About Vitamin B3:

• Vitamin B3, or Niacin, is a water-soluble vitamin.
  • Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water. Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine.
  • The body keeps a small reserve of these vitamins, but they have to be taken on a regular basis to maintain the reserve.
• It is naturally present in many foods, added to some food products, and available as a dietary supplement.
• The body gets niacin through food, but it also makes small amounts from the amino acid tryptophan, which can be found in protein sources like turkey and other animal foods.
• The two most common forms of niacin in food and supplements are nicotinic acid and nicotinamide.
• Functions:
  • Niacin works in the body as a coenzyme, with other enzymes dependent on it for various reactions.
  • Niacin helps to convert nutrients into energy, create cholesterol and fats, create and repair DNA, and exert antioxidant effects.
  • Due to Niacin's positive effects on cholesterol levels, it may help prevent heart disease.
  • Additionally, it may reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, which are associated with atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries.
• Food Sources: It is found in many foods, both from animals and plants.
  • Red meat: beef, beef liver, pork
  • Poultry
  • Fish
  • Brown rice
  • Fortified cereals and breads
  • Nuts, seeds
  • Legumes
  • Bananas
• Deficiency:
  • A severe niacin deficiency leads to pellagra, a condition that causes a dark, sometimes scaly rash to develop on skin areas exposed to sunlight; bright redness of the tongue; and constipation/diarrhea.
  • Other signs of severe niacin deficiency include:
    • Depression
    • Headache
    • Fatigue
    • Memory loss

About Volcan de Fuego:

• Volcan de Fuego, which translates to “Volcano of Fire” in Spanish, is an active volcano located in Guatemala.
• It is a relatively young basaltic stratovolcano.
• It is one of three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala’s former capital, Antigua.
• It forms part of the Central American Volcanic Arc, a chain of volcanoes stretching from Guatemala to Panama.
• Guatemala lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
• It lies on the boundary between the Cocos Plate and the Caribbean Plate.
• Fuego has what scientists call an “open-vent system.”
  • This means the volcano keeps a clear pathway for gas and magma to escape.
  • Because of this open vent, it releases pressure through smaller, more frequent eruptions.
  • The Fuego is known for its vulcanian activity, occasionally accompanied by pyroclastic flows.
• It is one of the most active volcanoes in Central America.

About Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve:

• It is located in the Sawai Madhopur district of southeastern Rajasthan.
• It derives its name from the Ranthambore Fort (a World Heritage Site) situated within its precincts.
• It is located at the junction (great boundary fault) of the Aravalis and Vindhyan ranges.
• The area was once a royal hunting ground for the Maharajas of Jaipur.
• It is one of the largest tiger reserves in northern India.
• It boasts a spectacular landscape filled with boulder-strewn highland plateaus, lakes, and rivers dotted with old forts and abandoned mosques.
• Rivers: It is bounded to the north by the Banas River and to the south by the Chambal River.
• There are several lakes in the park known as Padam Talab, Raj Bagh Talab, and Malik Talab.
• Vegetation: It is dry deciduous forests and open grassy meadow.
• Flora: Pure sands of Dhok tree (Anogeissus pendula) interspersed with grasslands at the plateaus, and other species like Acacia, Capparis, Zizyphus, Prosopis, etc are found here.
• Fauna:
  • It consists of leopard, caracal, jungle cat, sambar, chital, chinkara, and wild boar.
  • Peacocks, partridges, green pigeons, parakeets, sparrows, prinias, warblers, etc. are examples of avifauna.

About Burevestnik Missile:

• The Burevestnik, whose name translates as “storm petrel“, is a ground-launched, low-flying nuclear-powered, nuclear-armed cruise missile.
• It was developed by Russia.
• It is the world's first nuclear-powered cruise missile.
• It is one of six strategic weapons that the Russian President introduced in a 2018 speech.
• NATO refers to it as the SSC-X-9 Skyfall.
• Features:
  • It is powered by a small nuclear reactor, which heats up air to propel the missile forward.
  • Its nuclear propulsion gives the missile much longer range than traditional turbojet or turbofan engines that are limited by how much fuel they can carry.
  • That propulsion gives it virtually unlimited range, allowing it to loiter for days, circling the enemy’s air defenses and attacking from an unexpected direction.
  • The missile is also designed to fly at low altitudes, much lower than a conventionally powered cruise missile, which would make it harder for air-defence radar to detect.

About Sahariya Tribe:

• It is one of the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG).
• They are also called by the names Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, Sahra,
• They live on the margins, in the forests and villages of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
• They mostly live in a distinct settlement called ‘Seharana’ which is generally a cluster of houses.
  • The houses are made of some stone boulders, and the roofing is also made of stone slabs – locally called Patore.
  • In some villages, mud structures are also constructed.
• Language: While the Sahariyas have lost their original language, they speak the local dialects of the regions they inhabit.
• Religion: They practice Hinduism infused with veneration of local deities like Bhavani, Gond Devta, and Bijasur, alongside animistic elements tied to their jungle-dwelling heritage.
• The Saharia are divided into five sub-tribes: the Jati, Arsi, Muli, Kindal, and Kumbi.
  • This classification is based primarily on occupation.
  • The Jati are farmers; the Arsi are weavers; the Muli are iron workers; the Kindal are basket makers; and the Kumbi are potter
• They are known for their dance, the Saharia Swang, which is performed during the month of Holi.
  • The dance is performed to the beats of the dhol, nagari, and matki.
  • It features a male dressed in female attire who dances around the male performers.
• Livelihood:
  • They are predominantly forest dwellers and make their living from forest produce, additionally cultivating small plots of land and work as landless labourers.
  • They are particularly skilled in making catechu from khair trees.

About Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services:

• It was established as an autonomous body in 1999 under the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) and is a unit of the Earth System Science Organisation (ESSO).
• Mandate: It is mandated to provide ocean information and advisory services to society, industry, government agencies and the scientific community through sustained ocean observations and constant improvements through systematic and focussed research.
• It is a permanent member of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).
• It established the Indian Tsunami Early Warning Centre (ITEWC) which provides tsunami alerts within 10 minutes, serving India and 28 Indian Ocean countries.
• Headquarter: It is located in Hyderabad, Telangana.
• Initiatives of INCOIS:
  • Search and Rescue Aided Tool (SARAT): It is to assist the Indian Coast Guard, Navy and Coastal Security Police, in locating individuals or objects lost at sea.
  • SynOPS visualization Platform: It integrates real-time data to strengthen response coordination during extreme events.

About Antaram idukki:

• It belongs to the tiger moth subfamily Arctiinae (Erebidae).
• It was discovered in Kerala’s Idukki district.
• It is currently known only from Idukki and is distinguished from related genera by a unique combination of external and genital morphological characters.
  • Tiger moths play a crucial ecological role as pollinators, particularly for plants that bloom at night.
  • They also serve as an important food source for birds, bats and other wildlife, while acting as biological indicators of environmental change.

What are Moths?

• These are insects that belong to the order Lepidoptera, which they share with butterflies.
• Characteristics:
  • Highly adapted, they live in all but polar habitats. 
  • They often have duller colors compared to butterflies, which helps with Some, like the luna moth or atlas moth, are vividly colored.
  • Moth antennae are often feathery, unlike the thin and clubbed antennae of butterflies.
  • Most moths are active at night, but some are diurnal.
  • The larvae and adults of most moth species are plant eaters. Larvae in particular do considerable damage to ornamental trees and shrubs and to many other plants of economic importance.

About Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar:

• It is nation’s highest civilian honour for children.
• It is presented annually by the President of India on Veer Bal Diwas.
  • Veer Bal Diwas is observed annually on December 26 in memory of Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh.
• It recognises exceptional achievements in six distinct categories namely: Bravery, Social Service, Environment, Sports, Art and Culture, Science and Technology
• Eligibility for Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar:
  • Citizenship: A child should be an Indian Citizen.
  • Age: A child above the age of 5 years and not exceeding 18 years (as of 31st July of respective year).
  • The act/incident/achievement should have been within 2 years of the last date of receipt of application/nomination for the year of consideration.
  • The number of awards will be 25, however, any relaxation to this maximum number may be permitted at the discretion of the National Selection Committee.
• Nomination:
  • A child may be nominated in more than one category, although the committee reserves the right to consider only one application.
  • Any individual or institution can nominate a child. Children may also apply through self-nomination.
  • Recommendations are also invited from certain government entities and offices. 
• Each awardee is given a medal, a cash prize of 1 Lakh and certificate.
• Selection Committee: The awardees are selected by a committee constituted by the Union Minister for Women and Child Development and headed by the Secretary of the Ministry.

About International Maritime Organisation:

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations which is responsible for measures to improve the safety and security of international shipping and to prevent pollution from ships.
• Background: It was established as the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO) in 1948, became a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1959 and was renamed International Maritime Organization in 1982.
• It is the global standard-setting authority for the safety, security and environmental performance of international shipping.
• Mandate: Its main role is to create a regulatory framework for the shipping industry that is fair and effective, universally adopted and universally implemented.
• Governance of the organisation:
  • Assembly: It is the highest Governing Body of the IMO. It consists of all Member States, and it meets once every two years in regular sessions. The Assembly is responsible for approving the work program, voting the budget and electing the Council.
  • Council: It is the Executive Organ of the IMO and consists of 40 elected members, and is responsible, under the Assembly, for supervising the work of the Organization.
  • Committees: The five policy-making committees are responsible for the development, review, updating, and approval of the organization’s guidelines and regulations.
• Funding: Funding for the organization comes from contributions by member states, as well as voluntary donations and commercial activities.
• Members: It currently has 176 Member States. (India has been a member since 1959)
• Headquarters: London.