1. Angola
The President of India recently welcomed the President of Angola at Rashtrapati Bhavan during his inaugural State visit to India, which also marked the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Key Highlights about Angola:

• Situated on the southwestern coast of Africa, Angola enjoys strategic access to the Atlantic Ocean.

• Capital: Luanda – an important center for maritime trade and oil exports.

• Bordering Nations:

  • Northwest: Republic of the Congo

  • North & Northeast: Democratic Republic of the Congo

  • Southeast: Zambia

  • South: Namibia

• Major Rivers: Cuango and Cuanza Rivers, essential for hydropower generation and inland navigation.

• Highest Point: Mount Moco, located in Huambo province, is Angola’s tallest peak.

  Source: INDIA IS COMMITTED TO MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL AND SUSTAINABLE PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL AFRICAN COUNTRIES: PRESIDENT DROUPADI MURMU
   

2. Altermagnets, Spintronics & Valleytronics
A research team from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has reported the first-ever experimental discovery of a two-dimensional, layered altermagnet that functions at room temperature.
Understanding Altermagnets:

• Altermagnets are a novel type of antiferromagnetic materials that exhibit momentum-based spin splitting without needing spin–orbit coupling (SOC) or overall magnetization.

• This spin-splitting arises from exchange interactions among symmetrically related magnetic sublattices, a mechanism known as C-paired spin-valley locking (SVL).

• They merge the long spin lifetimes and robustness of antiferromagnets with spin-split band structures, making them promising for spintronic technologies.
  About Spintronics:

• Short for “spin transport electronics,” spintronics utilizes both electron spin and charge for data storage, processing, and transmission.

• Benefits include faster processing, higher device density, and lower power usage.

• Devices: spin transistors, spin diodes, spin RAM, spin filters, and spin logic gates.

• Unlike traditional electronics that rely only on charge, spintronics leverages spin as an additional information carrier.
  Valleytronics:

• A rising field where "valleys" (minima in energy bands) are used as binary data units, offering potential for high-speed, high-density information processing.

  Source: New era of magnetization: Research sheds light on future applications in spintronics and valleytronics

   

   

3. Campi Flegrei
Scientists have identified recurring unrest in Campi Flegrei during periods such as 1982–1984 and 2011–2024, involving land uplift, seismic events, and underground rumblings caused by pressurized fluids.
Overview:

• Campi Flegrei (Phlegraean Fields) is a vast, active volcanic zone near Naples, Italy.

• Unlike singular volcanoes like Vesuvius, it is a large caldera comprising multiple volcanic features.

• The 12–15 km wide caldera was formed by a massive eruption ~39,000 years ago, possibly linked to the decline of Neanderthals due to climatic effects.
  Key Features:

• About one-third of the region lies beneath the Tyrrhenian Sea.

• It is Europe's largest active caldera—more expansive and active than Mount Vesuvius.

• The last eruption in 1538 gave rise to Monte Nuovo, ending a 3,000-year dormancy.

• Classified as a supervolcano, a major eruption here could trigger global climatic disturbances.

4. Turbidity Currents in Submarine Canyons
A recent study published in ACS Environmental Science & Technology provided the first direct evidence of turbidity currents transporting microplastics to the deep sea via submarine canyons, including non-river-fed regions like Whittard Canyon off Ireland.
What are Turbidity Currents?

• These are fast, sediment-rich water flows descending slopes underwater, similar to avalanches.

• Triggers include:

  • Earthquakes

  • Submarine landslides

  • Geological slope failures
    Characteristics:

• Increase water density and reduce clarity.

• Erode and deepen submarine canyons.

• Deposit sediments in layers—coarse grains settle first.

• Influence seafloor topography and deep-sea sedimentation.
  About Submarine Canyons:

• Underwater valleys on continental slopes and rises, often extending from shelves to deep oceans.

• Carved mainly by erosion from turbidity currents.

• Around 9,477 submarine canyons exist globally, covering ~11% of continental slopes.

• Canyons on tectonically active (active margin) areas are steeper than those on stable (passive margin) ones.

• Their steep walls can collapse, contributing more sediment to turbidity flows.
  Types of Features:

• Bank: Elevated flat-topped area, e.g., Dogger Bank.

• Shoal: Shallow sediment zone, risky for navigation.

• Reef: Coral-built structures, biodiversity hotspots, mainly in the Pacific.

5. Microgravity
Scientists at the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST) have created a 3D computational model showing how prolonged microgravity increases human core body temperature—vital for planning extended space missions.
Understanding Microgravity:

• Refers to the sensation of weightlessness in orbit, where objects continuously free-fall around Earth.

• Contrary to perception, gravity is still about 89% as strong in low-Earth orbit (~250 miles up).

• Free-fall motion makes objects—including astronauts—appear weightless.
  Physiological Effects:

• Microgravity affects bones, muscles, blood flow, and temperature regulation.

• Thermoregulation: the body's method of maintaining stable internal temperature, becomes significantly altered in space.
  IIST’s 3D Model Highlights:

• Simulates heat transfer in microgravity, factoring in sweating, shivering, clothing, blood flow, and organ activity.

• Shows extremities (hands/feet) get cooler, while core areas (head, abdomen) warm up over time.

• Body temperature may rise from 36.3°C to 37.8°C within 2.5 months in microgravity; can reach ~40°C during exercise, posing health risks.

• Model validated using historical astronaut data from Mir and ISS missions.

• Also estimates Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), reflecting perceived outdoor temperature by factoring in wind, humidity, and sunlight.

6. Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT)
The Government of India has announced the creation of the Indian Institute of Creative Technology (IICT) in Mumbai, modeled after the IITs and IIMs.

About IICT:
IICT is the country’s first dedicated institute for Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, Comics, and Extended Reality (AVGC-XR), envisioned as a National Centre of Excellence.
It aims to become a benchmark for education and research in creative technologies, fostering Indian intellectual property inspired by the country’s cultural richness and preparing skilled talent for the global digital content industry.
The institute will feature modern infrastructure including immersive studios, animation and gaming labs, virtual production units, sound and editing suites, and smart classrooms.
Its permanent campus will span 10 acres at Film City (Dadasaheb Phalke Chitranagari), Goregaon, Mumbai, while initial operations will begin at the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

7. Abdali Missile
Pakistan recently announced the successful training launch of the Abdali Weapon System.

About Abdali Missile:
Developed by Pakistan’s Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO), the Abdali (Hatf-II) is a short-range, solid-fuel ballistic missile intended for tactical battlefield deployment.
It can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, with the latest version boasting an extended range of 450 km—more than double its previously reported range of 180–200 km.
The missile uses an advanced inertial navigation system with a Circular Error Probable (CEP) of 100–150 meters, reflecting high targeting precision.
It is launched from a road-mobile Transporter-Erector-Launcher (TEL), enhancing its mobility and rapid response capability.
Abdali has been operational with Pakistan’s Army Strategic Forces Command since 2005.

8. Lairai Devi Temple
A stampede during the Lairai Jatra in Shirgaon village, North Goa, tragically resulted in six deaths and over 70 injuries.

About Lairai Devi Temple:
Located in Shirgao, Bicholim taluka, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Lairai, believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Parvati, and is deeply revered by the local community.
The temple symbolizes communal harmony, with both Hindus and Catholics venerating Lairai Devi and the Virgin Mary of Mapusa as spiritual sisters.
It is renowned for the annual Lairai Jatra (Shirgao Jatra), a vibrant festival culminating in the fire-walking ritual called Agnidivya, performed by devotees known as "dhonds."
The event attracts tens of thousands from Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, and features processions, devotional music, and the midnight lighting of a bonfire, followed by the fire-walking ceremony at dawn.

9. Insider Trading
The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has accused a company director of sharing confidential price-sensitive information, violating insider trading norms.

About Insider Trading:
Insider trading refers to the act of trading a company’s publicly listed securities based on unpublished, material information that could influence market prices.
According to SEBI's Insider Trading Regulations, 2015, an ‘insider’ is someone with access to such confidential information.
To uphold fair market practices and protect retail investors, SEBI prohibits companies from buying back shares from the secondary market under such conditions.
SEBI is empowered to impose penalties and restrict individuals or firms from trading in the securities market upon finding regulatory breaches.

10. Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)
ICAR has successfully developed two new genome-edited rice varieties.

About ICAR:
An autonomous body under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, ICAR was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in New Delhi.
It coordinates and promotes research and education in agriculture, including animal sciences, horticulture, and fisheries.
With 113 research institutes and 74 agricultural universities nationwide, ICAR has played a pivotal role in boosting India’s food production and ensuring food security.
Between 1950–51 and 2021–22, foodgrain output increased 6.2 times, milk production by over 13 times, and egg production by over 70 times.

New Genome-Edited Varieties:

• DRR Dhan 100 Kamala was developed from Samba Mahsuri, a high-yielding green rice variety.

• The second variety was developed from MTU1010, another widely cultivated rice strain.
  The Kamala variety matures 15–20 days earlier than its parent and yields up to 25% more, with an increase of 450–500 grains per panicle.