Union Environment Ministry issued an order appointing 2 judicial members and 4 expert members to the NGT, which is currently functioning below its sanctioned strength.

About NGT (HQ: New Delhi)

• Origin: Established  under the NGT Act, 2010 to adjudicate environmental cases.
• Powers: Has power of a Civil Court under Code of Civil Procedure, 1908.
  • However it is not bound by the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 or the Indian Evidence Act, 1872 and is guided by Principles Of Natural Justice.
• Members: Members shall hold office for 5 years, but shall not be eligible for re-appointment.
• Eligibility: Chairperson: Judge of the Supreme Court or Chief Justice of a High Court.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has cleared the first-ever cadre review of the Border Security Force (BSF).

• BSF is the largest border guarding force in the world.

About BSF

• Genesis: Formed in 1965 after Pakistan’s attack in Gujarat.
• Nodal Ministry: A Central Armed Police Force under the Ministry of Home Affairs
• Deployment: 
  • Guards India’s borders with Pakistan & Bangladesh. 
  • Some Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) affected states.

Roles

• Peacetime: Stop cross-border crimes (e.g., smuggling), ensure security in border areas.
• Wartime: Hold sectors till the Army arrives, assist in attacks, guard POWs, protect supply lines & rear areas.

Post Operation Sindoor, IAF is pressing for rapid progress on Project Kusha.

About Project Kusha or Program Long Range Surface to Air missile (PGLRSAM)

• Approved in 2022 with a budget outley of 21700  crore rupees.
• It is an indigenous initiative led by DRDO to develop a long-range air defence missile system.
• Phase 1- includes 4 interceptors  variants under developments: 
  • M1(range 150 km), M2(250 km), M3( 350-400 km) and Naval variant(200 - 300 km ).
• Phase 2- aims to develop an even longer range(exceeding 600 km) interceptor missile.

The Public Accounts Committee criticized the current perpetual tolling system.

About Perpetual Tolling

• Origins: Started with 2008 amendment allowing toll collection even after project costs are recovered formalized in 2023. 
• Current System:
  • Toll rates set in 2008 with annual 3% increase
  • After a Build Operate Toll project’s concession ends, NHAI operates toll plazas with revenue going to Consolidated Fund of India
• Proposed Solutions
  • Technology-driven mechanism for automatic toll refunds when highways are under maintenance or unfit
  • Independent oversight authority to justify any toll continuation beyond cost recovery
  • Transparent assessment of actual operation and maintenance costs

Researchers have identified specific antibodies, known as envelope dimer epitope (EDE) as the key for understanding dengue immunity.

About EDE

• The EDE is a special part of the dengue virus that our immune system can recognize and target with antibodies.
• On the dengue virus surface, envelope (E) proteins are arranged in pairs (dimers).
• The junction area where the two E proteins meet, forms a unique 3D structure called the Envelope Dimer Epitope (EDE).
• Special antibodies called EDE antibodies can recognize this site and neutralise dengue virus.

IOA has formally approved India’s bid to host the 2030 Commonwealth Games.

• First held in 1930 in Hamilton, Canada, it  is the world’s second-largest multi-sport event, bringing together athletes from 71 nations and territories.

About IOA

• Genesis: Established in 1927 by Sir Dorabji Tata (Founding President) and Dr. A.G. Noehren (Founding Secretary General). In the same year, it was officially recognised by the International Olympic Committee.
• Status: Non-profit organisation under Societies Registration Act, 1860.
• Objective: To develop, promote, and protect the Olympic Movement in India.
• Governance: Managed by a 32-member Executive Council headed by a President.

The Trump administration plans to shut down NASA’s OCO missions that track carbon dioxide and monitor plant health, a key data source for scientists, policymakers, and farmers.

About the Missions

• Launch: OCO-2 satellite was launched in 2014 and OCO-3 in 2019 as an Instrument on the International Space Station. 
• Technology: Use Hubble-like technology; most sensitive and accurate CO₂ monitoring systems in the world.

Importance

• Carbon Tracking: Show where CO₂ is emitted and absorbed globally. They found 
  • Amazon rainforest emits more CO₂ than it absorbs.
  • Boreal forests in Canada, Russia, and melting permafrost areas absorb more CO₂ than they emit.
• Plant Health Monitoring: Detect photosynthesis “glow” to monitor droughts and predict food shortages.

Rare Blue Pinkgill, Shuttlecock Mushrooms were recently spotted in Telangana forests.

About newly discovered species

• Blue Pinkgill Mushroom: 
  • Native to New Zealand.
  • Its colour comes from azulene, a pigment rare in fungi but common in some flowers and plants, giving it an almost unreal shade.
  • It was spotted in the Kadamba Reserve Forest and other areas of the Kagaznagar forest division, which is known for its rich monsoon-driven fungal diversity.
• Shuttlecock Mushroom
  • Recorded in Kawal Tiger Reserve.
  • This marks the first confirmed sighting in the Eastern Ghats, extending its known range beyond the Western Ghats and western India.
  • Its crisscross lattice structure helps efficiently release spores into the air.