Scientists at Germany's Wendelstein 7-X stellarator achieved a record fusion performance by heating plasma to 30 million degrees Celsius.

About Stellarator

• Definition: Fusion reactors that use magnetic fields to confine plasma in a donut-shaped torus, creating conditions for fusion.
• Employ strong electromagnets: To generate twisting magnetic fields that wrap around the donut shape.
• Advantages over Tokamaks: Lower power requirements, greater design flexibility, and simpler plasma control.
• Example: Helically Symmetric Experiment (HSX) stellarator in Wisconsin etc.

The Quality Council of India commemorated World Accreditation Day 2025.

About World Accreditation Day 2025 (June 9th)

• A global initiative by International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC) and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) to promote the value of accreditation.
• This year’s theme:  Accreditation: Empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

About QCI:

• Established: In 1996 as a National Accreditation body.
  • Accreditation is an independent check to ensure that testing andcertification bodies meet recognized standards.
• QCI operates as an independent autonomous organization through a PPP model.
  • Supported by the Government of India and three premier industry associations - ASSOCHAM, CII, and FICCI.
• Nodal Department: Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry
• Chairman of QCI is appointed by the Prime Minister on the recommendations of the industry to the Government.

Union Minister for Finance chaired 6th meeting of the Governing Council of the NIIF

About NIIF (Created in 2015)

• A Sovereign-linked Alternative Asset Manager, established by the Government of India (having a share of 49 %). 
• It is a collaborative investment platform for international and Indian investors.
• Set up as a trust registered with Securities and Exchange Board of India ("SEBI") as a Category II Alternate Investment Fund ("AIF).
• Its governing council is headed by the Finance Minister.
• Key Funds under NIIF: 
  • Fund for infrastructure (Master Fund) 
  • The fund of funds (Private Markets Fund)
  • Fund for climate and sustainability as well as India Japan corridor (the India Japan Fund), 
  • The fund focuses on growth equity (Strategic Opportunities Fund).

Donkey prices soar in Pakistan due to China’s demand for Ejiao

About Ejiao: It is a gelatin used in:

• Traditional Chinese medicine, made by stewing and concentrating donkey skin 
• In clinics for its biological advantages of being anti-fatigue, immunity-improving properties, for tumour suppression, and for its anti-anaemia effect.

NTPC ties up with SEforALL for energy transition roadmap.

About SEfor ALL:

• Launched by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in 2011.
  • It is an independent organization, hosted by UNOPS.
• Global mandate: To accelerate progress on the energy transition in emerging and developing countries.

About UN office for Project Services (UNOPS):

• Now a separate, self-financing UN Agency which was part of UNDP until 1994.
• Headquarter: Copenhagen, Denmark
• Objective: Provides project services to the UN system and its partners. 
  • Also helps implement humanitarian and development projects, focusing on sustainable development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

UN General Assembly (UNGA) has declared 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

• Proposed by the United States of America and adopted by consensus.
• Aim: To highlight the crucial role of women farmers in food security, nutrition, and poverty eradication, and promote gender equality and empower women.

Scientists have developed a new method to extract nickel which is energy efficient and cuts direct carbon dioxide emissions by up to 84% compared with the current practice.

About Nickel (Atomic number 28)

• Properties: lustrous, silvery-white metal which is hard, ductile, can be magnetised and exhibits a mixture of ferrous and nonferrous metal properties.
• Main minerals: Pentlandite, garnierite and nickeliferous limonite etc.
• Applications: Resists corrosion and is used to plate other metals, rechargeable batteries especially Electric Vehicles (EVs).

Indian astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla will take Tardigrades to the International Space Station (ISS) for an experiment.

About Tardigrades (water bear or moss piglet)

• Specification: Half a millimetre long eight-legged segmented micro-animal.
• Extremely hardy: Can endure extreme hot and cold temperature levels by means of cryptobiosis, crushing pressures and radiation and found worldwide.
  • Cryptobiosis is a state of extreme inactivity in response to adverse environmental conditions. In the cryptobiotic state, all metabolic procedures stop, preventing reproduction, development, and repair. 
• Two classes are recognised: the Eutardigrada and the Heterotardigrada; the latter includes some marine species.