1) European Sky Shield Initiative (ESSI): Austria and Switzerland joined ESSI.
- ESSI aims to create a European air and missile defence system through common acquisition of air defence equipment and missiles by European nations to strengthen NATOs Integrated Air and Missile Defence.
- Initiative was last year spearheaded by Germany after Russia invaded Ukraine
- Number of ESSI members has gone up to 19 including Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Norway, Slovakia, UK.
2) Project 75 (India) – P75 (I) – submarine program: Spain’s Navantia and Larsen & Toubro to bid for P75 (I) submarine program.
- P75 (I), succeeds P75, is part of 30-year submarine building plan that ends in 2030
- P75 (I) requires Indian bidder to tie up with a foreign collaborator.
- It envisages construction of six conventional submarines with better sensors and weapons and Air Independent Propulsion System (AIP).
- It will provide boost to indigenous design and construction capability of submarines, in addition to bringing in latest submarine design and technologies.
3) New Wheat variety: Punjab Agricultural University developed a new wheat variety called PBW RS1, with RS being short for resistant starch.
- PBW RS1 with high amylose starch content, is known to reduce risks of type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
- Items made from it won’t cause an immediate and rapid rise in glucose levels.
- High amylose and resistant starch, instead, ensure that glucose is released more slowly into bloodstream.
- Being slower to digest also increases a feeling of satiety thus helping in dealing with obesity
- Items made from it won’t cause an immediate and rapid rise in glucose levels.
- However, average grain yield from this yield is recorded lower than the average yield.
4) Marine Heatwave in the Bay of Bengal: Marine heatwaves are prolonged periods of anomalously high sea surface temperature.
- It may result in:
- Meteorological implications: a warmer-than-normal Bay of Bengal likely contributes to current extreme rainfall especially over northwest India.
- Affecting marine biodiversity: 85% of the corals in the Gulf of Mannar near the Tamil Nadu coast got bleached after the marine heatwave in 2020.
- Socio economic impact on coastal communities.
5) Palamau Tiger Reserve (PTR): Four soft-release centers for Cheetals are under construction in Jharkhand’s PTR.
- About PTR:
- Location: Located in the western part of the Chotanagpur plateau.
- It forms part of Betla National Park and Palamau Wildlife Sanctuary.
- It falls under the lndo-Malayan realm.
- Rivers: North Koyal, Auranga and Burha.
- Flora: Moist and dry peninsular Sal, Aegle, Dry Bamboo Brake etc.
- Fauna: Tigers, leopards, wolves, wild dogs etc.
6) Beas river: Beas River swells due to heavy rains.
- About Beas (Vipasa) River:
- States: Passes through Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
- Origin: Rohtang pass, from where it flows through the Kullu valley towards south.
- Major tributaries: Bain, Banganga, Banner, Chakki, Gaj, Harla, Mamuni, Parvati, Patlikuhlal, Sainj etc.
- Converge with Sutlej at Harike.
