About Javelin Missile:

• It is an American-made, man-portable, anti-tank guided missile.
• It is developed and produced jointly by American defence majors Raytheon and Lockheed Martin.
• It was designed to defeat heavily armored vehicles such as main battle tanks and lighter-skinned military vehicles.
• The weapon also has capability against other target types like fortifications, bunkers, and helicopters.
• It first entered service with the U.S. military in 1996.
• Features:
  • It has an effective range of 2.5 km, with newer models reportedly capable of reaching up to 4 kilometers.
  • Weight: 5.11 kg
  • It can be employed from confined spaces due to its soft-launch mechanism.
  • It uses “fire-and-forget” technology to guide itself to the target without external commands or target designation.
  • Its imaging-infrared seeker enables independent homing once fired, allowing operators to take cover immediately.
  • The missile can engage targets using either a direct or top-attack mode, with the latter designed to exploit vulnerabilities in the thinner armor on the tops of tanks.
  • Its tandem high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) warhead is designed to defeat explosive reactive armour, which is increasingly common on contemporary main battle tanks.

What is the Excalibur Projectile?

• It is a GPS-guided artillery shell fired from large guns like howitzers.
• It was developed in a collaborative effort between the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and the United States Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC).
• India already uses the Excalibur artillery ammunition in its M-777 Howitzer guns.
• Excaliburs are capable of engaging targets beyond the reach of conventional artillery even in challenging terrains.
• They are capable of striking within two metres of the target “regardless of range.”
• This weapon system also extends the reach of 39-calibre artillery to 40 kilometres, 52-calibre artillery to 50 kilometres, and 58-calibre artillery to 70 kilometres
• The guided shells are capable of causing little to no collateral damage due to this accuracy factor.

About West Seti Hydropower Project:

• It is planned to be developed as a 750 MW hydroelectric storage project on the Seti River (a tributary of the Karnali River) in Nepal.
• Unlike typical run-of-river projects that generate power only based on river flow, West Seti is designed as a storage hydropower project with a large reservoir.
  • This allows water to be accumulated during the monsoon wet season and enables steady electricity generation throughout the year, including the dry months.
• The project is being developed by India’s National Hydro Power Corporation Ltd. (NHPC).
• Core Infrastructure Includes:
  • A 195-meter-high concrete-faced rockfill dam.
  • A reservoir approximately 25 kilometers long, inundating parts of the river valley and surrounding forests.
  • The power distribution infrastructure will include a power station and a transmission line.
• Annual Energy Generation: Approximately 3,636 GWh.
• Ownership and Development Model: Public-Private Partnership led by NHPC.
• Power Purchase Agreement: Nepal receives 21.9 percent free electricity from West Seti; the remainder exported via Power Trade Corporation India Limited.

About Guru Tegh Bahadur:

• Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621–1675) was the ninth of ten Gurus of the Sikh religion.
• He was born as Tyaga Ma He was the fifth and the youngest son of the sixth Sikh Guru, Guru Hargobind.
• He came to be known by the name Teg Bahadur (Mighty of The Sword), given to him by Guru Hargobind after he showed his valour in a battle against the Mughals.
• In 1664, Guru Teg Bahadur succeeded Guru Har Krishan Ji as the ninth Sikh Guru.
• His son, Guru Gobind Singh, became the tenth Sikh guru.
• Life and Works:
  • He built the city of Anandpur Sahib (in Rupnagar/Ropar district, on the edge of Shivalik Hills, near the Sutlej River, in Punjab). Here the last two Sikh Gurus lived and where Guru Gobind Singh Ji founded the Khalsa Panth in 1699.
  • He contributed more than 100 poetic hymns to the Granth Sahib, which cover various topics, such as the nature of God, human attachments, body, mind, dignity, service, etc.
  • He resisted the forced conversions of Kashmiri Pandits and non-Muslims to Islam.
• Martyrdom:
  • He was publicly beheaded in 1675 on the orders of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in Delhi for refusing to convert to Islam.
  • Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib in Chandni Chowk marks the place of his execution.
  • Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib marks the place of cremation of his body.
  • He is remembered for giving up his life for freedom of religion.
  • His martyrdom is remembered as the Shaheedi Divas of Guru Tegh Bahadur every year on 24 November, according to the Nanakshahi calendar released by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee in 2003.

About Colombo Security Conclave (CSC):

• It is a regional security grouping comprising India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
• The CSC’s core objective is to promote regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges of common concern to the member states.
• CSC brings together National Security Advisors (NSAs) and Deputy NSAs of the member countries.
• Origin:
  • The CSC, initially known as the Trilateral for Maritime Security Cooperation, evolved out of trilateral meetings between NSAs and Deputy NSAs from India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, starting in 2011.
  • It came to a standstill after 2014 due to rising tensions between India and the Maldives.
  • After its revival and rebranding as the CSC in 2020, Mauritius joined the CSC in 2022, while Bangladesh joined in 2024.
  • More recently, Seychelles has become the sixth member of the CSC.
• Cooperation under the conclave focuses on five pillars:
  • Maritime safety and security.
  • Countering terrorism and radicalisation.
  • Combating trafficking and transnational organised crime.
  • Cyber-security and protection of critical infrastructure.
  • Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
• Permanent secretariat: Colombo.

About Kuno National Park:

• It is located in the Sheopur district of Madhya Pradesh.
• It is nestled near the Vindhyan Hills.
• Originally established as Kuno Wildlife Sanctuary in 1981, it was upgraded to a national park in 2018.
• The park’s historical significance lies in its role as a relocation site for Asiatic lions under the “Asiatic Lion Reintroduction Project,”.
• It covers an area of 750 sq.km.
• It derives its name from the meandering Kuno River (one of the main tributaries of the Chambal River), which flows from south to north and divides the park into two sections.
• The park’s terrain is dotted with plateaus, valleys, and seasonal rivers, creating varied ecosystems.
• Vegetation: The park boasts diverse vegetation, including tropical dry deciduous forests, savannah grasslands, and riverine forests.
• Flora: Dominant trees include Khair (Acacia catechu), Salai (Boswellia serrata), and Ber (Ziziphus mauritiana).
• Fauna:
  • The protected area of the forest is home to the jungle cat, Indian leopard, sloth bear, Indian wolf, striped hyena, golden jackal, Bengal fox, and dhole, along with more than 120 bird species.
  • It was selected under the ‘Action Plan for Introduction of Cheetah in India’.
  • A total of 20 cheetahs were introduced in Kuno National Park (NP), eight from Namibia in September 2022, followed by 12 more from South Africa in February 2023 under the Cheetah Project.

About Global Methane Status Report:

• It is produced by the UN Environment Programme and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).
• It provides updates on global progress on methane mitigation and the remaining work needed to achieve the Global Methane Pledge.

Key Highlights of Global Methane Status Report 2025:

• Methane’s atmospheric concentrations have more than doubled since pre-industrial times. 
• The rising global emissions would contribute to almost 24,000 additional premature deaths and 2.5 Mt of crop losses annually by 2030.
• India is the world’s third-largest methane emitter.
• India’s agricultural activities alone contribute 12% of global agricultural methane emissions, among the highest shares worldwide.
• If countries fully implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and Methane Action Plans, emissions could fall by eight% by 2030.
• The report underscores that 72% of global methane mitigation potential lies in G20+ countries, which emit 65% of global anthropogenic methane.

What is Methane?

• Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon that is a primary component of natural gas.
• It is a colorless odorless gas, flammable water insoluble gas.
• It is also known as marsh gas or methyl hydride.
• It is responsible for approximately a third of the warming we are experiencing these days.

About Protidricerus albocapitatus:

• It was found in the Nedumkayam forest in Malappuram district of Kerala.
• It is a species of owlfly that belongs to the family Myrmeleontidae and order Neuroptera.
• With this addition, Kerala now hosts five known species of owlflies, and India’s total rises to 37.
• Appearance: It has white tufted head and clubbed antennae.

Key Facts about Owlflies:

• They belong to the order Neuroptera, comprising holometabolous insects.
• Characteristics of Owlflies:
  • Habitat: Adult owlflies perch on blades of grass growing in lateritic soils and also in village households, surrounded by dense vegetation.
  • Appearance: The two distinguishing characteristics of owlflies are their long, clubbed antennae and their bulging eyes.
  • Some species of owlflies develop some color in their wings after their emergence.
  • Behaviour:
    • They become active during dusk and take flight.
    • They are aerial predators feeding on other insects.
    • They release a strong, musk-like chemical to deter enemies.
  • Reproduction: Usually lay their eggs in groups at the tips of limbs and twigs. The female creates a protective shield below the eggs in order to prevent predators from reaching them.

About Acanthosis Nigricans:

• It is a skin condition characterised by dark, velvety patches on skin folds. 
• Causes: It can be obesity, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, diabetes mellitus and extremely rarely, in melanomas, stomach or liver malignancies. 
• Symptoms of Acanthosis Nigricans:
  • It can manifest in skin folds and creases such as behind the neck, underarms, under the breasts, the groin, even the elbows or behind the knees as dark, thick, rough or velvety skin patches.
  • The skin changes associated with this condition develop gradually over the course several months.
  • The affected skin may sometimes be itchy or emit a foul odour along with hyperpigmentation.
  • If it is associated with insulin resistance, the darkening often progresses fast.
• Treatment for Acanthosis Nigricans:
  • It depends on the cause of Acanthosis Nigricans
  • If it is due to an underlying condition, such as diabetes or a hormonal condition, treating the condition will treat the skin problems.
  • Prescription creams to lighten the area.
  • Even laser therapy or dermabrasion is preferred to reduce thickness.