2 Minute Series_28th August 2025

28^th August 2025

1. Open Defecation in Low-Income Countries: Recently, a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF highlighted that open defecation in low-income countries is four times higher than the global average.

• Key Findings: These nations are the only income group unlikely to eliminate the practice by 2030. The findings were released during World Water Week.
• Progress Since 2015:2 billion people gained access to safely managed sanitation.
• Global coverage increased from 48% to 58%.
• Three in five people now have access to hygienic toilets with safe waste disposal.
• Open defecation eliminated in Latin America & Caribbean, Eastern & South-Eastern Asia; nearly eliminated in Northern Africa & Western Asia. Low-income countries still lag significantly.
• Drinking Water Access: Global safely managed drinking water coverage rose from 68% (2015) to 74% (2024). Rural coverage increased from 50% to 60%; urban coverage remained at 83%.
• Inequalities in WASH: Major disparities by income, geography (rural vs. urban), gender, ethnicity, and disability. Women and girls spend more time collecting water.
• Menstrual Health: Data from 70 countries show widespread challenges affecting women and girls across all income levels.

2. PM SVANidhi Scheme: Recently, the Union Cabinet approved a major restructuring of the PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme. The revision extends its tenure to March 31, 2030, and increases loan amounts to provide greater support to street vendors across India.

• About PM SVANidhi Scheme: Started on 1 June 2020 to support street vendors affected by COVID-19 hardships.
• Implementation: By Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs and Department of Financial Services
• Coverage Expansion: Now includes census towns, peri-urban areas, beyond statutory towns.
• Loan Enhancements: 1st tranche: ₹15,000 (from ₹10,000), 2nd tranche: ₹25,000 (from ₹20,000) & 3rd tranche: ₹50,000 (unchanged)
• UPI-linked RuPay Credit Card: Provides immediate access to credit for business and personal needs.
• Capacity Building: Training on entrepreneurship, financial literacy, digital skills, and marketing.
• Hygiene & Food Safety: Standard training for street food vendors in partnership with FSSAI.
• Significance: Promotes holistic development, sustainable growth, financial empowerment, and inclusive socio-economic upliftment of street vendors and their families.

3. BRIGHT STAR 2025: Recently, over 700 personnel from the Armed Forces and Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff are scheduled to take part in the Multilateral Exercise ‘BRIGHT STAR 2025’.

• About BRIGHT STAR 2025: One of the largest Tri-Service exercises in the region.
• Frequency: Held biennially; last edition in 2023, with participation from India and other nations.
• Upcoming Edition Activities: Live Firing: Demonstrating capabilities of Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Command Post Exercise: Enhances joint planning, decision-making, and operational coordination.
• Short Training Exercises: Focus on various aspects of modern warfare.
• Subject Matter Expert Interactions: Cover multiple domains of contemporary military operations.
• Significance: Highlights India’s commitment to regional peace, stability, and security.
• Enhances jointness, interoperability, and cooperation with friendly foreign countries.

4. UN General Assembly: Recently, the UN General Assembly launched two mechanisms to strengthen global AI governance: the United Nations Independent International Scientific Panel on AI and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance.

• About Mechanism: Purpose: Address AI’s benefits and risks, foster international collaboration, and guide informed policymaking.
• Scientific Panel Role: Acts as a bridge between AI research and policy.
• Provides rigorous, independent scientific assessments.
• Aims to anticipate emerging challenges and inform governance decisions.
• Annual reports to be presented at Global Dialogue sessions in 2026 (Geneva) and 2027 (New York).
• Global Dialogue Role: Inclusive platform for States and stakeholders to discuss critical AI issues. Supports the Global Digital Compact adopted in 2024.
• Significance: Reflects global commitment to ethical, responsible, and collaborative AI governance amidst rapid technological advances.

5. Climate Change Impacts on the Gangotri Glacier System: Recently, a study by IIT Indore, in collaboration with scientists from four US universities and ICIMOD, Nepal, revealed significant climate change impacts on the Gangotri Glacier System (GGS), a major glacier in the central Himalayas that feeds the Ganga River.

• Key findings: Snowmelt dominates Ganga’s flow from Gangotri Glacier but its share is declining due to rising temperatures.
• Mean temperature rose by 0.5°C (2001–2020), causing earlier summer melting and shift in peak discharge from August to July.
• Glacier melt, rainfall-runoff, and base flow are increasing, reflecting climate-driven hydrological changes.
• Decadal variations show temporary snowmelt increase due to colder, wetter winters.
• Long-term trends indicate glacier retreat and reduced snow cover, posing risks to hydropower, irrigation, and water security.
• Findings corroborated by other Himalayan glacier studies, highlighting widespread climate change impacts.

6. Glanders: Recently, the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAHD), under the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying, announced a revised National Action Plan to tackle Glanders.

• About Glanders: A contagious and often fatal disease of equines caused by bacterium Burkholderia mallei.
• Affected Species: Primarily equines (horses, mules, donkeys); can also affect other animals and humans.
• Symptoms: Respiratory form: Nodules and ulcerations in the respiratory tract and lungs.
• Cutaneous form (Farcy): Skin nodules and lesions.
• Transmission: Ingestion of food or water contaminated with nasal discharge from infected animals.
• Contact with contaminated harnesses or equipment.
• Ingestion of infected horse meat.
• Geographical Occurrence: Sporadic reports in parts of Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.
• Global & National Status: Listed by WOAH (World Organisation for Animal Health) and notifiable under India’s PCICDA Act, 2009.

7. Hyperspectral Imaging Satellites: Recently, marking a significant milestone for Indian private space startups, three hyperspectral imaging satellites developed by Pixxel and Dhruva Space’s LEAP-1 payloads were successfully launched into orbit aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.

• About Pixxel’ Firefly Constellation: Planned 18–24 satellites depending on customer needs.
• Current Coverage: First six satellites provide global coverage every 24 hours.
• Imaging Capability: High-resolution (5-metre) imaging across 135 spectral bands for detailed Earth observation.
• About Hyperspectral Imaging: Captures 37–100+ bands from visible to short-wave infrared, allowing precise ecosystem monitoring, soil and crop analysis, leak detection, and mineral mapping.
• About Dhruva Space’s LEAP-1 Payload: Satellite Bus: P-30, providing power, propulsion, and communication subsystems.
• Payloads: Advanced AI module and hyperspectral imager
• Purpose: Complements Pixxel satellites for enhanced Earth observation and analytics.

8. Impact of US Tariffs on Indian Exports: Recently, the Finance Ministry of India warned that although the immediate impact of recent US tariffs on Indian exports may seem limited, the secondary and tertiary effects could pose significant economic challenges.
   • This comes after the US imposed a 50% tariff on several Indian goods.

• Key Highlights: The tariffs affect Indian exports worth over USD 48 billion.
• Sectors impacted include: Textiles, clothing, gems, jewellery, shrimp, seafood, leather, footwear, animal products, chemicals, electrical and mechanical machinery
• Secondary effects: Increased costs for domestic manufacturers relying on exports.
• Tertiary effects: Potential ripple effects on employment, supply chains, and allied industries.
• Economic Concerns: High tariffs may disrupt production, employment, and supply chains beyond immediate export losses.

9. ICAR-CMFRI: Recently, the Ministry of Minority Affairs and ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) announced plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

• The MoU will support a Skill Training and Women Entrepreneurship Development Project under the PM VIKAS scheme.
• Project Overview: Objective: Equip minority community members with specialised skills and entrepreneurial capabilities, enhancing self-employment and socio-economic empowerment.
• Target beneficiaries: 690 candidates from minority communities in Kerala.
• Training focus areas: Non-traditional fisheries-based skills: 270 candidates, including:
• 90 in Fish Hatchery Production
• 180 in Basics of Cage Culture Fish Farming
  • Leadership and entrepreneurship programmes: 420 women, enabling them to establish and manage enterprises.
  • Support: All participants will receive stipends during training, along with handholding and mentoring to facilitate self-employment opportunities.

10. UPM J1040−3551 AabBab: Recently, astronomers discovered a rare quadruple star system in the Milky Way, named UPM J1040−3551 AabBab. It is the first known system where two brown dwarfs orbit around two red dwarf stars.

• About UPM J1040−3551 AabBab: A unique four-star system consisting of:
  • Two red dwarfs: small, common stars that shine faintly but have extremely long lifespans.
  • Two brown dwarfs: objects that lie between stars and planets, often called “failed stars” because they cannot sustain hydrogen fusion like true stars.
  • Key Features: The brightness of the red dwarfs allows scientists to study the otherwise faint brown dwarfs.
• Brown dwarfs are roughly the size of Jupiter but are significantly more massive.
• Systems like this are extremely rare; the likelihood of low-mass brown dwarfs having companions is less than 5%.
• Significance: Studying brown dwarfs: Brown dwarfs are difficult to detect due to their cold and faint nature, making this system a valuable research opportunity.
• Mass distribution knowledge: Helps improve our understanding of mass distribution in the universe, which is important in dark matter studies.