1) Fog Pass Device (FPDs): Indian Railways installed FPDs for smoother operations in foggy weather.
- FPDs, being GPS-based navigation devices, provide real-time information about signals, level crossing gates, Permanent Speed Restrictions, Neutral Sections etc.
- Features
- Equipped with both display and voice guidance.
- can cater to train speeds up to 160 km/hr.
- Unaffected by weather conditions such as fog, rain, or sunshine.
- Suitable for single/double line, electrified/non-electrified sections.
- Portable, compact, and lightweight
2) Polar bear: First death of polar bear due to Avian Influenza occurred in Arctic region recently.
- Polar bear is both the largest bear and the largest land carnivore (main food source is seals) in the world.
- Habitat: Arctic region only (not in Antarctica).
- Behaviour: Live solitary lives except when mating.
- Adaptation:
- Can swim (due to large paws) for long distances.
- White fur helps the bear remain camouflaged.
- Thick layer of fat below the skin surface acts as insulation on the body to trap heat.
- Large size reduces amount of surface area exposed to cold per unit of body mass.
- IUCN status: Vulnerable
3) United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC): India started a four-year term as a member of the UNSC.
- UNSC, established in 1946 is the highest body of global statistical system.
- Key responsibilities
- Oversees the work of the UN Statistics Division (UNSD)
- Acts as a functional Commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).
- Brings together the Chief Statisticians from member states.
- Setting of statistical standards and their implementation at national and international levels.
- Members: Consists of 24 member countries of UN elected by ECOSOC.
4) Short selling: Supreme Court directed Centre and SEBI to investigate if Hindenburg report on short-selling caused harm to investors.
- “Short selling” involves selling a stock not owned at the time of trade.
- Speculating a price decrease, sellers borrow stocks to sell, then buy them back at a lower price, making a profit.
- SEBI permits short selling for both retail and institutional investors, who must deliver securities during settlement.
- However Naked short selling is illegal in India.
- It entails trading shares that are undetermined to exist or have not been secured by the trader
