simultaneously collecting telemetry signals that reveal propulsion performance, warhead separation, and guidance accuracy.
  • In addition to ballistic missile monitoring, Yuan Wang 5 is equipped with satellite-tracking antennas that can lock onto spacecraft in low-earth orbit, geostationary orbit, and deep-space trajectories.
  • These antennas are estimated to operate in multiple frequency bands, giving the ship flexibility to track both civilian and military launches.
  • The vessel’s electronic support measures (ESM) suite further enables it to intercept radar emissions and communications from foreign warships and aircraft operating in the vicinity.

About Lactifluus khasianus:

• It is a new species of edible mushroom.
• It was discovered in Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills.
• It is long known to Khasi tribal communities as “Tit iongnah.”
• Belonging to the Lactifluus sect. Gerardii, the new species, stands out for its chocolate-brown cap, distinctive microscopic features, and genetic markers.
• It grows in association with Khasi pine (Pinus kesiya) at altitudes of around 1,600 metres.
• It is now the fifth confirmed species of this section in India—and notably, the first to be reported as edible.

About National Archives of India (NAI):

• It is the custodian of the records of enduring value of the Government of India.
• History of National Archives of India:
  • It was originally established as the Imperial Record Departmenton 11 March 1891 in Kolkata (Calcutta). 
  • It was transferred to New Delhi in 1911.
• The NAI also serves as the nodal agency for implementing the Public Records Act, 1993, and the Public Record Rules, 1997.
• A significant portion of its oriental records is in Sanskrit, Persian, Odia, and other languages.
• Access to the records in the NAI is governed by the provisions of the Public Records Rules, 1997.
• The NAI keeps and conserves records of the government of India and its organisations. It does not receive classified documents.
• Headed by: Director General of Archives
• Ministry: Ministry of Culture.
• Location: New Delhi and has one regional office at Bhopal and three Records Centers at Bhubaneswar, Jaipur, and Puducherry.

About Clean Plant Programme:

• It was conceptualized by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank.
• It was as launched as a major initiative to provide farmers with access to high-quality, virus-free planting material of key fruit crops.
• It is implemented by the National Horticulture Board (NHB) in association with Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
• Components of Clean Plant Programme:
  • Establishment of Nine Clean Plant Centers (CPCs): These centres will offer disease diagnostics and treatments, develop mother plants for nurseries, and quarantine all domestic and imported planting materials intended for commercial propagation and distribution.
  • Infrastructure Development: This includes setting up large-scale nurseries to efficiently multiply clean planting material. The mother plants produced by the CPCs will be propagated in these nurseries and then distributed to farmers.
  • Regulatory and Certification Framework:    A regulatory and certification process will be created to ensure complete accountability and traceability in the production and distribution of planting material.

About Chenab River:

• It is a tributary of the Indus River.
• Origin: It is formed by the confluence of two streams, Chandra and Bhaga, in the Lahaul and Spiti Districts of Himachal Pradesh.
• In its upper reaches, it is also known as the 
• It flows through Jammu and Kashmir union territory, Himachal Pradesh and after receiving the Jhelum River near Trimmu, the Chenab empties into the Sutlej River.
• Major Tributaries:
  • Left Bank:  Niru, Tawi, Neeru, and Liddrari
  • Right Bank: Ans, Bhut Nalla, Bichleri, Kalnai Marusudar and Miyar Nalla.
• Major Dams on Chenab River: Salal (rockfill dam), Aalal (concrete dam), Baglihar, and Dul.
• The waters of the Chenab are shared by India and Pakistan as per the terms of the Indus Water Treaty.

What is the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)?

• It was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan, with the World Bank acting as a mediator. 
• The treaty outlines water usage rights over six rivers of the Indus River System, categorizing them into Eastern and Western rivers. 
• The Eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—are allocated for India’s exclusive and unrestricted use. 
• The Western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—are allocated primarily to Pakistan.

About Mozambique:

• Location: It is a country in Southern Africa and is located in the Southern and Eastern Hemispheres of the Earth.
• The island countries and territories of Madagascar, Comoros, and Mayotte are separated from Mozambique by the Mozambique Channel.
• Bordering countries: Zimbabwe (west), Eswatini and South Africa (south and southwest), Zambia, Malawi (north west), and Tanzania (North). 
• Rivers: The River Zambezi being the largest and other rivers are Limpopo, Licungo, Lurio, Rovuma etc.
• Major Lakes: Lake Malawi (Nyasa) is the country’s major lake. 
• Highest Peak: Mount Binga
• Capital: Maputo is the country’s capital while the largest city is Matola.
• Natural Resources: The country’s principal natural resources are natural gas, coal, mineral, sand, hydropower, and most likely oil.

About Project Vijayak:

• It was launched by the Border Roads Organisation in
• It drew its name from Operation Vijay, signifying the congruence between the Theatre of Battle and the Project Area of Responsibility.
• Objective: It was entrusted with the responsibility of providing road connectivity in the areas of Kargil and Zanskar, which previously were under Project Himank.
• This project has played a significant role in strengthening the security infrastructure along the LC and has also contributed positively in shaping the socio-economic landscape of the region.
• Other Initiatives under Project
  • It has also placed strong focus on welfare of its Casual Paid Labourers.
  • Welfare initiatives such as insulated shelters, improved sanitation, enhanced protective gear, winter clothing, and regular health camps have been introduced to ensure safety and well-being.

About Striped Dolphin:

• The striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is a streamlined oceanic dolphin, similar in shape and size to the common dolphin.
• It is among the most abundant and widespread dolphins in the world.
• Distribution:
  • It is found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world's oceans.
• Habitat:
  • They tend to prefer deeper, more offshore waters and can be found in oceanic waters over the continental shelves.
• Features:
  • The striped dolphin reaches 2.5-2.6 m (averaging around 2.2-2.3 m) in length, the males being slightly larger.
  • They have a long, defined rostrum and round forehead (known as a melon).
  • As the name suggests, the most recognisable features are the ‘stripes’. A dark grey stripe runs from the beak, above the eye, across the flank, and then down to the underside of the body. A second stripe runs below the eye to the pectoral flipper.
  • They are usually found in tight, cohesive groups of about 25 to 100 individuals.
  • They display a unique behavior called roto-tailing, when the animal leaps high out of the water and vigorously rotates its tail while airborne.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

About One-In, One-Out Scheme:

• It is a migration agreement between the UK and France.
• The deal is aimed at deterring migrants from making dangerous trips across the English Channel from France to the UK in small boats.
  • Many migrants without visas or permits departing France by sea attempt to cross to the UK in small, inflatable boats.
  • They frequently pay large sums of money to gangs who arrange the boats in northern France.
  • Journeys can be incredibly dangerous, and people have died making the crossing.
• Under the new agreement, France will agree to take back asylum seekers who have crossed over to the UK and who cannot prove a family connection to the UK.
• For each migrant France takes back, the UK will grant asylum to one migrant from France who can prove a family connection to the UK and who have not previously attempted to enter the country illegally.

About New Austrian Tunnelling Method (NATM):

• It was developed between 1957 and 1965 in Austria.
• The main idea is to use the geological stress of the surrounding rock mass to stabilize the tunnel itself.
• The method uses the strength of the surrounding soil to the greatest extent possible to strengthen the tunnel structure.
• The operation occurs sequentially to take most advantage of the ground conditions.
• Additionally, NATM installs ground support on the go and on an as-needed basis, adding reinforcement to the shotcrete where necessary.
• NATM is best suited for short-range (> 2 km) tunnels in regions with variable soil conditions.

Key Facts about Thane Creek:

• It is one of the largest creeks in Asia and is located partly on the coast of the Mumbai metropolis.
• It is an inlet along the shoreline of the Arabian Sea that isolates the city of Mumbai from the Indian mainland.
• A major part of the creek has been declared a bird sanctuary called Thane Creek Flamingo Bird Sanctuary (TCFS).
• It was designated as a Ramsar site, a wetland of international significance, in 2022.

About Papikonda National Park:

• It is located in the East Godavari and West Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh.
• Established in 2008, the park lies along the banks of the Godavari River, encompassing a rugged landscape with steep slopes, hills, and deep valleys.
• The geology of the park is characterized by the Eastern Ghats range.
  • Devara Konda is the highest point.
• The national park has been recognized as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area by BirdLife International.
• A unique dwarf breed of goat known locally as the “kanchu mekha” is found in this region.
• Vegetation: The park is characterized by tropical, moist deciduous forests mixed with patches of semi-evergreen and dry deciduous forests.
• Flora: The park is home to several types of trees, including teak, rosewood, sandalwood, bamboo, eucalyptus, sal, mahua, pterocarpus, terminalia, and cassia.
• Fauna:
  • Wildlife in Papikonda includes Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, and Indian wild dog (dhole).
  • The park is also home to various deer species, including sambar and spotted deer.

About Exercise Amogh Fury:

• It is an Integrated Fire Power Exercise conducted by the Sapta Shakti Command of the Indian Army.
• Location: Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert.
• The drill aimed to test combat power, coordination, and operational readiness in real-time battle scenarios, reflecting the force’s preparedness for multi-domain operations.
• A key focus of 'Amogh Fury' was the integration of modern technologies, including network-centric communication, command-and-control architecture, and real-time surveillance and targeting

About Red-necked Phalarope:

• It is a fairly small shorebird known for spinning frantically on water to stir up small invertebrates.
• Distribution: It is found in both boreal and tundra ecosystems.
• Appearance and behavior of Red-necked Phalarope:
  • Food: The bird mainly feeds on small aquatic invertebrates and plankton.
  • It exhibits a typical feeding behavior of spinning on the surface of water.
  • Conservation status: IUCN: Least concern

About Dadasaheb Phalke Award:

• It is given by the Indian government for lifetime contribution to Indian cinema.
• It was instituted in 1969 the birth centenary year of Dadasaheb Phalke.
• It is the highest award in the field of cinema in India.
• The award's inaugural recipient was Devika Rani, aptly titled "the first lady of Indian cinema".
• The recipients are recognized for their ‘outstanding contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema’.
• Award includes: The award comprises a Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ₹10 lakh.
• It is presented by the President of India.

Key Facts about Dadasaheb Phalke:

• He was born on April 30, 1870, in Trimbak, Maharashtra.
• He was a film director who is considered the father of Indian cinema.
• He directed India's first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra in 1913.

About Achanakmar Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is situated in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh. 
• Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary was established in 1975 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2009. 
• It is part of the huge Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve.
• It is one of three tiger reserves in Chhattisgarh. It plays a crucial role in the tiger corridor network, vital for the movement of wildlife.
• It has a corridor connecting Kanha and Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve and plays a critical role in the dispersal of tigers among these reserves.
• River: The Maniyari River flows right from the centre of this reserve, which is the forest’s lifeline.
• Tribes: It is home to the Baigas and Gonds residing inside of this tiger reserve.
• Vegetation: Tropical moist deciduous vegetation covers the majority of the area.
• Flora: Sal, bija, saja, haldu, teak, tinsa, dhawara, lendia, khamar, and bamboo bloom here, along with over 600 species of medicinal plants.
• Fauna: It includes the tiger, leopard, bison, flying squirrel, Indian giant squirrel, chinkara, wild dog, hyena, sambar, chital, and over 150 species of birds.

About Iridogorgia Chewbacca:

• It is a new deep-sea coral species of genus Iridogorgia.
• It is named after the furry Star Wars fictional character Chewbacca because of its hairy-looking branches.
• Features of Iridogorgia Chewbacca:
  • The species belongs to the genus Iridogorgia, a group of deep-sea corals with long, spiraling structures.
  • It is known for its long, flexible branches and shiny surface.
  • Despite its large size and striking appearance, I. chewbacca usually occurs alone, scattered across deep-sea rocky bottoms.

What are Corals?

• Corals are essentially animals, which are sessile, meaning they permanently attach themselves to the ocean floor.
• Corals share a symbiotic relationship with single-celled algae called zooxanthellae.
• The algae provide the coral with food and nutrients, which they make through photosynthesis, using the sun’s light.
• They use their tiny tentacle-like hands to catch food from the water and sweep into their mouth.
• Each individual coral animal is known as a polyp and it lives in groups of hundreds to thousands of genetically identical polyps that form a ‘colony’.

About Industrial Park Rating System 3.0:

• It is developed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
• It aims to further strengthen India’s industrial ecosystem and enhance the competitiveness of industrial infrastructure.
• Features of Industrial Park Rating System 3.0
  • It will help assess and benchmark facilities, infrastructure, and competitiveness of industrial parks across the country.
  • The initiative will provide stakeholders with reliable data, encourage best practices, and support the creation of world-class infrastructure.
  • It introduced an expanded framework with new parameters, including sustainability, green infrastructure, logistics connectivity, digitalization, skill linkages, and enhanced tenant feedback.
  • Under IPRS 3.0, industrial parks will be benchmarked and categorized as Leaders, Challengers, and Aspirers based on their performance across key indicators.

About INS Rajali:

• It is an Indian Naval Air Station located near Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu.
• It was commissioned on March 11, 1992.
• It was named as 'Rajali', named after an aggressive bird of the Hawk family, predominant in the Tamil Nadu coastal belt.
• The air station is spread over 2,200 acres and is located 80 km west of Chennai.
• INS Rajali is the most modern and largest Naval Air Station, with a garrison strength of 4,700 personnel.
• It contributes towards two very distinct tasks -Operations and Training.
• It operates under the Eastern Naval Command of the Indian Navy and has the longest military runway in Asia.
• It is home to the navy's INAS 312 squadron which has been at the forefront of maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare with the P8I.
• Apart from hosting the P8I fleet, it also operates MQ-9B Sea Guardian drones, providing a technological edge for high-endurance operations in the vast expanses of the Indian Ocean.
• INS Rajali is also home to the navy's Helicopter Training School.

About Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPP):

• These are the parties which are either newly registered parties or those which have not secured enough percentage of votes in the assembly or general elections to become a state party, or those which have never contested elections since being registered.
• Despite not having official recognition, RUPPs enjoy certain benefits:
  • Tax exemption under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
  • Eligibility for common poll symbols during elections. Common symbols are provided to RUPPs based upon an undertaking that they would put up “at least 5% of total candidates with regard to said Legislative Assembly election of a State”.
  • Permission to nominate up to 20 ‘star campaigners’ for canvassing.
• They are, however, required to:
  • Contest elections periodically.
  • File annual audit accounts and contribution reports.
  • Disclose donations exceeding Rs. 20,000, and ensure that no donations above Rs. 2,000 are accepted in cash.

What are Registered Parties?

• Political parties in the country are registered with the ECI under the provisions of Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1951.
• There are many benefits of registering a party.
  • Firstly, the RPA allows political parties to accept contributions voluntarily offered to it by any person or company other than a government company.
  • Apart from this, candidates of registered parties get preference in allotment of election symbols. Other candidates are identified as independents and do not get preference in symbol allocation.
  • Tax exemption for donations received under Section 13A of the Income Tax Act, 1961.
• Guidelines for registration of Political Parties mention that if the party does not contest elections continuously for 6 years, the party shall be taken off the list of registered parties.
• Registered political parties, in course of time, can get recognition as a state party or national party subject to the fulfilment of the conditions prescribed by the EC in the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, as amended from time to time.
• Recognised political parties get to reserve a symbol and use it exclusively, whereas unrecognised parties have to choose from a list of free symbols.
• Recognition also comes with other benefits, such as free broadcast facilities over Doordarshan and All India Radio, more allowances for campaign expenditure, and free copies of electoral rolls before elections.
• Conditions for Recognition as a State Party: A political party shall be treated as a recognised political party in a state if it fulfils any of the following conditions
  • The party has to win 3 percent of seats in the Legislative Assembly of the state in the General Election.
  • The party has to win one Lok sabha seat for every 25 Lok Sabha seats allotted for the state in the General Election.
  • The party has to secure a minimum of 6 percent of votes in a state, and in addition it has won one Lok Sabha or two Legislative Assembly seats in elections.
  • The party has to secure 8 percent of votes in a state in the General Election to Lok Sabha or Legislative Assembly.
• Conditions for Recognition as a National Party: A political party shall be treated as a national party if it fulfils any of the following conditions:
  • Secure at least 6 percent of votes polled in four or more states in the Lok Sabha or Assembly elections, and, in addition, it has at least four members in the Lok Sabha.
  • It also has to have at least 2 percent of the total Lok Sabha seats and its candidates come from not less than three states.
  • It is recognised as a state party in at least four states.
  • Both national and state parties have to fulfil these conditions for all subsequent Lok Sabha or state elections. Else, they lose their status.

About Kurmi Community:

• Kurmis, also known as Kunbi, are a Hindu farming caste in India and Nepal.
• The term "Kurmi" is believed to be derived from the Sanskrit word "Krishi," which means agriculture.
• They are mostly found in the lower regions of the Indo-Gangetic plains, especially southern regions of Awadh, eastern Uttar Pradesh and parts of Bihar.
• It is believed that the Kurmis were descendants of ancient Kshatriya warriors who practiced agriculture.
• There are several sub-groups within the Kurmi caste called gotras. Some common Kurmi gotras include Chandel, Chauhan, Solanki, Tomar, Baghel and Sengar.
• The Kurmis came to be known for their exceptional work ethic, superior tillage and manuring, and gender-neutral culture, bringing praise from Mughal and British administrators alike.
• The Kurmali language, primarily spoken by the Kurmi community in Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha, is part of the Indo-Aryan language family.
• Nowadays, Kurmis are placed in the Other Backward Class (OBC) category in most parts of India.
• However, Kurmis tend to believe that they have tribal roots and have long been demanding Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for their community and inclusion of the Kurmali language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

About Javari Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple, which forms part of the Khajuraho Group of Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Madhya Pradesh.
  • The temples at Khajuraho were built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050 AD.
  • The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.
• Built between 1075 and 1100 AD, the Javari Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu.
• Architecture:
  • The temple is built in the Nagara style of architecture.
  • Situated on a plinth, it contains a sanctum, vestibule, mandapa, and portico but without pradakshinapatha.
  • It has an exquisitely carved Makara Torana (Capricorn Arch) and shikhara.
  • The sanctum of Javari Temple contains a four-armed idol of Lord Vishnu, though it is now broken and headless.
  • There are sculptures of Hindu Gods and navagrahas.
  • The elaborate gateway of the temple is beautiful, and there are images of men and women carved on the walls.

About Gulf of Finland:

• It is the easternmost extension of the Baltic Sea, located in Northern Europe.
• It covers an area of 30,000 sq.km. It is one of the largest bodies of brackish water in the world.
• The gulf extends for 400 km from east to west but only 19 to 130 km from north to south.
• It is bordered by Finland in the north, Russia in the east, and Estonia in the south.
• Both the Finnish capital city, Helsinki, and the Estonian capital, Tallinn, are located right on the shores of the Gulf of Finland.
• At the very eastern end of the gulf is the Russian city of St. Petersburg.
• The gulf is relatively shallow with an estimated average depth of 38 m.
• Of low salinity (six parts per thousand), the gulf freezes over for three to five months in winter.
• It receives the Neva and Narva rivers and the Saimaa Canal.
• The gulf faces a humid continental climate with hot summers and relatively harsh winters.
• The gulf contains numerous banks, skerries and islands.
• The largest include Kotlin Island with the city of Kronstadt (population 42,800), Beryozovye Islands, Lisiy Island, Maly Vysotsky Island, and many others.

About Yellow-Crested Cockatoos:

• The Yellow-crested cockatoo (Cacatua sulphurea) is a medium-sized cockatoo with a retractile yellow or orange crest.
• Appearance: It usually has white plumage, and on its head is a yellow crest that curves forwards.
• Habitat: This cockatoo inhabits forest, forest edge, scrub and cultivated areas from sea-level up to about 1500 meters.
• Distribution: It is native to East Timor and Indonesia's islands of Sulawesi and the Lesser Sundas. It is also introduced in Hong Kong developed from caged birds that have been released.
• Food: It is an omnivorous feeder, with a diet that consists primarily of seeds, fruits, nuts, and berries. It is also known to feed on the occasional insect, small reptiles, and roots,
• Social behavior: They are monogamous birds, and pairs stay together for life. 
• They are very gregarious animals and learn quickly to mimic.
• Breeding Season: Breeding typically occurs in September to May 
• Threats: The main threats to the Yellow-crested cockatoo are illegal pet trade, habitat loss and climate change (rising temperatures dry out forests, leaving them more vulnerable to fires).
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Critically Endangered.

About Adamya Fast Patrol Vessel:

• It is the first ship of the eight in series Adamya-class Fast Patrol Vessels (FPVs)
• ‘Adamya’ meaning ‘indomitable’ is a projection of ICG’s will and commitment in ensuring safe, secure, and clean seas towards the maritime interest of the Nation.
• Developed by: It has been designed and built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited.
• Features of Adamya Fast Patrol Vessel
  • Carrying Capacity: It displaces approx. 320 tons.
  • It is propelled by two 3000 KW diesel engines to attain a maximum speed of 28 Knots along with an endurance of 1500 nm at economical speed. 
  • It is the first ship fitted with indigenously developed two Controllable Pitch Propellers and gearboxes offering superior manoeuvrability, operational flexibility and enhanced performance at sea.
  • Its weaponry includes a 30 mm CRN 91 gun and two 12.7 mm stabilized remote controlled machine guns, all supported by fire control systems.
  • The vessel also features an Integrated Bridge System, Integrated Platform Management System, Automated Power Management System and augmenting operational efficiency & automation.

About Chirality:

• It is the property of an object being non-superimposable on its mirror image.
• It is found everywhere in nature, from spiral galaxies to the DNA in our cells.
• Chirality’s role in material science
  • In materials science, chirality can enable unique light–matter interactions, such as controlling the spin of electrons or detecting circularly polarized light.
  • These capabilities help futuristic technologies in quantum optoelectronics, advanced sensors, and spin-based computing.
    • Example: Chiral materials can distinguish between left- and right-handed circularly polarized light and influence electron spin.
  • Applications: It helps in building devices such as circularly polarized light (CPL) detectors, spintronic components, and neuromorphic photonic synapses
• Why are Perovskites Game-Changers?
  • Traditionally, most chiral materials studied have been organic in nature.
  • These organic materials can interact with light effectively, but their poor electrical conductivity has limited their role in optoelectronic devices.
  • On the other hand Halide perovskites bring together strong optical properties with efficient charge transport.
  • When combined with chiral molecules, these low-dimensional halide perovskites can yield chiral perovskites that are both functionally versatile and structurally robust.
• Challenges: Making high-quality chiral perovskite films for devices requires precise control over how they crystallize – something that has remained poorly understood.

About Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan:

• It is aimed at strengthening healthcare services for women and children across India, with a focus on improving access, quality care, and awareness.
• It is an initiative by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare(MoHFW) and the Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD),
• It encourages active participation from private hospitals and healthcare professionals to foster inclusive healthcare delivery.
• Objectives of Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan
  • Enhance Women’s Health Through Comprehensive Screening and Services
  • Promote Family Well-Being via Maternal and Child Care
  • Foster Behaviour Changes Through Education
  • Encourage Community Participation and Public Awareness
• Implementation Strategy
  • Nationwide Health Camps with Real-Time Monitoring : It will organise more than one lakh health camps across Ayushman Arogya Mandirs and Community Health Centres, coordinated and tracked through the SASHAKT portal.
  • Multi-Platform Outreach for Awareness: This abhiyan aims to leverage Doordarshan, All India Radio (AIR), and social media campaigns to maximise public awareness and participation
  • Volunteer and Nikshay Mitra Engagement: The campaign expands participation through Nikshay Mitras and volunteers, who support tuberculosis eradication efforts and community health initiatives.

About Aflatoxin:

• Aflatoxins are a toxic chemical (a mycotoxin) produced by fungi.
• The mould-like fungi that produce aflatoxins belong to a large group called Aspergillus (It is produced mainly by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus fungi).
  • Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus, thrive mainly in agricultural crops but also in soils, rotting food and compost.
  • The fungi emerge as spores and form networks of microscopic filaments that can grow on products such as grains and nuts.
  • These fungi contaminate groundnuts in warm, humid conditions.
• It can occur in foods such as groundnuts, tree nuts, maize, rice, figs and other dried foods, spices, crude vegetable oils and cocoa beans, as a result of fungal contamination before and after harvest.
• How are people exposed to aflatoxins?
  • People can be exposed to aflatoxins by eating contaminated plant products (such as peanuts) or by consuming meat or dairy products from animals that ate contaminated feed.
  • Farmers and other agricultural workers may be exposed by inhaling dust generated during the handling and processing of contaminated crops and feeds.
• Health Impacts: This toxin is reported to be genotoxic, carcinogenic, and pose risks to human and animal health.