Buddha Purnima
Syllabus: GS1/ History and Culture
Context
- This year the Vaishakh Buddha Purnima is being celebrated on 12th May.
Buddha Purnima
- Buddha Purnima is the most sacred festival for Buddhists, observed on the full moon day of Vaishakh (April-May).
- The festival acts as a reminder to live a life of kindness, non-violence and wisdom.
- In India and other South and Southeast Asian nations, Buddha Purnima is celebrated as the “thrice-blessed day.” It marks the three major life events events in the life of Gautama Buddha:
- Birth at Lumbini
- Enlightenment (Nirvana) at Bodh Gaya
- Mahaparinirvana (Death) at Kushinagar
- However, in other parts of the world, the day signifies the birth of the Buddha while his spiritual awakening and death are honoured on separate occasions.
- Since 1999 it has also been recognized by the United Nations as the ‘UN Day of Vesak’.
Source: AIR
Lafora Disease
Syllabus: GS2/ Health
In News
- Researchers are hoping to find the treatment of Lafora Disease.
About
- Lafora disease is a rare, progressive, and fatal genetic disorder of the nervous system, classified under Progressive Myoclonic Epilepsies (PMEs).
- It was named after Spanish neuropathologist Gonzalo Rodríguez Lafora who first identified it.
- The disease is caused by the accumulation of Lafora bodies—abnormal, insoluble glycogen-like structures—in the brain and other tissues.
- This buildup disrupts neuronal function, leading to seizures, cognitive decline, and motor dysfunction.
- Mainly caused by mutations in the EPM2A or EPM2B (NHLRC1) genes. Lafora disease is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, consanguineous marriages (marriage between close relatives) increases chances of getting this.
- Currently, there is no cure for Lafora disease, and treatment mainly focuses on managing symptoms.
Source: TH
First Round of Negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement
Syllabus: GS2/ International Relations, GS3/ Economy
Context
- Recently, the first round of negotiations for the India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (FTA) concluded successfully.
Bilateral Trade between India-New Zealand
- Total merchandise trade between the two countries has reached USD 1.3 billion in financial year 2024–25, registering a strong growth of 48.6% over the previous financial year.
- India’s imports: Wool, Iron & Steel, Fruit & Nuts, Aluminium.
- India’s exports: Pharmaceuticals, Mechanical Machinery, Made-up Textile Articles, Pearls, Precious Stones & Metals.
| What is a Free Trade Agreement or FTA? – FTAs are arrangements between two or more countries or trading blocs that primarily agree to reduce or eliminate customs tariff and non tariff barriers on substantial trade between them. 1. They can cover both goods and services. – FTAs also address issues such as investment, mobility of professionals, and regulatory cooperation. |
Source: PIB
Equity Derivatives
Syllabus: GS3/Economy
Context
- Despite tightening of regulations in equity index derivatives, the trading activity of individuals in the segment continues to remain high.
About
- A Derivative is a financial instrument whose value is derived from the value of an underlying asset.
- The underlying asset can be equity shares or index, precious metals, commodities, currencies, interest rates etc.
- A derivative instrument does not have any independent value. Its value is always dependent on the underlying assets.
- These derivatives allow investors to gain exposure to a broad market or sector without having to own the underlying stocks.
- Uses of Equity Index Derivatives:
- Hedging: Protecting a portfolio against market downturns.
- Speculation: Taking directional bets on the market.
- Arbitrage: Exploiting price differences between the derivative and the underlying index.
- Asset allocation: Quickly gaining or reducing market exposure.
Musa Indandamanensis and Record Banana Infructescence
Syllabus: GS3/ S&T
In News
- An infructescence of about 4.2 metres has been recorded in a species of wild banana from Andaman and Nicobar islands, making it the longest infructescence recorded in bananas across the world.
What is Infructescence?
- Infructescence is a cluster or group of fruits arranged along a central axis or stem. It develops from an inflorescence (a cluster of flowers) after fertilization.
- In bananas, this is commonly seen in the form of a hanging bunch of fruits.
About the Discovery
- Musa indandamanensis was first discovered in 2012 in a remote tropical forest near the Krishna Nala Reserve Forest, Little Andaman.
- The species is endemic to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (ANI).
- The infructescence, or fruit bunch axis, recorded initially at 3 metres, has now reached 4.2 metres, making it the longest ever recorded in any banana species worldwide.
Significance
- Biodiversity Value: Highlights the rich endemic flora of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- Genetic Resource: Offers valuable traits for crop improvement in disease resistance & high yield potential.
- Research Potential: Useful for conservation biology, climate-resilient agriculture, and biotechnological innovations.
Source: TH
Asteroid YR4
Syllabus: GS3/ Space
In News
- NASA has announced that there is the probability of Asteroid YR4 colliding with the Moon by 2032.
About
- YR4 is classified as a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA), indicating its orbit brings it close to Earth’s orbital path.
- Discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), which operates from multiple locations globally.
What are Asteroids?
- Asteroids, sometimes called minor planets, are rocky, airless remnants left over from the early formation of our solar system about 4.6 billion years ago.
- Most asteroids can be found orbiting the Sun between Mars and Jupiter within the main asteroid belt.
Initiatives Related to Asteroid Monitoring
- International Asteroid Warning Network (IAWN): Established by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA), is a global framework to coordinate asteroid detection, orbit prediction, and threat assessment.
- NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirect Test (DART): Launched in 2021, it successfully impacted asteroid Dimorphos in 2022 to demonstrate kinetic impactor technology for asteroid deflection.
- European Space Agency’s Hera Mission: Launched on October 7, 2024, its primary goal is to study the aftermath of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission, which intentionally impacted the moonlet Dimorphos of the binary asteroid system Didymos in September 2022.
- ATLAS (Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System): Funded by NASA, is a global telescope network with observatories in Hawaii, Chile, and South Africa.
- International Asteroid Day: It is observed on 30th June to commemorate the Tunguska Event of 1908, the largest asteroid-related explosion in recorded history.
Source: TH
Territorial Army (TA)
Syllabus :GS 3/Security Agencies
Context
- Rule 33 empowers the Central Government to authorize the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) to call out the Territorial Army (TA).
- This provision can be invoked to provide essential guard duties or to supplement and support the regular Indian Army.
What is the Territorial Army (TA)?
- About: It is a volunteer force that acts as a second line of defence after the regular Indian Army. Unlike full-time soldiers, TA members are civilians who take time out of their regular jobs (doctors, engineers, business owners, and more) to train and serve the country in times of need.
- History: The genesis of the Territorial Army in India can be traced back to the first war of Independence in 1857, when a Volunteer Force was raised. The TA in its current form came into being when the Territorial Army Act was enacted on Aug 18, 1948.
- Rank: It comprises officers, junior commissioned officers (JCOs), non-commissioned officers (NCOs), and other ranks — all holding ranks identical to the regular Indian Army.
- Strength: The TA currently has a strength of over 40,000 personnel organised into 32 infantry battalions and various engineer and departmental units.
- Nickname and Motto: The force is nicknamed the ‘Terriers’ and operates under the motto ‘Savdhani Va Shoorta’ (Vigilance and Valour).
- Command: It is commanded by a Director General of Territorial Army, a Lieutenant General-ranked officer deputed from the Indian Army, and falls under the Chief of Defence Staff through the Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of Defence.
| Do you know? – Historically, the TA has actively participated in all major Indian conflicts since Independence, including the 1962 Sino-Indian War, the 1965 and 1971 Indo-Pak wars, the Kargil War, and various counter-insurgency and peacekeeping operations such as Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka and Operation Rakshak in Jammu and Kashmir. |
Source: TOI
India-Pakistan Ceasefire Declaration
Syllabus: GS3/ Defence
Context
- India and Pakistan have agreed to a ceasefire after the military escalations.
About
- A ceasefire is an agreement between nations involved in a conflict that seeks to regulate the termination of all military activity for a given length of time in a given area.
- A ceasefire does not represent an end to hostilities.
- It represents a truce, that is, “a temporary suspension of hostilities,” in both international as well as non-international armed conflicts.
- The remedies for a breach of a ceasefire are detailed in the Regulations Respecting the Law and Customs of War on Land, also called the Hague Regulations, that were formulated in 1910.
- A serious breach of a truce by one of the involved parties gives the other a right to denounce it, and in urgent cases, to recommence hostilities immediately.
- It authorises the “injured party to demand the punishment of the offenders or, if necessary, compensation for the losses sustained.
India-Pakistan Ceasefire Agreement
- Simla Agreement (1972): Between India and Pakistan (after the 1971 India-Pakistan war that led to the creation of Bangladesh)
- Key Provisions: Both countries agreed to resolve issues bilaterally, without external intervention.
- The Line of Control (LoC) was established in Jammu and Kashmir, replacing the former Ceasefire Line.
- 2003 Ceasefire Understanding: Applied to the entire LoC and other agreed sectors.
- It was a mutual but informal understanding rather than a formal treaty.
Source: IE
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