Defence Minister pays tribute to the courage and sacrifices of the Indian Peacekeeping Force in Sri Lanka on the occasion of the 10th Armed Forces Veterans Day.

About Operation Pawan

• Operation Pawan was the military operation conducted by the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) in Sri Lanka following the Indo–Sri Lanka Accord (29 July 1987).
• The IPKF remained deployed until March 1990, when it was withdrawn following a change in the Sri Lankan government’s policy.

American biologist has been awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement for her work on mycorrhizal networks.

• Tyler Prize is also called the "Nobel for the environment"

About mycorrhizal networks

• Definition: These are underground fungal networks in which mycorrhizal fungi connect the roots of multiple plants through hyphae( fungal threads).
  • Mycorrhizal fungi form a symbiotic association where plants provide carbohydrates to the fungi, and in return receive enhanced access to water and essential nutrients.
• The underground network of fungi in the forest ecosystem is known as Wood Wide Web
• Other Ecological Role: They are responsible for drawing down 13 billion tons of CO2 into soil systems every year. 

The report has warned that the global unemployment rate is projected to remain at the historically low level of 4.9% (equivalent to 186 million people) this year.

Key Highlights of the Report

• Progress in employment quality has stalled: Between 2015–2025, extreme working poverty fell marginally by 3.1%.
• Increase in Informality of Work: By 2026, 2.1 billion workers globally are projected to be informally employed.

India Related Findings

• Manufacturing Sector: India accounts for 3% of the world’s manufacturing.
• Jobs in the renewable energy sector: India along with Japan and Korea is making significant headway in increasing the number of renewable energy jobs.
  • Demand for green-skilled workers in India is more than supply.

Nipah virus has been detected among healthcare workers in West Bengal

About Nipah Virus

• It is a zoonotic virus.
• It can be transmitted to humans from animals such as bats or pigs, or contaminated foods and can also be transmitted directly from human-to-human.
• Signs and symptoms: Human infections range from asymptomatic infection to acute respiratory infection (mild, severe), and fatal encephalitis.
• Natural host: fruit bats
• Treatment: There are currently no drugs or vaccines specific for Nipah virus infection

Scientists have confirmed India’s first case of pufferfish poisoning.

About Freshwater Pufferfish

• They are a diverse group of approximately 30 to 35 species within the family Tetraodontidae that live their entire lives in fresh water.
• Common names: toadfish, patkafish, balloonfish and fugu.
• Distribution: Western Ghats and major basins such as the Ganga, Brahmaputra and Mahanadi.
• Pufferfish are omnivorous and benthic in habitat.
• Uniqueness: Dangerous due to tetrodotoxin (TTX) which is one of the most potent neurotoxins known in nature.

The Indian Skimmer Conservation Project was launched by Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS).

• BNHS, started in 1883 is one of the largest non-governmental organizations in India engaged in conservation and biodiversity research.

About Indian Skimmer: 

• Native Range: South Asia (mainly India, Bangladesh, Pakistan; extends to Nepal, Myanmar)
• Characteristic: Skims water surface with specialized beak (lower mandible longer) to catch fish/aquatic prey.
• Habitat: Found primarily on larger, sandy, lowland rivers, around lakes and adjacent marshes, estuaries and coasts.
• Consrvation Status: IUCN Status (Endangered)

The Supreme Court ruled that a daughter-in-law who becomes a widow after the death of her father-in-law is entitled to claim maintenance from his estate under the Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956.

About Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956:

• Purpose: Codifies and standardizes the legal rules for adoption and maintenance among Hindus, replacing various customs with a uniform statutory framework.
• Applicability: Applies to Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs. It also covers converts to these religions and abandoned children brought up within these communities.
• Exclusions: Does not apply to Muslims, Christians, Parsis, or Jews.

The government has registered two high-yielding synthetic cattle breeds, Karan Fries and Vrindavani.

• Also, new indigenous breeds of cattle and buffalo have been recognised, such as Medini (Jharkhand), Rohikhandi (Uttar Pradesh), and Melghati (Maharashtra). 

About Karan Fries and Vrindavani.

• Karan Fries: 
  • Developed by: National Dairy Research Institute (NDRI), Karnal, Haryana,
  • About: This breed is a cross between indigenous Tharparkar cows and Holstein-Friesian bulls.
• Vrindavani: 
  • Developed by: ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI), Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh,
  • About: This composite breed blends Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Jersey breeds with the Hariana breed, hardy indigenous cattle known for its resilience.

Significance of synthetic cattle breeds: Enhanced milk productivity without compromising climate adaptability and disease resistance.

Voyager 1 is expected to become the first human-made object to reach a distance of one light-day from Earth.

• One light-day is the distance that light travels in 24 hours, which is about 16 billion miles away. 

About Voyager 1

• Launched in 1977 by NASA to fly by Jupiter and Saturn.
• Instruments: Imaging Science System (ISS), Ultraviolet Spectrometer (UVS), etc.
• Key Achievements:
  • First spacecraft to cross the heliosphere, the boundary where the influences from outside our solar system are stronger than those from our Sun.
  • First human-made object to venture into interstellar space.