About Mayun Island:

• Mayun Island, also known as Perim Island, is a small volcanic island belonging to Yemen, located in the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait, at the southern entrance to the Red Sea.
• Perim Island actually splits the Bab el-Mandeb Strait into two smaller channels.
• The importance of the small island grew with the advent of the Suez Canal, which connected the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Sea through the Red Sea and allowed global shipping routes to bypass the lengthy route around Africa.
• Perim Island became part of independent Yemen (Aden) in 1967.

About Hasdeo River:

• It is a major tributary of the Mahanadi River.
• It flows through Chhattisgarh.
• Course:
  • It originates from a small lake near the Ambikapur town of Surguja district in Chhattisgarh.
  • The river flows through Surguja, Korea, and Bilaspur districts and empties into the Mahanadi River near Akaltara in Janjgir–Champa district.
• The Hasdeo Bango Reservoir is constructed across the river that plays a vital role in irrigation and hydroelectric power generation.
• Important Tributaries: Gej and Ahiran

About Fermat’s Last Theorem:

• It is a famous mathematical statement proposed by Pierre de Fermat in 1637 claiming that the equation x^n + y^n = z^n has no integer solutions for n > 2.
• This conjecture was noted in the margin of Fermat's copy of "Arithmetica," an ancient Greek text on number theory, where he famously stated that he had a proof too large to fit in the margin.
• While solutions exist for n = 1 and n = 2 (known as linear and Pythagorean equations, respectively), the case for (n > 2) remained unsolved for over 350 years, making it one of the most significant unsolved problems in mathematics.
• The eventual proof was provided by mathematician Andrew Wiles in 1995, utilizing concepts from the modularity theorem for elliptic curves.
• Wiles's work built on earlier contributions from mathematicians like Gerhard Frey and Ken Ribet, who connected concepts related to elliptic curves and Fermat's conjecture.
• The theorem has not only resolved a long-standing mystery in mathematics but has also spurred advancements in areas such as algebraic number theory and the study of Diophantine equations.

About Ramanathaswamy Temple:

• It is a Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located on Rameswaram Island in the state of Tamil Nadu.
• History:
  • The first stone temple was built here by the Chola kings in the 12th century, and additions were made by kings of the Pandya dynasty and the rulers of Vijayanagar.
  • Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagara came here in 1513 after conquering Lanka and made magnificent gifts to the temple.
  • The Sethupati kings of Ramnad became the guardians of the temple during the rule of the Nayakas, and they finally completed the temple.
• The Temple is one of the 12 Jyothirlinga temples, where Shiva is worshipped in the form of a Jyotirlingam, meaning "pillar of light".
  • Of the 12 Jyotirlingas, 11 are in the north, and only Ramanathaswamy is in the south.
• It is one of the four Char Dham shrines. The other three are Dwaraka, Puri, and Badrinath, all located in the north.
  • It is the only temple dedicated to Lord Shiva among the four Char Dham shrines.
• Architecture:
  • The temple is renowned for its stunning Dravidian architecture, characterized by towering gopurams and intricate carvings.
  • Like all ancient temples in South India, there is a high compound wall (madil) on all four sides of the temple premises.
  • The temple has the longest corridor among all Hindu temples in India.
  • The temple’s interior features extensive halls between enormous colonnades on platforms.
  • The colossal granite walls are marked by intricate carvings and depictions of Hindu deities.

About Deltachion ravenshaw:

• It is a new clam species.
• It belongs to Donacidae, a family of bivalve molluscs of the order Veneroida.
• It was discovered from the sandy intertidal stretches of the Devi estuary in Puri, Odisha.
• Deltachion species are generally associated with marine environments, while ravenshaw was found in the brackish waters of the Devi estuary, where salinity can fluctuate.

About Colombo Security Conclave:

• It is a regional security framework established in 2020.
• Member Countries: It comprises India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
• Objective: The CSC’s core objective is to promote regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges of common concern to the member states.
• It brings together National Security Advisors (NSAs) and Deputy NSAs of the member countries.
• Background:
  • The CSC, initially known as the Trilateral for Maritime Security Cooperation, evolved out of trilateral meetings between NSAs and Deputy NSAs from India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, starting in 2011.
  • It came to a standstill after 2014 due to rising tensions between India and the Maldives. 
  • After its revival and rebranding as the CSC in 2020, Mauritius joined the CSC in 2022, while Bangladesh joined in 2024.
  • More recently, Seychelles has become the sixth member of the CSC.
• Cooperation under the conclave focuses on five pillars:
  • Maritime safety and security
  • Countering terrorism and radicalisation
  • Combating trafficking and transnational organised crime
  • Cyber-security and protection of critical infrastructure
  • Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief
• Permanent secretariat: Colombo, Sri Lanka

About Steel Slag:

• Steel slag is an industrial byproduct obtained from the steel manufacturing industry.
• It is produced in large quantities during steel-making operations that use electric arc furnaces.
• It can also be produced by smelting iron ore in a basic oxygen furnace.
• Composition: Primarily, slag consists of calcium, magnesium, manganese and aluminium silicates and oxides in various combinations.
• The cooling process of slag is responsible mainly for generating different types of slags required for various end-use consumers.
• Applications of Steel Slag:
  • Environmental Remediation: It has found use as a barrier material remedy for waste sites where heavy metals tend to leach into the surrounding environment.
  • Steel slag forces the heavy metals to drop out of solution in water run off because of its high oxide mineral content.
  • It has been used successfully to treat acidic water discharges from abandoned mines.
  • It can replace coarse aggregate due to a higher impact and crushing strength, and better anti-skid capacity.
  • It favours the increase of pH and the availability of nutrients such as Calcium, Magnesium, and Silicon in the soil, which leads to an increase in the absorption of these elements by the plant, favouring crop growth and yield.

About Buxa Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in the Alipurduar district of West Bengal.
• It lies within the Indo-Malayan biodiversity region.
• Borders: The northern boundary of the Reserve lies along the international border with Bhutan. The eastern side of the Reserve forms the interstate boundary with Assam, demarcated by River Sankosh.
• It includes Terai, Bhabar and sub-Himalayan ecosystems within a single protected landscape.
• Rivers: It is drained by rivers such as Raidak, Sankosh and Jayanti, which originate in Bhutan.
• Vegetation: The forests of the reserve can be broadly classified as the ‘Moist Tropical Forest’.
• Fauna: It is home to elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, barking deer and hog deer etc.

About Badri Cattle:

• Badri cattle are a small, hardy breed and are designated the state animal of Uttarakhand.
• It is also known as “Pahadi”; as they are mainly found in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand.
• It is well adapted to hilly terrain.
• Average milk yield per lactation of Badri cow is 632 kg (range from 547 to 657 kg).
• It is the first certified cattle breed of Uttarakhand after the National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resource included it as Badri breed.

About South Asia Wildlife Enforcement Network:

• It is an intergovernmental law enforcement support body of South Asian countries.
• Member Countries: It comprises eight South Asian countries namely: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. 
• It was officially launched in 2011 during the second meeting of South Asia Experts Group on Illegal Wildlife Trade held in Paro, Bhutan.
• Aim: SAWEN aims to combat wildlife crime through cooperation, collaboration, coordination, capacity building and communication.
• Secretariat: It was formally established in Kathmandu, Nepal, in 2011.
• Objectives
  • To take initiatives for bringing harmonization and standardization in laws and policies of member countries concerning conservation of wild fauna and flora
  • To document the trend of poaching and illegal wildlife trade, and related threats to the natural biodiversity within and across countries in the region
  • To strengthen institutional responses to combat wildlife crime by promoting partnership with relevant institutions for research and information sharing, training and capacity building, and technical support
  • To encourage member countries to prepare and implement their National Action Plans to combat wildlife crime and to collaborate towards effective implementation of such plans
• Governance Structure:
  • It consists of a General Assembly as an apex body of SAWEN comprising minister of the concerned ministry or his/her senior level government delegate.
  • Executive Committee (EC): It consists of all principal focal persons of the member countries.
  • Secretariat: It is headed by Secretary General to perform day to day activities.