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Posted 01 Jul 2025

8 min read

Wilmington Declaration

The Coast Guards of India, Japan, the U.S., and Australia (QUAD members) have launched the first ‘QUAD at Sea Ship Observer Mission’ under the Wilmington Declaration.

  • The mission will strengthen maritime cooperation, security, and interoperability among QUAD coast guards in the Indo-Pacific and support India’s maritime vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

Wilmington Declaration (2024)

  • Issued by QUAD leaders in Wilmington, USA.
  • Reaffirms commitment to a free, open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific, respecting rule of law, democracy, and territorial integrity.
  • Other Key Initiatives Launched:
    • Quad Cancer Moonshot (focus: cervical cancer)
    • MAITRI – Maritime training in the Indo-Pacific
    • Ports of the Future Partnership for support for digital infrastructure, including undersea cables
  • Tags :
  • QUAD
  • Indo-Pacific
  • Wilmington Declaration

Altermagnets

Scientists from S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) discovered a unique duality in alternemagnets using chromium antimonide (CrSb).

About Altermagnets 

  • Definition: Altermagnets are a new type of magnetic material that combine the best features of ferromagnets and antiferromagnets.
    • Ferromagnets: Spins align in the same direction, resulting in strong magnetism. 
    • Antiferromagnets: Spins alternate, thus cancelling each other out, resulting in no external magnetism.
  • Features:
    • Like antiferromagnets, they exhibit alternating spins and therefore have no net magnetism.
    • But due to their unique crystal symmetry, they show intense internal spin polarisation, similar to ferromagnets.
  • CrSb (Chromium Antimonide) Shows the strongest spin-splitting among known altermagnets.

     
  • Tags :
  • Ferromagnets
  • Magnets
  • Altermagnets
  • Antiferromagnets
  • Chromium Antimonide

Disaster Alert Systems

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) operationalised the Integrated Alert System (SACHET), and a testing of the Cell Broadcast (CB) system is being conducted to ascertain the efficacy 

About SACHET (India’s SMS-Based Alert System)

  • Developed by Centre of Development of Telematics C-DOT using the Common Alerting Protocol (CAP), recommended by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
  • Active in all 36 States and UTs.
  • Sends geo-targeted SMS alerts during disasters like cyclones, floods, and storms.

About Cell Broadcast (Near Real-Time Emergency Alerts)

  • C-DOT is developing it.
  • CB alerts are broadcast directly to all mobile phones in the affected area.
  • Much faster than SMS—ideal for urgent disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, lightning, and gas leaks.
  • Tags :
  • Disaster Alert Systems
  • SACHET
  • Cell Broadcast

Mahabodhi temple

Image of Mahabodhi Temple Complex

 

Supreme Court declined to hear a plea challenging the Bodh Gaya Temple Act, which governs the management of the Mahabodhi Temple Complex in Bihar

Mahabodhi Temple Complex

  • Historical Background:
    • First temple was built by Emperor Ashoka in the 3rd century B.C.
    • Present structure dates to the 5th–6th century, late Gupta period.
  • Architectural Features
    • Features a curvilinear shikhara, topped by an amalaka and kalasha.
      • However, the design of the temple is neither Dravidian nor Nagara.
      • It is narrow like a Nagara temple, but it rises without curving like a Dravida one. 
  • Key Components: Main temple, Vajrasana (Diamond Throne), Sacred Bodhi Tree, holy sites of Buddha’s enlightenment, surrounded by votive stupas and three protective boundaries (inner, middle, outer).
  • Global recognition: UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Tags :
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site
  • Mahabodhi Temple
  • Bodh Gaya
  • Emperor Ashoka

Santhal Rebellion

170th years of Santhal rebellion is celebrated as Hul (revolution) Diwas..

About Santhal Rebellion (1855-56) 

  • Tribal uprising: Santhal rebellion was one of the first expressions of revolt against the British colonial regime.
    • It is also considered to be the inspiration for the 1857 rebellion. 
  • Region: It was organised in  Damin-i-Koh region in Rajmahal Hills of Jharkhand. 
  • Leadership: it was initaitved mainly led by four brothers Sidhu, Kanhu, Chand-Bhairav, Phulo & Jhano Murmu against British rule and exploitation.
  • Reason: It is attributed to Permanent Settlement Act of 1793 that led to their displacement from Birbhum and Manbhum regions (present day Bengal) and subsequent exploitation by Zamindars, police and British. 
  • Tags :
  • Santhal Rebellion
  • Tribal Uprising
  • Permanent Settlement Act of 1790

WaveX

Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MoI&B) has launched the WAVEX Startup Challenge 2025 under its flagship startup accelerator program, WaveX.

  • Challenge Titled BhashaSetu – Real-Time Language Tech for Bharat, is a national hackathon to develop an AI-powered multilingual translation solution across at least 12 major Indian languages. 

About WaveX

  • It is dedicated startup accelerator platform launched under the MoI&B’s WAVES initiative, aimed at nurturing innovation in the media, entertainment, and language technology sectors.
  • WaveX continues to support breakthrough ideas through targeted hackathons, incubation, mentorship, and integration with national platforms.
  • Tags :
  • Startups
  • Innovation
  • WaveX
  • Incubation

Reservation in Supreme Court

For the first time, the Supreme Court has introduced a formal policy of reservation in the direct appointment and promotion for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) staff in court’s internal administration.

  • The policy covers many posts, including registrars, senior personal assistants, assistant librarians, junior court assistants and chamber attendants.
  • However, this policy is not applicable on judges.
  • SC employees will receive a 15% quota and ST employees a 7.5% quota in promotions, aligning with central government’s reservation norms
  • Tags :
  • Supreme Court
  • Reservation
  • Judiciary

Andaman Sea

Andaman Sea, which falls within Seismic Zone V (highest earthquake risk zone), experienced three earthquakes in a day.

About Andaman Sea

An image showing the map of Andaman Sea
  • It is a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the northeastern Indian Ocean.
  • Bounded by Myanmar (North), Thailand and Malaysia (East), Indonesia and Strait of Malacca (South), and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (West). 
  • Geologically active with features like the Andaman Trench, formed by subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate.
  • Marine Biodiversity: 
    • Part of the Coral Triangle, known for high marine biodiversity. 
    • Important for migratory birds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway.
  • Tags :
  • Islands
  • Earthquake
  • Andaman Sea
  • Sea
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