North Korea fired an unidentified projectile from its east coast into East Sea.
About East Sea (Sea of Japan)
- Shortest route connecting Indian Ocean with Pacific Ocean.
- Bounded by Japan and Sakhalin Island (east) and Russia and Korea on the Asian mainland (west).
- Sea of Japan is connected with East China Sea in south via Tsushima and Korea straits and with Okhotsk Sea in north by La Perouse and Tatar straits.
- Significance:
- Gateway for international trade.
- Oil, gas, minerals, and seafood reserves in East Sea can ensure energy and food security for its adjacent countries.
Indian Railways approves Rs. 252 Crore for Kavach 4.0 on ~608 Route Kilometres of Lucknow Division.
About Kavach Technology
- An indigenously developed Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system designed to enhance operational safety.
- Prevent Signal Passing at Danger (SPAD), automatically applies brakes when required and supports safer train movement by monitoring train operations.
- Developed by Research Designs & Standards Organization (RDSO) of Indian Railways.
- Improvement in Version 4.0: Increased Location Accuracy, Station to Station Kavach interface on Optical Fibre Cable and Direct Interface to existing Electronic Interlocking System.
Article Sources
1 sourceSLINEX-26 and Veer Guardian 2026 is being conducted at Visakhapatnam and Air Force Station Jodhpur respectively.
About SLINEX- 26
- India- Sri Lanka bilateral maritime exercise.
- Conceptualised in 2005, and ligned with India’s vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions) policy.
About Veer Guardian 2026
- India- Japan bilateral Air exercise.
Article Sources
1 sourceRampur Hounds joined India-U.S. troops for specialised drills during bilateral exercise Yudh Abhyas 2026.
About Rampur Hounds (Rampur Greyhounds)
- Native Indian dog breed originating from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.
- Highly valued by the Mughal nobles and local kings.
- Primarily bred to hunt large animals such as jackals, foxes, and leopards.
- Characteristics: Sleek and athletic sighthound breed. Usually live for 12 to 14 years.
- Well-built frame with tall, long legs, a narrow torso, and a deep chest designed for speed and endurance.
- One of the fastest dogs, capable of running at more than 40 mph, helping them excel in coursing and hunting.
Indian Army will deploy six AASHVAST labs for mandatory drone and CCTV cyber-security screening nationwide to counter operational vulnerabilities.
About AASHVAST labs
- Meaning: AASHVAST stands for Assessment and Analysis of Electronic Systems Hardware for Vulnerabilities and Security Threats.
- Developed by: Firmware Analysis and Validation Suite, developed by QuickPay Pvt Ltd for the Directorate General of Electronics and Mechanical Engineering (DG EME).
- Status: Currently, one lab has been inaugurated in Delhi, with plans to establish at least five more in the coming months.
- Purpose: To inspect physically and examine the software that operates these unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) – to identify and eliminate firmware-level vulnerabilities.
Indian film Angh has won the coveted Platform Prize at the 2026 Toronto International Film Festival.
- It is directed by Theja Rio, is set and rooted in Nagaland,
- Angh has also now directly qualified for the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards. (Commonly known as the Oscars)
- India's official entry is Marathi film Gondhal, for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at the 2027 Oscars.
- Academy Awards
- Presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, located in Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
- Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is non-profit Academy.
Escalating West Asia and Russia-Ukraine conflicts have impacted the global supply chain of sulphur, resulting in high prices.
- Only 1/10th of the world’s sulphur output is directly mined. The rest comes as a byproduct of desulphurisation from petroleum oil refining (56%) and natural gas processing (34%).
About Sulphur
- It is a non-metallic chemical element which is an essential raw material for many chemical industries.
- Properties: Yellow crystalline solid in its native form; flammable, etc.
- Uses: Production of sulphuric acid which is key in Fertilizer production (di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), single super phosphate (SSP)), Nickel extraction and processing for EV batteries etc.
New strategy adopted in anti-terror operations in the Pir Panjal range has helped the security agencies maintain a sustained presence and tight vigil over the area.
- Strategy involves effort by joint forces of the Army, its elite para forces, J&K Police, and paramilitary forces operated out of a Temporary Operational Base (TOB).
About Pir Panjal Range
- Location: Sub-range of the Lesser Himalayas, extends across Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, from the Jhelum River to the upper Beas River.
- Valley of Kashmir lies between Pir Panjal and Zaskar Range.
- It rises to 5,000 metres and contains mostly volcanic rocks.
- Important passes: Pir Panjal Pass, Bidil, Golabghar Pass and Banihal Pass.
- Rivers: Kishanganga, the Jhelum and the Chenab cut through the range.
The Supreme Court has recommended examining the need for a uniform statutory framework to regulate money deposited by litigants before courts and tribunals during pending cases. It asked the Law Commission of India to examine the issue.
Key Highlights of the Judgement
- Non-uniform procedure of Courts and Tribunals and absence of uniform rules governing Court-ordered deposits.
- Ad-hoc management can erode economic value of deposits and create uncertainty over interest accrual.
- Repeated decisions on investment, renewal, accounting and interest add to litigation and Judicial burden.
- Suggested centralised model: SC referred to the US Court Registry Investment System (CRIS), where court deposits are pooled and invested through a common system.
The USA President has extended the $100,000 payment requirement for certain new H-1B workers until September 2027.
- However, collection remains blocked amid ongoing legal challenges.
About H-1B visa
- It is a U.S. non-immigrant visa for skilled workers in specialized occupations, allowing them to work in the U.S. temporarily.
- Specialty Occupations: Typically include IT, engineering, and medicine, which demand a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
- Sponsorship: Employer sponsorship is mandatory for the visa application.
- Validity: Initially valid for 3 years, extendable up to 6 years.
- Annual Cap: 65,000 visas per year, plus 20,000 additional for advanced degree holders.
