The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has cleared capital acquisition proposals for nearly ₹1.05 lakh crore.

About DAC

• It serves as the apex body for strategic defence acquisition planning and oversight, ensuring coordinated decision-making across India's defence establishment.
• Chairman: Union Minister of Defense
• Functions:
  • Give ‘in principle’ approval to Capital acquisitions in the Long Term Perspective Plan.
  • Monitor the progress of major projects.
  • Grants acceptance of necessity for acquisition proposals

Recently, IOC flagged two issues i.e. governance crisis in Indian olympics association and rise in doping violations in the background of India’s pitch to host the 2036 Olympics. 

About IOC, 1894

• Type: Independent, non‑profit international organization.
• It is the guardian of the Olympic Games. 
  • It also supports the promotion of ethics and good governance in sport.
• Members -The IOC members are representatives of the IOC in their respective countries, and not their country's delegate within the IOC
• Funding- Entirely privately funded
• Hq- Lausanne, Switzerland.

Uninhabited Kariyachalli island has sunk significantly over the past few decades due to rapid erosion and rising sea levels.

About  Kariyachalli island:

• Location: Between Rameshwaram and Thhothukudi in the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park region, Tamil Nadu.
• Tamil Nadu Sustainably Harnessing Ocean Resources (TNSHORE) project will try to restore the reefs around the island with artificial modules,  planting seagrass beds and  reviving marine life.

Apache AH-64E combat helicopters are expected to be delivered to India soon, according to recent reports.

About Apache AH-64E

• One of the most advanced and lethal multi-role attack helicopters in the world.
• A fully integrated weapon system equipped with Hellfire missiles, rockets, and chain gun.
• Has  advanced sensors, radar, and night vision capabilities

Construction of Ethiopia's Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on Blue Nile has been completed.

• It is considered Africa's largest hydroelectric project.

About Blue Nile

• It is a major tributary of the Nile River
• Origin- lake Tana of Ethiopia 
• Course- Flows into Sudan to meet white Nile to form Nile at Khartoum.

19th edition of the Global Peace Index (GPI) has been released by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP).

About Global Peace Index (GPI)

• It included 163 countries. 
• It uses 23 qualitative and quantitative indicators across three domains: 
  • Level of Societal Safety and Security; 
  • Extent of Ongoing Domestic and International Conflict
  • Degree of Militarisation.
• Key Findings:
  • Average level of global peacefulness deteriorated
  • South Asia, the second least peaceful region globally, experienced the largest regional decline in peacefulness.
  • Ranking: Iceland has been placed at first place.
    • India’s rank is 115^th. 
    • Russia (163 Rank) is the least peaceful country

Recently Chile and Argentina were ranked among the coldest places on Earth outside the polar regions, owing to the polar anticyclone.

Polar Anticyclones

• They are wind systems associated with a region in which high atmospheric pressure develops.
• They are created by the cooling of surface layers of air. 
• This cooling causes the air near the surface to become denser and, which causes an inflow of air at high levels to replace the denser, sinking air.
• These processes increase the mass of air above the surface, thus creating the anticyclone. 
  • Anti-cyclone is a high-pressure area surrounded by low-pressure zones , with winds flowing outward from the center. 
  • Air-movement in anticyclone is outward and clockwise in Northern Hemisphere, outward and anti-clockwise in Southern Hemisphere. 

Indian Prime Minister during his Ghana visit gifted handcrafted artefacts such as Kashmiri Pashmina shawl to the country’s top leaders. 

Kashmiri Pashmina shawl

• It is woven from the fine undercoat of the Changthangi goat. 
• Celebrated for its softness and warmth, 

Other Handicrafts

• Bidriware vases (Bidar, Karnataka): The vases feature a zinc-copper alloy base with a distinctive black finish and fine silver inlay. 
  • These are engraved with floral motifs, they symbolise beauty, prosperity and harmony.
• Silver filigree purse (Cuttack, Odisha): It is known for its Tarakasi work.
  • The purse combines intricate floral and vine designs with modern style.
• Miniature Ambawari Elephant (West Bengal): It is handcrafted from polished synthetic ivory — an ethical alternative to natural ivory.

Please note: All the listed handicrafts, except the Miniature Ambawari Elephant, have been granted a Geographical Indication (GI) tag.

New York State was sued by the National Retail Federation over surveillance pricing.

About Surveillance Pricing (Personalized or dynamic pricing)

• It refers to the practice where businesses/Online Retailers use data collected about individuals to adjust prices of products or services.
• This data can include browsing history, location, purchase history, and more.