Government signs MoUs with 17 institutions to expand work under ‘Gyan Bharatam’ Mission.

About Gyan Bharatam Mission (2025)

• Vision: To preserve, digitize, and disseminate India’s vast manuscript heritage and revive its civilizational knowledge traditions for future generations.
  • A manuscript is a handwritten composition on paper, bark, palm leaf, etc., dating back at least 75 years that has significant scientific, historical or aesthetic value.
• Key Objectives: 
  • Digitize and catalog over 1 crore manuscripts across the country.
  • Establish a National Digital Repository of manuscripts.
  • Integrate AI, OCR, and blockchain technologies for smart access, transcription, and provenance.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of culture.
• Strategic Pillars: Scholarly Leadership, Technological Integration, Capacity Building, public engagement.

SC Allows Centre to reconsider AGR Issue.

About AGR

• AGR is defined as the profits of telecommunications operators from telecommunications and non-telecom services, consisting of interest earnings, funds and dividend increases.
• Issue with AGR definition: The companies have been of the view that AGR should comprise the revenues generated from telecom services only and non-telecom revenues should be kept out of it.

Union Agriculture Minister inaugurates National Seeds Corporation’s state-of-the-art seed processing plant.

About National Seeds Corporation

• Objective: To promote and develop seed industry in the country through supply of quality seeds and other agro input/services as well as to enhance agricultural productivity.
• Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
• Establishment: 1963.
• Category: Schedule 'B', Miniratna Category-I corporation , wholly owned by Government of India

China's golden monkeys were sent to France and Belgium, fostering scientific and conservation collaborations similar to Panda Diplomacy. 

• Golden Snub Nosed Monkeys (also known as the Sichuan golden-snub monkey) is an Afro-Eurasian primate native to the central and southwestern regions of China.

About Panda Diplomacy

• It refers to the practice of the Chinese government gifting or loaning giant pandas to other countries as a symbol of friendship, goodwill, or to strengthen diplomatic relations.
• Other Similar Diplomacies: Orangutan diplomacy of Malaysia, Koala diplomacy of Australia, Elephant Diplomacy of Thailand.

A recent UN report highlights the UAE Consensus as a key milestone advancing global clean energy transition.

UAE Consensus

• Adopted at COP28 (2023): The UAE Consensus marked the first-ever Global Stocktake under the Paris Agreement.
• Energy Transition: Urges nations to transition away from fossil fuels in a just, fair, and balanced way.
• Renewables & Efficiency: Sets clear goals to triple renewable energy and double energy efficiency by 2030.
• Climate Finance: Calls for greater adaptation support and financial reforms to help vulnerable nations.
• Global Goal: Reinforces the collective aim to keep 1.5°C within reach and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Russia has successfully tested its nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable Burevestnik missile.

About Burevestnik missile (also called SSC-X-9 Skyfall)

• It is one of six strategic weapons of Russia’s new-generation nuclear arsenal.
• Type: Long-range, low-flying nuclear-powered cruise missile.
  • Cruise missile is powered by jet engines for continuous flight throughout their journey.

The Supreme Court orally mooted tasking the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) with the task of probing the menace of digital arrests.

About Digital Arrest

• Digital arrest is a scam designed to extort money from victims using fear, deceit, and intimidation.
• Fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officials, using threats of arrest, frozen bank accounts, and passport cancellations to coerce victims into paying a "fine" or "security deposit" to avoid legal action.

Japan has launched the world’s first yen-pegged stablecoin.

About Stablecoin

• It is a blockchain-based digital currency pegged to a fiat currency (like yen or dollar) to maintain a stable value.
• Purpose: It enables faster, low-cost, and secure digital transactions, bridging traditional finance and cryptocurrency.
• Other key Stablecoins: Tether (USDT) and USD Coin (USDC) etc.

Study links land use to water pollution in Manipur’s Loktak Lake which shares part with Keibul Lamjao National Park.

• Loktak lake  is largest freshwater lake in Northeast India and is famous for its phumdis (floating islands of vegetation).
• It has been a Ramsar site since 1990 and listed under the Montreux Record since 1993 due to ecological problems.

About Keibul Lamjao National Park

• Location: Southern part of Bishnupur district and eastern part of Thoubal district of Manipur.
• Declared wildlife sanctuary in 1954 & National park in 1977. It is the only floating park in the world.
• The largest area of the Phumdi in the Loktak lake is in the Keibul Lamjao National Park.
• Fauna: Brow-antlered deer(Sangai), Hog Deer, Otter.