Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025 is released by think tanks Germanwatch, New Climate Institute, and Climate Action Network International.

• First three places have been kept empty followed by Denmark (fourth place).
• India ranked 10th on a list.

About CCPI

• Tracks the progress of the world’s largest emitters in terms of global greenhouse gas (GHG) Emissions, Renewable Energy, Energy Use and Climate Policy.
• It covers 63 countries and the European Union.

Ministry of Science and Technology launched India’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Data Bank.

About AI Data Bank

• Objective:  To provide researchers, startups, and developers access to high-quality, diverse datasets essential for creating scalable and inclusive AI solutions.
• It will enhance national security through real-time analytics of satellite, drone, and Internet of Things (IoT) data.
• It also aligns with the country’s goal to utilise AI for predictive analytics in disaster management and cyber security.

Recently Ministry of Jal Shakti launched the “Bhu-Neer” portal during India Water Week 2024.

About Bhu-Neer Portal

• Aim: Serve as a one-stop platform for managing and regulating groundwater resources at the state and national levels.
• Developed by: Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA) in collaboration with the National Informatics Centre (NIC).
  • CGWA has been constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of ground water resources in the country.

Researchers have developed a technology for targeted better detection of HIV, using G-Quadruplex (GQ) Topology-Targeted Reliable Conformational Polymorphism (GQ-RCP) Platform.

• Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) is a retrovirus which is responsible for the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

About GQ-RCP Platform

• Developed by: Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bangalore.
• It can be adopted for the detection of various Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)/Ribonucleic acid (RNA) based pathogens including bacteria and viruses.
• It is a fluorometric detection method.
  • Fluorometry is defined as the measurement of the emitted fluorescence light (ability of certain chemicals to give off visible light after absorbing radiation).

Recently, Department of Consumer Affairs released the draft Rules for the Microwave Doppler Radar equipment for measuring speed of vehicles under the Legal Metrology (General) Rules, 2011.

About Doppler radar

• Type of radar that uses the Doppler Effect to determine an object’s location, speed, and distance.
  • Doppler Effect refers to the change in wave frequency during the relative motion between the source and the observer.

• Applications: Meteorology (track weather patterns); aviation (track air traffic); military (track aircraft and missiles), etc.  

Recently, Union Minister of Science and Technology launched the first indigenous antibiotic "Nafithromycin" for resistant infections.

About Antibiotics

• They are chemical substances (produced both synthetically and by some microbes) used as drugs to kill or stop the growth of disease-causing microorganisms. 
• They have low toxicity for humans and animals and can be mixed with livestock feed to check microbial infections in animals. 
• They work against the bacterial and not the viral infection (like common cold, flue). 
  • Viruses lack cell wall that is attacked by antibiotics. 
• Common Examples: Streptomycin, tetracycline and erythromycin. 

Recently, a bomb cyclone struck North-western US and western Canada.

About Bomb Cyclone

• Also referred to as bombogenesis, it describes a mid-latitude cyclone (low pressure region) that rapidly intensifies over a 24-hour period. 
  • Witness a drop in their central air pressure to at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.
• Majority of these occur over the ocean and can be tropical or non-tropical in nature. 
• Usually coupled with weather events, ranging from blizzards to severe thunderstorms to heavy precipitation.

Recently, National Programme on Climate Change and Human Health (NPCCHH), under Ministry of Health and Family Welfare released advisory to some states on cold wave conditions. 

About Cold Waves

• Weather occurrences caused by extremely low temperatures in the near-surface atmosphere. 
• India Meteorological Department (IMD) defines cold wave conditions as:
  • Minimum temperature less than or equal to 10°C (Plains)
  • Minimum temperature less than or equal to 0°C (Hilly regions). 
• Impacts: Health Risks (frost bites and other illnesses); heating costs; impact on vulnerable sections, etc.