DRDO successfully conducts release trials of Long-Range Glide Bomb 'Gaurav'

Weapon Specifications

• Type: Long-Range Glide Bomb (LRGB). 
• Weight: 1,000 kg class
• Range: ‘Gaurav’ achieved 100 km range with pinpoint accuracy.
• Development: Designed and developed indigenously

India hosts 8th Meeting of Joint Committee on ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA). 

• The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), established in August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, is a group of 10 countries.

About AITIGA                       

• Genesis: Signed in 2009 and entered into force in 2010.
• Mandates: Each party shall accord National Treatment to goods of other parties in line with GATT, 1994. 
• Trade: Bilateral trade between India and ASEAN reached USD 121 billion (2023-24).
  •   ASEAN constitutes for about 11% share in India's global trade.

Sunbird, a nuclear fusion powered rocket could help reach Pluto in just 4 years: Report

About Sunbird

• Sunbird is a nuclear fusion-based rocket being developed by Pulsar Fusion (UK) and Princeton Satellite Systems (USA). 
• Powered by Dual Direct Fusion Drive (DDFD) technology. Using helium-3 and deuterium, DDFD generates both thrust and electricity, marking a revolutionary step in interplanetary travel. 
• It is expected to help spacecraft’s reach speeds of up to 805,000 kms per hour.

Union Minister for Railways announced that Kavach 5.0 will be implemented to upgrade Mumbai’s suburban train travel.

• Kavach 5.0 is expected to significantly reduce the inter-train headway, enabling more trains to run safely and efficiently.

About Kavach

• The Kavach is an Automatic Train Protection system designed to improve train safety and efficiency.
• Function: The Kavach assists loco pilots by displaying signals in the train and automatically applying the brakes if the pilot fails to do so.
• Adjustable weather conditions: The system ensures that the train operates smoothly even in extreme weather conditions, such as fog.

Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology introduces new Aadhar app.

• It is developed by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), and aims to simplify identity verification processes, making them as seamless as UPI payments.

Key Features of the New mAadhaar App

• QR Code-Based Instant Verification: Users can scan QR codes at “points of authentication” similar to UPI payments.
• Face Authentication: Ensures real-time, secure, face-based verification.
• Secure Data Sharing: Shares Aadhaar info directly from the user's device, protecting privacy.
• User-Controlled Access: Data is shared only with user consent and limited to what's necessary.

Chhattisgarh laid foundation stone for India's first GaN-based semiconductor plant in Raipur

About GaN-based semiconductor

• Gallium Nitride (GaN) is a wide bandgap semiconductor material composed of gallium and nitrogen.
  • Semiconductor is a material that partially conducts electricity, making it essential for controlling electrical signals in electronic devices.
• Advantages of GaN:
  • It offers excellent efficiency, thermal stability, and fast switching speeds over Silicon and Other Semiconductor Materials.
  • lower overall system and operational costs
• GaN is critical for powering next-gen technologies such as next-gen 5G and 6G networks, high-performance laptops, defence technologies, data analytics, and power electronics.

A Study has revealed that certain lichen species can survive and remain metabolically active under simulated Mars-like conditions.

About Lichens

• Nature: They’re symbiotic association between a fungus (mycobiont) and an alga or cyanobacterium (photobiont).
  • Fungus provides structure and protection; alga provides food via photosynthesis.
• Lichens cover 8 per cent of the land surface, including some of the most extreme environments on Earth such as Antarctica, tropical deserts.
• India hosts over 2,700 species, rich in the Western Ghats, Eastern Himalayas, and Northeast India.
  • India's first Lichen Park was established in 2020 in Munsiyari, Uttarakhand.
• Ecological Importance
  • Bioindicators of air pollution (especially SO₂ and heavy metals).
  • First colonizers in ecological succession (on rocks, lava, etc.).
  • Aid in soil formation by breaking down substrates.

The US has imposed sanctions on UAE-based Indian associated firms for their alleged involvement in facilitating Iran’s oil trade through the use of a shadow fleet.

About Shadow Fleet

• A shadow fleet is a group of ships that secretly transport oil for countries under international sanctions, using hidden routes and false documents to avoid detection and tracking.
• How They Operate
  • Anonymous Ownership: Registered under shell companies in jurisdictions like Liberia, Panama, or the Marshall Islands.
  • Spoofing Tactics: Disable Automatic Identification Systems (AIS) to hide locations.
  • Ship-to-Ship Transfers: Transfer cargo mid-sea to "clean" vessels of obscure origin.
  • Document Forgery: Use fake insurance, flags, or cargo manifests.