A 7.3-magnitude earthquake strikes off Alaska, which is part of the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.

About the Pacific Ring of Fire

• It is a string of volcanoes and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.
  • Spans over 15 countries including western Americas, Alaska, Russia, Japan, Philippines, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, and Antarctica
• Roughly 90 percent of all earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire, and the ring is dotted with 75 percent of all active volcanoes on Earth.
• It is the result of plate tectonics.
• It has also led to the formation of deep underwater trenches, like the Mariana Trench (world’s deepest spot).

India has reiterated its commitment to ensuring justice for crimes committed against UN peacekeepers at the meeting of the Group of Friends (GOF).

About GOF

• It is Indian-led and seeks to facilitate the promotion of accountability for all acts of violence against UN peacekeepers.
• Launched in 2022.
• The Group is a driving force of United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC) and plays a vital role in UNAOC’s strategic planning and implementation process.

A team from IIT Kanpur has used GPR to detect ancient Buddhist stupas and buried structures in Haryana’s Yamuna Nagar district.

About GPR technology

• It is a high-resolution geophysical method that uses high-frequency electromagnetic waves to detect underground features.
• Waves are reflected, refracted, or scattered based on subsurface materials (e.g., soil, rock, buried objects).
• Depth range: Typically it is limited to depths of approximately 10 meters
• Use:It helps detect:Depth to bedrock, water table, and soil layers,Buried stream channels, cavities, and fractures etc.

Gujarat launches India’s first tribal genome project to tackle inherited diseases.

About Tribal Genome Sequencing Project

• Objective: To identify genetic health risks and enable precision healthcare for tribal populations.
• Scope: It will sequence the genomes of 2,000 individuals from tribal communities across 17 districts in the State.
• Implemented by: The Gujarat Biotechnology Research Centre (GBRC).
• Focus: Early detection and targeted treatment of genetic disorders such as sickle cell anaemia, thalassaemia, and certain hereditary cancers.

Lava erupted from a massive fissure in Iceland after a series of powerful earthquake swarms struck.

About Earthquake Swarm

• Definition: Earthquake swarms are sequences of many earthquakes that occur in a relatively short period without a specific main shock. 
• Swarms can last weeks and produce many thousands of earthquakes.
• Swarms are observed in volcanic environments, hydrothermal systems, and other active geothermal areas.

Why is Iceland Prone to Earthquakes?

• Iceland stands out for its seismic activity not just because it's situated on a tectonic ridge (Mid-Atlantic Ridge), but also due to the presence of a mantle plume beneath it. 
• Iceland experiences volcanic activity at the intersection of both a mantle plume and a tectonic boundary.

In a recent judgement (Estate Officer, Haryana Urban Development Authority vs landowners) the Supreme Court claimed that Rehabilitation is not a fundamental right.

About the Judgement

• Article 21 Limitation: Deprivation of livelihood under Article 21 is not a sustainable ground in land acquisition cases.
• Compensation vs Rehabilitation: Fair monetary compensation is constitutionally guaranteed, but rehabilitation beyond legal provisions is not mandatory.

Limited Scope of Right to Rehabilitation

• Rehabilitation is not a constitutionally recognized right under the Land Acquisition Act. (Amarjit Singh vs State of Punjab (2010))
• The state cannot be compelled to provide alternative accommodation. (State of MP vs Narmada Bachao Andolan (2011).

Astronomers have revealed the story behind powerful Coronal Mass Ejections, sparking rare northern lights over Ladakh in May 2024.

• CMEs change their thermal behaviour mid-journey. Initially, the CMEs release heat but then enter a state where they actually absorb and hold onto it.

About CMEs

• They are large expulsions of plasma and magnetic field from the Sun’s corona. 
• They can eject billions of tons of coronal material and carry an embedded magnetic field.
• The fastest Earth-directed CMEs can reach our planet in as little as 15-18 hours. Slower CMEs can take several days to arrive
• When such solar blasts are directed toward the Earth, they can cause geomagnetic storms capable of disrupting satellite operations, communication systems and power grids

CSC e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPC) celebrates 10 Years of Digital India

• In this occasion the Minister announced Free AI training for 10 lakh individuals, with priority for all Village Level Entrepreneurs

About Common service Center (CSC)

• Established in 2006 under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)
• Vision: To deliver digital services to the last mile and to create a robust ICT-based network across India.
• Expansion of CSC Network
  • From 83,000 CSCs in 2014 to over 5.5 lakh CSCs across India today.
  • It has reached nearly 90% of villages in the country.
• Key Services Offered at CSCs: Aadhaar enrollment and update, PAN card processing, passport applications, banking and insurance service, etc.
• Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs) playing a key role in delivering digital services at the grassroots.