About Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA):

• It is a statutory body of the Ministry of Women & Child Development, Government of India.
• It was established in 1990 as an autonomous body.
• Through Section 68 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 (JJ Act 2015), CARA attained the status of a statutory body.
• It functions as the nodal body for adoption of Indian children and is mandated to monitor and regulate in-country and inter-country adoptions.
• CARA is designated as the Central Authority to deal with intercountry adoptions in accordance with the provisions of the Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, 1993, ratified by the Government of India in 2003.
• CARA primarily deals with the adoption of orphan, abandoned, and surrendered children through its associated/recognised adoption agencies.
• In India, a child can be placed with a family under the Hindu Adoption and Maintenance Act 1956, Guardians and Wards Act, 1890 and Juvenile Justice Act, 2000.
• The mandatory registration of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) and linking to CARA has been provided in the JJ Act 2015.
• Functions of CARA:
  • Monitor and regulate the procedure for in-country adoption;
  • Receive applications of an Non-Resident Indian (NRI) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) or a foreigner living abroad through authorised adoption agency or Central Authority or the Government department or the Indian diplomatic mission concerned and process the same;
  • Receive and process applications received from a foreigner or an OCI residing in India for one year or more, and who is interested in adopting a child from India;
  • Issue No Objection Certificate in all cases of intercountry adoptions;
  • Issue Conformity Certificate in the inter-country adoption cases under Article 23 of the Hague Adoption Convention in respect of intercountry adoption;
  • Intimate the immigration authorities of India and the receiving country of the child about the inter-country adoption cases;
  • Provide support and guidance to State Adoption Resource Agencies, District Child Protection Units, Specialised Adoption Agencies, and other stakeholders of adoption in related matters, through trainings, workshops, exposure visits, consultations, conferences, seminars, and other capacity-building programmes;
  • Coordinate with State Governments or the State Adoption Resource Agencies and advise them in adoption related matters;
  • Establish uniform standards and indicators;
  • Conduct research, documentation, and publication on adoption and related matters;
  • Maintain a comprehensive centralised database relating to children and prospective adoptive parents for the purpose of adoption in the Child Adoption Resource Information and Guidance System;
  • Maintain a confidential centralised database relating to children placed in adoption and adoptive parents;
  • Carry out advocacy, awareness and information, education, and communication activities for promoting adoption and other non-institutional child care services;
  • Enter into bilateral agreements with foreign Central Authorities as prescribed under the Hague Adoption Convention, wherever necessary;
  • Authorise foreign adoption agencies to sponsor applications of NRI or OCI or foreign prospective adoptive parents for intercountry adoption of Indian children;
  • Set up counselling Centre in its headquarters and support State Adoption Resource Agencies for setting up of counseling centre at the State and District levels;
  • It monitors and regulates bodies such as the State Adoption Resource Agency (SARA), Specialised Adoption Agency (SAA), Authorised Foreign Adoption Agency (AFAA), Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), and District Child Protective Units (DPUs).

What is a Bond?

• A bond is a loan made by an investor to a borrower for a set period of time in return for regular interest payments.
• The time from when the bond is issued to when the borrower has agreed to pay the loan back is called its ‘term to maturity’.
• The bond issuer uses the money raised from bonds to undertake various activities such as funding expansion projects, refinancing existing debt, undertaking welfare activities, etc.

What is Bond Yield? 

• It is the return an investor expects to receive each year over its term to maturity.
• It partially depends on coupon payments, which refer to the periodic interest income obtained as a reward for holding bonds.
• The bondholders receive the bond’s face value at the end of the bond’s life. However, one may buy bonds at par value, discount (at a price lower than par value), or premium (at a price higher than par value) as they trade in the secondary market.
• Therefore, the prevailing market price of bonds also affects the bond yield.
• It is calculated by using the following formula:
• Bond Yield = Coupon Amount/Price
• Bond Yield vs. Price:
  • The prices at which investors buy and sell bonds in the secondary market move in the opposite direction to the yields they expect to receive .
  • Once a bond is issued, it offers fixed interest payments to its owner over its term to maturity, which does not change.
  • However, interest rates in financial markets change all the time, and, as a result, new bonds that are issued will offer different interest payments to investors than existing bonds.
  • For example, suppose interest rates fall. New bonds that are issued will now offer lower interest payments.
  • This makes existing bonds that were issued before the fall in interest rates more valuable to investors, because they offer higher interest payments compared to new bonds.
  • As a result, the price of existing bonds will increase.
  • Bond yield is the earning of an investor from a bond over a specific tenure, expressed in a percentage. It is dependent on the interest rate and bond price.
  • As a result, when the interest rate falls, and the bond price is higher than the face value of the bond, your bond yield will be lower than the coupon rate.
  • Similarly, when interest rates rise and bond prices are lower than the face value, your bond yield will be higher than the coupon rate.

About Darknet:

• Darknet refers to a segment of the internet that is accessible only through advanced protocols designed to provide user anonymity and security.
• Unlike the surface web, which can be easily accessed using standard search engines and web browsers, darknet content is not indexed and requires specialized tools, such as privacy-focused browsers like Tor, to access.
  • Tor (The Onion Router) is free and open-source software for enabling anonymous communication.
  • Tor utilizes a method known as onion routing, which anonymizes users by routing their connections through multiple volunteer-operated servers, making it difficult to trace their actual IP
• The concept of the darknet is closely related to the dark web, but the terms are not entirely interchangeable.
• The dark web is the content found on darknet networks.
• “Darknet” and “dark web” are also often incorrectly used interchangeably with “deep web.”
  • The deep web encompasses everything not indexed by conventional search engines but may still be accessed through regular web browsers if the URL is known.
  • The darknet represents a deeper layer of the web, hosting content that is intentionally hidden and only reachable by a select group of users.
• Darknet also includes friend-to-friend (F2F) networks that allow secure, private communications among known individuals.
• While darknet technologies can provide a means for users to bypass censorship and maintain privacy in their online activities, they are also associated with illegal activities such as the trade of illicit goods and services.

About Microcrystalline Cellulose (MCC):

• It is a free-flowing powdery substance extracted as a pulp from fibrous plant material called refined wood pulp.
• It is a purified, partially depolymerized cellulose having the formula (C6H10O5)n.
• Chemically, it is an inert substance, is not degraded during digestion, and has no appreciable absorption.
• As a natural, fiber-rich component, it’s nontoxic and chewable.
• Wood is the most common source of pharmaceutical MCC, in which cellulose chains are closely packed in layered form and are held together by a cross-linking polymer and strong hydrogen bonds.
• Its crystalline structure is due to its microfibres having a high degree of three-dimensional internal bonding.
• During compression, MCC plastically deforms, and therefore, interparticle bonding increases. The plasticity of the MCC is the main reason for its exceptional binding property.
• Applications:
  • It is used as a texturizer, extender, emulsifier, and binder in the pharmaceutical industry and as a bulking agent in food production.
  • Its vital use is in the making of vitamin supplements and tablets.
  • MCC can add weight to a drug and facilitate the active ingredients to function effectively while making the drug conform to weight specifications.

About RailOne App:

• It is a new super app designed to serve as a one-stop platform for all railway-related queries and passenger needs.
• The app has been conceived by the Railways’ Public Sector Undertaking (PSU), the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS).
• RailOne is designed to bring every railway service—ticket booking, real-time tracking, food ordering, PNR status, refunds, porter booking, and last-mile taxi—into one seamless, user-friendly platform.
• It eliminates the need for multiple apps by integrating functionalities from IRCTC Rail Connect, UTSonMobile, Rail Madad, NTES, and Food on Track.
• Reserved tickets will continue to be offered on IRCTC. The RailOne app has also been authorised by IRCTC, just like many other commercial apps who have partnered with IRCTC.
• Key features of RailOne:
  
  • Book reserved and unreserved tickets: Easily plan journeys and book tickets using the “Plan My Journey” tool with support for multiple classes and quotas.
  • My Bookings: Check your entire booking history—both reserved and unreserved—with filtering options for duration and type.
  • Live train tracking and PNR updates: Get real-time updates on train status, platform numbers, and expected delays.
  • Coach Position Finder: View your coach location on the platform to ease boarding.
  • Food ordering on the go: Order meals from partner vendors directly from your seat.
  • Rail Madad integration: Lodge complaints or share feedback directly with Indian Railways and track resolution status.
  • Refund management: Initiate and track refunds for canceled or missed trains through a simplified interface.
  • Multilingual support: Use the app in multiple Indian languages for easier access across regions.
  • Single sign-on: Users can log in using their IRCTC or UTS credentials without remembering multiple passwords.
  • Secure R-Wallet payments: Pay securely using Indian Railways’ own digital wallet with biometric or mPIN authentication.

About Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Scheme:

• It aims to provide long-term financing or refinancing with long tenors at low or nil interest rates to spur private sector investment in RDI.
• The scheme has been designed to overcome the constraints and challenges in funding of the private sector.
• It seeks to provide growth & risk capital to sunrise and strategic sectors to facilitate innovation, promote adoption of technology and enhance competitiveness. 
• Key objectives of the Scheme:
  • Encourage the private sector to scale up research, development, and innovation (RDI) in sunrise domains and in other sectors relevant for economic security, strategic purpose, and self-reliance;
  • Finance transformative projects at higher levels of Technology Readiness Levels (TRL)
  • Support acquisition of technologies which are critical or of high strategic importance;
  • Facilitate setting up of a Deep-Tech Fund of Funds.
• The Governing Board of Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), chaired by the Prime Minister, will provide overarching strategic direction to the RDI Scheme.
• The Executive Council (EC) of ANRF will approve the Scheme’s guidelines, and recommend 2nd level fund managers and scope and type of projects in sunrise sectors.
• An Empowered Group of Secretaries (EGoS) led by the Cabinet Secretary, will be responsible for approving scheme changes, sectors and types of projects as well as second-level fund managers besides reviewing the performance of the Scheme.
• Nodal Department: The Department of Science and Technology (DST) will serve as the nodal department for implementation of the RDI
• Funding Mechanism
  • The RDI Scheme will have a two-tiered funding mechanism.
  • At the first level, there will be a Special Purpose Fund (SPF) established within the ANRF, which will act as the custodian of funds.
  • From the SPF funds shall be allocated to a variety of 2nd level fund managers. This will be mainly in the form of long-term concessional loans.
  • The funding to R&D projects by the 2nd level fund managers would normally be in the form of long-term loan at low or nil interest rates.
  • Financing in the form of equity may also be done, especially in case of startups. Contribution to Deep-Tech Fund of Funds (FoF) or any other FoF meant for RDI may also be considered.

About Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme:

• It will support employment generation, enhance employability and social security across all sectors, with special focus on the manufacturing sector.
• The ELI Scheme was announced in the Union Budget 2024-25 as part of PM’s package of five schemes to facilitate employment, skilling and other opportunities for 4.1 Crore youth with a total budget outlay of Rs 2 Lakh Crore.
• It aims to incentivize the creation of more than 3.5 Crore jobs in the country, over a period of 2 years.  Out of these, 1.92 Crore beneficiaries will be first timers, entering the workforce. 
• Under the Scheme, while the first-time employees will get one month’s wage (up to Rs 15,000/-), the employers will be given incentives for a period of up to two years for generating additional employment, with extended benefits for another two years for the manufacturing sector. 
• The benefits of the Scheme would be applicable to jobs created between 01st August 2025 and 31st July, 2027.
• The Scheme consists of two parts with Par A focused on first timers and Part B focused on employers:
• Part A: Incentive to First Time Employees:
  • Targeting first-time employees registered with EPFO, this Part will offer one-month EPF wage up to Rs 15,000 in two installments.  Employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh will be eligible.
• Part B: Support to Employers:
  • This part will cover the generation of additional employment in all sectors, with a special focus on the manufacturing sector. 
  • The employers will get incentives in respect of employees with salaries up to Rs 1 lakh. 
  • The Government will incentivize employers, up to Rs 3000 per month, for two years, for each additional employee with sustained employment for at least six months. 
  • For the manufacturing sector, incentives will be extended to the 3rd and 4th years as well.
• All payments to the First Time Employees under Part A of the Scheme will be made through DBT (Direct Benefit Transfer) mode using Aadhaar Bridge Payment System (ABPS). 
• Payments to the Employers under Part B will be made directly into their PAN-linked Accounts.

About GOSAT-GW Satellite:

• The Global Observing SATellite for Greenhouse gases and Water cycle (GOSAT-GW) is a Japanese Earth observation satellite .
• It was launched by the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA).
• It is carrying two instruments onboard: the Total Anthropogenic and Natural emissions mapping SpectrOmeter-3 (TANSO-3), and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 3 (AMSR3). 
• It was launched by using an H-2A
• Objectives
  • Monitoring atmospheric global-mean concentrations of greenhouse gasses (GHGs),
  • Verifying national anthropogenic GHG emissions inventories,
  • Detecting GHG emissions from large sources, such as megacities and power plants.
• The satellite will be in a sun-synchronous orbit at an altitude of 666 km with a repeat cycle of three days. 

About Ghana:

• Location: It is located in West Africa and is sandwiched between Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Togo.
• Bordering Countries: The country shares its borders with three countries: Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to the east.
• It is situated on the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean in the subregion of West Africa. 
• Mountains: Mount Afadjato, Mount Djebobo, Mount Torogbani , all situated east of the Volta River near the Togo border. 
• In Ghana Kwahu Plateau and Gambaga Scarp form major uplands and escarpments.
• Lakes: Lake Volta which is created by the Akosombo Dam and considered as one of the largest artificial lakes globally
• Drainage System: The drainage system is dominated by the Volta River basin, which includes Lake Volta and the Black Volta, White Volta, and Oti rivers. 
• Economy: Gold, cocoa and more recently oil form the cornerstone of Ghana's economy and have helped fuel an economic boom.
• Capital: Accra.

About INS Udaygiri:

• It is the second among the seven Project 17A (P-17A) frigates under construction at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDSL) in Mumbai and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers in Kolkata. 
• The Project is a follow-on of the Shivalik class (Project 17) frigates active in service. 
• It is a modern Avatar of its predecessor, erstwhile INS Udaygiri which was a Steam Ship, decommissioned on 24 August 2007 after rendering 31 years of glorious service to the nation.
• These multi-mission frigates are capable of operating in a ‘Blue Water’ environment dealing with both conventional and non-conventional threats in the area of India’s Maritime Interests. 

Key Facts about Project 17A Frigates

• The hull of P17A ships is geo-symmetrically larger by 4.54 % vis-à-vis P 17. These ships are fitted with an advanced weapon and sensor suite with enhanced ‘sleek and stealthy’ features compared to the P 17 class.
• P-17A ships have enhanced stealth features and fitted with ‘State of the Art’ weapons and sensors, a significant upgrade from the P17 class.
• The ships are configured with Combined Diesel or Gas (CODOG) main propulsion plants, comprising a Diesel Engine and Gas turbine, driving a Controllable Pitch Propeller (CPP) on each shaft and a state-of-the-art Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).
• The weapon suite comprises supersonic Surface-to-Surface missile system, Medium-Range Surface to Air Missile system, 76 mm Gun, and a combination of 30 mm and 12.7 mm rapid-fire close-in Weapon Systems.
• The warship is fitted with major weapons and sensors sourced from indigenous OEMs.
• Significance: The positive spin offs of the shipbuilding project included self-reliance, economic development, employment generation, growth of MSMEs and ancillary ecosystem in the country.

About Mud Volcano:

• A mud volcano is a small volcano-shaped cone of mud and clay, of height usually less than a few meters, and often a few decimeters.
• It is built by a mixture of hot water and fine sediment that either pours gently from a vent in the ground, like lava fluid flow, or is ejected into the air like a lava fountain by escaping volcanic gas and boiling water.
• The craters are usually shallow and may intermittently erupt mud.
• These eruptions continuously rebuild the cones, which are eroded relatively easily.
• The term "mud dome" is similar to that of mud volcano. It refers to land formations created by geologically excreted liquids and gases, with temperatures much cooler than comparable igneous processes.
• The gases released are usually methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen, and the liquid is usually water, frequently acidic or salty.
• Mud volcanoes, also known as "sedimentary volcanoes" or "gas-oil volcanoes," are close cousins to magmatic volcanoes.
• Like magmatic volcanoes, they can erupt powerfully and hurl flames to great heights, sometimes even several hundred meters.
• They spew out millions of cubic meters of hydrocarbon gases and tons of mud.
• Mud volcanoes also exist on the floor of the sea and can form islands and banks that alter the topography and shape of the coastline.
• Approximately 1,000 mud volcanoes have been identified on land and in shallow water.
  • In Europe and Asia, mud volcanoes are known to exist in southeastern Ukraine, Italy, Romania, Azerbaijan, Iran, Pakistan, Indonesia, and China.
  • In North and South America, mud volcanoes have been documented in Alaska, California, the Island of Trinidad, Venezuela, and Colombia.

About Financial Stability Report (FSR):

• It is a biannual report released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
• It reflects the collective assessment of the Sub-Committee of the Financial Stability and Development Council (FSDC) on the resilience of the Indian financial system and risks to financial stability.
• Highlights of FSR for June 2025:
  • The Indian economy remains a key driver of global growth on the back of sound macroeconomic fundamentals and prudent policies.
  • The headwinds from protracted geopolitical tensions, elevated uncertainty and trade disruptions, and weather-related uncertainty pose downside risks to growth.
  • The non-performing loans ratio is currently at a multi-decadal low, and the economy and financial system are relatively well positioned to bear the tariff-induced shocks.
  • The report said that the gross non-performing asset (GNPA), which is currently as of March 2025 at 2.3% levels, in the baseline scenario, could increase to 2.5% level.
  • GNPAs for 46 banks accounting for 98 percent of the total assets of scheduled commercial banks (SCBs), may rise to 2.6 percent by March 2027.
  • Capital adequacy across the banking sector remains well above regulatory thresholds, giving banks sufficient buffers to withstand adverse scenarios.
  • Even under severe stress test conditions, the capital adequacy ratios of banks would stay comfortably above minimum requirements, a strong signal of the sector’s preparedness to absorb economic shocks.
  • India's growth is largely dependent on domestic demand, and the outlook for food inflation remains favorable as the prices have started to soften and the crop production is at a record level.
  • On the domestic front, the financial system remains stable, with healthy balance sheets of both banks and non-banking financial institutions.
  • NBFCs remain healthy with good capital buffers, robust earnings, and improving asset quality.

About Space-Based Surveillance-III Programme (SBS-III):

• It was approved in October 2023, by the Prime Minister-led Cabinet Committee on Security to develop next-generation satellites over the next decade.
• It involves the construction and launch of 21 satellites by India’s space agency, ISRO, and 31 by three private companies.
• The first satellite is expected to be launched by April 2026, with the full constellation targeted for completion by the end of 2029.
• The aim of SBS-3 is to cover much larger areas of China and Pakistan, as well as the Indian Ocean Region, with shorter revisit times (interval between two consecutive surveillance sweeps of the same location) and much better resolution. The space doctrine is also being fine-tuned.
• It enables the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force to monitor adversary movements deep inside hostile territory — including airfields, bases, and staging areas.
• These new satellites will utilise AI and will be able to interact with each other and thus gather GeoIntelligence more effectively.
• A crucial aspect of the project is the planned transfer of Small Satellite Launch Vehicle (SSLV) technology from ISRO to private players, which will allow for rapid satellite launches during emergencies.
• The satellites will operate in both low Earth and geostationary orbits, providing comprehensive coverage and countering China's advanced anti-satellite capabilities, including kinetic and electronic warfare systems.
• The project cost of SBS-III is pegged at ₹26,968 crore.
• The Defence Space Agency (DSA), which functions under the Integrated Defence Staff (IDS) of the Ministry of Defence, is leading the project.
  • Formed in 2019, the DSA replaced the Integrated Space Cell and now oversees India’s military space operations.
  • It coordinates with ISRO, DRDO, and the armed forces to develop space warfare strategies and safeguard national space assets.

About Animal Discoveries and Plant Discoveries 2024:

• The Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), the country’s premier institution for faunal exploration and research, publishes Animal Discoveries every year detailing the new discoveries of fauna.
• Similarly, the Botanical Survey of India (BSI), the country’s premier organisation for plant research and taxonomy, publishes Plant Discoveries every year detailing the new discoveries of flora.
• Highlights of 2024 Reports:
  • India added 683 new species to its fauna in the year 2024, which included 459 new species and 224 species new records.
  • The country also added 433 taxa of flora during the same period, which included 410 species and 23 infra-specific taxa of plants.
  • The maximum number of new discoveries of fauna in 2024 was recorded from Kerala—with 101 species (80 new species and 21 new records)—followed by Karnataka—82 (68 new species and 14 new records). Tamil Nadu recorded 63 discoveries, with 50 new species and 13 new records.
  • In the eastern and northeastern parts of the country, Arunachal Pradesh recorded 72 animal discoveries (42 new species and 30 new records), Meghalaya 42 new discoveries (25 new species and 17 new records), and West Bengal 56 new discoveries (25 new species and 31 new records).
  • Andaman and Nicobar Islands, another biological hotspot in the country, recorded 43 new discoveries of fauna from the region, which included 14 new discoveries of fauna and 29 new records.
  • The significant faunal discoveries for the year 2024 include two new genus and 37 species of reptiles and five new species of amphibians.
  • The significant discovery of reptiles included Dravidoseps gouensis, belonging to the new genus, and Anguiculus dicaprioi is a member of the Colubridae family.
  • In terms of plant discoveries, the highest number of flora discovered was from Kerala (58), followed by Maharashtra (45) and Uttarakhand (40).
  • The new plant discoveries for 2024 record 154 angiosperms, 4 pteridophytes, 15 bryophytes, 63 lichens, 156 fungi, 32 algae and 9 microbes.
  • The hotspot regions, such as the Western Ghats and the North-Eastern regions, have contributed 35% of total discoveries.
  • The plant discoveries for the year 2024 include wild relatives of many potential horticultural, agricultural, medicinal, and ornamental plants such as begonia, impatiens (balsams), legumes, zingibers, orchids, etc.
  • In terms of flora, the significant discoveries include important orchid species such as Bulbophyllum gopalianum, Coelogyne tripurensis, Gastrodia indica, and Gastrodia sikkimensis.
  • Several new species belonging to important plant groups such as legumes, zingers, grasses, etc, were also discovered.

About INS Tabar:

• INS Tabar (F44) is the third of the Talwar-class frigates of the Indian Navy.
• It was built for the Indian Navy in Russia.
• It was commissioned in 2004. It is among the earliest stealth frigates of the Indian Navy.
• The ship is part of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet, which is based at Mumbai under the Western Naval Command.
• It was the first naval vessel to take deterrent action against piracy and has thereafter successfully foiled several pirate attacks.
• The ship is equipped with sophisticated missile systems, radar technology, electronic warfare suites, and aviation assets, including helicopters.
• The ship is also outfitted with advanced firefighting and damage-control capabilities, making it capable of handling emergency scenarios.
• It has a complement of 280 personnel. The crew is specially trained to carry out rescue missions, environmental protection duties, and humanitarian assistance operations, in addition to traditional naval warfare tasks.

About Essential Tremors:

• It is a neurological disorder that causes hands, head, trunk, voice or legs to shake rhythmically. 
• It is most common among people older than 65, but it can affect people at any age.
• It is one of the most common neurological disorders affecting around 1% of the general population worldwide.
• Causes of Essential Tremors
  • The cause of essential tremor is unknown. However, one theory suggests that your cerebellum and other parts of your brain are not communicating correctly. The cerebellum controls muscle coordination.
  • In most people, the condition seems to be passed down from a parent to a child.
  • And also, if parents have ET, there is a 50% chance that children will inherit the gene responsible for the condition.
  • The prevalence increases with age, with approximately 5% of individuals over the age of 60 experiencing it.
• Treatments: There’s no cure for essential tremor, but there are ways to treat it. The main treatment options are medications, assistive devices, botulinum toxin, deep brain stimulation and focused ultrasound.

Key facts about MRgFUS

• MRgFUS intervention is a non-surgical procedure that uses focused ultrasound waves guided by MRI to target brain tissue responsible for tremors in patients with Parkinson’s disease or essential tremor. 
• It is currently approved for Essential Tremor (ET) and Tremor-Dominant Parkinson’s Disease (TD-PD), this technique offers new hope for patients whose symptoms significantly disrupt daily life.
• MRgFUS treatment targets a key relay centre in the brain i.e thalamus.
• Focused ultrasound energy is used to thermally ablate this specific area, leading to a marked reduction—and in many cases, near-complete resolution—of tremors, often within the same session.

About India Energy Stack:

• It is a pioneering initiative aimed at creating a unified, secure and interoperable digital infrastructure for India's energy sector.
• It is a Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) that will provide a standardised, secure, and open platform to manage, monitor and innovate across the electricity value chain.
• This initiative is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Power.
• The India Energy Stack will offer:
  • Unique IDs for consumers, assets, and transactions
  • Real-time, consent-based data sharing
  • Open APIs for seamless system integration
  • Tools for consumer empowerment, market access, and innovation
• Apart from conceiving the IES, the Ministry will undertake a 12-month Proof of Concept (PoC) to demonstrate IES through real-world use cases in partnership with selected utilities.
• This includes piloting the Utility Intelligence Platform (UIP), a modular, analytics-driven application built on IES to support utilities, policymakers, and consumers with real-time insights and smarter energy management.
• To guide these above initiatives, the Ministry has constituted a dedicated Task Force comprising experts from the technology, power sector, and regulatory domains, which will steer the development, pilot implementation, and nationwide scale-up of the India Energy Stack.

About Altermagnets:

• Altermagnets are a newly discovered class of magnetic materials that enjoy the best properties of both ferromagnets and antiferromagnets.
• They do not show any net magnetism externally, but deep inside, their electrons behave in ways that can be incredibly useful—especially for futuristic technologies like spintronics (manipulating the spin of electrons instead of their charge).
• Properties of Altermagnets:
  • Altermagnets defy conventional norms by embodying a dual nature—resembling antiferromagnets with zero net magnetization and ferromagnets with non-relativistic spin splitting.
  • This unique behavior emerges from the intricate interplay of atoms within the crystal structure.
  • Additionally, altermagnets exhibit a unique spin polarization. The term “spin polarization” means that a preponderance of electron spins tends to align in a particular direction.
  • The spin polarization is noteworthy in altermagnets because it occurs in the physical arrangement of atoms (real space) and in the momentum space, where the distribution of electron spins in the material is considered.
  • The researchers believe that altermagnets could have a pivotal role in spin caloritronics, a field of research that explores the interplay between spin and heat flow, which are not achievable with ferromagnets or antiferromagnets.
  • This field has potential applications in developing new technologies for information processing and storage.

Altramagnetism in Chromium Antimonide

• Among the known altermagnets, chromium antimonide (CrSb) is truly remarkable.
• It is metallic, with the magnetic order sustaining up to more than two times that of room temperature and the largest altermagnetic spin-splitting, equivalent to more than 30 times that of room temperature.
• CrSb is one of the very few materials known to exhibit direction-dependent conduction polarity property and, notably, the first Altermagnet to do so.
• These outstanding attributes make CrSb the most promising altermagnetic candidate for practical applications.
• CrSb is made of earth-abundant and non-toxic elements, making it an environmentally friendly option for future electronics. Combined with its altermagnetic properties.

About Cell Broadcasting system:

• It is a technology used by mobile network operators to broadcast text messages to mobile users that are located in specific geographical areas.
• The typical use for these kinds of messages is to send emergency alerts to mobile users.
• In India, it is being tested as part of the government’s broader initiative to enhance real-time dissemination of critical alerts during emergencies such as earthquakes, tsunamis, lightning strikes, and industrial hazards.
• The system is being indigenously developed by the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT).
• Unlike SMS alerts, CB messages are broadcast to all mobile phones in a specific area, ensuring rapid delivery even in congested networks.
• The technology enables alerts to reach citizens almost instantly, making it highly effective during time-sensitive disasters.
• This new system is in addition to the already-operational Integrated Alert System (SACHET), which has delivered over 6,899 crore SMS alerts in more than 19 Indian languages across all 36 States and Union Territories.
• SACHET is based on the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), as recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
• Once fully operational, the CB system will broadcast alerts in multiple Indian languages to all mobile users, ensuring broad and inclusive public reach.

About At Sea Observer Mission:

• It was launched by the QUAD nations i.e the Coast Guards of India, Japan, the United States, and Australia
• It aims to stride toward strengthening maritime security and interoperability in the Indo-Pacific, under the Wilmington Declaration.
• Two officers, including women officers from each country have embarked on board US Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Stratton, which is currently sailing to Guam.
• The cross-embarkation mission marks an unprecedented step in QUAD Coast Guard collaboration, enhancing joint readiness, operational coordination, and domain awareness in support of a Free, Open, Inclusive, and Rules-Based Indo-Pacific.
• The mission reflects the vision laid out at the QUAD Leaders’ Summit in September 2024 and signifies a deepening of operational ties between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Japan Coast Guard (JCG), US Coast Guard (USCG), and Australian Border Force (ABF).
• India’s participation reinforces its strategic maritime vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and complements national efforts under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), with an emphasis on capacity-building, humanitarian outreach, and maritime rule of law.
• The QUAD at Sea initiative sets the foundation for a ‘QUAD Coast Guard Handshake,’ fostering stronger trust, coordination, and collective resilience amid evolving maritime challenges in the region.