India, Australia, and Canada announced a new trilateral framework ACITI, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Johannesburg.

About Australia Canada India Technology and Innovation (ACITI) Partnership

• Purpose: Enhance cooperation in critical and emerging technologies and innovation domains.
• Key Focus Areas: Including clean energy, diversified and resilient supply chains, particularly in critical minerals.
  • Explore ways to accelerate AI development and mass adoption to improve the lives of their citizens.

The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has released a revised draft of Bharat NCAP 2.0

• Under revised framework, a vehicle’s rating will be based on five assessment areas — Crash Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, Safe Driving, Accident Avoidance and Post-Crash Safety.

About Bharat New Car Assessment Programme (Bharat NCAP) 

• Launched: In October 2023 for crashworthiness ratings, and valid till 2027
• Purpose: Provides safety ratings for vehicles based on crash testing and evaluation criteria.
  • The programme is voluntary in nature.
• Designated Agency for Issuing Rating: Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) in Pune 
• Tests conducted: As per Automotive Industry Standard (AIS)-197

Home Ministry clarified that no Bill to change Chandigarh’s status will be introduced in the upcoming Winter Session.

• Earlier, a bulletin of the Lok Sabha had stated that the Centre would introduce the Constitution Amendment to include Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution.
• This would have opened the door to an independent administrator in the Union Territory of Chandigarh. 
  • The Punjab Governor is currently the Administrator of Chandigarh.

Article 240 of Constitution: 

• It grants the power to the President to make regulations for the peace, progress and effective governance of certain Union territories, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

Sangai Festival begins in Manipur amid the protests.

About Sangai Festival

• It is an annual 10-day cultural festival of Manipur (21–30 November) named after Sangai deer.
  • Sangai deer also known as the brow-antlered deer is a rare species found only in India's Keibul Lamjao National Park (World's only floating national park). 
  • Keibul Lamjao National Park is Located in Loktak Lake, Manipur. 
• It showcases Manipur’s traditions through dance, music, handlooms, handicrafts, food, and adventure activities.

Cambridge Dictionary has named ‘parasocial’ as the Word of the Year for 2025.

About Parasocial

• The term has become quite relevant in recent times, particularly with the rise of social media and the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots.
• It is a relationship involving or relating to a connection that someone feels between themselves and a famous person they do not know, a character in a book, film, TV series, etc.
• When people spend many hours consuming their content, viewers develop parasocial bonds, treating them more like close friends, family or cult leaders. 

Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) signed MoUs to boost cargo movement, passenger transport and river-based tourism in the Northeast.

About IWAI

• Genesis: Established in 1986, it is the nodal agency under the Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, mandated to develop and regulate National Waterways (NWs) in India. 
• Headquarters: Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
• Mandate & Functions
  • Development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.
  • Infrastructure development such as dredging, river training, terminal construction, and navigation aids.
  • Ensuring safe and efficient movement of cargo and passengers through inland water transport (IWT).
  • Development of National Waterways: After the National Waterways Act, 2016, a total of 111 waterways came under IWAI for development.

India continues to face recurring episodes of chemical adulteration in food, particularly through the use of non-permitted synthetic dyes, especially auramine O. 

About Auramine O

• Auramine O is a yellow, odorless, crystalline (sand-like) powder or flaky material. 
• It is used as a dye for paper, textiles, and leather, and is also used as an antiseptic and a fungicide. 
• It is not approved for use as a food colour in India, the European Union, the United States.
• Health risks: Liver and kidney damage, enlargement of the spleen, mutagenic effects that can alter genetic material, and potential carcinogenic outcomes.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies auramine as a substance that is possibly carcinogenic to humans.

10th Session of the APDIM on Inclusive Disaster Risk Data Governance held in New Delhi.

About APDIM

• Established: 2015.
• Type: Regional institution of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP).
• Headquarters: Tehran, Iran.
• Governing Council: Consists of eight ESCAP member countries elected for a period of three years and the Government of Iran. 
• Mandate: APDIM supports countries in the Asia-Pacific region to strengthen disaster risk reduction (DRR) through improved information management.
• Functions: Data and knowledge sharing, Capacity building, Risk assessment and analytics, helping countries strengthen early warning systems, response coordination, and post-disaster recovery planning, Promotes regional cooperation.