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• National Highways Authority of India (NHAI’s) norms of ‘One Vehicle, One FASTag’ has comes into force.

• About One Vehicle, One FASTag
  • Aims to discourage use of single FASTag for multiple vehicles or linking multiple FASTags to a particular vehicle.
  • This will enhance efficiency of electronic toll collection system and provide seamless movement at toll plazas.

• About FASTag 
  • It is a device that employs Radio Frequency Identification technology for making toll payments directly while vehicle is in motion.
  • Flagship programme of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways & NHAI. 

• Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) launched SCORES 2.0 version which strengthens investor complaint redress mechanism in securities market by making process more efficient.
• SCORES is an online system where investors in securities market can lodge their complaints through web URL and an App.

• Salient features of SCORES 2.0
  • Reduced timelines for redressal of investor complaints across Securities Market i.e. 21 Calendar days from date of receipt of complaint.
  • Introduction of auto-routing of complaints to concerned regulated entity to eliminate time lapses.
  • Integration with KYC Registration Agency database for easy registration.

• Researchers have shown that increased ice melting may have delayed need for adding negative leap second.
• Negative leap second is a second that is subtracted from clocks to keep them aligned with Earth's rotation.
  • It is done when Earth is spinning more quickly and length of day is decreasing.
• It is opposite of positive leap second (one-second addition to clocks).
  • It is done when length of day is rising (Earth is spinning more slowly).

• So far, there have been 27 positive leap seconds, but no negative leap seconds.

• Experts had pushed for Conservation of Snow leopards, citing them as important "Indicator Species".
  • Indicator species is an organism whose presence or absence will reflect specific condition in its ecosystem.

• Protection Status
  • IUCN: Vulnerable
  • CITES: Appendix I

• Habitat 
  • There are 12 snow leopard range countries namely Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kazakhstan etc.
  • Currently, there are around 718 snow leopards in India.

• Characteristics
  • live in high-altitude mountainous terrain, usually at elevations of 3,000-4,500m.
  • Have short forelimbs and long hind limbs for traversing in rugged environments.

• NICES programme has invited Indian researchers to join in combating climate change.

• About NICES Programme
  • Conceptualized in 2012, it is operated by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and Department of Space along with other ministries under framework of National Action Plan on Climate Change.
  • Its objective is generation and dissemination of long-term Essential Climate Variables, derived from Indian and other Earth Observation satellites, which are crucial for characterizing Earth’s climate.
  • Now, aims to enhance participation of academia and research institutions in addressing climate change-related challenges through multidisciplinary scientific investigations.

• KSO is entering its 125th year of establishment.
• It was established in 1899 and subsumed then Madras Observatory.
• It was set up to obtain data on how Sun heats up Earth’s atmosphere and to understand monsoon patterns.
• Kodaikanal was chosen for its proximity to equator and its dust-free high-altitude location.
• Observatory is currently under Indian Institute of Astrophysics and is located in Palani range (Tamil Nadu).
• It also houses telescopes like
  • H-alpha telescope, Twin Telescope, WARM (White light Active Region Monitor) telescope etc.

• An anti-dumping probe has been initiated on ‘insoluble sulphur’ imports from China and Japan.
• Insoluble Sulphur is amorphous form of sulfur that does not dissolve in carbon disulfide.

• Applications 
  • It is an important rubber additive agent, used in automobile rubber parts and other rubber products. E.g., Tyres, Shoes.
  • It is used as vulcanization accelerator in rubber industry.

• About Vulcanization 
  • It is chemical process that hardens rubbers by cross-linking rubber molecules with other substances.
  • It improves product quality, wearability, etc.

• The tribe shared their indigenous knowledge about Indian Laurel tree with Forest officials.

• About Konda Reddis
  • Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group inhabiting banks of river Godavari in Andhra Pradesh.
  • They practise Podu cultivation, a type of shifting cultivation.

• About Indian Laurel Tree (Terminalia tomentosa)
  • Deciduous trees growing up to 30 m tall.
  • Has the ability to store water in its trunk during summers.
  • Tree is used in haemorrhage, ulcers, fractures etc.
  • Known as Indian Silver Oak, its timber has great commercial value.

Tajikistan (Capital: Dushanbe)

• Tajikistan’s state security service has detained nine individuals in relation to Moscow concert hall attack.

• Political features
  • Landlocked country in Central Asia. 
  • Bordered by Kyrgyzstan (north), China (east), Afghanistan (south), and Uzbekistan (west and northwest).

• Geographical features
  • Highest Peak: Imeni Ismail Samani or Ismoil Somoni.
  • Major rivers: Amu Darya, Vakhsh River.