About Mayon Volcano:

• It is an active volcano located in Albay province on Luzon Island in the Philippines.
• It is a stratovolcano, that is, it is made out of alternating strata of lava and ash and is part of the Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean.
• It is located on the eastern side of Luzon, beside the Philippine Trench, which is the convergent boundary where the Philippine Sea Plate is driven under the Philippine Mobile Belt.
• It is the Philippines’ most active volcano.
• It is one of the most symmetrical volcanic cones on Earth.
• Popular with climbers and campers, the volcano is the centre of Mayon Volcano National Park. UNESCO named it an official biosphere reserve in 2016.

About Teghaza 001:

• It is a rose-coloured meteorite discovered in the Sahara Desert in 2022.
• The meteorite was named after the Teghaza salt plain in Mali, where it was discovered.
• It is among roughly 435 Martian meteorites identified on Earth and is considered one of the three most ancient samples of the Red Planet found so far.
• The other two among the three most ancient Martian meteorites found on Earth are ALH84001 and a sample nicknamed Black Beauty.

• What impressed researchers most was the presence of chemical markers indicating that the rock had been in contact with liquid water during its formation and evolution.
• This makes Teghaza 001 a direct witness to an era when Mars was wet and potentially suitable for life to emerge.

Key facts about Meteoroid, a meteor and a meteorite:

• Meteoroids: Meteoroids are bits of solid material of different sizes orbiting the Sun.
• Meteors form when meteoroids enter Earth’s atmosphere (or that of another planet, like Mars) at high speed and burn up, the fireballs, or “shooting stars.”
• Meteorites: When a meteoroid survives a trip through the atmosphere and hits the ground, it’s called a meteorite.

About Chidambaram Sabanayagar Temple:

• The Great Chidambaram Temple, also known as the Thillai Nataraja Temple or Sri Sabanayagar Temple, is a Hindu temple located in the temple town of Chidambaram in the Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu.
• It is dedicated to Nataraja, the cosmic dance form of Lord Shiva.
• History:
  • Historical evidence suggests a Shiva shrine existed at the site well before the 7th century AD, when the town was referred to as Thillai.
  • The Chola dynasty, who revered Nataraja as their family deity, significantly contributed to the temple's construction and enhancement during the 10th century.
  • It was during this period that the Chola king, Parantaka I, established the temple's golden roof.
  • Notable rulers such as Rajaraja Chola I, Kulothunga Chola I, Kundavai II, the daughter of Rajaraja Chola, and Vikrama Chola made considerable offerings to the shrine during its flourishing era.
  • Following the 10th century, the temple underwent various phases of damage, repair, renovation, and expansion throughout the 2nd millennium.
  • The majority of the temple's existing layout, architectural features, and structural elements date back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries, with subsequent additions made in a similar architectural style.
  • Over the years, numerous kingdoms, including the Viyanagara Rulers, Madurai Nayakas, Maharaja of Pudukkottai, Sethupathy, and even the British, have made donations to the temple.
  • The Podhu Dikshidars, a hereditary community of priests, have been managing the temple for centuries, unlike most of the other famous and historic temples.
• Architecture:
  • It is a remarkable testament to the brilliance of Chola architecture.
  • This site holds considerable scientific significance, as it is positioned at the world's Magnetic Equator.
  • The temple complex is embedded inside four prakarams (courtyards), each surrounded by walls.
  • There are nine prominent gopurams that link the various courtyards.
  • The innermost structures, including the sanctum and the shrines, are designed with square layouts, and the roof of the sanctum sanctorum is adorned with gold plates.
  • The temple's wall carvings depict all 108 karanas from the Natya Shastra, authored by Bharata Muni, which serve as the foundational postures for Bharatanatyam, a classical Indian dance form.
  • The temple comprises five principal Halls or Sabhas: the Kanaka Sabha, the Chit Sabha, the Nritta Sabha, the Deva Sabha, and the Raja Sabha.

About Project 28A:

• It is the Indian Navy’s Next Generation Corvettes (NGCs) programme.
• Under the contracts, Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata, will construct five corvettes, while Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) will construct the remaining three.
• It is the first project in which the ships will be indigenously designed by the Indian Navy and constructed by Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) selected through a competitive process.
• A corvette in the Indian Navy is a small, fast, and heavily armed warship ranked just below a frigate in size.
• NGCs are designed for multi-role operations, including offensive Ship-to-Ship or Ship-to-Surface Missile Attacks, Anti-Missile Defences, Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations, Escort Duties, Maritime Interdiction Operations (MIO) including Visit Board Search and Seizure, and Local Naval Defence.
• The Indian Navy currently operates 18 to 24 corvettes in active service.
• Features of NGCs:
  • The platforms will have a highly sophisticated propulsion architecture of a Combined Diesel and Gas turbine with a Cross-Connect gearbox (CODAG-CC), driving two Controllable Pitch Propellers (CPP).
  • Their maximum speed will be 26 knots.
  • The warships will be fitted with advanced weapons and navigation suites.
    • The proposed systems include Medium Range Anti-Ship Missiles, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missiles (MRSAM) and torpedo tubes.
    • The armament suite will also include an OTO Melara 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount (SRGM) with the latest upgrade, an AK-630 Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) and 12.7 mm Stabilised Remote-Controlled Guns (SRCGs) integrated with an Electro-Optic-based Fire Control System (EOFCS).
    • The sensor suite will include an Electro-Optical Infrared Search and Track (EOIRST) system and a Multi-Function Surveillance, Track, and Guidance Radar (MFSTAR).
  • The NGCs will also carry helicopters.

About Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary:

• It is located in Maharashtra. 
• Nestled in the southern end of the Sahyadri hills in the Western Ghats, it was the former hunting ground of the Maharaja of Kolhapur.
• It was declared as a wildlife sanctuary in 1958 and is the first declared wildlife sanctuary in Maharashtra.
• It was specially created for the conservation of the Indian bison (Gaur).
• The sanctuary is also called ‘Dajipur Wildlife Sanctuary’ and ‘Bison Sanctuary’.
• The rivers that flow across the sanctuary are Bhogavati, Kallamma, Dudhganga, Dirba, and Tulshi, which then join the Krishna River.
• At its heart lies the scenic Radhanagari Dam on the Bhogawati River, which plays a vital role in maintaining the forest ecosystem.
• Flora:
  • It contains tropical evergreen forests typical of the northern Western Ghats.
  • The main flora found here are Ain, Anjani, Amba, Awala, Bhoma, Bibba, Chandala, Gela, Hirda, Jambul, Jambha, Kinjal, Kumbha, Katak, Nana, Pisa, Umbar, etc.
• Fauna:
  • The Indian Bison is the flagship species of the area.
  • Besides, one can also spot leopards, sloth bears, tigers, barking deer, mouse deer, sambar, giant squirrels, and wild dogs.
  • It is also designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
  • It is home to the rare and globally threatened Nilgiri wood-pigeon, along with Ceylon frogmouth, yellow-browed bulbul, dusky eagle-owl, Malabar grey hornbill, and great pied hornbill, and one of India's most admired songbirds, the Malabar whistling thrush.

About Asiatic Black Bear:

• It is a medium-sized bear species native to Asia.
• It is unique among bears in that it is largely adapted to an arboreal lifestyle.
• Appearance: Its fur is black with a “V” shape of light beige to white on its chest, a small beige to white crescent on its throat, and a small white spot on its chin.
• Habitat: The species prefers heavily forested broadleaved and coniferous forest as as habitat.  It uses orchards, agricultural fields and human habitation to move between forest patches.
• Distribution: It is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Iran, Japan and South Korea
  • They are found across Himalayan ranges from eastern to western side at an altitude between 2,600-ft and 11,400-ft above sea level.
• Diet: They are omnivores that normally feed on berries, cherries, acorns, insects, squirrels and frogs, and typically hibernate from late Nov to March.
• They are excellent climbers and swimmers, often seen foraging on fruit trees or near rivers.
• Threats: It is threatened by deforestation and poaching for its body parts, which are used in traditional medicine.
• Conservation status:
  • IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I.

About Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana:  

• It is a flagship life insurance scheme launched by the Government of India to provide affordable life insurance coverage to the economically weaker sections of society.
• It was launched in May 2015 under the Ministry of Finance.
• It aims to increase access to life insurance across the country. It offers a one-year life insurance policy, renewable every year.
• Features of Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana:
  • Life Cover: Under PMJJBY, a life insurance cover of ₹2 lakh is provided in case of death of the insured due to any reason, natural or accidental.
  • Premium Amount: ₹436 per annum (auto-debited from bank account).
  • Eligibility: Indian citizens aged between 18 and 50 years.
  • Renewal: Annual renewal up to the age of 55 years.
  • Risk Coverage: Covers death due to both natural and accidental causes.
  • Implementing Agencies: Public and private sector life insurance companies in tie-up with banks.

About Bupleurum Oslaense:

• It is a new plant species discovered in the temperate forests of the Western Himalayas.
• It is a new member of the family Apiaceae.
• It shares genetic and structural similarities with Bupleurum petiolulatum (a relative native to China).
• It was found at an elevation of roughly 2,550 meters within the Govind Pashu Vihar National Park and Sanctuary in Uttarakhand, India.
• It has been categorised as "Critically Endangered."

About Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union:        

• It is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation established in 1964.
• It is dedicated to advancing broadcasting and media cooperation across the Asia-Pacific.
• It serves as a central platform where members share content, exchange ideas, and collectively navigate the challenges shaping the future of media.
• Headquarter: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Governance of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union:
  • General Assembly:
    • It is the supreme body of the ABU and, subject to the provisions of the Statutes, has all the powers necessary to achieve the objectives of the ABU.
    • It comprises all the Full, Additional Full, and Associate members of the Union.
  • Administrative Council:
    • The ABU’s “board of directors” is called the Administrative Council.
    • It consists of 18 of its Full and Additional Full members, who are elected by the members at the annual General Assembly for a three-year term.
    • The council meets twice-yearly to decide on policy matters, review the Union’s finances and consider current issues facing the Union.