West Asia Conflict Disrupts Bitumen Supply, Impacting India's Road Infrastructure Programme. 

About Bitumen

• Black or dark coloured solid or viscous cementitious substances consists of chiefly high molecular weight hydrocarbons. 
• Significance: Has adhesive properties, soluble in carbon disulphide, extensively used in road construction due to excellent binding and waterproofing characteristics at relatively low cost. 
• Production: Obtained as Residue or by-product when crude petroleum is refined. 
  • Employs a variety of refinery processes, like straight distillation process, solvent extraction process etc. 

India hosted 28th Meeting of Committee of Senior Officials (CSO) of IORA in New Delhi reaffirming commitment towards peaceful, stable, and prosperous Indian Ocean Region and regional cooperation. 

About IORA (Hq: Mauritius)

• It is an inter-governmental organisation established on 7 March 1997 based on the vision of Nelson Mandela. 
• Objective: Facilitate and promote regional cooperation in Indian Ocean Region.
• Members: 23 (Including India) and 12 Dialogue Partners. 
• Six Priority Areas: Maritime Safety & Security, Trade & Investment Facilitation, Fisheries Management, Disaster Risk Management, Tourism & Cultural Exchanges, Academic, Science & Technology. 
• Two Cross-Cutting Issues: Blue Economy and Women’s Economic Empowerment. 

Researchers from Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) undertook observation of NMHCs in Munsyari, a high-altitude Himalayan tourist destination.

• NMHC levels exhibited clear seasonal patterns with greater concentration during spring and autumn. 

About NMHCs

• Trace atmospheric constituents, including compounds like ethane, ethene, propane, propene, and isoprene.
• Primary air pollutants having adverse effects on both atmospheric environment and human health. 
• Vital precursors for photochemical formation of tropospheric ozone and secondary organic aerosols (SOA). 
• Production: Primarily from terrestrial sources, with some contribution from marine environments, exhibit distinct production processes influenced by environmental factors.

IIT-Delhi ranked (118^th globally) highest among Indian institutions in QS World University Rankings 2027 for the 2^nd consecutive year. 

About QS World University Rankings 2027

• Released by: QS Quacquarelli Symonds, UK based organisation. 
• Methodology: Universities are evaluated across five broad lenses:
  • Research and Discovery
  • Employability and Outcomes
  • Global Engagement
  • Learning Experience
  • Sustainability
• Key Highlights of 2027 Ranking
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) topped for 15th year. 
  • Features 52 Indian universities, making India world's fifth most represented higher education system.
  • Besides IIT-Delhi,  IIT-Bombay and IIT-Madras are other Indian institution in top 200 globally.

Ground-level ozone pollution is emerging as a major public health challenge in Delhi. 

About Ground-Level Ozone (O₃)

• A secondary air pollutant formed by reactions between Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight.
• Unlike stratospheric ozone (Good Ozone), which shields Earth from UV rays, ground-level ozone is a harmful pollutant (Bad Ozone).
• Found in the troposphere (lowest atmospheric layer).
• Major precursor sources include vehicles, industries and thermal power plants.
• Peaks during summer due to intense solar radiation.
• Causes respiratory ailments, crop damage and photochemical smog.

Government approves over 2.13 lakh additional houses for eligible urban poor families under PM Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0. 

About PM Awas Yojana-Urban 2.0  

• PMAY-U 2.0 builds upon the foundation of PMAY-U (launched in 2015), aims to provide affordable housing support to 1 crore urban families.
• Ministry: Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
• Key Features
  • Coverage: Economically Weaker Section, Low Income Group and Middle Income Group households without a pucca house.
  • Four Verticals: Beneficiary-Led Construction, Affordable Housing in Partnership, Affordable Rental Housing and Interest Subsidy Scheme.
  • Interest Subsidy: 4% subsidy on eligible home loans under the Interest Subsidy Scheme.

The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy has launched the Green Hydrogen Certification Portal of India (GHCI).

About Green Hydrogen Certification Scheme

• Mission: Launched under the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
• Goal: To establish a transparent framework for measuring, monitoring and certifying Green Hydrogen production.
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
• Emission Standard: To qualify as "Green", the hydrogen produced must have a GHG emission intensity of 2.0 kgCO2eq/kg H2 or less.
• Eligible Pathways: Applies to hydrogen produced via Electrolysis and the Conversion of Biomass (e.g., gasification, pyrolysis, dark fermentation).
• Mandatory Certification: Obtaining the certificate is compulsory if the producer receives any Central or State government incentives/subsidies
• Exemptions: Facilities producing 10 tons or less annually, and 100% export-oriented units that do not avail of any government incentives.

The Sexual Harassment electronic Box (SHe-Box) 2.0 portal strengthened the women’s Safety Framework under the Mission Shakti Initiative.

• Mission Shakti aims to strengthen interventions for women's safety, security, and empowerment. 
• It comprises two sub-schemes, ‘Sambal’ and ‘Samarthya,’ for the safety and security of women and the empowerment of women, respectively.

About SHe-Box

• SHe-Box 2.0, launched in 2024, provides a single-window platform for all women across organised and unorganised, public and private sectors to register complaints of sexual harassment. 
• It is developed to operationalise the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013.