About Offshore Security Coordination Committee:

• It was constituted in 1978 to ensure the effective functioning of offshore security arrangements.
• Since then, the committee has contributed effectively in framing policies and providing guidance and resolution to Offshore Defence Area related issues.
• Itwas constituted to ensure smooth and efficient functioning of offshore security arrangements, and to identify peace-time threats to offshore installations, such as terrorism and sabotage.
• The OSCC develops contingency plans to be implemented by various agencies in respect of offshore security.
• The exponential growth in the offshore Oil and Natural Gas sector has necessitated a manifold increase in the responsibilities of the ICG, in terms of responding to breaches of security, or likely threats, as well as fishing activity in the vicinity of oil platforms that could jeopardize safety.
• Chairman: Director General, ICG

Key Facts about Indian Coast Guard

• It is an armed force that protects India’s maritime interests and enforces maritime law, with jurisdiction over the territorial waters of India, including its contiguous zone and exclusive economic zone.
• It was formally established in 1978 by the Coast Guard Act, 1978 as an independent Armed force of India.
• It operates under the Ministry of Defence.
• It is headed by the Director General Indian Coast Guard (DGICG).
• Headquarters: New Delhi.

• It is the latest addition to Interpol’s suite of colour-coded alerts, designed to help countries track and retrieve criminally obtained assets.
• It allows participating nations to request information on assets linked to criminal activities such as fraud, corruption, drug trafficking, and environmental crimes.
• It aimed at tracing assets laundered across international borders.
• It is part of a pilot project involving 52 countries, including India, was launched following a request from Italy to locate the assets of a senior mafia member.
• The project will run until at least November 2025, with 500 notices available for distribution among the participating countries.
• How does it work?
  • Countries can use the Silver Notice to request information on various assets, including properties, vehicles, financial accounts, and businesses connected to criminal activities.
  • The notice facilitates the identification and location of these assets, enabling further legal action, such as seizure or confiscation, subject to national laws.
• India is a participant in this pilot project and stands to benefit significantly.
• Benefit to India: With numerous fugitive economic offenders and a substantial amount of unaccounted black money transferred offshore, the Silver Notice could be instrumental in tracing and recovering these assets.

About Zero-Coupon Bonds:

• These are a debt instrument that does not pay periodic interest but is issued at a discount rate to its face value.
• These are also known as discount bonds, are issued at a discount on the bond’s face value and do not pay periodic interest to bondholders.
• They offer payment at face value at maturity so zero-coupon bonds tend to fluctuate in price on the secondary market much more than coupon bonds.
• Advantages of Zero Coupon Bonds
  • Varied investment horizon:These bonds suit investors with long-term and short-term investment motives.
  • Less risky:These bonds are considered less risky than coupon bonds, as the investors have to buy and leave them until maturity. 
• Disadvantages of Zero Coupon Bonds
  • Period:It is only suited for long-term investment purposes. People with short-term motives cannot invest in these bonds.
  • No regular income:The investor does not get a fixed, steady income from such bonds.

What is a Bond?

• A bond is a financial instrumentthat promises a fixed return (face value) at the end of a specific period, unlike equity, which has no fixed term or guaranteed returns.
• Bonds are generally safer investments used to hedge against risks or act as a store of value.
• Bonds are used by companies, municipalities, states and sovereign governments to raise money to finance a variety of projects and activities.

About Surinsar-Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is named after the twin lakes i.e. Surinsar and Mansar situated almost at two corners of the sanctuary separated by 16 km distance from each other.
• The Sanctuary spreads over three districts vis-à-àvis Jammu, Udhampur and Samba. The major part of the sanctuary falls in the Jammu District.
  • Surinsar and Mansar lakes were included in the list of Ramsar sites in 2005.
• The area forms one of the important catchments of river Tawi.
• Topography: The topography of the area is hilly with moderate to steep slopes interspersed with small drainage nallas.
• Vegetation: Northern dry mixed deciduous forests, Himalayan Sub-tropical Scrub Forests, Himalayan subtropical Pine Forest, Lower Siwalik Chir Pine forest, Dodonea scrub forests.
• Fauna: The sanctuary is home of many important species including Blue bull/ Nilgai, Jackal, Indian barking deer, Leopard, Wild boar, Fox.
• Flora: The principal species are Pinus rouxburgii, Acacia catechu, Lannea grandi, Mallotus philipenesis, Cassia fistula, Zizyphus jujuba, Dalbergia sissoo, Emblica officinalis.

About Agentic AI:

• It is a more advanced GenAI tool.
• This intelligent system goes beyond analysis, acting autonomously on behalf of individuals and organisations to manage complex tasks, make decisions, and solve problems.
• It uses sophisticated reasoning and iterative planning to autonomously solve complex, multi-step problems.
• This system ingests vast amounts of data from multiple data sources and third-party applications to independently analyze challenges, develop strategies and execute tasks.
• Agentic AI’s features include:
  • Proactive: It uses dynamic reasoning to interpret user queries, identify goals, and solve problems as they arise.
  • Action-driven: It prioritizes taking actions and is integrated with your backend systems and tools to autonomously carry them out.
  • Retentive memory: It has both short and long-term memory to help contextualize and personalize interactions with customers.

Key Features about the Kruti Agentic AI

• It can book cabs, pay bills, generate images and support 13 Indian languages using a localised LLM.
• The platform also includes features such as read-aloud responses and free access to premium AI capabilities like research and image creation.
• Kruti understands both voice and text input, remembers past interactions and tailors responses in tone, length and language, including 13 Indian languages.
• It learns user preferences, adapts to usage over time and integrates with various apps and services to deliver context-aware assistance with minimal effort.
• Kruti also includes a fully embeddable software development kit (SDK), allowing developers to integrate large language model orchestration, memory handling and tool execution with minimal code.

About Totapuri Mangoes:

• Totapuri mangoes are primarily grown in Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh and in parts of border districts in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
• It is known for its elongated shape and distinct parrot beak-like tip (hence “Totapuri”), the variety is valued for its juice and pulp.
• It is indigenous to South India and also known by other names such as Ginimoothi, Sandersha, Banglora.
• Totapuri mangoes are used aplenty in mango drinks manufactured and distributed across the country.
• These mangoes are largely supplied to processing units that extract mango pulp for commercial use, both domestically and internationally.
• Climatic conditions
  • Soil: Thrives in well-drained, loamy soils with a neutral to slightly acidic pH.
  • Climate: Best suited for tropical climates with moderate to high temperatures.
• Nutritional Value:
  • Vitamins: Rich in Vitamin C and Vitamin A, supporting immune function and eye health.
  • Minerals: Contains calcium, potassium, and magnesium, which are vital for bone health and muscle function.
  • Antioxidants: Provides antioxidants that protect cells from damage and support skin health.

About Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau:

• It is a government agency established in 2012 within the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
• Its primary responsibility is to investigate aircraft accidents and serious incidents in India’s airspace. The purpose is to determine how the accident happened and recommend safety improvements, not to assign blame or punish people.
• Before AAIB, such investigations were handled by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which also regulated airlines.
• Mandate
  • It is responsible for classification of ‘Safety Occurrences’ involving aircraft operating in the Indian Airspace into Accidents, Serious Incidents and Incidents.
  • All Accidents and Serious Incidents involving aircraft with AUW more than 2250 Kgs or Turbojet aircraft are investigated by AAIB.
  • AAIB may investigate serious incidents or incidents to aircraft apart from the ones mentioned above, if it appears expedient to hold an investigation into the circumstances of such serious incident or incident.
  • As per the Rule 3 of Aircraft (Investigation of Accidents and Incidents) Rules, 2017 the sole objective of the investigations carried out by AAIB is prevention of accidents and incidents and not to apportion blame or liability.
• Key functions:
  • Investigate all aircraft accidents and serious incidents in Indian airspace
  • Collect evidence (black boxes, flight data, witness statements)
  • Analyze causes and issue safety recommendations
  • Publish final reports for global aviation authorities
• After completion of Investigation and acceptance of the same by the Director General, AAIB, the Investigation Reports are made public and published by AAIB on its website.
• The accepted ‘Final Investigation Reports’ are also forwarded to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and the States participating in the investigation.

About Gyan Post Service:

• It is a dedicated postal service for affordable delivery of educational, cultural, social and religious books.
• This initiative aligns with the objectives of the New Education Policy (NEP) and aims to bridge the educational divide by making printed educational material more accessible and affordable across India, including remote and rural areas.
• It is operational through all Departmental post offices and is offering a traceable surface mail service for eligible book packets.
• Salient Features of ‘Gyan Post’:
  • It is available at all Departmental Post Offices w.e.f. 01 May 2025.
  • It will deliver non-commercial printed educational content only.
  • Minimum rate: ₹20 for packets up to 300 grams.
  • Maximum rate: ₹100 for packets up to 5 kilograms (excluding applicable taxes).
  • A tracking facility will be available to ensure transparency and reliability.
  • Strict eligibility: Only books without commercial ads or promotional content are accepted. Each item must bear the name of the printer or publisher.
  • Books and printed educational materials sent under 'Gyan Post' will be trackable and transported through surface mode to ensure cost-effective delivery.

About Ocean Darkening:

• Darkening of the ocean is essentially shrinking of the photic zones or those layers of water where sunlight can pass and induce the process of photosynthesis which is key to all biological processes.
  • The photic layers can go down to about 200 meters and they also act as a base for nearly 90 per cent of the world’s marine life.
  • This layer is responsible for increasing the productivity of the ocean which also involves regulating climate and even supporting global fisheries or related activities.
  • A new study seems to suggest that more than one-fifth of the global ocean has considerably darkened in the last two decades. 
• Why is this happening?
  • In coastal zones, darkening is usually due to higher runoff of agricultural nutrients, organic matter, and sediments into the ocean with rain which directly promotes algal blooms that block light.
  • In the open ocean, the likely causes are changes in plankton dynamics, increase in sea surface temperature and changes in ocean circulation.
• Impacts of Ocean Darkening
  • The contraction of photic zones may lead to fundamental shifts in marine ecosystems. Those species that use sunlight and moonlight cues to feed, move, hide, and reproduce will be competing for shallower zones.
  • This might upset marine food webs that are already working hard against an ecosystem with minimal fishing activity.

About Emperor Penguins:

• Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest penguin alive today.
• They evolved about one million years ago, and are highly adapted to life in one of Earth’s harshest environments
• Features:
  • Adults are coloured black and white with areas of orange and yellow on the head, neck, and breast. 
  • They gain and lose weight rapidly during breeding and feeding seasons. On average, females tend to weigh less than males.
  • They have two layers of feathers, a good reserve of fat, and proportionally smaller beaks and flippers than other penguins to prevent heat loss.
  • They also huddle close together in large groups to keep themselves and each other warm.
  • They are capable of diving to depths of approximately 550 metres (1,800 feet) in search of food; they are the world’s deepest-diving birds.
  • They breed in the winter. 
  • Lifespan: 15 to 20 years
• Distribution: They are found throughout the Antarctic continent and sub-Antarctic islands.
• Breeding: In breeding months (April to November), emperor penguin colonies are found between 66° and 78° south latitude along the Antarctic coastline.
• Habitat: It is the most ice-adapted of any penguin species, inhabiting pack ice and surrounding marine areas. They spend their entire lives on Antarctic ice and in its waters.
• Conservation Status:
• IUCN Red List: Near Threatened.

About Passage Exercise:

• It was conducted by the Indian Navy and the United Kingdom.
• It featured Indian naval assets including the stealth frigate INS Tabar, a submarine, and the long-range maritime patrol aircraft P-8I. The UK's naval contingent included HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Richmond.
• The exercise highlighted advanced operational coordination and interoperability between the two forces.
• With synchronised tactical manoeuvres and unified helicopter control operations, both navies demonstrated their readiness and high-end combat capabilities.
• The exercise served as a testament to the operational strength and combat preparedness of Indian naval units, both surface and underwater.
• Indian submarines and warships were instrumental in executing complex maritime tasks during the operation, earning them recognition as some of the most capable units globally.
• The joint PASSEX carries strategic significance due to its location.
• The North Arabian Sea remains a critical maritime corridor for global trade, including essential energy shipments.
• Conducting joint drills in this region reflects a shared commitment by India and the United Kingdom to maintaining maritime stability, safeguarding sea lines of communication, and projecting a credible naval presence in the Indo-Pacific.

About Shipki La Pass:

• It is a motorable mountain pass situated at an altitude of 3,930 meters, bordering India and China in tribal district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh.
• It also serves as the boundary post on the frontier between China and India.
• It is one of the highest motorable passes.
• Through this pass the Sutlej River (known as Langqen Zangbo in Tibet) enters India, and has long served as a vital trade corridor between India and Tibet.
• The old name of Shipki La was Pema La, or Shared Gate, also known as Shared Pass.
• It was declared the Line of Actual Control post-1962, and later, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police named it Shipki La.
• Significance: The opening of Shipki La to tourists is part of a broader strategy to stimulate economic growth in Kinnaur and Lahaul-Spiti, which share a 240-km border with China.

About Statins:

• Statins are medications that lower cholesterol levels by blocking an enzyme in the liver that helps produce cholesterol. 
• They are prescribed to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke.
• Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause a buildup of plaque on the walls of the arteries. That buildup can eventually cause the arteries to narrow or harden.
• Some statins can decrease your LDL (low-density lipoprotein, or “bad”) cholesterol by 50% or more. Providers often call LDL “bad” because it builds up inside your arteries, making it harder for blood to move through them.
• These medicines also have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
• Statins may also help reduce the risk of certain blood clots.
• Statins can sometimes interact with other medicines, increasing the risk of serious side effects, such as muscle damage.
• Statins have anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidative and antithrombotic properties.
• They may help mitigate excessive inflammatory response, restore endothelial function, and show potential antimicrobial activities.

About Black box:

• It is a small machine that records information about an aircraft during its flight.
• This bright orange or yellow rectangular box is crafted to withstand explosions, fire, water pressure, and high-speed crashes.
• It was discovered by Australian scientist David Warren, it is used to discover the cause of a plane crash.
• Most aircraft are required to be equipped with two black boxes — the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) and the flight data recorder (FDR) — that record the information about a flight and help reconstruct the events leading to an aircraft accident.
  • The CVR records radio transmissions and other sounds in the cockpit, such as conversations between the pilots and engine noises.
  • The flight data recorder records more than 80 different types of information, such as altitude, airspeed, flight heading, vertical acceleration, pitch, roll, autopilot status, etc.
• The recording devices are stored inside a unit that is generally made out of strong substances such as steel or titanium and are also insulated from factors such as extreme heat, cold or wetness.
• To protect these black boxes, they are equipped towards the tail end of the aircraft, where the impact of a crash is usually the least.

About Merchant Discount Rate:

• It is a fee that merchants and other businesses must pay to a payment processing company for accepting payments from customers via digital modes like credit cards, debit cards, UPI, etc.
• MDR compensates the bank issuing the card, the bank which installs the PoS (Point of Sale) terminal and network providers, and payment gateways for their services.
• The MDR sums up all the charges and taxes that electronic or digital payments entail.
• The MDR typically comes in the form of a percentage of the transaction amount. It is typically between 1% and 3%.
• The rates are dependent on the level of business transactions being processed, the types of cards (debit or credit) used by customers, and the value of the average transaction (also known as average tickets or average sales).
• Before accepting debit and credit cards, merchants must set up this service and agree to the rate.
• Merchants must consider these fees as part of managing their business costs and setting their prices.
• MDR charges are automatically deducted from the merchant’s account at the time of settling the transaction batch.
• Under the rules laid down by RBI, business owners cannot pass on the MDR charges to their customers.

About Exercise Shakti:

• It is a joint military exercise between India and France
• It is a biennial event conducted alternatively in India and France.
• It is the 8th edition of Exercise Shakti and last time it was held in India.
• The aim of the exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake Multi Domain Operations in a Sub Conventional scenario.
• The joint exercise will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between armies of both the nations.
• The exercise will enable the two sides to share their best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures of conducting joint operations.
• Other Joint Exercises between France and India are Exercise Desert Knight, Exercise Varuna and  Exercise Garuda.

About Global Gender Gap Index:

• It is an annual index designed to measure gender equality.
• It benchmarks gender-based gaps in four areas: economic participation and opportunity; educational attainment; health and survival; and political empowerment.
• It is released by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
• It is the longest-standing index tracking the progress of numerous countries’ efforts towards closing these gaps over time since its inception in 2006.
• Highlights of 2024 Report
  • India’s gender parity score stands at just 64.1 per cent, placing it among the lowest-ranked countries in the South Asian region.
  • In educational attainment, India scored 97.1%, reflecting gains in female literacy and tertiary education enrolment.
  • One dimension where India increases parity is in Economic Participation and Opportunity, where its score improves by 0.9 per cent to 40.7 percent.
  • India also records higher parity in health and survival, driven by improved scores in sex ratio at birth and in healthy life expectancy.
  • India recorded a slight drop in political empowerment, with parity dropping by 0.6 points since the previous edition. Female representation in Parliament fell from 14.7 percent to 13.8 percent in 2025
  • Iceland retains the world’s most gender-equal economy for the 16th consecutive year, closing 92.6% of the gender gap – the only economy to reach 90% parity.
  • European countries account for eight of the top ten rankings; Iceland, Finland, Norway, and Sweden have all been in the top ten since 2006.
  • The bottom 10 countries in the Global Gender Gap Index 2025—led by Pakistan, Sudan, Chad, and Iran—continue to show the widest gender disparities globally.

About International Organization for Marine Aids to Navigation:

• It was established in 1957 as a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
• It officially changed its status from a Non-governmental Organization (NGO) to an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) based on a Convention ratified by 34 States in 2024.
• The IALA Council is the key decision-making body of the intergovernmental organization responsible for marine aids to navigation.
• Aims
  • Foster safe, economic and efficient movement of vessels by improving and harmonizing aids to navigation worldwide and by other appropriate means.
  • Encourage, support and communicate recent developments; develop international cooperation by promoting close working relationships and assistance among members;
  • Enhance mutual exchange of information with organizations representing users of aids to navigation.
  • Its mandate is to harmonise global maritime navigation systems, promote maritime safety initiatives, and collaborate with member states, international organizations, and industry stakeholders to address emerging challenges in maritime safety and environmental protection.
• Members: It comprises 200 members, 80 of which are national authorities and 60 are commercial firms. India has been a member of this organization since 1957.
• Headquarters: Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France.

About Salmonella:

• Salmonella is a type of bacteria that causes food poisoning, known as Salmonella infection or
• It naturally lives in animals’ intestines and can be found in their feces.
• It spreads through contaminated food or water and is a common cause of stomach illness. 
• Salmonella spreads through contaminated food, water, and contact with infected animals or people. 
  • Common sources include raw or undercooked eggs, meat (like chicken, turkey, or beef), unwashed fruits and vegetables, untreated water, and unpasteurized dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yoghurt. 
  • Even processed foods like chicken nuggets and nut butters can carry the bacteria. 
  • Pets like dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles may also carry the bacteria. 
  • Poor hand hygiene during food preparation or eating increases the risk of infection.
• Symptoms
  • People infected with Salmonella might have diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Some people—especially children younger than 5 years old, adults 65 years and older.
  • People with weakened immune systems—may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.

About Mouse deer:

• It is also known as the Indian Chevrotain is the smallest deer species in the deer family and is known for its elusive and shy nature.
• Features:
  • The fur color of the Indian spotted chevrotain is dark brown with white underparts.
  • There are four or five light rows of white spots on the back. Males of this species have tusk-like upper canines.
  • A unique feature of this group is that instead of a four-chambered stomach like in other ruminants, they have a three-chambered stomach.
  • Diet: It forages on the forest floor for fruits, roots, leaves, and herbs. It has occasionally been observed eating insects, crustaceans, and even small mammals.
• Distribution:
  • It is endemic to the Indian Subcontinent.
  • It is mainly found in peninsular India, with some old records from Nepal.
  • Sri Lanka has a separate species called the spotted chevrotain (Moschiola meminna).
  • Within India, it is commonly encountered in a number of forest areas along the Western Ghats, in the Eastern Ghats up to Orissa, and in the forests of central India.
  • Ecological Significance: The mouse deer plays a major role in the forest ecosystem as a seed disperser and is important prey for many small and large carnivores. 
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Least Concern
  • Wildlife Protection Act (1972): Schedule I.

About Khankhuuluu Mongoliensis

• Khankhuuluu mongoliensis, whose name translates to "Dragon Prince of Mongolia," roamed the Earth approximately 86 million years ago during the Cretaceous period.
  • The fossils of this new species were actually found in the 1970s in Mongolia’s Gobi Desert but were only recently recognized as belonging to a distinct species after advanced analysis and reexamination.
• This medium-sized, fleet-footed predator weighed about 750 kilograms (roughly the size of a horse) and measured up to 4 meters in length, making it two to three times smaller than its massive descendants like Tyrannosaurus rex.
• The species is characterised by a long, shallow skull, tiny rudimentary horns, and a lighter, more agile build compared to later tyrannosaurs.
  • Unlike the bone-crushing T. rex, Khankhuuluu was a mesopredator, relying on speed and agility to hunt smaller prey.
• Significance of Discovery
  • This prehistoric predator is now considered the closest-known ancestor to the Tyrannosaurus rex and played a pivotal role in setting tyrannosaurs on the evolutionary path to ruling Earth as apex predators.
  • Khankhuuluu marks a crucial evolutionary transition from smaller, agile hunters to the colossal apex predators that dominated the late Cretaceous.
  • Its discovery has bridged a significant gap in the fossil record, revealing that tyrannosaurs originated in Asia and migrated to North America, where they evolved into the iconic T. rex.

About World Day Against Child Labour

• World Day Against Child Labour is a global observance marked on June 12 every year, serving as a crucial reminder to build a world free of child labour, where children worldwide are not forced into work at the expense of their education and well-being.
• History: The International Labour Organization (ILO) first observed World Day Against Child Labour on June 12, 2002, at its Geneva headquarters.
  • Since then, it has been marked globally to shine a light on this ongoing crisis. The year 2025 marks the 21st anniversary of this important observance.
• Theme: The theme for this year is ‘Progress is clear, but there’s more to do: let’s speed up efforts!’ It reflects the progress made so far in reducing child labour, while also emphasizing the need to intensify global efforts to meet international goals.
• In India, the government has implemented a National Policy on Child Labour since 1987. This policy emphasises both the rehabilitation of affected children and the need to tackle the root cause — poverty — by improving the economic well-being of their families.

Child Labour Latest Data and Trends

• Global Child Labour: In 2024, nearly 138 million children were engaged in child labour worldwide, with 54 million in hazardous work. Africa has the highest child labour rates (72 million children), followed by Asia and the Pacific (62 million children).
• India: In 2011, India's Census data showed that 10.1 million children, or 3.9% of the total child population aged 5-14, were working, either as "main workers" or "marginal workers".
  • This data represents a decrease from the 1.26 crore working children in 2001, but the issue persists, with poverty, lack of education, and economic distress identified as key drivers.
• Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG Target 8.7 aims to end child labour in all its forms by 2025, but this target is unlikely to be met due to persistent challenges.

About TOI-6894b

• TOI-6894b, a gas giant planet, roughly the size of Saturn, has been found orbiting an unusually small red dwarf star.
• This rare pairing defies current models, which say small stars don’t have enough material in their surrounding disks to form such large planets.
• The planet was found about 241 light-years from Earth in the constellation Leo.
• TOI-6894b is about 1.07 times the diameter of Saturn but has just over half its mass.
• This makes the planet very low in density, similar to that of a beach ball. Despite its large size, the planet orbits extremely close to its host star, completing a full revolution in just under three Earth days.
• The star it orbits, TOI-6894, is a red dwarf with only about 21% the mass of the Sun and roughly 250 times dimmer.
• In terms of physical size, the star is just 2.5 times wider than the planet itself, a remarkable size ratio rarely seen in planetary systems.

Significance of the Discovery

• Challenges Core Accretion Theory: The core accretion model, which explains how gas giants form around stars, struggles to account for the formation of a giant planet around such a low-mass star due to insufficient material in the protoplanetary disk.
• Implications for Exoplanet Science: Since small stars like TOI-6894 are the most common in the galaxy, this discovery suggests there may be many more giant planets than previously thought.
• Future Studies: TOI-6894b is scheduled for atmospheric observation by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), which could provide unprecedented insights into its composition and formation.

About Ohler's Spiny Frog

• Ohler’s Spiny Frog refers to large, robust frogs within the Quasipaa or related genera, which are known for their spiny chests and large size.
• These frogs are primarily found in fast-flowing streams of evergreen forests in Southeast Asia and the Himalayan foothills.
• Habitat: Rocky streams in evergreen forests, particularly in northern Vietnam, southern China, and the Himalayan region.
• Key Features:
  • Stout body with rough, spiny tubercles on chest (in males), toes are partially webbed
  • Males develop throat and chest spines during breeding, a characteristic linked to spiny frog identification
  • Skin colouration is dark brown with yellowish mottling; eyes are dark greenish.
  • Size reaches a snout-vent length exceeding 10 cm (typically 7–8 cm).
• Significance
  • Ecological Value: Adds to biodiversity and underlines the ecological uniqueness of waterfall ecosystems
  • Conservation Insight: Highlights the need for habitat protection in Vietnam, especially for stream-dwelling amphibians
  • Research Contribution: Supports regional biogeography studies of Dicroglossidae frogs across Indo-Asia.

About UN High Seas Treaty

• The UN High Seas Treaty is formally known as the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ).
• It is the first legally binding international instrument aimed at protecting marine biodiversity in international waters—areas that lie beyond the jurisdiction of any single country.
• The treaty is built on the legacy of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is the last international agreement on ocean protection, signed 40 years ago in 1982. UNCLOS established an area called the high seas.
• Scope: The treaty addresses the high seas, which cover about two-thirds of the world’s oceans and nearly half of the planet’s surface.
• Objective: To establish a legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in international waters, addressing regulatory gaps and promoting global cooperation.

UN High Seas Treaty Key Provisions:

• Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Empowers the creation and management of MPAs in the high seas to conserve marine ecosystems.
• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs): Mandates EIAs for activities that could harm the marine environment, even if the impact is anticipated in international waters.
• Marine Genetic Resources (MGRs): Ensures fair and equitable sharing of benefits from marine genetic resources, including digital sequence information.
• Capacity Building and Technology Transfer: Supports developing countries in building capacity and accessing marine technology for conservation and sustainable use.

About Tourette syndrome:

• It is a neurological disorder that causes sudden, involuntary movements or vocal sounds known as
• It typically emerges between ages 2 and 15, with the average onset around six.
• It affects an estimated 0.3% to 1% of the global population, with a higher prevalence among boys than girls.
• “Tics can range from mild to severe. In severe cases, they can significantly impact communication, daily functioning, and quality of life.
• Tics are broadly classified as simple or complex.
  • Simple motor tics involve a single muscle group and include eye blinking, facial grimacing, shoulder shrugging, and head jerking.
  • Simple vocal tics include throat-clearing, sniffing, barking, or grunting.
  • Complex motor tics involve coordinated patterns and may include touching objects, hopping, or bending.
  • Complex vocal tics may involve repeating one’s own or others’ words (echolalia), or, in rare cases, using obscene language (coprolalia).
• Tics often worsen with stress or excitement and may improve when the person is calm and focused. They typically reduce during light sleep and disappear in deep sleep.
• Tourette’s rarely occurs in isolation. It commonly coexists with ADHD, OCD, anxiety, depression, learning disabilities, and autism spectrum disorders.
• Treatment:
  • Currently, there is no cure for this syndrome but treatments are available to help manage some symptoms. 
  • Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has shown very promising outcomes.

About Cathepsin B:

• It is a lysosomal cysteine protease.
• It is primarily localized within subcellular endosomal and lysosomal compartments. It is involved in the turnover of intracellular and extracellular proteins.
• It is integrated into almost all lysosome-related processes, including protein turnover, degradation, lysosome-mediated cell death, antigen processing and apoptosis.
• It degrades extracellular matrix proteins like collagen and fibronectin.
• Role in Disease: It is involved in neuropathological and neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and traumatic brain injury.

What is ovarian reserve?

• This ovarian reserve is the finite pool of egg cells (oocytes) that female mammals are born with. Unlike sperm, these crucial egg cells cannot be regenerated.
• Over time, the quantity and quality of these eggs naturally decline due to factors like oxidative stress, inflammation and general cellular wear.
• This process accelerates with age. ‘Cat B,’ a protein-degrading enzyme, seems to be a key driver of this decline.
• By lowering its levels, we may be able to delay egg loss, effectively extending fertility naturally.

About Eurasian otter:

• It is also known as the European otter, common otter, and Old-World otter.
• It is a semi aquatic carnivorous mammal native to Eurasia. 
• Distribution:
  • It has one of the widest distributions of all palearctic mammals, spanning countries in the Middle-East, Europe, Northern Africa, across to Eastern Russia, China, and other Asian countries.
  • In India, it occurs in northern, northeast and southern India. In Kashmir, it is known as Vuder, was an integral part of Kashmir’s aquatic ecosystem and was abundantly found in the water bodies.
• Habitat:
  • It lives in a wide variety of aquatic habitats, including highland and lowland lakes, rivers, streams, marshes, swamp forests, and coastal areas, independent of their size, origin, or latitude.
  • In the Indian subcontinent, it is found in cold hills and mountain streams.
• Features:
  • It is an elusive, solitary otter.
  • It has sleek brown fur, which is often paler on the underside, and a long, lithe body with a thick tail and short legs. 
  • Adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle include webbed feet, the ability to close the small ears and the nose when underwater, and very dense, short fur that traps a layer of air to insulate the animal.
  • It has an acute sense of sight, smell, and hearing.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN: Near threatened
  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule II
  • CITES: Appendix I
• Threats: Water pollution and hunting of the mammal for its fur.

About Exercise Khaan Quest:

• It is a multinational military e
• The exercise will bring together military forces from around the world to collaborate and enhance their peacekeeping capabilities.
• Last edition of Exercise KHAAN QUEST was conducted in Mongolia in 2024.
• Background:
  • The exercise first started as a bilateral event between USA and Mongolian Armed Forces in the year 2003.
  • Subsequently, from the year 2006 onwards the exercise graduated to a Multinational Peacekeeping Exercise with current year being the 22nd iteration.
• The Indian Army contingent comprising 40 personnel is being represented mainly by troops from a Battalion of the KUMAON REGIMENT along with personnel from other Arms and Services. One Woman Officer and two Women Soldiers will also form part of the contingent.
• Aim of Exercise to prepare Indian Armed Forces for peacekeeping missions while operating in a multinational environment, thereby increasing interoperability and military readiness in peace support operations under Chapter VII of United Nations Charter.
• The exercise will focus on a high degree of physical fitness, joint planning and joint tactical drills.
• It will enable the participating countries to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures for conduct of joint operations. The exercise will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between soldiers of the participating countries.

About CROPIC Initiative:

• CROPIC stands for Collection of Real Time Observations & Photo of Crops.
• It is an initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) with a dual purpose of monitoring crop health and stress and automation of crop loss assessment and payment of claims to affected farmers using computer vision technology and photo-analytic models.
• Under this initiative, crops will be photographed four-five times during their cycle, and the pictures will be analysed to assess their health and potential mid-season losses.
• The study will be carried out for two seasons initially, kharif 2025 and rabi 2025-26.
• The study envisages collection of field photographs during the crop season using CROPIC mobile application which has been developed by the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare.
• Working
  • The photographs from the field will be crowd-sourced directly from farmers. Then, they will be analysed for information including crop type, crop stage, crop damage and its extent.
  • This model will use an AI-based cloud platform for photo analysis and information extraction, and a web-based dashboard for visualisation.
  • Also, when compensation or insurance is to be paid to farmers, officials will collect the photographs using the CROPIC Mobile App.
  • It will be rolled out initially in at least 50 districts per season. These districts will be well distributed in different agro-climatic zones covering the three major notified crops (notified crops are those covered under insurance schemes like PMFBY) in each district for each season, initially.
  • Funding: The Fund for Innovation and Technology (FIAT) under PMFBY will be used for funding CROPIC.

About Poson Poya:

• Poson Poya is an annual Buddhist festival celebrated on the full moon day of June, second only in importance to Vesak in Sri Lanka.
• It marks the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BCE by Arahat Mahinda, son of Emperor Ashoka of India, who preached to King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale.
• This event is considered a turning point in Sri Lankan history, leading to significant religious, cultural, and social transformations.
• The festival is celebrated throughout Sri Lanka, but the main ceremonies are held at Mihintale and Anuradhapura, attracting thousands of pilgrims.
• Devotees dress in white, make offerings at temples, meditate, and participate in community activities such as dansals (free food stalls), lantern displays, and religious pageants.
• The festival promotes values such as non-violence (ahimsa), kindness, and unity.

Buddhism in Sri Lanka

• Buddhism is a spiritual tradition founded by Siddhartha Gautama (the Buddha) in the 6th century BCE in India.
• It emphasizes the path to enlightenment (nirvana) through ethical living, meditation, and wisdom.
• Core teachings include the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path, guiding individuals to overcome suffering (dukkha).
• Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka over 2,000 years ago during the reign of King Devanampiyatissa, marking a profound spiritual and cultural transformation.
• It was introduced by Arahat Mahinda, the son of Indian Emperor Ashoka, in 236 BCE on Poson Poya day at Mihintale.
• The king embraced Buddhism, leading to its widespread acceptance across the island. Temples, stupas, and monastic traditions flourished, making Sri Lanka a major center of Theravāda Buddhism.

About First E-Waste Recycling Park:

• This state-of-the-art facility will be India’s first integrated E-Waste Eco Park and will be built under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, at Holambi Kalan in north-west Delhi.
• It will cover 11.4 acres, and is expected to process up to 51,000 metric tonnes of e-waste annually.
• The project will be developed by the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (DSIIDC) on a Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) basis, with a 15-year concession period.
• Zones: Dedicated areas for dismantling, refurbishing, component testing, plastic recovery, and a second-hand electronics market.
• Employment: Creation of over 1,000 green jobs and skilling/training centres for informal recyclers.
• Significance: Aims to manage nearly 25% of Delhi’s e-waste, set a national benchmark for smart waste processing, and promote sustainable urban infrastructure.
• Environmental Impact: Reduces dependency on landfills, minimises hazardous waste, and promotes resource recovery and reuse.

About Shahed Drones:

• Shahed drones are Iranian-made Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) and loitering munitions, primarily developed by Shahed Aviation Industries. Russia refers to the Shahed-136 as "Geran-2".
• Design and Capabilities: These drones are designed for one-way attack missions, carrying explosive warheads that detonate upon impact.
  • The Shahed-136, the most widely used variant, features a delta-wing design, weighs around 200 kg and has a wingspan of 2.5–3 meters.
• Range and Speed: The Shahed-136 can travel between 1,000 and 2,500 km at speeds up to 185 km/h. It is launched via disposable rocket boosters and then powered by a piston engine, giving it a distinctive "moped-like" sound.
• Guidance: The drones use pre-programmed GPS or GLONASS coordinates, making them resistant to electronic warfare and jamming.
  • Recent variants reportedly use advanced algorithms and AI for improved navigation and targeting.
• Warhead Types: Shahed drones can be equipped with various warheads, including high-explosive fragmentation, thermobaric, and shrapnel-filled munitions, maximising damage to both personnel and equipment.

About Keeladi Findings:

• Location: Keeladi is a village in Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, situated along the Vaigai River, about 12 km southeast of Madurai.
• Excavation History: Excavations began in 2015, initially led by the ASI and later by the Tamil Nadu State Department of Archaeology after a period of administrative dispute.
• Artefacts Unearthed: Over 18,000 artefacts have been discovered, including pottery, inscribed potsherds, gold ornaments, copper articles, semi-precious stones, shell and ivory bangles, glass beads, spindle whorls, terracotta seals and weaving tools.
• Pottery and Inscriptions: The site has yielded heaps of pottery and over 120 potsherds with Tamil Brahmi inscriptions, indicating the long survival of the script and literacy in the region.
• Urban Settlement: Findings suggest Keeladi was a well-planned urban settlement with evidence of industries such as pottery, weaving, dyeing, and bead-making.
• Trade and Lifestyle: Artefacts like agate and carnelian beads indicate trade networks, while items such as dice and hopscotch pieces reveal leisure activities.
• Chronology: The findings have pushed the Sangam Age in Tamil Nadu back to around 800 BCE, suggesting a much older and advanced civilization than previously thought.
• Link to Other Civilisations: Some symbols on Keeladi artefacts resemble those of the Indus Valley Civilization, though a cultural gap of about 1,000 years remains. Scholars hope further studies will clarify these connections.

Sangam Age

• The Sangam Age, often referred to as the Tamil Sangam period, marks an important chapter in South Indian history.
• Named after the assembly of Tamil poets and scholars known as the Sangam, this era witnessed a rich cultural and literary flourishing in the southern regions of India.
• It is broadly estimated to have spanned from around 300 BCE to 300 CE.

About Axiom Mission 4:

• Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4) is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS), organized by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA, SpaceX, and ISRO.
• Objectives:
  • Enable commercial activities in low Earth orbit, including space tourism and private research.
  • Demonstrate the feasibility of commercial space stations as platforms for business and science.
  • Strengthen international collaboration in space exploration.
  • Conduct scientific experiments in microgravity, focusing on materials science, biology, Earth observation, and life sciences.
• Launch Vehicle & Capsule: First flight of Crew Dragon C213—the fifth and final new Dragon capsule—to be launched atop a Falcon‑9 Block 5 from LC‑39A, Kennedy Space Centre.
• Mission Timeline: Originally set for early June 2025, the mission was moved multiple times— then again postponed on June 11, due to the LOx leak, which caused further delay.
• Crew (4 total):
  • Peggy Whitson (USA)
  • Shubhanshu Shukla (India)
  • Sławosz Uznański‑Wiśniewski (Poland)
  • Mission Specialist: Tibor Kapu (Hungary)
• Significance:
  • Marks India’s return to human spaceflight after 41 years, since Rakesh Sharma’s 1984 mission.
  • First government-sponsored flights to the ISS for India, Poland, and Hungary in over four decades.

About BBX32 Protein:

• It is a B-box (BBX) protein (B-box plays an important role in plant growth and development).
• It helps provide leads to control the timing of seedling emergence and help maximise proper seedling establishment.

How does it Work?

• When a seed sprouts in darkness under the soil, its stem curves into a small hook shape that protects the delicate shoot tip as it pushes upward.
• The hook needs to stay ‘closed’ until the seedling breaks through the soil and meets light.
• Ethylene is a plant hormone that builds up underground and light works together to decide exactly when the hook opens.
• ‘BBX32’ helps in plant growth regulation by keeping its first leaves folded until they emerge from the soil and thus provide crucial aid in the seedling establishment process.
• BBX32 was found to work by raising the activity of the PIF3 protein, which switched on HLS1, which kept the hook closed. If PIF3 was missing, BBX32 couldn’t prevent the hook from opening.

About Gangotri National Park:

• It is located in the Uttarkashi District region of the state of 
• It sits along the upper catchment of the Bhagirathi River. 
• International boundary: The northeastern section of the park forms the international boundary of India and Tibet (China). 
• The area enclosed by the park also borders Kedarnath Wildlife Sanctuary and Govind National Park.
• The mountains in the park are part of the Gangotri Group of the Garhwal Himalayas, which are a subrange of the eastern Himalayas.
• Peaks: Major peaks within the park include Chaukhamba I, Satopanth, Chaukhamba II, Chaukhamba III, and Kedarnath Main.
• The famous Gangotri Glacier is located in the park boundaries and is known for being one of the primary sources of the Ganges.
• Vegetation:
  • It is home to high-altitude ecosystemsthat are common in the Himalayas.
  • Western Himalayan subalpine conifer forests dominate the lower elevation landscapes. These forests are filled with fir trees intermixed with deodar, oak, spruce, and rhododendrons trees.
  • Higher elevations in the park are home to Western Himalayan alpine shrubs. Alpine meadows are also common beneath the massive glaciers.
• Fauna: Snow leopard, brown bear, blue sheep, musk deer, Asian black bear, and the Himalayan tahr etc.

About United Nations Population Fund: 

• It is an international development agency created in 1968 to support the execution of projects and programmes in the area of population and sexual and reproductive health.
• Its mission is to deliver a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled.
• In 1987, it was officially renamed as the United Nations Population Fund but the original abbreviation UNFPA (United Nations Fund for Population Activities) was retained.
• It is not directly responsible for the collection of primary statistics; it plays an important role in the technical and financial support of statistical activities in countries, such as population censuses and thematic surveys etc.
• Funding: It is entirely supported by voluntary contributions of donor governments, intergovernmental organizations, the private sector and foundations and individuals, not by the United Nations regular budget.
• It funds assistance, research and advocacy programs in three major areas:
• Reproductive health, including family planning, safe motherhood, and the prevention and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases,
• The population problems of developed and developing countries and possible strategies for addressing them.
• Issues related to the status of women, including the gender gap in education.
  • UNFPA assistance programs are undertaken only in response to government requests.
  • Headquarters: New York.

About Nickel:

• It is a metallic element with a silvery-white, shiny appearance.
• It is the fifth-most common element on earth and occurs extensively in the earth’s crust and core.
• Nickel, along with iron, is also a common element in meteorites.
• It occurs naturally in soil and water. It is also an essential nutrient for plants. 
• It has outstanding physical and chemical properties, which make it essential in hundreds of thousands of products.
• Nickel occurs principally as oxides, sulphides and silicates.
• India has substantial nickel laterite reserves, particularly in Odisha’s Sukinda region.
• World Distribution: Indonesia (22%), Australia (21%), Brazil (17%), Russia (7%), Cuba (6%) and Philippines (5%) are the major countries having reserves of Nickel.
• Applications
  • Its biggest use is in alloying - particularly with chromium and other metals to produce stainless and heat-resisting steels.
  • Nickel is an important metal used in several clean energy technologies, especially Electric Vehicles (EVs).
  • It is used in batteries, including rechargeable nickel-cadmium batteries and nickel-metal hydride batteries used in hybrid vehicles.

About Blue Nationally Determined Contributions Challenge:

• It is a landmark international initiative launched by France and Brazil.
• It urges countries to incorporate ocean-focused climate measures into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) ahead of the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Belem, Brazil. 
• Six other countries: Australia, Fiji, Kenya, Mexico, Palau, and the Republic of Seychelles have joined this initiative.
• It is supported by Ocean Conservancy, the Ocean and Climate Platform and the World Resources Institute through the Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA) and has been endorsed by WWF-Brazil.

 What are NDCs?

• NDCs are national climate plans that outline a country’s efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change under the Paris Agreement adopted by 195 Parties at UNFCCC COP21 in Paris, France, on December 12, 2015,
• To hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels” and pursue efforts “to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.