1. Operation Shiva – Key Highlights

The Indian Army has initiated Operation Shiva as part of a layered security framework to safeguard the Amarnath Yatra.

• Purpose: To ensure safe and uninterrupted pilgrimage to the Amarnath Cave in Jammu & Kashmir (~3,888 m elevation), where a naturally formed ice Shivling appears annually.

• Conducted in coordination with civil authorities and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

• A response to elevated security threats post Operation Sindoor, particularly from Pakistan-backed proxies.

• Deployment: Over 8,500 troops supported by advanced tech and logistics.

• Security Measures: Counter-terror grid, preventive deployments, corridor protection, and drone neutralization with 50+ Counter-UAS and EW systems.

• Support Infrastructure:

  • UAVs and PTZ cameras for live monitoring.

  • Signal companies, bomb disposal squads, and EME units for technical aid.

  • Medical setup includes 150+ medical staff, 9 aid posts, 100-bed hospital, 26 oxygen booths, and 2,00,000 litres of oxygen.

  • Engineer task forces for bridges, road widening, and disaster mitigation.

2. Blackbuck – Key Facts

Wildlife officials report a significant drop in blackbuck numbers in Punjab’s Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary.

• Scientific Name: Antilope cervicapra

• Habitat: Found in open grasslands and scrublands across peninsular India (e.g., Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu).

• State Animal: Punjab, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.

• Appearance:

  • Males: Dark brown/black coat, white underparts, spiraled horns (up to 28 inches).

  • Females: Smaller, lighter color, with shorter, unringed horns.

• Adaptations: Excellent eyesight and swift running as defense mechanisms.

• Conservation Status:

  • IUCN: Least Concern

  • Wildlife Protection Act, 1972: Schedule I

  • CITES: Appendix III

Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Located in Punjab, spread across 13 Bishnoi villages on community-owned land.

• Flora: Includes Acacia nilotica, Albizia lebbeck, Azadirachta indica.

• Fauna: Blue bulls, wild boars, jackals, porcupines, and hares.

3. Cloud Seeding – Explained

Following severe flooding in Texas, concerns have resurfaced around cloud seeding technology.

• What it is: A technique to induce rainfall by dispersing substances that act as cloud condensation or ice nuclei.

• First Tested: In 1946 by Vincent J. Schaefer.

• Methods: Utilizes aircraft, rockets, cannons, and ground-based systems.

• Materials Used: Mainly dry ice (CO₂) and silver iodide for cold clouds; calcium chloride for warm clouds.

• Mechanism:

  • In supercooled clouds, substances help form ice crystals that aggregate into precipitation.

  • In warmer clouds, they assist in droplet formation leading to rainfall.

4. Plague – Key Facts

A rare case of pneumonic plague has caused a death in northern Arizona—the first in 18 years.

• Cause: Bacterium Yersinia pestis, typically transmitted through infected flea bites.

• Historical Context: Responsible for millions of deaths during the European Middle Ages.

• Current Presence: Sporadically found in rural U.S., Africa, and Asia.

• Types:

  • Bubonic: Affects lymph nodes.

  • Septicemic: Infects blood.

  • Pneumonic: Targets lungs and is the most severe.

• Fatality Rate:

  • Bubonic: 30–60%

  • Pneumonic: Nearly 100% if untreated.

• Treatment: Curable with early administration of antibiotics.

5. BRICS – An Overview

The U.S. President has recently threatened 10% tariffs on BRICS nations after the Rio summit.

• Members: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa (originally "BRIC", South Africa joined in 2010).

• Goals:

  • Strengthen economic and political ties.

  • Advocate for Global South in international governance.

  • Reform global institutions (UN, IMF, World Bank, WTO).

• Recent Expansion: New members include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE, and Indonesia.

  • Combined population: 3.5 billion (45% of global total).

  • Combined GDP: Over $28.5 trillion (~28% of global economy).

New Development Bank (NDB):

• Launched in 2015 (Fortaleza summit, 2014).

• HQ: Shanghai, China.

• Supports infrastructure and sustainable development in emerging markets.

• No country has veto power; BRICS share ≥55% of voting rights.

6. Akash Missile System – At a Glance

Brazil has suspended talks with India to procure the Akash Missile System, opting for a longer-range European version.

• Type: Short-Range Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM).

• Developer: DRDO; Manufactured by Bharat Dynamics Ltd.

• Specs:

  • Speed: Mach 2.5–3.5

  • Range: 4.5 to 25 km

  • Altitude: Up to 18 km

  • Warhead: 60 kg (conventional or nuclear)

  • Kill Probability: 88% (single), 99% (salvo of two)

• Guidance: Command-based, with digital autopilot and self-destruct features.

• Radar: Rajendra 3D PESA radar – tracks multiple targets and guides missiles.

• Features:

  • Can operate in group or autonomous mode.

  • ECCM capabilities.

  • Fully mobile and adaptable to future air defense needs.

7. Bhadrakali Lake – Key Information

Environmentalists in Telangana oppose plans to develop an island in Bhadrakali Lake, citing shrinking concerns.

• Location: Warangal, Telangana.

• Size: Around 32 acres; 2 km stretch.

• Historical Significance:

  • Built during 12th century by Kakatiya ruler Ganapati Deva.

  • Connected to Maneru Dam via Kakatiya Canal.

• Landmark: Home to the ancient Bhadrakali Temple (625 AD), dedicated to Goddess Bhadrakali (form of Durga).

8. Pong Dam Lake Wildlife Sanctuary

Unregulated buffalo grazing has been reported in restricted areas of Pong Dam Lake Sanctuary, Himachal Pradesh.

• Also Known As: Maharana Pratap Sagar.

• Location: Kangra district, Himachal Pradesh (Shivalik hills).

• Formation: Created in 1975 due to Pong Dam construction on the Beas River.

• Size: ~245 sq.km. – one of North India's largest man-made wetlands.

• Ramsar Site: Designated in 2002.

• Biodiversity:

  • Flora: Grasslands, submerged vegetation, and forest trees like eucalyptus and acacia.

  • Fauna: Includes Sambar, Nilgai, leopards, otters, and 220+ bird species.

  • Avifauna: Bar-headed geese, pintails, grebes, cormorants, etc.

9. International Financial Services Centres Authority (IFSCA)

Taiwan’s CTBC Bank is seeking to establish a banking unit in GIFT City under IFSCA.

• Established: Under the IFSCA Act, 2019.

• Function: Unified regulator for financial products, services, and institutions in India’s IFSC.

• Headquarters: GIFT City, Gandhinagar, Gujarat.

• Objective: Develop a globally integrated financial platform aligned with Indian interests.

• Structure:

  • 9 Members: Chairperson, representatives from RBI, SEBI, IRDAI, PFRDA, Ministry of Finance, and two external experts.

  • Tenure: 3 years, extendable.

10. Software Technology Parks of India (STPI)

STPI is reorienting itself to lead India’s next phase of digital transformation.

• Founded: 1991 as an autonomous society under MeitY.

• Mandate: Promote software and electronics hardware exports.

• Key Schemes: STP (Software Technology Park) and EHTP (Electronics Hardware Technology Park).

• Support Functions:

  • Infrastructure: Plug-and-play IT office spaces.

  • Customs: Assistance with duty-free imports.

  • Regulatory Compliance: Export and foreign exchange facilitation.

  • Startups: Incubation through CoEs and NGIS programs.