Turkiye will host UNFCCC COP31 and Australia will hold its presidency.

About United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP)

• COP is the supreme decision-making body of UNFCCC.
• COPs are annual conferences where UNFCCC member countries assess progress, negotiate agreements, and refine commitments to address climate change.
  • A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories (e.g., Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)) submitted by Parties.
• COP 1 : Held in Berlin, Germany (1995).

U.S. has approved the sale of Javelin anti-tank missile system, Excalibur guided artillery munitions, and related equipments, worth $93 million to India.

About Javelin Missile System (FGM-148 Javelin)

• Manufacturer:  Produced by a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Raytheon.
• It is a man-portable “fire-and-forget” anti-tank guided missile.
• Capability:  Defeats main-battle tanks and other armoured threats using top-attack or direct modes.
• It is a medium-range, ‘fire-and-forget’ missile for use against multiple targets including armoured vehicles, bunkers and caves. 

About Excalibur Guided Artillery Munition

• Manufacturer:  Developed by Raytheon Missiles & Defense (RTX) as a precision-guided 155 mm artillery round.
• Capability: Provides long-range precision strike, minimising collateral damage and reducing logistical burden.

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has directed states and UTs to remove beverages and similar products being marketed using the term ORS.

About ORS

• ORS term is associated exclusively with WHO-recommended Oral Rehydration Salts, which are drug products.
• Purpose:  It is a simple, low-cost glucose electrolyte solution used to prevent and treat dehydration from acute diarrhoeal diseases which is a leading cause of child mortality in developing countries.
• WHO recommended ORS salts composition: Sodium chloride, glucose (anhydrous), potassium chloride, and trisodium citrate (dihydrate).
• Functions: Glucose enhances sodium and water absorption, sodium and potassium replace essential electrolyte losses, and citrate helps correct dehydration-related acidosis.

Centre abolishes Sign-On, Sign-Off & Shore Leave Passes (SLP) Rules for all Indian Vessels exclusively operating in Indian waters.

• Under SLP, seafarers had to physically appear at immigration offices for issuance of SLP and extensions every 10 days, causing operational delays and disrupted crew duties on board.
• Other Initiatives promoting development of Indian Shipping Vessels include Right of First Refusal (ROFR), Subsidy support to Indian Shipping Companies, Ship Building Financial Assistance Policy etc. 

India calls Joint Crediting Mechanism (JCM) a key tool for equitable, scalable global climate action at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

About JCM

• History:  Initiated by Japan in 2013 to promote low-carbon technologies through bilateral crediting partnerships.
• Aim: Facilitate diffusion of leading decarbonizing technologies and infrastructure, etc., through investment by Japanese entities, thereby contributing to GHG emission reductions or removals and sustainable development in partner countries. 
• Partnership: Now spans 31 partner countries with 280+ projects, including India-Japan collaboration.
• Framework: Functions under Paris Agreement Article 6, enabling transparent credit sharing and finance mobilisation.
• Focus Areas: Renewable energy with storage, green hydrogen/ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel, biogas, and hard-to-abate sectors.

Recently, 26 E-Commerce platforms declared compliance to eliminate Dark Patterns

• They voluntarily submitted self-declaration letters confirming compliance with the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023. 

About Dark Patterns

• Definition: These are deceptive online design tactics that mislead users into unintended actions, such as false urgency or basket sneaking.
• Regulation: It is identified and prohibited under the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Dark Patterns, 2023 issued by the Department of Consumer Affairs.

At COP30 in Brazil, the "Global Mutirão" initiative calls for urgent, collective mobilization to enforce the transition away from fossil fuels.

About Global Mutirão

• History: Inspired by the Brazilian and Indigenous tradition of mutirão, it refers to community labour for shared goals, and adapted by COP30 Presidency as a global climate mobilisation tool.
• Concept: Presents climate action as a cooperative, society-wide effort aligned with the Paris 1.5°C target.
• Scope: Seeks participation from governments, cities, private sector and civil society to accelerate implementation, finance, and technology deployment.
• Platforms: Uses tools such as the Maloca digital hub to broaden participation and link local action with global goals.

Pharmacogenomics is revolutionizing precision medicine by using an individual's genetic profile to tailor drug prescriptions for maximum safety and efficacy.

About Pharmacogenomics

• It merges pharmacology and genomics to study how genes influence a person’s response to drugs.
• Purpose: Helps predict which medications will be effective, which may not work, and which could cause adverse reactions. 
• Promise: It supports precision medicine by guiding the “right drug, right dose, right patient” approach.
• Safety: Significantly reduces adverse drug reactions by identifying patients predisposed to toxicity or poor efficacy.
• Challenges: Access, diverse population data, and integration into clinical practice still limit wider adoption.