1. La Niña

Climate change impact: Scientists warn that as global temperatures rise, the cooling effects of La Niña may diminish, given the current heat trends observed across many regions.

About La Niña:

• La Niña is a climate phenomenon characterized by the cooling of surface-ocean waters along the tropical west coast of South America.
• It is the opposite phase of El Niño, which leads to unusually warm ocean temperatures in the equatorial Pacific.
• Together, La Niña (cold phase) and El Niño (warm phase) form the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a recurring climate pattern influencing global weather conditions.
• A La Niña event occurs when sea surface temperatures drop by more than 0.5°C (0.9°F) for at least five consecutive three-month periods.

Causes:

• La Niña results from the accumulation of cooler-than-average waters in the tropical Pacific, between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.
• Strong trade winds and ocean currents push this cold water to the surface through a process called upwelling, leading to significant temperature reductions.

Effects:

• Changes in air pressure and rainfall: La Niña lowers air pressure over the western Pacific, increasing rainfall in South Asia and strengthening monsoons, benefiting agriculture in India and Bangladesh.
• Flood risks in Australia: While aiding agriculture in South Asia, strong La Niña events can trigger severe floods in northern Australia due to excessive rainfall.
• Global precipitation patterns: La Niña causes heavier rainfall in southeastern Africa and northern Brazil but leads to drier conditions in the central and eastern Pacific.
• Drier regions: It reduces rainfall along the west coast of tropical South America, the Gulf Coast of the U.S., and South America's pampas, leading to dry spells.
• Fishing industry boost: Upwelling increases nutrient-rich waters, fostering plankton growth and benefiting fish populations and marine ecosystems.
• Duration and peak: La Niña typically lasts between one and three years, while El Niño events are generally shorter, often peaking during the Northern Hemisphere winter.

2. Chandrayaan-3

New Discoveries: Data from India’s Chandrayaan-3 mission suggests the presence of water ice beyond the Moon’s polar regions.

About Chandrayaan-3:

• Chandrayaan-3 is the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) second attempt, following Chandrayaan-2, to achieve a successful lunar landing and rover operation.
• Launched aboard ISRO’s LVM3 rocket, the mission aimed for cost-effective deployment into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
• The LVM3 M4 launcher placed the spacecraft in an elliptical parking orbit (170 km x 36,500 km).

Objectives:

• Ensure a safe and soft landing on the Moon.
• Conduct rover-based lunar surface exploration.
• Perform in-situ scientific experiments to analyze lunar soil and water ice presence, crucial for potential human settlement and space missions.

Mission Components:

• The spacecraft consists of a Lander Module (LM), Propulsion Module (PM), and a Rover, designed to demonstrate advanced interplanetary technologies.

Recent Findings:

• Data from Chandrayaan-3 indicates possible water ice deposits outside the Moon’s polar regions.
• The Physical Research Laboratory (PRL), Ahmedabad, using Chandra’s Surface Thermophysical Experiment (ChaSTE) instrument, detected a 60°C temperature difference between the lunar surface and 10 cm beneath it.
• This finding suggests the Moon’s surface is highly non-conductive, providing insights into its thermal properties and composition.

3. Kisan Credit Card (KCC)

Agricultural Sector Challenges: A sharp 42% rise in bad loans under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme has been reported by scheduled commercial banks, excluding regional rural banks (RRBs).

About Kisan Credit Card (KCC):

• Launched in 1998, the KCC scheme provides farmers with accessible credit for purchasing agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
• In 2004, it was expanded to cover investment credit for allied and non-farm activities.
• The 2018-19 budget further extended KCC benefits to fisheries and animal husbandry farmers to meet working capital needs.

Implementation:

• The scheme is managed by Scheduled Commercial Banks, RRBs, Small Finance Banks, and Cooperative Banks.

Objectives:

• Provide timely and adequate credit under a single-window system with flexible procedures for:
  • Short-term cultivation expenses
  • Post-harvest needs
  • Produce marketing loans
  • Household consumption requirements
  • Working capital for maintaining farm assets and allied agricultural activities
  • Investment credit for farming infrastructure

Eligibility:

• Farmers (individuals/joint borrowers) who own and cultivate land
• Tenant farmers, oral lessees, and sharecroppers
• Self-Help Groups (SHGs) or Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) of farmers

Kisan Rin Portal:

• Developed in collaboration with government departments, the portal streamlines KCC loan applications and management.
• It provides farmers with a unified platform to access subsidized loans, track loan disbursements, monitor interest subvention claims, and improve scheme utilization.

4. H1N1 Virus | Swine Flu

Rising Flu Cases: Delhi is experiencing a surge in seasonal flu cases, with Influenza B and H1N1 leading to prolonged respiratory infections and high fevers.

About H1N1 Virus:

• Swine flu (H1N1) is a respiratory disease in pigs caused by type A influenza viruses, which occasionally infect humans.
• First case in India: Reported in May 2009, with multiple outbreaks occurring in 2021, 2022, 2023, and recently.

Transmission:

• The virus spreads through respiratory droplets from coughs and sneezes.
• It can also spread via contaminated surfaces if a person touches their mouth or nose afterward.

Symptoms:

• Fever, cough, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills, and fatigue.
• Some cases also involve diarrhea and vomiting.
• Severe infections can lead to pneumonia, respiratory failure, and fatalities.

Treatment & Prevention:

• Currently, no specific vaccine exists for H1N1.
• Preventative measures include good hygiene, avoiding close contact with infected individuals, and strengthening immunity.

5. North Sea

Recent Incident: A cargo ship collided with a tanker carrying jet fuel for the U.S. military off the eastern coast of England, igniting both vessels and causing fuel spillage into the North Sea.

About the North Sea:

• A shallow northeastern extension of the Atlantic Ocean covering 220,000 square miles (570,000 sq. km).
• Geographical borders:
  • Bordered by Great Britain (west), Norway (northeast), Denmark (east), and Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France (south).
  • Connected to the Atlantic via the Strait of Dover and the English Channel.
  • Linked to the Baltic Sea through the Skagerrak and Kattegat straits.
• Economic significance:
  • Supports Europe’s major fisheries.
  • Key shipping zone for trade between Europe and the Middle East.
  • Rich in petroleum and natural gas reserves.

6. Large Phased Array Radar (LPAR)

China’s Strategic Move: China has installed an advanced Large Phased Array Radar (LPAR) in Yunnan province near the China-Myanmar border, raising security concerns for India.

Key Features:

• Surveillance range exceeding 5,000 km, enabling monitoring over the Indian Ocean and deep into Indian territory.
• Capable of detecting and tracking ballistic missile launches in real time.
• Unlike traditional radars, LPAR uses electronically controlled antennas, allowing rapid target tracking.

Global Context & Indian Security Concerns:

• Only China, the U.S., and Russia possess LPAR technology.
• China’s LPAR rivals the U.S. PAVE PAWS system, designed to detect long-range missile launches.
• Its placement enables China to monitor Indian missile tests, including Agni-V and K-4 missile trials, gaining strategic insights.

7. Sarus Crane

A rare sighting of the Sarus Crane (Grus antigone) was recently reported in the Saikhowa region of Tinsukia, Assam, drawing the attention of bird watchers and wildlife enthusiasts.

About Sarus Crane:

• Tallest Flying Bird: The Sarus Crane holds the distinction of being the world’s tallest flying bird.
• Scientific Name: Grus antigone
• Distribution:
  • Found in Southeast Asia, northern India, and northern Australia.
  • In India, they are primarily concentrated along the Gangetic plain and in eastern Rajasthan, with decreasing population densities further south.
  • Unlike some crane species, they are non-migratory.
• Habitat:
  • Prefer wetlands such as canals, marshes, and ponds.
  • Can sometimes be seen near human settlements.
• Physical Features:
  • Stand between 152–156 cm tall, with a wingspan of approximately 2.5 m.
  • Weigh between 5 to 12 kg.
  • Have predominantly grey plumage, a red head and upper neck, pale red legs, and a white patch on the top of the head with a small white spot behind the eye.
• Behavior:
  • Considered the least social among crane species, usually seen in pairs or small groups of three to four.
  • Monogamous, with pairs mating for life.
  • Nesting occurs in natural wetlands or flooded paddy fields.
• Lifespan: Estimated to live 30 to 40 years, though some crane species have been known to survive up to 80 years.

Conservation Status:

• IUCN Red List: Vulnerable
• CITES: Appendix II
• Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule IV

8. Trade-to-Trade (T2T) Segment in Stock Markets

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is considering a significant revision of short-selling regulations, potentially allowing short-selling for all stocks except those classified under the trade-to-trade (T2T) segment.

About the Trade-to-Trade (T2T) Segment:

• Definition: T2T stocks require mandatory delivery for each transaction, following a T+2 settlement cycle.
• Trading Restrictions:
  • Intraday trading and Buy Today-Sell Tomorrow (BTST) are not allowed.
  • Once purchased, T2T stocks cannot be sold until settlement is complete.
  • Orders attempting to sell these stocks before settlement will be rejected.
• Selection Criteria:
  • Stocks are placed in the T2T segment based on factors such as price-earnings ratio, price fluctuations, and market capitalization.
  • Highly volatile stocks or those with irregular price movements are closely monitored and categorized accordingly.
  • SEBI and stock exchanges regulate this segment to protect retail investors from extreme price volatility and speculative trading.
• Reclassification:
  • Exchanges review stocks for T2T classification on a bi-weekly basis.
  • Stocks are moved in and out of the segment based on quarterly evaluations.
  • Stocks not available for trading in the Futures & Options segment are also assessed for potential inclusion.
• Identifying T2T Stocks:
  • National Stock Exchange (NSE): Stocks in this segment have "BE" added to their scrip name (e.g., ADANIPOWER → ADANIPOWER BE).
  • Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE): The letter "T" is added to the scrip name (e.g., ADANIPOWER → ADANIPOWER T).

9. KHANJAR-XII

The 12th edition of the India-Kyrgyzstan Joint Special Forces Exercise Khanjar-XII is set to take place in Kyrgyzstan.

About KHANJAR:

• Annual Exercise: Conducted alternately in India and Kyrgyzstan since its initiation in December 2011 in Nahan, India.
• Participants:
  • India: Represented by troops from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces).
  • Kyrgyzstan: Represented by the Kyrgyz Scorpion Brigade.
• Objective:
  • Focuses on sharing expertise in counterterrorism operations and special forces' tactics, especially in mountainous and high-altitude terrains.
• Training Modules Include:
  • Advanced sniping techniques
  • Close-quarters combat (CQC)
  • Complex building interventions
  • Mountain warfare strategies
• Cultural Exchange: The exercise also includes cultural engagements, such as celebrating Nowruz, the Kyrgyz New Year festival.

10. Global Arms Trade

India emerged as the world's second-largest arms importer between 2020 and 2024, though its arms imports declined by 9.3% compared to the previous period (2015-2019), according to recent data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

About Global Arms Trade:

• Ukraine: Became the world’s largest arms importer from 2020 to 2024, witnessing a nearly 100-fold surge in imports compared to 2015-2019.
  • Accounted for 8% of global arms imports.
• Top Arms Importers (2020-24):
  • India, Pakistan, Japan, and Australia ranked among the 10 largest global arms importers.
  • India remained the second-largest arms importer, despite a 9.3% decline in its import volume.
• India’s Arms Sources:
  • Russia: Supplied 36% of India’s arms imports, a decline from 55% (2015-19) and 72% (2010-14).
  • France: Emerged as a major supplier, with India being the largest recipient (28%) of French arms exports.
• Global Export Trends:
  • USA: Increased its share of global arms exports to 43%.
  • Russia: Experienced a 64% decline in arms exports, accounting for only 7.8% of global arms sales, falling behind France (9.6%).
  • China: No longer among the top 10 arms importers, reflecting its growing domestic defense industry.
• Other Notable Trends:
  • European Arms Imports: Rose by 155%, as nations ramped up defense spending.
  • Pakistan: Increased arms imports by 61%, with 81% of its imports sourced from China (up from 74% in 2015-19).
  • Russia’s Key Clients:
    • India (38%)
    • China (17%)
    • Kazakhstan (11%)
• Overall Arms Trade Volume:
  • Remained largely stable compared to previous periods (2015-19 and 2010-14).
  • However, global arms transfers were 18% higher than in 2005-2009.