1. Japan
India’s Defence Minister recently hosted his Japanese counterpart, Gen Nakatani, for a bilateral meeting in New Delhi.

Key Facts about Japan:

• Capital: Tokyo (located in east-central Honshu)

• Official Language: Japanese

• Currency: Japanese Yen

• Government: Parliamentary system under a constitutional monarchy

• Location: An island nation in East Asia, situated in the northwestern Pacific Ocean

Geographical Features:

• Archipelago Structure: Comprises a chain of islands extending roughly 1,500 miles in a northeast to southwest direction

• Major Islands: Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu (north to south)

• Maritime Borders:

  • East: Pacific Ocean

  • North: Sea of Okhotsk

  • West: Sea of Japan (East Sea)

  • Southwest: East China Sea

• Land Borders: None

Natural Features:

• Topography: Over 80% mountainous with rugged terrain

• Volcanic Activity: Sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

• Highest Peak: Mount Fuji (3,776 m), an iconic stratovolcano

• Mountain Ranges: Japanese Alps

• Rivers: Shinano (longest), Tone, and Kiso

Climate and Hazards:

• Climate Zones: Varies from subarctic in the north to humid subtropical in the south

• Natural Disasters: Regularly affected by earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions due to tectonic activity

2. Neanderthal Spear Tip Discovery
A global archaeological team has identified the oldest known spear tip in Europe, made not by modern humans but by Neanderthals.

Discovery Details:

• Location: Found in a cave in Russia’s North Caucasus

• Context: Recovered from a sediment layer with animal bones and traces of a campfire, indicating hominin presence

• Methods: Analyzed using spectroscopy, CT scans, and microscopy

• Dimensions & Material: About 9 cm long, crafted from bison bone, and attached to a wooden shaft with natural tar

• Use Evidence: Micro-cracks suggest impact; minimal wear implies immediate usage

• Dating: Estimated to be 70,000–80,000 years old—preceding the arrival of Homo sapiens in Europe

About Neanderthals:

• Archaic humans closely related to modern Homo sapiens

• Inhabited Europe, Central Asia, and parts of the Middle East

• Diverged from modern humans around 500,000 years ago; extinct ~40,000 years ago

• Modern humans carry 1–2% of Neanderthal DNA

Physical and Cultural Characteristics:

• Adaptations: Stocky, muscular bodies suited to cold climates

• Cranial Features: Large mid-face, prominent nose, receding chin

• Cognitive Abilities: Brain size comparable to modern humans

• Lifestyle: Skilled hunters, made tools and clothing, controlled fire, and built shelters

• Culture: Practiced symbolic behavior—used ornaments and buried their dead with rituals

3. Shear-Wave Splitting for Volcano Monitoring
Oxford University researchers have introduced a novel way to monitor volcanic activity through a seismic process called shear-wave splitting, applied at Japan’s Mount Ontake.

What is Shear-Wave Splitting?

• Occurs when seismic shear waves pass through cracked rocks, traveling at different speeds based on wave orientation

• Movement of magma and fluids affects rock stress, modifying wave behavior

• The degree of wave splitting correlates with internal pressure changes, potentially signaling impending eruptions

About Mount Ontake:

• An active stratovolcano on Honshū Island, central Japan

• Japan’s second-highest volcano; part of the Pacific Ring of Fire

• Site of a deadly steam-driven (phreatic) eruption in 2014, which occurred without notable seismic warnings

• Phreatic eruptions are explosive and unpredictable as they don't involve new magma

4. Pulsar G359 and the Galactic ‘Bone’
Astronomers have traced the cause of a rupture in G359.13142-0.20005 (“G359.13” or “The Snake”), a filamentary structure in the Milky Way, to a fast-moving pulsar.

About G359.13 – A Galactic Filament:

• One of the longest and brightest non-thermal filaments in the Galaxy (~230 light-years long)

• Located ~26,000 light-years from Earth, near the Galactic Center

• Comprised of charged particles spiraling along magnetic field lines, producing radio emissions

The Fracture Event:

• A pulsar was detected at the point of structural disruption

• The neutron star, likely born from a supernova, is traveling at 1–2 million mph

• Its interaction with G359.13 appears to have warped the magnetic field and split the structure

• X-ray emissions from the pulsar and surrounding energetic particles were captured by Chandra Observatory

About the Chandra X-ray Observatory:

• NASA’s premier X-ray telescope for exploring high-energy cosmic phenomena

• Launched on July 23, 1999, by Space Shuttle Columbia

• Operates in high-Earth orbit to avoid atmospheric interference

• Capable of detecting extremely faint X-ray sources with high resolution

• Managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, supports global collaborations

5. Discovery of the Pwani Molecular Form
A newly identified mosquito species, provisionally termed the "Pwani molecular form," has been discovered along the East African coast.

About the Pwani Mosquito:

• Part of the Anopheles gambiae complex, which includes major malaria vectors

• Shows significant genetic divergence from known species within the group

• Found exclusively in coastal regions of Tanzania and Kenya

• Lacks common insecticide resistance genes, suggesting different or unknown resistance mechanisms

• This has serious implications for current malaria control strategies reliant on chemical interventions like treated nets and indoor spraying

6. SVAMITVA Scheme

India's ambitious SVAMITVA scheme, focused on digitizing rural land records, is set to be highlighted at the upcoming World Bank Land Conference in Washington, D.C.

About the SVAMITVA Scheme:

The Survey of Villages and Mapping with Improvised Technology in Village Areas (SVAMITVA) is a centrally sponsored scheme launched in 2020.
Its primary aim is to grant rural residents official documentation of their residential properties, enabling them to leverage their assets for financial activities, such as securing loans.

The scheme involves using drone technology to map land parcels in inhabited rural regions, to be conducted in a phased manner nationwide.

Key Objectives:

• Empower rural citizens with legal ownership of property for financial benefits.

• Develop precise land records to aid rural development planning.

• Assess and impose property tax, directly benefiting Gram Panchayats (or state revenue, depending on the state's structure).

• Create a robust GIS and survey infrastructure for multi-departmental use.

• Enhance the quality of Gram Panchayat Development Plans (GPDP) through GIS tools.

• Minimize property disputes and litigation.

Nodal Authorities:

• National level: Ministry of Panchayati Raj (MoPR)

• State level: Revenue or Land Records Department, with support from the State Panchayati Raj Department

• Technology Partner: Survey of India

7. Safa Masjid

After a prolonged period of neglect, the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is initiating restoration work on the damaged mihrab near the historic water tank at Safa Masjid in Ponda, Goa.

About Safa Masjid:

Also known as Safa Shahouri Masjid, this mosque was built in 1560 by Bijapur’s Sultan Adil Shah. It is one of the rare Islamic monuments in Goa that survived the Portuguese era, during which many religious structures were destroyed.

Recognized as a national monument, the Safa Masjid is protected by the ASI for its historical and architectural value.

Architectural Features:

• Reflects Indo-Islamic style with a rectangular structure and a single prayer hall.

• The roof is covered with terracotta tiles.

• Notable for its minimalist design, emphasizing serenity and simplicity.

• Lacks inscriptions or contemporary historical records regarding its construction.

• Adjacent to the mosque lies a beautifully designed water tank (hauz) with elaborate masonry, likely part of a broader water system with fountains and pavilions.

• The garden surrounding the mosque is laid out in the classic Charbagh (four-part) pattern.

8. Baglihar Dam

India has recently halted water flow from the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River to Pakistan, marking a significant development in the ongoing water-sharing discourse.

About Baglihar Dam:

Also referred to as the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project, this run-of-the-river facility is located in Doda District, Jammu and Kashmir.

• It features a 143.5-meter-high concrete gravity dam spanning 363 meters, forming a reservoir with a capacity of 475 million cubic meters.

• The project began in 1999 following approval in 1996 and was executed in two 450 MW stages.

• The first stage was completed in 2004, and the second in October 2008, giving the dam a total capacity of 900 MW.

• The powerhouse is an underground structure, 221 meters long and 51 meters high.

About the Chenab River:

• The name Chenab translates to “Moon River.”

• Originates from the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga rivers in Himachal Pradesh.

• Known as Chandrabhaga in its upper reaches, it flows through Jammu and Kashmir into Pakistan, eventually merging with the Sutlej and becoming a part of the Indus River system.

• Key tributaries: Miyar Nalla, Sohal, Thirot, Bhut Nalla, Marusudar, and Lidrari.

• The river's waters are governed by the Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan.

9. Axial Seamount

Scientists are closely monitoring the Axial Seamount, an underwater volcano in the Pacific Ocean, which is showing signs of an imminent eruption—the first in nearly a decade.

About Axial Seamount:

• Located ~300 miles off Oregon's coast, it is a submarine shield volcano featuring a broad summit caldera.

• It rises to 1,400 meters below sea level and lies on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, where the Pacific and Juan de Fuca tectonic plates meet.

• Formed over a hotspot, Axial Seamount hosts hydrothermal vents supporting unique ecosystems of microbes and deep-sea species like tubeworms, spider crabs, clams, and octopuses.

• Known eruptions occurred in 1998, 2011, and 2015.

• It is part of the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) and houses NeMO—the world’s first underwater volcanic observatory.

• While not a threat to land-based populations, its activity provides critical scientific insights into tectonic and volcanic processes.

10. Igla-S

Amid escalating tensions with Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror incident, India has received a fresh consignment of Russian-made Igla-S air defence missiles.

About Igla-S:

The Igla-S is a Russian-developed Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS) capable of engaging low-altitude airborne targets such as aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles.

Key Features:

• Operable by individuals or small crews.

• Comprises the 9M342 missile, 9P522 launcher, 9V866-2 mobile test station, and 9F719-2 test set.

• Weighs 10.8 kg (missile) and 18 kg (complete system), making it highly portable.

• Uses infrared homing to track and lock onto the heat signatures of targets.

• Effective range: up to 6 km; altitude reach: up to 3.5 km.

• Missile speed: 400 m/s; deployment time: 13 seconds.

• Highly suited for mobile units in combat zones.