Researchers have tested the real-time LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) or rt-LAMP method for early and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB).

About rt–LAMP

• It is an open platform system for TB diagnosis.
• It is achieved by repurposing existing RT-PCR machine.
  • RT-PCR is a laboratory method used to make many copies of a specific genetic sequence for analysis. 
• It uses six primers (short DNA pieces), while RT-PCR uses only two.
  • Therefore, rt-LAMP giving positive results in just 10–20 minutes.

RBI has decided not to activate the CCyB. 

• This will ensure uninterrupted credit flow to key sectors and avoid a slowdown in GDP growth.

About CCyB

• Genesis: Introduced by RBI in 2015 under Basel III, but never used so far.
• Mandate: Banks must build extra capital during good times to support credit during downturns.
• Goal: Prevent excessive lending during booms and reduce systemic financial risks.
• Trigger for Usage: RBI’s framework envisages the credit-to-GDP gap as the main indicator. 
  • Other supplementary indicators may also be used.

A recent study shows Surat ETS reduced pollution by 20–30% and cut compliance costs for industries.

About Surat ETS

• Overview: Launched in Gujarat’s Surat in 2019, it is the world’s first-ever market for trading in particulate matter emissions. 
• Objective: To curb air pollution 
• Working Mechanism (Cap-and-Trade system): 
  • Each plant is given a limit on how much it can pollute. 
  • Those that stay within the limit can sell their unused permits to others that exceed theirs. 
  • This approach has been used in Europe for greenhouse gases and in China for carbon emissions.
• Trading: Industries trade permits on a platform by NeML (National Commodities and Derivatives Exchange e-Markets).

Google recently launched its 7th-generation TPU, called Ironwood, designed to enhance performance of AI models.

About TPU

• Specialised processor or Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) developed by Google in 2015, specifically optimized for machine learning and AI tasks.
• TPUs are designed to handle tensor operations (Core data structures used in ML models).
• Advantages of TPUs:
  • Optimized for AI Workloads: Built specifically for machine learning, TPUs outperform CPUs and GPUs in AI tasks
  • Faster Training: TPUs can train complex neural networks in hours.

About Central Processing Unit (CPU) and Graphics Processing Unit (GPU):

• CPU: General-purpose processor to handle various tasks.
  • CPUs can contain two to 16 cores. Ability to multitask is determined by number of cores in hardware.
• GPU: Specialized processor designed to perform multiple tasks concurrently/parallelly   rather than sequentially (like in a CPU).

Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has awarded 28 blocks under OALP Round-IX. 

About OALP 

• It was introduced under the Hydrocarbon Exploration and Licensing Policy (HELP) 
  • HELP was unveiled in 2016, replacing the New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP).
• OALP mechanism Allows the investors to carve out blocks of their choice by assessing Exploration and Production (E&P) data.
  • National Data Repository (NDR), an integrated data repository of E&P data of Indian sedimentary basins, facilitates the implementation of OALP

6th edition of Exercise Dustlik started in Pune, Maharashtra. 

• It is a yearly Joint Military Exercise event conducted alternatively in India and Uzbekistan.

CBI Launched Operation Chakra-V against Transnational Organized Cybercrime/Digital Arrests.

• Earlier Operation Chakra-IV was initiated by CBI to combat organized cyber enabled financial crime networks through a globally coordinated law enforcement response leveraging INTERPOL channels.

What is a ‘Digital Arrest’?

• It is a new form of cybercrime where scammers impersonate law enforcement over an audio or video call to trick people into giving personal information or paying money in lieu of bail or bribe.

As per IMD, 2025 southwest monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall is likely to remain above normal at 105% of LPA with a margin of ±5%.

What is Long Period Average (LPA) of rainfall?

• It is the rainfall recorded over a particular region for a given interval (like month or season) averaged over a long period like 30-years, 50-years etc.
  • Current LPA of southwest monsoon season over country as a whole for period 1971-2020 is 87 cm.
•  It acts as a benchmark while forecasting quantitative rainfall for that region for a specific month or season. 

The year 2025 marks the 150 years of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).

About BSE

• Established as ‘The Native Share & Stock Brokers' Association’ in 1875, it is Asia's first & world’s fastest Stock Exchange.
  • In 2017, BSE became 1st listed stock exchange of India.
• Role: BSE provides an efficient and transparent market for trading in equity, currencies, debt instruments, derivatives, mutual funds.
• Regulated by: Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
  • SEBI is a statutory body under SEBI Act, 1992.