04^th November 2025

1. Wildlife Institute of India (WII): Recently, a comprehensive assessment by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) revealed that vultures have disappeared from nearly 72% of their historically known nesting sites across the country.

• Key Findings: Out of 425 documented historical sites, only 120 remain active, with 93 new sites identified, bringing the total to 213 nesting locations.

• Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan together account for about 63% of all vulture nests, and over 60% of these are located within protected areas (PAs).
• The assessment is part of the Pan India Assessment and Monitoring of Endangered Species – Vultures project by the Wildlife Institute of India (WII).
• The study focused on four Critically Endangered vulture species — White-rumped, Indian, Slender-billed, and Red-headed vultures.
• White-rumped vulture: Once the most common, now recorded at only 69 sites (13% of historic range); lost nearly 90% of historical sites.
• Indian vulture: Found at 110 sites, retaining 86 old and adding 24 new, but lost 30% of historical sites.
• Slender-billed vulture: All 47 historical nesting sites lost; only 12 new sites found in Upper Assam with 20 active nests — indicating extreme decline.
• Red-headed vulture: Recorded at five new sites, with no nests remaining at earlier 10 sites.

2. Amphipods: Recently, researchers discovered two new species of marine amphipods — Grandidierella geetanjalae and Grandidierella khambhatensis — from Chilika Lagoon in Odisha and the Gulf of Khambhat in Gujarat.

• About Amphipods: Small crustaceans related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.

• They inhabit a wide range of environments — from oceans and freshwater bodies to land-based habitats.
• The name “Amphipoda” means “different-footed,” referring to their variety of leg types, unlike other crustaceans whose legs are uniform.
• There are over 7,000 known species, most belonging to the Gammaridea
• They vary greatly in size — some as small as 1 cm (0.04 in), while deep-sea species can reach 34 cm (13 in) in length.
• Amphipods are mostly detritivores, feeding on dead plant and animal matter, and play a vital role in ecosystem recycling and cleaning processes.
• Around 750 species live in caves, and some, like sandhoppers, are
• The largest species are found deep on the ocean floor, at depths up to 7 km (4.3 miles).

• About the New Species: Both species measure around 5.5–6 mm in length.

• They are detritivorous, feeding on organic matter, and contribute to ecosystem health by helping in natural cleaning and nutrient cycling.

3. Maldives: Recently, the Maldives became the first country in the world to implement a generational ban on tobacco.

• Key Highlights: The ban extends to vaping and e-cigarettes, which are completely banned for all age groups — covering import, sale, possession, and use.

• The Ministry of Health described the move as a historic milestone toward a tobacco-free generation and in alignment with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC).
• Penalties: Retailers selling tobacco to underage buyers face fines of MVR 50,000 (≈ Rs 2.9 lakh).
  - Individuals caught using vaping devices face fines of MVR 5,000 (≈ Rs 29,000).
• A national torch relay marked the implementation, featuring schoolchildren and officials.
• The move surpasses New Zealand’s earlier generational smoking ban (for those born after 2009), which was repealed in 2024 before enforcement.
• Tobacco use causes over 7 million deaths globally each year, including 6 million non-smokers from second-hand exposure.
• The policy supports the global “Tobacco Endgame” movement, aiming to phase out tobacco sales worldwide through strict regulations.

4. India and Bahrain: Recently, India and Bahrain reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence, trade, and strategic cooperation during the 5th India–Bahrain High Joint Commission meeting.

• Key Highlights: Focus areas: Strengthening defence, security, and trade cooperation between the two nations.

• Defence ties: Both sides expressed optimism about enhancing collaboration in defence and security
• Counterterrorism: The joint statement included unequivocal condemnation of terrorism in all forms and a reaffirmed commitment to combat cross-border terrorism.
• Trade relations: India is among the top five trading partners of Bahrain. Both countries noted progress on starting negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
• Tax cooperation: Agreement to begin Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) negotiations to eliminate double taxation, ensure tax certainty, and boost investment and trade.

5. Cloud Seeding: Recently, for the first time in nearly five decades, Delhi conducted two cloud seeding trials in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-K).

• About cloud seeding: It involves spraying a salt mixture (usually sodium chloride or calcium chloride) into clouds.

• Aircraft fitted with flares release these particles, encouraging ice or water droplet formation within clouds, leading to potential rainfall.
• Global history: Originated in the 1940s when General Electric scientists William Schaefer and Bernard Vonnegut discovered that dry ice could form ice crystals.
  - 1950s–60s: Cloud seeding gained global popularity — e.g., Soviets over Leningrad for clear skies and China before the 2008 Olympics.
  - Project Skywater (U.S.) used silver iodide over the Rockies to induce precipitation.
• India’s early experiments: First trials conducted in 1952 in Kolkata under K. Banerji, India Meteorological Department (IMD) chief.

6. Heavy Metals Presence in Cauvery River: Recently, a study by researchers at Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, revealed that heavy metals are contaminating the Cauvery River and accumulating in its fish species.

• Key Highlights: The study, published in Environmental Earth Sciences, analysed 18 sediment sites and 10 fish sampling sites between August 2023 and February 2024.

• Metals studied: Chromium (Cr), Cadmium (Cd), Copper (Cu), Lead (Pb), and Zinc (Zn).
• Main contaminants: Cadmium and lead identified as the primary contaminants of concern. Their concentrations in fish exceeded threshold safety limits, posing non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks.
• Human health impact: Occasional fish consumption is generally safe, but regular intake can cause cumulative toxic effects, especially from cadmium and lead.
  - Health risk depends on amount consumed, frequency, and age of the individual.
• Safe limit: Eating fish twice a week (250 g per serving) is considered safe, based on the study’s risk assessment.
• Ecological risk: Metal accumulation in fish shows bioaccumulation and potential biomagnification through the food chain. Indicates ecosystem imbalance and possible long-term contamination of aquatic life.

7. Encephalomyocarditis Virus (EMCV): Recently, the lone African elephant at Delhi’s National Zoological Park died after contracting a rare rodent-borne virus known as encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV).

• About EMCV: A non-enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus belonging to the genus Cardiovirus and the family Picornaviridae.

• It is the causative agent of encephalomyocarditis (EMC) infection, primarily affecting swine and several other mammalian species.
• African elephants are particularly vulnerable, with global outbreaks reported both in captivity and in the
• The virus is zoonotic, meaning it can infect humans, although most human cases remain asymptomatic.
• Transmission: EMCV spreads mainly through food or water contaminated by the urine or feces of infected rodents.
  - Rodents act as natural reservoirs and play a central role in the virus’s transmission to other animals.
• Hosts: The virus affects a wide range of species, including: Pigs (its primary host), Non-human primates, Zoo animals and various wild mammals, including elephants and rodents
• This marks the first reported case of EMCV in any Indian zoo.

8. Poorvi Prachand Prahar: Recently, India announced plans to conduct the tri-service military exercise ‘Poorvi Prachand Prahar’ in Mechuka, Arunachal Pradesh.

• About Poorvi Prachand Prahar: A forward-looking tri-service exercise designed to validate multi-domain integration across the land, air, and maritime domains.

• It aims to enhance warfighting capabilities, strengthen operational synergy, and promote technological innovation among the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• Aim: To refine interoperability, improve situational awareness, and validate joint command-and-control structures for integrated missions. To test readiness and operational coordination in realistic, high-altitude environments.
• Focus Areas: Multi-domain integration — combining capabilities across land, air, and maritime operations.
• Technological adaptation and networked operations for modern warfare.
• Previous Tri-Service Drills: ‘Bhala Prahar’ (2023) and ‘Poorvi Prahar’ (2024) were earlier tri-service exercises that laid the groundwork for this advanced integration phase.

9. Bharat Biotech: Recently, Bharat Biotech established a new contract research, development, and manufacturing organisation (CRDMO) named Nucelion Therapeutics, focused on advancing cell and gene therapies (CGTs).

• Key Highlights: Facility: 30,000 sq. ft. purpose-built GMP facility for end-to-end development and manufacturing.

• Capable of producing plasmids, viral and non-viral vectors, cell therapies, and handling aseptic fill and finish
• Scope and Services: Provides comprehensive services from early-stage clinical development to commercial-scale manufacturing.
  - Designed to meet international regulatory standards — including S. FDA and European Medicines Agency (EMA) norms.
• Focus Areas: Development of therapies for cancers, autoimmune diseases, and rare genetic disorders.
  - Aims to help global life science innovators with scalable, high-quality biomanufacturing solutions.

10. India and New Zealand: Recently, India and New Zealand began the fourth round of negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

• Key negotiation areas: Trade in goods, Trade in services

• Rules of origin — the criteria used to determine the country of origin for traded products.
• Progress: Both countries are building on earlier rounds of discussion and aiming for convergence on pending issues to achieve an early conclusion of the FTA.
• Rules of origin: Identified as a major sticking point not only in this negotiation but also in India’s ongoing FTA discussions with the European Union.