The SMILE mission successfully launched aboard a Vega-C rocket from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana (South America).

About SMILE Mission:

• Joint Mission: European Space Agency (ESA) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).
• Objective: to capture the first-ever panoramic imaging of the interaction between the solar wind and Earth’s magnetosphere, helping scientists understand space weather phenomena like geomagnetic storms.
• Instruments: Light ion analyser, Magnetometer, Soft X-ray imager, Ultraviolet aurora imager.
• Key Technological Innovations:
  • World’s First Space-Borne Soft X-ray Imager (SXI): To visualize the previously "invisible" boundaries of Earth's magnetosphere.
  • Integrated Observation System: To simultaneously capture global-scale imaging and take direct measurements of solar wind parameters.

Scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) have developed a highly efficient, ultrathin, and flexible film embedded with Nano-gold particles.

About Nano-gold particles

• Nano  gold  is  tiny  particles  of  gold  that  are  so  small  they’re   measured  in  nanometers.
• Color: It can look red, orange, or even blue, depending on the size and shape of the nanoparticles and the distance between them.
• Applications of Gold Nano Particles:

• Medicine & Diagnostics: Targeted delivery of drugs to cancer cells, medical imaging and photo-thermal therapy etc.
• Environmental Applications: Detects heavy metals and pollutants in water and soil.
• Others:  Used in sensors, and Nano-electronics.

The Central Information Commission (CIC) held that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) does not fall within the ambit of a “public authority” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005.

About Public Authority under RTI Act, 2005

• It is defined in Section 2(h) of the RTI Act. 
• It states: "Public authority" means-
  • Any authority or body or institution of self-government established or constituted
    • by or under the Constitution (E.g., Election Commission of India)
    • by any other law made by Parliament/State Legislature (E.g., Reserve Bank of India)
    • by notification issued or order made by Government (E.g., NITI Aayog) 
  • Body owned, controlled or substantially financed by Government (E.g., Coal India Limited) 
  • non-Government organizations substantially financed, directly or indirectly by funds provided by Government (E.g., Educational societies such as the DAV College Trust)

The Ministry of Home Affairs has amended Citizenship Rules, 2009 and notified Citizenship (Amendment) Rules, 2026.

About the New rule

• Applicants seeking citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019, will have to submit an affidavit declaring whether they hold a valid or an expired passport from Pakistan, Afghanistan or Bangladesh.

About Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019

• It facilitates citizenship to persons belonging to Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian communities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan who entered India before December 31, 2014.

Iran has announced the establishment of a new regulatory body (PGSA) to oversee and manage operations in the strategically significant Strait of Hormuz.

About Persian Gulf Strait Authority (PGSA)

• It is responsible for monitoring developments and coordinating operations related to the vital shipping corridor. 
• Under the new system, vessels will be required to follow directives issued by the authority and secure transit permits before entering the Strait of Hormuz.
• It will operate transit toll mechanism for the Strait of Hormuz which is not been unveiled by Iran yet.

Reserve Bank of India decided not to activate the Countercyclical Capital Buffer.

About Countercyclical Capital Buffer (CCyB)

• Genesis: The framework was introduced globally after the 2008 financial crisis under the Basel framework.

• This Basel III macro-prudential tool requiring banks to hold additional capital during periods of excessive credit growth. 

• Need: Helps absorb losses during financial stress and strengthens banking sector resilience.
• Provisioning: Under Basel III, CCyB ranges from 0–2.5% of Risk-Weighted Assets (RWA).

An Opposition party chief whip in Rajya Sabha moved a privilege notice against the Union Education Minister.

About privilege notice

• A notice raised by a Member of Parliament alleging breach of parliamentary privilegeor contempt of the House by a person, authority, or another member.
• Parliamentary privileges under Article 105 protect the powers, dignity, and functioning of Parliament.
• It may involve obstruction of MPs, misleading Parliament, or actions lowering the dignity of the House.
• The Presiding Officer of house decides its admissibility and may refer it to the Privileges Committee for examination.

Scientists are using ‘DNA maps’ to expose pangolin trafficking hubs.

Pangolins are one of the world’s most trafficked mammals.

About Pangolin

• Characteristics:

• Only mammals completely covered with protective keratin scales.
• Solitary, nocturnal, toothless mammals with long sticky tongues.
• Also called “scaly anteaters” due to their diet of ants, termites, and larvae.
• When threatened, they roll into a tight ball to protect their vulnerable underbellies from predators 
• Both are protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 and listed under Appendix I CITES.
• Indian Pangolin: Found across India south of the Himalayas, except most of the North-East.
• Chinese Pangolin: Found in Assam and eastern Himalayas.

• Of the 8 species found globally, 2 species occur in India- Indian Pangolin (IUCN status: Endangered) and Chinese Pangolin (IUCN status: Critically Endangered)
• Habitat:

Russia Launches Attacks on Odesa and Dnipro as Ukraine Strikes Russia’s Belgorod located near the Russia-Ukraine border.

About Odesa

• Major Black Sea port city in southern Ukraine.
• Strategic hub for grain exports, trade, and naval access.
• Important for Black Sea shipping corridors.

About Dnipro

• Located along the Dnieper River in eastern-central Ukraine.
• Major industrial and logistics centre.
• Acts as a key link between eastern and central Ukraine.