The Finance Minister launched a digital footprint-based credit assessment model for MSMEs. 

• It was announced in the Union Budget 2024-25 that Public sector banks (PSBs) will build their in-house capability to assess MSMEs for credit, instead of relying on external assessment. 
• The digital footprints used by the model may include Name and Pan authentication using NSDL, Mobile and email verification using OTP, API fetch of GST data through service providers, Bank Statement Analysis, etc. 
• This credit assessment model will devise automated journeys for MSME Loan appraisal. 

Researchers at IISc Bangalore have developed a fatigue-resistant MPEA, challenging traditional beliefs on strength and fatigue life. 

• This research is supported by the statutory body Anusandhan National Research Foundation. 

About MPEAs

• MPEAs, also known as Compositionally Complex Alloys (CCAs), consist of multiple principal elements instead of just one or two.
• They have high strength, enhanced corrosion resistance, and exceptional thermal stability. 
• Traditionally, it is believed that increasing strength adversely affects fatigue life. 
  • Fatigue life refers to the lifetime from service to failure in a given cyclic loading 
• However, in the recent research, fatigue resistance was enhanced through finer dislocation structures, higher back stresses from reduced grain size, etc.

The United States has proposed to construct a Golden Dome missile defence system. 

About Golden Dome 

• A missile defence programme of the USA aimed to protect it from the threat of attack by ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles, and other advanced aerial attacks.
• Inspired from Israel's 'Iron Dome' missile defence system. 
  • Iron Dome is a multi-layered missile defence system developed to protect against short-range threats. 

Ukraine claimed Russia is launching "suicidal missions" to gain a foothold over the Dnipro River (Dnieper River).

About the Dnipro River

• Divides Ukraine into right-bank and left-bank regions. The capital Kiev is built on its banks. 
• Europe’s 4th longest river (after the Volga, Danube, and Ural).
• Origin: Valdai Hills, Russia (~150 miles west of Moscow).
• Flows through: Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine into the Black Sea.

Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini entered Port Stanley in Falkland Islands under the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition,

• The expedition, led by two women officers, highlights the Indian Navy’s commitment to gender empowerment and maritime excellence.

Falkland Islands (Capital: Stanley)

• Location: A remote South Atlantic Archipelago in the east of Argentina.
• Political Status: British Overseas Territory with self-governance; UK handles defense and foreign affairs. 
  • It is also claimed by Argentina which calls it Islas Malvinas, leading to the 1982 Falklands War.
• Economy: Rich in fisheries, especially sea trout & squid, due to a vast continental shelf.

Kerala has launched the Advanced Cybersecurity Operations Centre (SOC) for Kerala Police to strengthen digital security.

• It is based on the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)’s TRINETRA platform.
• C-DOT is an autonomous Telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Ministry of Communications.

About C-DOT’s TRINETRA

• An AI-powered, indigenous, integrated cybersecurity platform, tailored to meet the cyber security defence of enterprises and critical sectors. 
• It helps in monitoring endpoints, network traffic, and user behaviour, while proactively identifying vulnerabilities, detecting anomalies, and mitigating cyber risk. 

Lithuania withdrew from Convention on Cluster Munitions citing security concerns over neighbouring Russia.

• Cluster munitions are weapons designed to disperse numerous smaller explosive submunitions, or "bomblets," over a wide area when deployed.

About Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM)

• The CCM is an international treaty that prohibits all use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of cluster munitions.
  • CCM was the outcome of Oslo Declaration on Cluster Munitions (2007).
  • Adopted in 2008 and entered into force in 2010.
• Legal Status: Legally binding international instrument under international humanitarian law.
• India’s Status: India is NOT a signatory to the CCM.
  • Countries like Russia, China, US, etc. are also not party to it. 

Jammu & Kashmir govt. is promoting Bangus Valley near Line of Control (LoC) as an ecotourism destination.

About Bangus Valley

• Lying within the Trans-Himalayan area of Kashmir.
• Represents a unique ecological combination comprising a mountain biome, which includes grassland biome and Taiga or Coniferous forest (budloo).
  • Green meadows are key part of the Valley. 
• Principal valley is known as Bodh Bangus (Big Bangus) consists of a linear elliptical bowl and smaller valley known as Lakut-Bangus.