1. President’s Rule imposed in Manipur

1.President’s Rule imposed in Manipur: Indian President recently issued a proclamation under Article 356 of the Constitution after receiving a report from Governor

• About: The State Emergency is imposed under Article 356 when a state's constitutional machinery fails. It allows the central government to take direct control of state governance.

oIt is one of the three types of emergencies under the Indian Constitution.

oInvoked due to political instability, law & order breakdown, or a hung assembly.

• Constitutional Provisions: Union must protect states from external aggression & internal disturbances (Article 355) → President can take over a state's functions if its government fails constitutionally (Article 356) → Allows President to legislate for the state through ordinances (Article 357) → If a state fails to follow the Centre’s directions, the President can assume control (Article 365).
• Parliamentary Approval & Duration: As per Article 356(3), the proclamation must be approved by both Houses of Parliament within two months, else it will cease to operate.

oInitially for six months, extendable up to three years with approval every six months.

oPresident can revoke at any time without parliamentary approval.

• Supreme Court Judgments on President’s Rule: S.R. Bommai Case (1994) & Rameshwar Prasad Case (2006)
• Key Recommendations by Commissions: Sarkaria Commission & Punchhi Commission
• Previous President’s Rule in Manipur: Last imposed from June 2, 2001, to March 6, 2002 (277 days).

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2. Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

2.Crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC): M23 militia, backed by Rwanda, has captured Goma, a mineral-rich city on the DRC-Rwanda border.

• As per the UN estimates approx. 2,900+ killed, 700,000 displaced, many injured (since January).
• About Democratic Republic of the Congo: A country in Central Africa. By land area, the DRC is the second-largest country in Africa and the 11th-largest in the world. 
  • Bordered by:  The Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic, South Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania (across Lake Tanganyika), Zambia, Angola, the Cabinda exclave of Angola, and the South Atlantic Ocean.
  • Geographical features of DRC: Congo River, flows through DRC & Republic of the Congo, Africa’s 2nd longest river, vital for transportation.

  oKatanga Province: A mineral-rich region in DRC, known for cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds.

  oSahara Desert: World’s largest hot desert, covering North African countries with arid landscapes & extreme temperatures.

  oNile River: World’s longest river, flowing through 11 countries, crucial for ancient civilizations & development.

  • Rwandan Genocide (1994): Tutsi repression under Hutu rule led to the formation of the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), triggering a civil war (1990) → Rwandan invasions of DRC (1996, 1998) led to Africa’s World Wars: First Congo War (1996) & Second Congo War (1998-2003).
  • About M23 Rebels: Formed in 2012, named after March 23, 2009 agreement between DRC & Tutsi-led CNDP.
  • Uganda’s stance: Supports Congolese troops hunting IS-linked militants which allows M23 to use its territory (as per UN reports).

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3. Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS)

3.Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS): Over ₹12,000 crore allocated for station redevelopment in FY 2025-26 under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.

• About ABSS: Launched in February 2023 by the Ministry of Railways to redevelop railway stations across India → Focuses on continuous, phased development with master plans tailored to each station’s needs → Aims to modernize stations with improved passenger amenities, traffic flow, inter-modal integration, and signage → Introduces new amenities while upgrading/replacing existing ones → Envisions stations as vibrant city centres with modern infrastructure.
• Key Features of ABSS: Modern Passenger Amenities → Improved Traffic Circulation → Inter-Modal Integration → Upgraded Signage → Sustainability Measures → Eco-Friendly Initiatives
• Priority Stations: 80 major stations like Gorakhpur, Lucknow (Charbagh), Prayagraj, CST, Muzaffarpur under continuous monitoring.
• Implementation Models: Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) Model & PPP Mode (Used for 20 key stations like Pune, Delhi Junction, Vijayawada, Chennai Central)

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4. Indian Nano Satellite-1C (INS-1C)

4.Indian Nano Satellite-1C (INS-1C): As per the ISRO officials, a miniature multi-spectral technology demonstration (MMX-TD) camera on-board INS-1C is sending high-resolution images of Earth.

• About INS-1C: It carries Miniature Multispectral Technology Demonstration (MMX-TD) Payload from Space Applications Centre (SAC).
• PSLV-C40 Mission: Placed INS-1C in orbit on January, 2018, 3rd satellite in the Indian Nano Satellite (INS) series.
• Origami Optics: Built on the multi-fold reflective optics concept, reducing thickness compared to conventional cameras.
• Applications: Data can be used for topographical mapping, vegetation monitoring, aerosol scattering, and cloud studies.
• Orbit & Imaging: Provides RGB images covering 29m × 29m area with 23m ground sampling, operates from a 505 km polar sun-synchronous orbit.
• Technology & Development: Developed by ISRO’s Space Applications Centre under the Robust Technology Development Programme, uses metal mirrors instead of conventional glass-based lenses, enhancing spectral coverage.

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5. Bar Council of India

5.Bar Council of India: Recently, the Union government proposed an amendment to the Advocates Act, 1961.

• About: The Bar Council of India is a statutory body that regulates and represents the Indian bar, was created by Parliament under the Advocates Act, 1961. 
• Structure of the Bar Council of India: Consists of 18 Members. 

oThe Attorney General of India and the Solicitor General of India are Ex-officio Members of the council and the other 16 Members represent the 16 State Bar Councils in the country. 

oThe Members are elected for a period of five years and the Chairman and Vice -Chairman are elected for a period of two years from among the Members of the Bar Council of India. 

oThe Bar Council further consists of various committees viz., Legal Education Committee, Disciplinary Committee, Executive Committee, Legal Aid Committee, Advocates Welfare Fund Committee, Rules Committee and various other Committees formed to look into specific issues arising from time to time.

• About Key Provisions of the Draft Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2025
• Prohibition on Lawyer Strikes: Under New Section 35A, advocates cannot call for boycotts or abstain from court work, nor cause obstruction in court functioning.
• Violation = Misconduct: Punishable under the Act and regulations.
• Exception: Advocates may strike only if it does not disrupt justice, e.g., symbolic or one-day token strikes for professional concerns.
• Government Nominees in Bar Council of India (BCI): Centre can nominate up to three members to BCI (Section 4).
• Existing Members: Attorney General, Solicitor General, and one member from each State Bar Council.
• Power of the Central Government (New Section 49B): Centre can direct BCI on matters necessary for executing provisions of the Act or related rules.

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6. Neutrino

6.Neutrino: Recently, Scientists detected a high-energy neutrino using an observatory under construction deep beneath the Mediterranean Sea near Sicily.

• About: Neutrinos are undisturbed by magnetic fields and rarely interact with matter, making them "cosmic messengers" that can be traced back to their source.

oThe research was conducted by KM3NeT (Cubic Kilometre Neutrino Telescope) Collaboration.

oThe neutrino is believed to have originated beyond the Milky Way galaxy, possibly from one of 12 supermassive black holes actively consuming surrounding matter.

oNeutrinos provide insights into the cosmos beyond electromagnetic radiation (light), as they pass through matter without being deflected.

• Unlike cosmic rays, whose paths are altered by magnetic fields, neutrinos travel in straight lines, making them more reliable messengers.
• Detecting neutrinos is complex, requiring large observatories deep underwater or in ice to detect their interactions with matter.
• High-energy neutrinos are produced by extreme astrophysical events like: Black holes consuming matter → Gamma-ray bursts from star explosions → Cosmic rays interacting with background radiation.

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7. Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs)

7.Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs): India's efforts to finance green investments through Sovereign Green Bonds (SGrBs) face low investor demand, limiting the government's ability to secure a green premium (lower yields than regular bonds).

• About Green Bond: It issued by any sovereign entity, inter-governmental groups or alliances and corporates with the aim that the proceeds of the bonds are utilised for projects classified as environmentally sustainable.
• They are financial instruments that finance green projects and provide investors with regular or fixed income payments, announced in the Union Budget 2022-23.
• First ever green bond: Issued by the World Bank in 2008.
• Significance: Importance financial instrument has emerged as an important financial instrument to deal with the threats of climate change and related challenges.

oCollaboration: It’s critical to connect environmental projects with capital markets and investors and channel capital towards sustainable development.

oCarbon footprint: It will further reduce the carbon footprint of the country.

oFor investors:  A platform to engage in good practices, influencing the business strategy, provides a means to hedge against climate change risks while achieving at least similar, if not better, returns on their investment.

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8. QUAD

8.QUAD: India and the US announced new QUAD initiatives and launched the Indian Ocean Strategic Venture.

• Quad Initiatives refer to the Leaders to activate new partnerships in the Western Indian Ocean, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific.
• About QUAD: Strategic forum of USA, Japan, India, and Australia.
• Objective: Promote regional security, economic cooperation, and a free & open Indo-Pacific.
• Key Focus Areas: Democracy, human rights, rule of law, countering China's influence.
• Genesis & Evolution:

o 2007: Proposed by Japan’s PM Shinzo Abe; formed during an informal ASEAN meeting.

o 2012: Concept of ‘Democratic Security Diamond’ proposed by Japan, including US, Japan, India & Australia.

o 2020: Malabar naval exercises expanded to include Australia, marking the first Quad military exercise in a decade.

o 2021: First Quad leaders' virtual meeting; released joint statement ‘The Spirit of the Quad’.

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