A new study reveals that LINE-1, a jumping gene, binds to cellular DNA during brief periods of cell division.

About Jumping Gene

• Transposable Elements or Jumping Genes are DNA sequences that move from one location to another on the genome thus affecting the expression of genes.
  • They can do so either by physically cutting and pasting themselves or by copying themselves to new locations.
  • In the process, they may cause mutations and increase (or decrease) the amount of DNA in the cell genome.
• In human beings, more than 50% of the genome is composed of transposable elements.

Recently, the first Indian epigraphical reference to Halley’s Comet has been found in a copper plate inscription preserved in Srisailam Mallikarjunaswamy temple in Andhra Pradesh.

• The inscription dated 1456 CE is written in Sanskrit in Nagari script.
• It records a grant made by the Vijayanagar ruler Mallikarjuna to a Vedic scholar.

About Mallikarjunaswamy Temple

• Location: Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, on Nallamalai Hills along the Krishna River.
• Dedicated to Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, it is both a Jyotirlinga and a Shakti Peetha.
• Patronized by: Initially Satavahana dynasty, and later by Rashtrukta dynasty and Vijyanagara rulers.

Finland’s Parliament approves withdrawal from Ottawa Convention or Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention. 

• Earlier, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and Poland also announced their withdrawal from the Treaty. 

About Ottawa Convention 

• Genesis: Concluded by the Diplomatic Conference on an International Total Ban on Anti-Personnel Land Mines at Oslo in 1997. 
• Objective: End harm from anti-personnel mines by promoting global participation, clearing mines, destroying stockpiles, and helping victims.
• Membership: 165 countries have joined the treaty. India is not one of them.

India has imposed five-year anti-dumping duties on imports of Chinese aluminium foil, Pretilachlor and Acetonitrile from China, Russia, and Taiwan.

About Anti-Dumping Duty

• An anti-dumping duty is a protectionist tariff that a domestic government imposes on foreign imports that are said to be dumped in the domestic market. 
  • Dumping is a process wherein a company exports a product at a price that is significantly lower than the price it normally charges in its domestic market.
• General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) allows countries to take action against dumping.

The US Senate passed the Guiding and Establishing National Innovation for U.S. Stablecoins (GENIUS) Act in a major boost for stablecoins.

About Stablecoins

• Stablecoins are a type of crypto asset that is tied to the value of another asset, such as the US dollar or gold.
• Unlike Bitcoin (volatile cryptocurrency), stablecoins are more stable as they aim to minimize price fluctuations.
  • This feature makes them suitable for transactions, savings, and as a bridge between traditional finance and crypto ecosystems.

From July 2025, CAQM will ban fuel refills for end-of-life vehicles in Delhi to help reduce pollution.

About CAQM

• Genesis: Established under the CAQM Act, 2021 for the National Capital Region (NCR) and adjoining areas (i.e., Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh)
• Objective: To improve coordination, research, and problem-solving related to air pollution and air quality
• Chairperson: Must have experience either:
  • At least 15 years in environment protection/pollution control, or
  • At least 25 years in administration
• Key power:  CAQM’s orders override those of state governments, CPCB, state PCBs, and other bodies in case of conflict.

Taiwan recently detected Chinese military aircraft near its territory, just days after a British naval ship passed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait.

• China claims Taiwan as its own and has not ruled out using force to bring the democratic, self-ruled island under its control.

About Taiwan Strait (Or Black Ditch)

• A strait is a narrow body of water that connects two larger bodies of water.
• Named by: Portuguese in the 16th century as Formosa ("Beautiful")
• Connects: South China Sea and East China Sea
• Rivers: Jiulong and Min rivers from China flow into it
• Significance: More than 40% of the world’s container fleet moves through it.
• Median Line or Davis Line: Runs approximately down the middle of the Taiwan Strait.

IPPB received the 2024-25 Digital Payments Award from the Ministry of Finance for its inclusive, tech-driven, citizen-centric banking solutions.

About IPPB

• Ownership: IPPB is a 100% government-owned payments bank under the Department of Posts, Ministry of Communications.
• Significance: Leverages ~ 1.55 lakh post offices to extend its reach to every corner of the country.

What is a payment bank?

• It provides basic banking services to underserved individuals, including deposits, withdrawals, remittances, and payments, primarily through digital channels.
• It can accept deposits (up to ₹2 lakh), and enable money transfers and bill payments, but cannot give loans or issue credit cards.

Seven gharial yearlings were released into the Girwa River at Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary (Uttar Pradesh). 

About Gharials:

• Name Origin: Comes from ghara (pot) due to the bulb-like knob on males' snouts—making them the only visibly sexually dimorphic crocodilian.
• Diet: Mainly eat fish (piscivorous).
  • Long, thin snout with sharp teeth and a strong neck makes them excellent fish hunters. 
• Threats: Dams, barrages, and water extraction harm their river habitats by turning them into unsuitable lakes and reducing water flow downstream.
• Habitat: Found mainly in three Ganga River tributaries:
  • Chambal and Girwa rivers of India
  • Rapti-Naryani River of Nepal
• Conservation Status: 
  • IUCN:   Critically Endangered
  • Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972:  Schedule I
  • Crocodile Conservation Project launched in 1975
  • Gharial reserves set up in Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan