1. Registrar General of India (RGI)
The Registrar General of India has issued a firm warning to both public and private hospitals across the nation for not adhering to legal obligations regarding the timely registration of births and deaths.

About RGI:
Established in 1949 under the Ministry of Home Affairs, the RGI—also the Ex-Officio Census Commissioner—is responsible for collecting data on population dynamics, including size, growth, and distribution.
The RGI oversees the Registration of Births and Deaths Act, 1969 and typically holds the rank of a Joint Secretary.
It also manages demographic and linguistic surveys and conducts the decennial Census of India, initiated fully in 1881, most recently held in 2011.

Key Responsibilities:

• Census of India: Provides vital demographic, socio-economic, and geographic data.

• Linguistic Survey of India (LSI): Offers insights into India’s linguistic diversity, aiding educational and social planning.

• Civil Registration System (CRS): A mandatory, continuous system for real-time birth and death registration, with hospitals acting as registration authorities.

2. India’s Presidential Visit to Portugal and Slovakia
The President’s recent visit to Portugal and Slovakia signifies a strategic move in bolstering India’s diplomatic engagement with Europe.

Portugal – Geopolitical Overview

• Located on the Iberian Peninsula, bordered by Spain and the Atlantic Ocean.

• Includes two autonomous regions: Madeira and Azores.

• Capital: Lisbon, one of Europe’s oldest cities.

• Climate: Maritime temperate; north is cooler and wetter, south is warmer and drier.

• Topography: Tagus River divides mountainous north and flat southern plains.

• Highest Point: Ponta do Pico in the Azores.

Key Highlights of the Visit:

• Celebrates 50 years of diplomatic ties with Portugal.

• Bilateral trade stands at USD 1.5 billion, with consistent growth.

• Portugal was the first EU country to sign a Migration and Mobility Agreement with India.

Slovakia – Geopolitical Overview

• A landlocked Central European country at the juncture of Eastern and Western Europe.

• Borders: Poland, Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic.

• Terrain includes the Carpathian Mountains and High Tatras; highest peak is Gerlachovský Peak.

• Major rivers: Danube, Váh, and Hron.

Visit Significance:

• Marks 30 years of the Indian Embassy in Bratislava.

• Acknowledges Slovakia’s crucial support in the 2022 evacuation of Indian students from Ukraine

3. De-Extinction
A U.S.-based biotech firm, Colossal Biosciences, has sparked global interest by announcing the birth of three genetically edited grey wolf pups, marking a breakthrough in de-extinction research.

What is De-Extinction?
It involves reviving extinct species using genetic technologies like gene editing and cloning. This process modifies the DNA of a living relative to resemble the extinct species.

About the Dire Wolf:
The dire wolf (Aenocyon dirus), extinct ~13,000 years ago, was a large predator native to North America. Although similar to grey wolves, they were larger and preyed on large animals such as bison and mammoths. Human hunting and prey extinction likely led to their demise.

Colossal’s Scientific Process:

• DNA Extraction: From a 13,000-year-old tooth and a 72,000-year-old skull.

• Genome Reconstruction: Ancient DNA compared with modern canids; grey wolves share ~5% of their genome.

• Gene Editing: 20 changes made to 14 genes in grey wolves.

• Surrogacy: Embryos implanted into surrogate dogs resulted in live births.

4. Quantum Supremacy
Researchers from the University of Oxford and Universidad de Sevilla have demonstrated quantum supremacy through a minimalist yet powerful mathematical game, published in Physical Review Letters.

Understanding Quantum Supremacy:
This term refers to the point at which a quantum computer can solve problems infeasible for classical computers, marking a major milestone in computational science.

The Game-Based Demonstration:

• Based on the odd-cycle graph colouring problem, which cannot be solved classically for odd-numbered cycles using only two colours.

• Used just two entangled qubits, showcasing clear quantum advantage with minimal resources.

• Contrasts with earlier demonstrations like Google’s 53-qubit Sycamore and China’s Jiuzhang, which required heavy computational setups.

Power of Qubits:
As qubit numbers rise, computational power increases exponentially, allowing quantum processors to outperform even the fastest classical supercomputers.

5. Governor’s Assent to Bills – Supreme Court Verdict
The Supreme Court of India recently set a precedent by reprimanding the Tamil Nadu Governor for delaying or withholding assent on several state bills.

Case Background:

• In 2023, Tamil Nadu filed a petition against delays by the Governor in granting assent to 12 bills (one dating back to 2020).

• The Governor withheld assent for 10 bills on November 13, 2023.

• The Assembly re-enacted these bills on November 18.

• Some were again reserved for the President on November 28.

Constitutional Provisions:

• Article 200: Governor’s powers to give, withhold, or reserve assent.

• Article 201: President’s role on reserved bills.

• Article 142: SC’s plenary powers to ensure justice.

Key Supreme Court Rulings:

• Reserving bills for the President post re-enactment was unconstitutional.

• Re-submitted bills are deemed to have received assent from the date of re-presentation.

• The Governor must act on the advice of the Council of Ministers—no scope for pocket veto or indefinite delay.

• Undue delays undermine federalism and democracy.

Judicial Review Introduced:

• If the Governor does not act within a reasonable time, courts can intervene.

• Reiterated that the Governor cannot reserve a re-enacted bill unless its content has materially changed.

6. Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU)
The Lok Sabha Speaker recently addressed the 150th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in Tashkent, highlighting the role of parliaments in promoting social development and justice.

About IPU:

• Established in 1889, the IPU is the first multilateral political organization, aimed at fostering dialogue among national parliaments.

• Its motto is “For democracy. For everyone.”

• The organization includes 181 national parliaments and 15 associate members.

• It promotes democratic values, diversity, gender balance, and defends the rights of parliamentarians through a dedicated committee.

• The IPU meets twice a year, gathering over 1,500 delegates to bring a parliamentary perspective to global governance, including UN efforts and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• The main policy-making body is the Governing Council, comprising three MPs from each member parliament.

• Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland

• Funded primarily through public contributions from member states.

7. Biomass Satellite Mission
The European Space Agency (ESA) is set to launch its Biomass satellite to enhance data on forest carbon storage.

Key Highlights:

• Mission aims to provide high-resolution 3D maps of the world’s forests, particularly dense tropical regions.

• Launch vehicle: Vega C rocket from French Guiana.

• Orbit: Sun-synchronous at ~666 km altitude.

• Notably, it carries the first spaceborne P-band radar, capable of penetrating forest canopies to measure trunks, branches, and stems—critical for estimating above-ground biomass.

• The data will help monitor forest health, carbon sequestration, and changes over time, enriching our understanding of the global carbon cycle.

8. Soyuz Spacecraft
A Soyuz spacecraft recently launched from Baikonur Cosmodrome, carrying one American and two Russian astronauts to the ISS, marking 80 years since WWII’s end.

About Soyuz:

• Russia’s long-running human spaceflight program, in operation since 1967.

• Designed during the Soviet era, Soyuz means "union" in Russian.

• Used for missions to Salyut, Mir, and currently, the International Space Station (ISS).

• Features three modules:

  • Orbital module: docking equipment

  • Service module: power and control systems

  • Descent module: carries crew, only section that returns to Earth

• Non-reusable spacecraft; mission duration to ISS varies from six hours to two days.

• Over 1,680 launches, making it one of the most reliable space programs to date.

9. Electronics Components Manufacturing Scheme
The Ministry of Electronics and IT (MeitY) has launched India’s first PLI scheme focused on passive electronic components.

About the Scheme:

• Targets manufacturing of components like resistors, capacitors, relays, switches, connectors, etc.

• Offers three incentive models:

  • Turnover-linked

  • Capex-linked

  • Hybrid (combined model)

• Incentives range from 1–10%, depending on the component and year.

• Mandatory employment generation clause applies to all participants.

• Duration: 6 years (plus a 1-year gestation period).

• Complements the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM), which covers active components.

• Aims to boost domestic production, reduce import dependency, and support sectors like automotive and consumer electronics.

10. Theobaldius konkanensis
A new species of land snail, Theobaldius konkanensis, has been discovered in Maharashtra’s Konkan region by researchers from India and the UK.

Key Features:

• Endemic to the northern Western Ghats, found in tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests.

• Most active between June and September, seen on forest floors and damp branches.

• Shell characteristics: slightly flattened with a raised center and triangular protrusion at the base.

• The shell is yellowish with brown stripes; the snail's body is thick and rounded.

• Known to co-exist with other ground-dwelling land snails and is active both during the day and night.