About Naval Anti-Ship Missile–Medium Range (NASM–MR):

• It is a subsonic, sea-skimming anti-ship missile.
• It is being developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) for the Indian Navy for use against small- to medium-sized targets such as frigates, corvettes, and destroyers.
• It will have different versions, including ship-launched, air-launched, and submarine-launched
• The missile complements the existing Naval Anti-Ship Missile-Short Range (NASM-SR), which was successfully tested earlier from a helicopter platform.
• Together, these systems provide layered strike options for the Navy, enabling both close-range and medium-range engagements against hostile warships.
• Features:
  • It is powered by a Small Gas Turbine Jet Engine (SGTJE).
  • This all-weather missile has a strike range of up to 350 km.
  • It has a warhead weighing more than 200 kilograms.
  • It has an advanced guidance system, which reportedly combines an active radar seeker with an imaging infrared (IR) seeker.

Successful Trials of multi-layered Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system:

• The latest tests involved advanced interceptor systems developed under Phase II of the BMD programme, including the AD-series interceptors.
• These systems have been designed to engage and neutralise advanced, high-speed threats such as intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs) and ICBMs capable of travelling up to the 5,000-km class.
• The AD-1 endo-atmospheric interceptor has been designed to intercept targets within the Earth's atmosphere during the terminal phase of their flight.
  • Propelled by a two-stage solid motor, it utilises advanced navigation and guidance algorithms to track and destroy fast-moving missiles as well as slower-moving aircraft.
• Similarly, the AD-2 interceptor has been designed to intercept incoming missiles at much higher altitudes, beyond the Earth's atmosphere during their mid-course flight phase.
  • This allows early interception in space, destroying threats before they can re-enter and target specific regions.
• Both missiles are highly manoeuvrable and capable of hypersonic speeds ranging from Mach 6 to Mach 7, enabling them to intercept fast-moving ballistic targets.
• These tests have put the country in the elite group of nations having BMD capability to engage up to ICBMs.

About Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO):

• It is a large underground neutrino detector located near the city of Kaiping in the southern Guangdong province of China.
• It is the product of an international collaboration involving 74 institutions from Asia, Europe, and America.
• It is led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) via the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP).
• It is the second neutrino experiment in China, after the Daya Bay Reactor Neutrino Experiment.
• The primary JUNO scientific goal is the determination of the neutrino mass ordering (NMO).
  • This can be inferred by measuring the oscillation pattern of electron anti-neutrinos emitted by nuclear power plants.
• To do this, the facility has an 80 m high and 50 m diameter experimental hall located 700 m underground.
• Its main feature is a 35 m radius spherical neutrino detector, containing 20,000 tonnes of liquid scintillator.
• It is the world's largest and highest-precision liquid scintillator detector.
• Juno is designed to have a scientific lifespan of up to 30 years.
• JUNO is also one of three next-generation neutrino experiments, the other two being the Hyper-Kamiokande in Japan and the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment in the US.

What are Neutrinos?

• Neutrinos, often called 'ghost particles', are elementary particles that belong to the lepton family of particles.
• Since neutrinos have very little interaction with matter, their detection is very difficult.
• They have no electrical charge and have a very small mass (less than one millionth of the mass of the electron), and their speed is nearly equal to the speed of light.
• First predicted in 1930, they weren’t discovered in experiments until 1956.
• Of the four fundamental forces in the universe, neutrinos only interact with two — gravity and the weak force.
• Source: Neutrinos come from all kinds of different sources and are often the product of heavy particles turning into lighter ones, a process called “decay.”
• They are the most common particles in the universe.
• Approximately 100 trillion neutrinos pass completely harmlessly through your body every second.
• Neutrinos play crucial roles in the standard model of particle physics, in stellar physics and black holes, and even in cosmology and the nature of the Big Bang.

About Thamirabarani River:

• The Thamirabarani River – also known as the Tamraparni River or Porunai River, a rare perennial river in southern India flowing entirely through the Tamil Nadu 
• The river’s name is derived from “Thamiram” (copper) and “Barani” (vessel) in Tamil, referring to the copper-like hue of its waters—believed to result from dissolved minerals.
• Porunai is its classical name in Sangam literature, where it has extensive literary references.
• Course:
  • It originates from the Agastyarkoodam peak of the Pothigai hills of the Western Ghats.
  • It flows through the Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Districts of the Tamil Nadu state into the Gulf of Mannar of the Bay of Bengal.
• Major Tributaries: Gadananathi River, the Manimuthar River, and the Pachaiyar
• Prominent dams include:
  • Papanasam Dam
  • Karaiyar Dam
  • Manimuthar Dam
  • Servalar Dam
  • Gadananathi Dam
• Major Waterfalls:
  • Banatheertham Falls
  • Agasthiyar Falls
  • Kalyana Theertham
• Biodiversity:
  • It is one of the richest rivers in the world with fish and is dominated by species of native snakehead fish.
  • All the three species of otters in India, the Eurasian otter, the smooth-coated otter, and the Asian small-clawed otter, inhabit the Thamirabarani River.

About Chocolate Chip Sea Star:

• Chocolate Chip Sea Star, also known as the horned sea star, is a species of highly recognizable ornamental sea star.
• Scientific Name: Protoreaster nodosus
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • They are found in the warm, shallow waters of the Indo-Pacific region, including the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the western Pacific Ocean.
  • They inhabit coral reefs, sandy lagoons, and seagrass beds, typically at depths of up to 30 meters.
• Features:
  • They have a creamy white base and dark brown projections, resembling chocolate chips.
  • Often they are tan-colored, but they can be other shades as well.
  • Like all sea stars, they can regenerate lost body parts.
  • When threatened, they can lose one of their five limbs (a process known as autotomy) to escape predators, and the lost limb may regenerate over time.
  • They are carnivores and typically feed on detritus, small invertebrates, and even the soft tissue of corals.

Key Facts about Sea Stars:

• Although sea stars are often called “starfish,” they’re not related to fish.
• They are invertebrates related to sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars, which are all echinoderms.
  • ‘’Echinoderm’’ means spiny skin—a reference to their hard, calcified skin, which helps to protect them from predators.
• They have radial symmetry and tube feet that help them move using water pressure.
• There are close to 2,000 species of sea stars in the world’s oceans. Most species have five arms, but some have many more—even as many as 40.
• They are often found under rocks or in crevice Their mouth, on the underside of their body, has no teeth.
• When feeding, sea stars wrap their arms around their prey and push their stomach out of their mouth to eat their food.
• They’re toxic to some predators, but if captured, sea stars can drop an arm to try to escape.
• They can regrow lost arms—and even an entire new body from a single arm and part of the central disc of their body.

About AN-32 Aircraft:

• The AN-32 (Antonov AN-32) is a Soviet-origin twin-engine turboprop military transport aircraft.
• Its NATO reporting name is Cline.
• It is designed and manufactured by the Antonov Design Bureau of Ukraine, then part of the USSR.
• It was purchased by India from the USSR in 1984. The planes were specially customised to suit the IAF's requirements.
• The IAF has a fleet of around 100 AN-32 planes.
• It is designed to excel in extreme environments, functioning perfectly in high-altitude airfields (up to 4500 m above sea level) and hot tropical climates.
• Features:
  • It is powered by two single-shaft turboprop engines.
  • It can carry a maximum weight of 27 tons at a maximum speed of 530 km/h.
  • It can transport up to 7.5 tons of cargo, 50 passengers, or 42 paratroopers, and it is extensively used for supply drops in remote regions.
  • The range and service ceiling of the aircraft are 2,500 km and 9,500 m, respectively.
  • It can take off and land on rough airfields and dirt runways.
  • It also has a limited bombing role and is used for para-trooping operations.

About France:

• It is a country located in North Western Europe.
• Bordering countries: It is bordered by 7 countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Andorra.
• Water bodies: It is bounded by the Bay of Biscay (North Atlantic Ocean) in the west; by the English Channel in the northwest and by the Mediterranean Sea in the south. 
• Other overseas regions namely: Guadeloupe, Guyane (French Guiana), La Réunion (Réunion), Martinique and Mayotte.
• Capital City: Paris.
• Geographical Features of France:
  • Climate: The climate in mainland France is temperate, with quite significant regional differences.
  • Major Rivers: Loire (drains into Atlantic ocean ), Seine (drains into English channel).
  • Major Mountains: Alps (southern France), Jura Mountains (north of Alps), Pyrenees (forms border with Spain).
  • Natural Resources: It consists of Coal, iron ore, bauxite, zinc, uranium, antimony, arsenic, potash, feldspar, fluorspar, gypsum.

About Udanti-Sitanadi Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in Chhattisgarh.
• It was established by joining the regions represented by Sitanadi and Udanti wildlife sanctuaries. 
• Rivers: The drainage system of the reserve consists of the Mahanadi as the main river, along with the Udanti, Sitanadi, Indravan, and Pairi Rivers as tributaries.
• The location of the reserve is strategic since it also connects with the Kanker and North Kondagaon forest divisions, forming a contiguous forest corridor to Indravati Tiger Reserve in the Bastar region.
• Deo Dongri is the highest point. The most prominent mountain is Atānga Dongar.
• Vegetation: The forest type here is predominantly tropical dry and moist deciduous.
• Flora: The forest is dominated by Sal (Shorea robusta), which forms dense patches across the landscape. 
  • Alongside, species such as Teak (Tectona grandis), Bamboo, Tendu, Mahua, Bija, and Harra contribute to the green diversity of the region.
• Fauna: It is home to the last few herds of the highly endangered Wild Buffalo, tiger, Indian Wolf, Leopard, Sloth Bear, and Mouse Deer etc.

About National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority:

• It is an independent regulator for pricing of drugs and to ensure availability and accessibility of medicines at affordable prices.
• It was constituted in 1997 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals (DoP), Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers. 
• Functions:
  • To implement and enforce the provisions of the Drugs (Prices Control) Order in accordance with the powers delegated to it.
  • To monitor the availability of drugs, identify shortages, if any, and to take remedial steps.
  • To collect/ maintain data on production, exports and imports, market share of individual companies, profitability of companies etc, for bulk drugs and formulations.
  • To recruit/ appoint the officers and other staff members of the Authority, as per rules and procedures laid down by the Government.
  • To render advice to the Central Government on changes/ revisions in the drug policy.
  • To render assistance to the Central Government in the parliamentary matters relating to drug pricing
  • To fix and revising drug prices as per the provisions of the Drugs Prices Control Order (DPCO),
  • NPPA provides ceiling price to all drugs notified under Schedule-I of DPCO and so far.

About Tapanuli Orangutan:

• It is a species of orangutan found in the island of Sumatra in Indonesia.
• It is one of three known species of orangutan, alongside the Sumatran orangutan, found farther northwest on the island, and the Bornean orangutan.
• Appearance: These species resemble Sumatran orangutans more than Bornean orangutans in body build and fur color.
• Habitat: These are exclusively arboreal and spend most of their time high up in the trees.
• Distribution: It lives in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests that are located south of Lake Toba in Sumatra.
• Characteristics of Tapanuli Orangutan:
  • They lead a solitary life and can be seen in pairs only when a mother is raising her young.
  • Communication: Orangutans communicate with various sounds.
  • Both sexes will try to intimidate conspecifics with a series of low guttural noises known collectively as the “rolling call”.
  • Diet: They are omnivores.
  • Reproduction: Tapanuli orangutans are one of the most slowly-maturing animals in the world.
• Conservation Status: IUCN: Critically endangered.

About ANCHOR:

• ANCHOR stands for Atlas of Neurochemical Characterization of the human brainstem with 3D Reconstruction.
• It is the world’s most detailed 3D Atlas of human brainstem.
• It comprises the most comprehensive, multi-modal, 3D maps and atlases of the human brainstem to date spanning from prenatal period to childhood and adult brains.
• Developed by: It is developed by Sudha Gopalakrishnan Brain Centre (SGBC) at IIT Madras.
• Key Features:
  • It encompasses more than 200 brainstem nuclei and fiber tracts, reconstructed from hundreds of serial sections. 
  • Technology used: This is a multimodal framework integrated MRI, histology and detailed chemo-architecture.
  • It has reconstructed by eight complementary immunostains were overlaid across more than 500 sections, enabling detailed mapping.
  • It allows users to zoom in nearly 1,000 times closer than MRI and allows researchers to look at cells at the micron level.
• Significance
  • It acts as a navigational map of the brain which could allow scientists to explore the landscape of neural networks and cellular clusters and study how the brain changes from the fetal stage to old age.
  • It could eventually help reveal how diseases affect different regions of the brain, allowing clinical practitioners a faster way to catch neurodegenerative diseases.