The event “AT2024tvd” detected 600 million light-years away marks the first offset TDE ever captured. 

About TDE

• It is a cataclysmic phenomenon marked by an intense flash of radiation caused by a supermassive black hole eating a star. 
• Occurs when a star strays close to a black hole.
• Gravitational forces create intense tides that break the star apart into a stream of gas. 
  • The trailing part of the stream escapes the system, while the leading part swings back around, surrounding the black hole.

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) has set up a new office in Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) to develop river navigation infrastructure in three national waterways in the Union Territory i.e. NW-26 (River Chenab), NW-49 (River Jhelum), NW-84 (River Ravi).

About IWAI

• It is a statutory body established under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act, 1986.
• Ministry: Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
• Function: Primarily undertakes projects for development, maintenance, and regulation of IWT infrastructure on national waterways.

Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), under Department of Telecommunications (DoT), has signed an MoU to develop drone-based Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems using the decoy-based BB84 protocol 

• QKD technology ensures unconditional data security by using the principles of quantum mechanics, unlike the conventional cryptosystems that rely on complexity of mathematical algorithms. 

About BB84 Protocol

• First quantum cryptography protocol given in 1984 by Charles Bennett and Giles Brassard.  
• It uses polarisation states of photon as the physical entity to generate a secure bit string among two users.

India maintains that recent measures taken by United States related to tariffs are not consistent with General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) 1994 and Agreement on Safeguards (AoS).

• GATT is an agreement between States aiming at eliminating discrimination and reducing tariffs and other trade barriers with respect to trade in goods.

Agreement on Safeguards (AoS)

• AoS sets forth the rules for application of safeguard measures pursuant to Article XIX of GATT 1994. 
  • Safeguard measures are defined as “emergency” actions with respect to increased imports of particular products, where such imports have caused or threaten to cause serious injury to the importing Member's domestic industry.

NaBFID recently undertook non-deal investor meetings in Hongkong in preparation to issue its first offshore bond. 

About NaBFID

• Genesis:2021 by an Act of the Parliament (The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development Act, 2021). 
• Objective: Specialized Development Finance Institution for addressing the gaps in long-term non-recourse finance for infrastructure development, strengthening the development of bonds and derivatives markets in India. 
• Regulation and Supervision: By the RBI as an All India Financial Institution (AIFI) under the RBI Act, 1934. 

Order blocking YouTube channel ‘4PM’ under IT (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information by Public) Rules, 2009 withdrawn by Central Government.

About IT Rules, 2009

• Rule 9 (Blocking of information in cases of emergency): Does not have provision of an opportunity of hearing to the creator.
• Rule 16: It says strict confidentiality shall be maintained regarding all the requests and complaints received and actions taken.
• Curtailing fundamental rights: It is argued that these provisions infringed upon right to freedom of speech and expression (Article 19(1)(a)).
  • However under Article 19(2) the government can make provisions to protect the security of the country, etc.

GRID 2025 was released by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC).

• Internal Displacement (ID) refers to the forced movement of people within their country while Internally Displaced People (IDP) are people forced to flee their homes due to conflict, violence, or disasters without crossing International borders. 

Key Findings

• Internally displaced people (IDPs) at the end of 2024: 83.4million (73.5 million due to conflict and violence and 9.8 million due to disasters).
  • 25% of all disaster displacements globally were reported in the United States. 
• India: Internal displacements by conflict and violence (1,700) and Internal displacements by disasters(5.4 millions).

State Government of Himachal Pradesh notified Tsarap Chu Conservation Reserve (India’s largest) in Spiti Valley.

About Tsarap Chu

• It is the location for the confluence of the Unam River and Charap Nala.
• It is bounded by the UT of Ladakh to the north, the Kibber Wildlife Sanctuary extending up to Malang Nala and Lungar Lungpa to the east, Kabjima Nala to the south and Chandratal Wildlife Sanctuary to the west.
• It is particularly known for the Snow Leopard, often called the ‘ghost of the mountains’.
• Other species: Tibetan wolf, bharal (blue sheep), Himalayan ibex, kiang (wild ass), and the Tibetan argali, rare bird species such as Rose Finch, Tibetan Raven, etc.