1. Patriot Air Defence Missile System

The U.S. President has announced that the U.S. will supply Patriot air-defense systems to Ukraine in response to escalating Russian aggression.

Overview of the Patriot System:

• The MIM-104 Patriot—short for “Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target”—is an advanced, all-weather, all-altitude surface-to-air missile defense platform.

• While originally designed to counter aircraft, later models can engage ballistic and cruise missiles, loitering munitions, and aircraft.

• Manufactured by Raytheon Technologies, it represents the U.S. Army’s most sophisticated air-defense capability.

• The system is battle-proven and operated not only by the U.S. but also by key allies including Germany, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan, among others.

• It saw its inaugural combat deployment during the 1991 Gulf War, protecting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Israel, and was further deployed during the 2003 Iraq invasion.

Key Features:

• A Patriot battery includes a phased-array radar, engagement-control center, supporting computers and power generators, and up to eight missile launchers (four missiles each).

• Although a full battery comprises about 90 soldiers, only three operating in the engagement-control center can launch and direct intercepts.

• It uses a track-via-missile (TVM) guidance system, with mid-course corrections sent from the mobile control unit.

• Missile types vary by capability: PAC‑2 uses a fragmentation warhead, while the more modern PAC‑3 employs hit-to-kill technology.

• Depending on the configuration, interceptors can reach altitudes exceeding 24 km and engage targets up to 160 km away, with radar detection ranges over 150 km.

2. Tungabhadra River

Authorities recently recovered the bodies of three youths from Karnataka in the Tungabhadra River near Mantralayam, Kurnool district.

About the Tungabhadra River:

• A major peninsular river in southern India, flowing through Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

• It is the main tributary of the Krishna River and holds religious significance in Hindu tradition; in the Ramayana, it's called the Pampa.

Course & Geography:

• Originates at Koodli (close to Shimoga, Karnataka) at the confluence of the Tunga and Bhadra rivers, both rising from the eastern Western Ghats.

• Flows 531 km in total: 382 km in Karnataka, 58 km along the Karnataka–Andhra Pradesh boundary, and 91 km within Andhra Pradesh.

• Its basin spans 69,552 km² before it merges with the Krishna at Sangamaleshwaram.

• Known for dramatic granite landscapes in hues of grey, ochre, and pink.

• Forms the Raichur Doab—the area between the Tungabhadra and Krishna rivers.

• Receives primary rainfall from the southwest monsoon.

• Major tributaries include the Varada and Hagari (Vedathy) rivers.

• Several dams—like Tunga Anicut, Bhadra, Hemavathy, and Tungabhadra—are constructed along its course.

• The historic city of Hampi, capital of the Vijayanagara Empire, is situated on its banks.

3. Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025

India and 18 other nations have joined Australia in Talisman Sabre 2025, a large-scale military exercise recently launched.

About Talisman Sabre:

• The biggest bilateral military drill conducted by Australia and the U.S., held biennially since 2005.

• Uses diverse Australian land, air, and sea zones—including both military and civilian training sites.

• Aims to reinforce partnerships and interoperability in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.

• The 2025 edition marks its 11th occurrence and is the largest ever staged in Australia, involving over 35,000 personnel.

• In addition to Australia and the U.S., participating nations include Canada, France, Germany, India, Japan, South Korea, the U.K., and more. Malaysia and Vietnam participate as observers.

• Activities feature live-fire drills, amphibious landings, maneuver warfare, air combat, and maritime operations.

4. Barak Valley (Assam)

APCC President and MP Gaurav Gogoi has appealed to the Prime Minister to urgently address deteriorating connectivity in Assam’s Barak Valley.

About the Barak Valley:

• Located in southern Assam, named after the Barak River.

• Comprises the districts of Cachar, Hailakandi, and Karimganj, covering around 9% of Assam’s area.

• Shares borders with Meghalaya (north), Mizoram (south), Manipur (east), Tripura, and Bangladesh’s Sylhet division (west).

• Fertile plains support agriculture, and Silchar is the region’s main city and educational hub.

Barak River:

• Second-largest river in Northeast India after the Brahmaputra.

• Originates in Manipur’s Senapati district (~2,331 m elevation), flows along the Nagaland–Manipur border, then through Assam and into Bangladesh (where it's called the Surma and Kushiyara, later merging into the Meghna), eventually reaching the Bay of Bengal.

• Runs about 900 km, with 564 km within India.

• Major tributaries include the Jiri, Dhaleswari, Singla, Longai, Sonai, and Katakhal rivers.

5. ADEETIE Scheme

The Ministry of Power, via the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), has launched “ADEETIE” to boost industrial competitiveness, support MSMEs, and help meet climate targets.

About ADEETIE (Assistance in Deploying Energy Efficient Technologies in Industries & Establishments):

• A flagship initiative by BEE under the Ministry of Power aimed at promoting energy-efficient technologies among MSMEs.

• Targets Udyam-registered MSMEs to support installation of technologies that achieve at least 10% energy savings.

• Provides comprehensive support, including interest subvention on loans, funding for energy audits (IGEA), detailed project reports (DPRs), and post-installation monitoring & verification.

• Offers 5% interest support for micro and small enterprises, and 3% for medium enterprises, making it financially accessible.

• Includes capacity-building via BEE’s online ADEETIE platform to facilitate project financing.

6. 3I/ATLAS (Interstellar Comet)

On July 1, scientists monitoring with Chile’s ATLAS telescope reported the discovery of 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar comet first spotted on June 14.

About 3I/ATLAS:

• An interstellar comet believed to be the oldest ever observed—possibly older than our solar system by over 3 billion years.

• Identified as interstellar due to its hyperbolic orbit and exceptionally high velocity (57–68 km/s relative to the Sun).

• The comet’s path originates from the direction of Sagittarius, likely stemming from the Milky Way’s thick disk.

• Its hyperbolic trajectory indicates a one-time passage through our solar system.

• Closest approach to Earth: ~270 million km; closest approach to the Sun: ~210 million km around October 29–30, 2025 (inside Mars’s orbit).

Physical Properties:

• Active comet with a visible coma; as it warms, a tail will develop.

• Exhibits a reddish hue with a spectral slope (~1.3% per 100 nm), pointing to organic-rich or icy composition.

• Nucleus estimated at 10–30 km in diameter—larger than earlier interstellar visitors like 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov.

• Its composition and rotation are currently being studied via ground-based telescopes.

Quick Primer on Comets:

• Composed of ices (water, CO₂, methane, ammonia) mixed with dust and rock.

• Travel in elliptical orbits; short-period comets originate from the Kuiper Belt, long-period ones from the Oort Cloud.

• Approach to the Sun causes sublimation, creating a coma and sometimes a tail—Halley’s Comet (~76-year cycle) last appeared in 1986.

7. Jarawa Tribe (Andaman Islands)

Experts recently noted that contacting the Jarawa tribe for the upcoming census should be feasible, given existing outreach and welfare efforts.

About the Jarawas:

• Among the world’s most ancient surviving indigenous peoples.

• Classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) with only 250–400 members.

• Inhabit Middle and South Andaman Islands in nomadic groups of 40–50.

• Live in tropical forests, mangroves, and coastal areas.

• Believed to descend from the now-extinct Jangil tribe, possibly among the first humans to reach Asia.

• Withstood colonial impact since 1789 and a drastic population decline during WWII.

Culture & Lifestyle:

• Hunter-gatherers and coastal fishers; noted for their strong health due to natural diets.

• Minimal traditional clothing suited to the tropical climate.

• Historically territorial and resistant to external intrusion.

Census 2026–27 Plans:

• The 16th Census of India will occur in two phases:

  • Oct 1, 2026: snow-bound regions and Andaman & Nicobar Islands

  • Mar 1, 2027: remainder of India

• This census will also include caste enumeration—first such since 1931.

8. “Ordinarily Resident” (Electoral Law)

Bihar’s recent Special Intensive Revision by the Election Commission has stirred debate over voting rights of migrants, highlighting the importance of the “ordinarily resident” criterion.

Definition & Legal Basis:

• Under the Representation of the People Act, only someone “ordinarily resident” in a constituency can be included in that voter roll (Section 19).

• Section 20 clarifies that mere property ownership does not qualify someone as ordinarily resident. Temporary absence (e.g., for work or travel) does not disqualify.

• Exempt categories include armed forces stationed elsewhere, central/government functionaries abroad, and constitutional officeholders (and spouses).

• Section 20A (introduced in 2010) permits NRIs to register and vote from the address in their passport.

Why It Matters:

• Ensures voters have a stable, genuine link to their constituency, preventing fraudulent registrations and boosting accountability.

• The Gauhati High Court (1999 Manmohan Singh case) outlined criteria: habitual presence, intention to reside, and external perception as a resident.

Implementation:

• The Election Commission oversees electoral lists under the RP Act, 1950, with the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960 (in consultation with ECI) governing preparation, inclusion, exclusion, and verification procedures.

9. Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS)

India has set GHG emissions intensity benchmarks for eight heavy industrial sectors under the new Carbon Credit Trading Scheme.

About CCTS:

• CCTS is India’s carbon-market framework for regulating and trading carbon credits, part of its broader Indian Carbon Market initiative.

• Seeks to accelerate decarbonization by assigning a value to greenhouse gas emissions.

• Designed to shift focus from energy efficiency (under the PAT Scheme) to direct reduction in GHG emissions intensity.

• Overseen by BEE and the National Steering Committee for the Indian Carbon Market.

• Involves eight heavy-emission sectors—aluminum, cement, pulp & paper, chlor-alkali, iron & steel, textiles, petrochemicals, and refineries—responsible for about 16% of national GHG emissions.

• The power sector (responsible for ~40% of emissions) is currently outside the compliance mechanism but may be phased in later.

Mechanics:

• Compliance stream: Mandated sectors must meet emissions targets. Surplus reductions generate Carbon Credit Certificates (CCCs), which can be sold; non-compliant entities must purchase credits.

• Offset stream: Voluntary participants can earn credits through self-initiated emissions reductions.

• Helps India meet its NDC pledge of lowering emissions intensity by 45% (compared with 2005) by 2030.

10. Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) in India

India’s Environment Ministry has exempted most coal-fired power plants from installing Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) systems aimed at reducing SO₂ emissions.

What is FGD?

• A pollution-control process that removes sulfur dioxide (SO₂) from flue gases generated by fossil fuel combustion.

• Mitigates acid rain, particulate pollution, and associated symptoms such as crop damage and respiratory issues.

• Common FGD methods include:

  • Dry Sorbent Injection (DSI): Injects limestone or lime into flue gas before dust filtration.

  • Wet Limestone Scrubbing: Uses a limestone slurry to convert SO₂ into gypsum.

  • Seawater Scrubbing: Applicable to coastal plants; low installation cost but limited use.

Recent Policy Changes:

• Initially, in 2015, the Environment Ministry mandated all coal-thermal plants to install FGDs by 2017 (covering ~180 plants and ~600 units).

• The new exemption is reportedly based on studies showing:

  • Low sulfur in Indian coal

  • Similar SO₂ levels at plants with and without FGDs

  • Potential cooling effects of sulfate particles

• As of now, about 8% of units have installed FGD systems (mostly by NTPC); others lagged due to vendor shortages, high costs, COVID-related delays, and public tariff concerns.