Indian Oil's Panipat refinery recently received the International Civil Aviation Organization's certification for SAF production from used cooking oil.

About Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) 

• SAF, often known as jet biofuel or aviation bio-kerosene, closely resembles conventional jet fuels derived from crude oil . 
  • However, SAF is derived from diverse and renewable biomass sources.
• Feedstock for SAF Production: Oilseed plants and energy grasses, Municipal solid waste, Industrial carbon monoxide waste gas, Agricultural and forestry residue, Fats, oils, and greases from cooking waste and meat production etc.

Benefits

• Engine and infrastructure compatibility: Blended with conventional Jet fuel, it can be used in existing aircrafts.
• Fewer GHG emissions, More flexibility.
• Barriers: High costs of production than conventional fuels, availability and sustainability of feedstock etc.

MIT researchers used Generative AI to design completely novel antibiotics from scratch.

• Researchers have designed novel antibiotics effective against: Neisseria gonorrhoeae (causes drug-resistant gonorrhea), Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA).

About AI-Designed Antibiotics

• Methodology: Over 36 million hypothetical compounds were generated using AI and screened computationally.
• It allowed the researchers to generate and evaluate theoretical compounds that have never been seen before.
• Significance: Opens new avenues for drug discovery using AI, potential applications for other pathogens like Mycobacterium tuberculosis, etc.

States to ease off-budget borrowings amid fiscal discipline push.

About Off-budget borrowing (OBBs)

• Definition: Government borrowing that is not explicitly included in the official budget presented to the public or approved by the legislature. 
• These borrowings are typically raised through government-controlled Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs), or entities which depend heavily on budgetary support via equity infusions, loans, grants, or subsidies for their operations.
• Purpose: Keeps borrowings off the fiscal deficit books, creating an impression of prudence.
• Concerns: Reduces transparency, accountability, and conceals true debt burden.

Recently, Scientists turned E. coli bacteria into a self-powered chemical biosensor that interface directly with electronics.

• Biosensor is an analytical device that converts a biological signal into a detectable electrical signal.

About Whole-cell Biosensors

• They use living microorganisms (e.g., genetically engineered bacteria) which can maintain and repair themselves and operate inside contaminated samples. 
  • Traditional biosensors, such as those based on enzymes, are often fragile, costly and/or have a slow response time in complex environments. 
• Application: Pollution detection in agriculture, environmental and in biomedical diagnostics, etc.

10 States along with National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission have recorded a disposal rate of over 100 percent on E-Jagriti platform in July 2025.

About E-Jagriti platform

• Launched on: 1st January, 2025
• Ministry: Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution.
• Objective: Computerization and networking of all Consumer Commissions at the national, state, and district levels to ensure transparency, efficiency, and speedy resolution of consumer disputes.
  • e-Jagriti enables consumers to file complaints, track case statuses, and access judgments online.

Indian Army inaugurates ‘Arogyam health & wellness centre’ in Tawang under Operation Sadbhavana.

About Operation Sadbhavana

• Launched by: Indian Army in 1998 in Jammu & Kashmir.
• Aim: Apply “healing touch” and Win Hearts and Minds (WHAM) of people affected by terrorism and insurgency.
• Purpose: Extended Army’s role from border defence & counter-insurgency to development and community welfare.
• Focus Areas: Education, healthcare, women empowerment, skill development, sports, infrastructure, ecology & environment.

ARCs significantly increased their acquisition of retail loan portfolios in the first quarter of FY26.

About ARC

• It is a company incorporated under Companies Act and registered with RBI under Securitisation and Reconstruction of Financial Assets and Enforcement of Security Interest (SARFAESI) Act, 2002.
• Objective: To facilitate securitisation and asset reconstruction of non-performing assets thereby earliest resolution and bringing liquidity in the system.
  • ARCs buy the Non-Performing Assets (NPAs) or bad assets from banks and financial institutions so that the latter can clean up their balance sheets.
• Examples: National Asset Reconstruction Company Limited (NARCL), India Debt Resolution Company Ltd etc.

Recently an Arunachalee Mountaineer has scaled Mt. Elbrus.

About Mt Elbrus (Southwestern Russia)

• It is highest peak (Elevation: 5,642m) of Caucasus Mountains and a dormant volcano with twin summits.
• Location: In the western Caucasus Mountains of southwestern Russia.
• Highest peak of Europe and Russia: Part of the Seven Summits (the highest mountains on each continent).