About Sharavathi Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Project (PSHP):

• It is a PSHP proposed on the Sharavathi River in the Shivamogga district, Karnataka.
• This project, with its aim to generate 2,000 MW of power, will be the biggest of its kind in the country.
• It is being developed by Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL).
• The project involves building a pumped storage power plant between two existing reservoirs.
• The Talakalale dam currently helps balance water for the existing Sharavathy hydroelectric project. The Gerusoppa dam will be the lower reservoir.
• The project aims to utilise renewable energy sources and reduce carbon emissions.
• Modelled on the lines of Telangana’s Kaleshwaram project, it also aims to supply drinking water to Bengaluru.
• Five tunnels and eight pumping stations are critical parts of the plan.
• The project falls within the Eco-Sensitive Zone (ESZ) of the Sharavathi Wildlife Sanctuary, which is home to the endangered lion-tailed macaque, hornbills, king cobras, and numerous endemic plant species of the Western Ghats.

Key Facts about Sharavathi River:

• It flows through Karnataka.
• It is one of the few rivers in India, which flows in the west direction.
• A large part of the river basin lies in the Western Ghats.
• Course: Rising in the Western Ghats, it flows in a northwesterly direction and empties into the Arabian Sea at Honnavar, near the Uttara Kannada district.
• On its way, the Sharavathi forms the Jog Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in India.
• Diverse geological features mark the river’s course, including rocky outcrops, fertile plains, and deep gorges.
• Major Tributaries: Nandihole, Haridravathi, Mavinahole, Hilkunji, Yennehole, Hurlihole, and Nagodihole.

About Golestan Palace:

• It is a historically significant site located at the heart of Iran’s capital, Tehran.
• Stemming from the Persian word "Golestan" which means "rose garden" or "flower garden", the palace is otherwise known as the "Rose Garden Palace".
• Dating back to the 16th century, it is a crucial part of the Persian royal heritage, representing the long and influential reign of the Qajar dynasty, followed by the Pahlavi dynasty.
• Originally built as a citadel for Safavid rulers, it was transformed over centuries into a sprawling royal complex with gardens, palatial buildings, and collections of Persian and European artefacts.
• It became the seat of government of the Qajar family, which came into power in 1779 and made Teheran the capital of the country.
• It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

About Shahed Drones:

• Shahed drones are low-cost, one-way-attack unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) developed by Iran.
• Often referred to as "kamikaze" or "suicide" drones, they function essentially as guided missiles that fly towards a pre-designated target and explode on impact.
• Most widely used variants: Shahed-131 and Shahed-136
• The low cost, low-altitude flight profile and self-sacrificial nature, has seen Shaheds labelled “the poor man’s cruise missile”.
• Produced in large numbers, swarms of Shahed drones can overwhelm air defences by saturating them from multiple directions at once.
• Features:
  • The Shahed-131 has a range of 700–900 km, while the Shahed-136 has the longer range, i.e., between 2,000 and 2,500 kilometres.
  • They are launched using a disposable rocket booster fitted to their underside. Shortly after launch, the booster is jettisoned, and a piston-driven engine takes over to provide propulsion.
  • They can be launched from both static rail mounts as well as vehicles.
  • For navigation, it uses a combination of civilian GPS/GLONASS and an Inertial Navigation System (INS) often pre-programmed with coordinates before launch.
  • They can be equipped with various warheads, including high-explosive fragmentation, thermobaric, and shrapnel-filled munitions, maximising damage to both personnel and equipment.

About Glyptothorax sentimereni and Oreichthys elianae:

• They are two new species of freshwater fish.
• They were discovered during ichthyological surveys in tributaries of the Brahmaputra River in the Mokokchung district, Nagaland.
• Glyptothorax sentimereni:
  • It was discovered in the rocky stretches of the Dikhu River.
  • It belongs to a group of torrent-dwelling catfishes known for their ability to cling to fast-flowing streams.
  • It possesses a specialised adhesive structure on its underside that helps it cling to rocks in strong currents.
  • It also possesses serrations on its dorsal-fin spine and a plicate (folded) ventral surface on its pectoral and pelvic fins — features that separate it from closely related species across the Ganges–Brahmaputra–Meghna basin.
• Oreichthys elianae:
  • It was found in a tributary of the Tsurang River.
  • The fish is distinguished by its bright red fins and a prominent black blotch at the base of its tail.

About Raisina Dialogue:

• It is India’s flagship conference on geopolitics and geo-economics, committed to addressing the most challenging issues facing the international community.
• It is modeled on the lines of the Munich Security Conference and Singapore’s Shangri-La Dialogue.
• It is held annually since 2016 in New Delhi.
• It is structured as a multi-stakeholder, cross-sectoral discussion, involving heads of state, cabinet ministers, and local government officials, who are joined by thought leaders from the private sector, media, and academia.
• The conference is hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) in partnership with the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
• This effort is supported by a number of institutions, organisations, and individuals who are committed to the mission of the conference.

Raisina Dialogue 2026:

• It is the 11th edition of the dialogue.
• Theme: "Saṁskāra – Assertion, Accommodation, Advancement”.
• Around 2700 participants from 110 countries will be joining the dialogue in person.
• Over the course of three days, decision makers and thought leaders of the world will engage each other across conversations in various formats over six thematic pillars:
  • Contested Frontiers: Power, Polarity, and Periphery;
  • Repairing the Commons: New Groups, New Guardians, New Avenues;
  • White Whale: The Pursuit of Agenda 2030;
  • The Eleventh Hour: Climate, Conflict, and the Cost of Delay;
  • Tomorrowland: Towards a Tech-topia;
  • Trade in the Time of Tariffs: Recovery, Resilience, Reinvention.

About Kappatagudda Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Location: It is located in Karnataka.
• The sanctuary features diverse habitats—dry deciduous forests, grasslands, scrublands, and riverine zones—earning it the nickname “Western Ghats of North Karnataka”.
• The sanctuary’s historical significance traces back centuries, evident in the remnants of ancient temples and ruins that dot the hillsides.
• These structures are adorned with intricate carvings and tell tales of dynasties that once ruled the land, such as the Chalukyas and Rashtrakutas.
  • It consists of architectural marvels such as the Kappatagudda Jain Basadi, Brahma Jinalaya, Trikuteshwara Temple, and the Dambala Temple, stand testament to the craftsmanship and religious diversity of the region. 
• The Sanctuary forms the major catchment for the River Tungabhadra in the district.
• Vegetation: The sanctuary supports diverse vegetation typical of dry-scrub and deciduous ecosystems.
  • Flora:  The forest has many medicinal plant species.
  • Fauna: Leopards, Hyenas, Wolves, Foxes, Jackals, Four Horned Antelopes, Blackbucks, Monitor Lizards, Jungle Cats and various reptiles and birds.

About Portugal:

• Location: It is the westernmost country of mainland Europe, located on the Iberian Peninsula.
• Bordering Countries: It shares land border with Spain (north and east),
• Maritime border: It is bounded by the North Atlantic Ocean to the south and west.
• It also administers two autonomous regions: the Madeira and Azores archipelagos, located in the Atlantic Ocean.
• Capital city:
• Geographical Features of Portugal:
  • Climate: Its climate is very much like that of most Mediterranean countries. This means it’s hot in the summer and temperate in the winter.
  • Rivers: The Tagus River, flowing west into the Atlantic ocean, divides Portugal into mountainous northern regions and rolling plains in the south.
  • Highest Point: Ponta do Pico (Pico Alto), located in the Azores.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of iron ore, copper, zinc, tin, tungsten, silver, gold, uranium, marble, clay, gypsum.

About GPS Spoofing:

• GPS spoofing, also known as GPS simulation, refers to the practice of manipulating or tricking a GPS receiver by broadcasting false GPS signals.
• It involves manipulating navigation data with malicious intent.
• Unlike jamming, which blocks GPS signals, spoofing involves transmitting fake satellite signals to override genuine ones.
• The aircraft’s navigation systems pick up these counterfeit signals and calculate wrong data for position, altitude, time and speed.
• The aim is for the target to act on false navigation information. The fake signals over-ride the genuine satellite signals using specialised hardware or software. 
• Since GPS satellite signals are weaker, the receiver considers the amplified spoofed signals as authentic.
• It involves sending a fake signal to an aircraft that the onboard computers believe is real. Instead of the navigation system failing, it shows the pilot a completely false location.
• Spoofing is often reported in:
  • Conflict zones like the Black Sea region
  • West Asia and the Middle East
  • Military action areas or electronic warfare zones

About Moonshot Project:

• It is to develop brain co-processors that combine neuromorphic hardware and AI algorithms to enhance or restore brain function.
  • Brain co-processors are an emerging technology aimed at enhancing the human brain’s natural abilities in ways relevant to real-life situations. 
• The project aims to build an AI-powered, closed-loop device that connects to different parts of the brain in order to help restore smooth, coordinated movement.
• It is a multidisciplinary endeavour that evolved from a pilot project seeded by IISc’s Brain, Computation and Data Science initiative. 
• It is funded by the Pratiksha Trust.
• Objective: To develop both implantable and non-invasive brain co-processors that can decode brain activity from neural recordings, process it with an AI algorithm, and re-encode signals back into the brain via neural stimulation or neurofeedback.
• It will lay the foundation for a first-of-its-kind brain co-processor that restores complex sensorimotor function after stroke.
• Significance: The co-processors will be deployed towards cognitive rehabilitation of stroke survivors, to restore critical functions such as goal-directed reach and grasp abilities.

About Dusky Eagle Owl:

• It is an owl species in the family Strigidae.
• Appearance: It is a large greyish-brown owl with prominent ear tufts. Its underparts are greyish white with some dark brown streaks, and its dark brown wings have some whitish streaks.
• Distribution: It is mainly found in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh to Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia and China.
• Habitat: The dusky eagle owl typically inhabits thick riverside forests and old-growth trees.
• Diet: It preys on small mammals and birds.
• Features of Dusky Eagle Owl
  • The females are larger than males.
  • It usually spends the daytime in the seclusion of a shady bough or foliage, becoming active about an hour before sunset.
  • The dusky eagle owl is a powerful bird, often active by day in cloudy weather.
  • It has a powerful feet and strong flight make them effective hunters.
  • It tends to use old stick nests built by other birds in which to lay its eggs. It might use nests built by other raptors, such as kites, vultures or eagles.
• Conservation Status
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern