Iranian authorities are working to control an oil spill four miles (6.4 km.) off Iran’s Kharg Island. Procedures had been activated to stop the pollution spreading and the situation was being continuously assessed.
Iran is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries with production of around 3.2 million barrels per day, or about 3 percent of global output.
Most of Iran’s oil and gas is in the south of the country, where the Kharg Island terminal is situated and from which around 90 percent of Iranian oil exports are shipped.
About Kharg Island:
It is a continental island of Iran in the Persian Gulf.
The island is 25 km. off the coast of Iran and 483 km. northwest of the Strait of Hormuz.
Its total area is 20 sq. km.
It provides a sea port for the export of oil and extends Iranian territorial sea claims into the Persian Gulf oil fields.
Persian Gulf:
It is a shallow marginal sea of the Indian Ocean that lies between the Arabian Peninsula and southwestern Iran.
It covers an area of about 241,000 sq. km.
It is bordered:
on the north, northeast, and east by Iran
on the southeast and south by part of Oman and by the United Arab Emirates
on the southwest and west by Qatar, Bahrain, and Saudi Arabia
on the northwest by Kuwait and Iraq
Strait of Hormuz:
It is a channel linking the Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
It separates Iran (north) from the Arabian Peninsula (south).
It is the world's most important oil chokepoint because of the large volumes of oil that flow through it.
Topic: Africa
2. Nigeria
Why in the news?
More than 90 people have been killed and 50 others injured after a gasoline tanker overturned in Nigeria and sparked an explosion.
About Nigeria:
It is a country located on the western coast of Africa.
It is often called the "Giant of Africa."
It is bordered to the north by Niger, to the east by Chad and Cameroon, to the south by the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Benin.
It achieved independence from Britain in 1960.
It covers an area of around 9.24 lakh sq. km.
It is also Africa’s most populous country.
Its capital is Abuja.
English is Nigeria’s official language, although many local languages such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, and Ijaw are also spoken.
Its currency is Naira.
It has a diverse geography, with climates ranging from arid to humid equatorial.
Drainage:
The major drainage areas in Nigeria are the Niger-Benue basin, the Lake Chad basin, and the Gulf of Guinea basin.
The Niger River, for which the country is named, and the Benue, its largest tributary, are the principal rivers.
Its major mountain range is the Cameroonian Highlands.
It has abundant natural resources, notably large deposits of petroleum and natural gas.
Geography
Topic: Rivers
3. Vaigai River
Why in the news?
In the wake of torrential rainfall, the Vaigai River in Madurai has experienced a significant increase in water flow. The dramatic transformation of the river highlights the challenges posed by flooding and the urgency of water management in the region.
About Vaigai River:
It flows in the Tamil Nadu state of India.
It rises in the Varushanad Hills of the Western Ghats.
It travels through the Pandya Nadu region of Tamil Nadu.
It is the major river in the fabled city of Madurai, the capital of the ancient and prosperous Pandya kingdom located in southern Tamil Nadu.
The river finds a mention in Sangam literature dated to 300 before Common Era.
It is 258 km. long.
It gets major feed from the Periyar Dam in Kerala.
Water from the Periyar River in Kerala is diverted into the Vaigai River in Tamil Nadu via a tunnel through the Western Ghats.
Its main tributaries are Suruliyaru, Mullaiyaru, Varaganadhi, Manjalaru, Kottagudi, Kridhumaal and Upparu rivers.
It finally empties into the Palk Strait near the Pamban Bridge in Ramanathapuram district.
It fulfills the drinking water requirements of five districts in Tamil Nadu, namely, Theni, Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, and Dindigul.
It also provides irrigation for 200,000 hectares of agricultural land.
Torrential Rain:
It refers to the heavy downpour of rain.
The National Weather Service (NWS) defines torrential rain as rain that accumulates at a rate of three-tenths of an inch or more per hour.
Causes:
The major cause of torrential rain is moisture that moves along the weather fronts.
The convective clouds cause precipitation to occur when enough moisture rises up due to an upward motion.
Narrow torrential rain bands come as a result of cumulonimbus clouds.
In mountainous regions, torrential rain falls on one side of the mountain since heavy precipitation occurs on one side of the mountain.
Environment and Ecology
Topic: Protected Areas
4. Kaziranga National Park
Why in the news?
Kaziranga National Park emerges as second highest butterfly diversity hub in India with 446 species, next to Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh
About Kaziranga National Park:
It is situated in the north-eastern part of the country in the districts of Golaghat and Nagaon in the state of Assam.
It is the single largest undisturbed and representative area in the Brahmaputra Valley floodplain.
In 1985, the park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The river Diffalu, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, flows through the National Park area (core/critical tiger habitat), while another tributary, Moradifalu, flows along its southern boundary.
Its landscape comprises sheer forest, tall elephant grass, rugged reeds, marshes, and shallow pools.
Flora:
It is primarily famous for its dense and tall elephant grasses intermixed with small swamplands.
It also includes an abundant cover of water lilies, water hyacinths and lotus.
Rattan Cane, a type of climbing palm, is also found here.
Fauna:
Many endangered and threatened species like Rhino, Tiger, Eastern swamp deer, Elephant, Buffalo, Hoolock gibbon, Capped langur, and Gangetic River dolphin are commonly found in the habitat.
It is inhabited by the world's largest population of one-horned rhinoceroses, as well as many mammals.
Topic: Pollution
5. Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Why in the news?
Kia Corporation has launched the world's first car accessory made from plastic sourced from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
This limited-edition trunk liner for the all-new Kia EV3 is part of Kia's partnership with The Ocean Cleanup. The initiative aims to promote environmental stewardship and increase the use of recycled materials in automotive production.
About Great Pacific Garbage Patch:
It is a garbage patch, a gyre of marine debris particles, in the central North Pacific Ocean.
The collection of plastic and floating trash originates from the Pacific Rim, including countries in Asia, North America, and South America.
Formation:
There are some water currents in the oceans that, driven by winds and the Coriolis force, form loops. These are called gyres. The North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG) is one such, located just north of the equator in the Pacific Ocean.
NPSG consists of the Kuroshio, North Pacific, California, and North Equatorial currents. It moves in a clockwise direction.
These currents flow adjacent to 51 Pacific Rim countries. Any trash that enters one of these currents, from any of these countries, could become part of the gyre.
Inside this gyre, just north of Hawai’i, lies a long east-west strip where some of the debris in these currents has collected over the years. The eastern part of this is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is 6 million sq. km big and more than 50 years old.
It contains an estimated 45,000-1,29,000 metric tonnes of plastic, predominantly in the form of microplastics.
The numerical density of plastics here is around 4 particles per cubic meter.
Topic: Consumer Protection
6. Greenwashing
Why in the news?
The Centre has introduced new guidelines to prevent companies from making false or misleading claims about their products' environmental benefits.
These rules, issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA), require companies to provide scientific evidence to support their claims.
The guidelines are part of a broader effort to crack down on misleading advertisements. These norms would complement the existing Guidelines for Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsement for Misleading Advertisements 2022, which deal with false or exaggerated claims in advertisements in general.
About Greenwashing:
It refers to the growing practice of companies, organizations, and even countries making dubious or unverifiable claims about their environmental or climate-friendly activities.
While the term has been primarily used in the context of advertising, its implications are much broader.
It presents a false picture of the progress being made on the climate change front, thereby pushing the world towards disaster, while at the same time rewarding entities for irresponsible behaviour.
In response to the widespread nature of greenwashing, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a zero-tolerance policy.
A high-level expert group was formed to propose strategies for curbing greenwashing, particularly among non-state actors like corporations and financial institutions.
Key recommendations included:
banning fresh investments in fossil fuels,
setting short-term emission reduction targets,
halting deforestation activities, and
discouraging the use of carbon offset mechanisms at the initial stages of pursuing net-zero commitments.
Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA):
It was established under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
It aims to protect the rights of consumers by cracking down on unfair trade practices and false and misleading advertisements that are detrimental to the interests of the public and consumers.
It works under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution.
It is empowered to:
Protect, promote, and enforce the rights of consumers as a class, and prevent violation of consumers rights under this Act.
Prevent unfair trade practices and ensure that no person engages himself in unfair trade practices.
Ensure that no false or misleading advertisement is made of any goods or services which contravenes the provisions of this Act or the rules or regulations made thereunder.
Ensure that no person takes part in the publication of any advertisement which is false or misleading.
It comprises a Chief Commissioner as head, and only two other commissioners as members, one of whom will deal with matters relating to goods while the other will look into cases relating to services.
Powers:
It can make interventions when necessary to prevent consumer detriment arising from unfair trade practices and to initiate class action, including enforcing recall, refund and return of products.
It has an investigation wing, headed by a director-general, which may conduct inquiry or investigation into consumer law violations.
It has been granted wide powers to take suo-moto actions, recall products, order reimbursement of the price of goods/services, cancel licenses, and file class action suits, if a consumer complaint affects more than one individual.
It has powers to pass orders of discontinuation of practices that are unfair and prejudicial to consumers’ interests and impose penalties in cases of false or misleading advertisements.
Science and Technology
Topic: Diseases
7. West Nile virus
Why in the news?
Ukraine is grappling with a severe outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV), with health officials raising alarms as the death toll rises. Since July, the country has recorded 88 cases, resulting in 11 fatalities, according to health authorities.
About West Nile virus:
It is a member of the flavivirus genus and belongs to the family Flaviviridae.
It was first isolated in a woman in the West Nile district of Uganda in 1937.
It is commonly found in Africa, Europe, the Middle East, North America and West Asia.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it typically spikes between the summer and autumn months of June and September.
Transmission:
Human infection is most often the result of bites from infected mosquitoes. Mosquitoes become infected when they feed on infected birds, which circulate the virus in their blood for a few days.
The virus may also be transmitted through contact with other infected animals, their blood, or other tissues.
Symptoms:
Infection with WNV is either asymptomatic (in around 80% of infected people), or can lead to West Nile fever or severe West Nile disease.
About 20% of people who become infected with WNV will develop West Nile fever and symptoms include fever, headache, and tiredness, and body aches, nausea, vomiting, occasionally with a skin rash.
So far, 19 countries, including Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Türkiye and Kosovo have reported outbreaks.
Treatment:
No vaccine is available for WNV and only supportive treatments can be provided to neuroinvasive WNV patients.
Economy
Topic: Government Policies and Interventions
8. Minimum Support Price (MSP)
Why in the news?
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for all mandated Rabi Crops for Marketing Season 2025-26.
About Minimum Support Price (MSP):
It is the “minimum price” for any crop that the Government considers as remunerative for farmers and hence deserving of “support”.
It is also the price that Government agencies pay whenever they procure the particular crop from the farmers.
It is a way of protecting the farmers in India from the uncertainties of the markets as well as those of the natural kind.
There is currently no statutory backing for these prices, nor any law mandating their enforcement.
At present, the Central Government sets MSP for 23 crops. These include:
7 cereals (bajra, wheat, maize, paddy barley, ragi and jowar);
4 commercial crops (raw jute, cotton, copra and sugarcane).
The Government announces the MSP at the start of each cropping season (Rabi and Kharif).
The MSP is decided after the Government exhaustively studies the recommendations made by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP).
These recommendations are based on a pre-fixed formulae. This includes the actual cost incurred, implicit family labour as well as the sort of fixed assets or rent paid by the farmers.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by the Prime Minister of India takes the final decision (approve) on the level of MSPs
The MSP is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to growers for their produce and encouraging Crop Diversification.
Rabi Crops:
These crops are sown around the Retreating Monsoon and Northeast monsoon season, which begins in October and are called rabi or winter crops.
The harvest for these crops happens during April and May, during the summer season.
These crops are not much affected by the rainfall.
Major Rabi crops are wheat, gram, peas, barley etc.
A warm climate is required for seed germination and cold climate for the growth of crops.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA):
It is the cabinet committee that takes decisions on the economic matters of the government.
This committee is chaired by the Prime Minister of India.
Cabinet ministers from various ministries are included in this committee.
Functions:
To direct and coordinate government activities in the economic sector
To review the economic trends in the country
To review activities related to rural development
To issue industrial licenses for setting up joint sector undertakings
To consider issues related to disinvestment; etc.
Government Schemes
Topic: Health
9. Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana
Why in the news?
In a landmark victory in a court battle, the New Delhi District court has issued a permanent injunction against a resemblance in name of the organization operating in the name of “Jan Aushadhi Sangh” at Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh.
This firm was deliberately and intentionally using a deceptively similar name of “Jan Aushadhi” a registered trademark of Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP), Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India with malafide intention to create confusion in the mind of the general public and to trade over Jan Aushadhi’s goodwill.
About Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana:
Its objectives include:
To make available quality medicines, consumables and surgical items at affordable prices for all and reduce out of pocket expenditure of consumers/patients.
To popularize generic medicines among the masses and eliminate the notion that low priced generic medicines are of inferior quality or are less effective.
To generate employment by engaging individual entrepreneurs in the opening of Janaushadhi Kendras.
It is implementing agency is the Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI)
PMBI was established in December, 2008 under the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Government of India.
History:
Jan Aushadhi Scheme was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals in 2008 across the country.
In 2015, the Jan Aushadhi Scheme was revamped as Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Yojana (PMJAY).
In 2016, it was again renamed as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana (PMBJP).
Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras:
These are set up under Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Pariyojana, which was launched by the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in November 2008.
Their objective is to provide quality medicines at affordable prices for all, particularly the poor, so as to reduce out-of-pocket expenses in healthcare.
These stores provide generic drugs, which are available at lesser prices but are equivalent in quality and efficacy as expensive branded drugs.
All therapeutic medicines are made available from Jan Aushadhi Stores.
These stores also sell allied medical products commonly sold in chemist shops so as to improve the viability of running the Jan Aushadhi store.
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