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13/11/2025

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CA-13/11/2025

• Military liaison teams will draft a detailed action plan with clear timelines for withdrawal and de-escalation.
• The AOT, including Malaysian troops, will monitor the implementation to prevent further hostilities.
• Information Restraint: Both governments committed to avoiding misinformation, false accusations, and harmful rhetoric in official and unofficial communication to reduce tensions.

• The declaration recognizes the end of active hostilities upon completion of de-escalation.
• Thailand committed to promptly releasing 18 Cambodian soldiers captured during the July 2025 conflict as a confidence-building gesture. The prisoner release began promptly following the signing.
• Transnational Crime Cooperation: Both countries agreed to strengthen coordination against trafficking, illegal arms trade, smuggling, and related cross-border crimes.

• The formal signing of the accord happened on October 26, 2025, during the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, with the enforcement expected to start immediately as per specific provisions.
• Following the July 28, 2025, Putrajaya ceasefire, the KL Peace Accord builds on that foundation, marking a move from ceasefire to detailed peace implementation.
• Immediate steps post-signing included prisoner releases and the initial phases of military de-escalation under ASEAN observer supervision.
• The timeline for full troop withdrawal, military de-escalation, and humanitarian demining is to be detailed by joint military liaison teams, under the overall monitoring of the ASEAN Observer Team but is expected to proceed progressively over weeks to months based on operational logistics and trust-building progress.

Signatory		Position
Hun Manet		Prime Minister of Cambodia
Anutin Charnvirakul		Prime Minister of Thailand
Witness	Position
Anwar Ibrahim	Prime Minister of Malaysia
Donald Trump	President of the United States

• Fatalities: More than 832,000 lives were lost globally.
• Affected Population: Approximately 5.7 billion people were affected by climate-related disasters.
• Economic Losses: Direct economic losses reached nearly USD 4.5 trillion (inflation-adjusted).
• Primary Hazards: Storms and heatwaves caused the majority of fatalities (33% each), while storms were responsible for the greatest economic losses (58%).
• Affected Countries: Countries in the Global South, particularly low- and lower-middle-income nations, are disproportionately affected. 

• Increasing Impact: The report emphasizes that the frequency and severity of climate-related disasters continue to escalate, with rising impacts on vulnerable populations in particular.
• Disproportionate Burden: Developing countries and small island states face the most severe impacts despite contributing minimally to emissions. The report calls for urgent mitigation, adaptation, and climate finance efforts.
• Policy and Action Gap: While 62 countries have submitted National Adaptation Plans, actual implementation remains weak, underscoring the need for scaled climate finance and operationalizing loss and damage mechanisms.

Rank	Long-term Index (1995–2024)	Annual Index (2024)
1	Dominica	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
2	Myanmar	Grenada
3	Honduras	Chad
9	India	(Ranked 15th for 2024 data)

• India is categorised as a country facing "continuous threats" from recurring extreme events, leaving little time for recovery. 
• Over the three decades, India experienced nearly 430 extreme weather events (floods, cyclones, heatwaves, droughts).
• These events resulted in over 80,000 fatalities and approximately USD 170 billion in economic losses. 

Property	Value	Source
Atomic Number	23
Symbol	V
Atomic Weight	50.9415 u
Appearance	Silvery-gray metal
Melting Point	1910 °C (3470 °F)
Boiling Point	3407 °C (6165 °F)
Density	6.11 g/cm³
Oxidation States	+2, +3, +4, +5

• Steel Alloys: Small additions of vanadium significantly increase the strength, toughness, and heat resistance of steel, making it ideal for axles, crankshafts, gears, high-speed tools, and surgical instruments.
• Aerospace: Alloys with titanium and aluminum are used in jet engines and airframes due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio.
• Energy Storage: Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFBs) use vanadium's various oxidation states for large-scale, long-duration grid energy storage. These water-based batteries are safe and non-flammable.
• Catalysis: Vanadium pentoxide (?2?5) is a crucial catalyst in the industrial production of sulfuric acid, and in the manufacture of certain dyes and ceramics.

• Vanadium is considered a trace mineral and might be essential in very small quantities for humans, though its exact function is unclear. It can be found in common foods like mushrooms, shellfish, and black pepper. 

• Financial Outlay and Duration: The EPM has a budget of 25,060 crore for six financial years (FY 2025–26 to FY 2030–31).
• Two Integrated Sub-Schemes: The mission operates through two pillars:
  • Niryat Protsahan (Export Promotion): Focuses on financial support like interest subvention, export factoring, and credit guarantees for MSMEs, including credit cards for e-commerce exporters.
  • Niryat Disha (Export Direction): Provides non-financial support for market readiness, including assistance for international branding, trade fairs, logistics, and compliance with international standards.
• Consolidation of Schemes: The EPM combines existing export support schemes like the Interest Equalisation Scheme (IES) and Market Access Initiative (MAI) into a unified framework.
• Targeted Beneficiaries: It prioritizes MSMEs, new exporters, and labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, leather, gems & jewellery, engineering goods, and marine products.
• Digital and Flexible Framework: The mission utilizes a digital platform managed by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) to adapt to changing global trade conditions.
• Collaborative Approach: The EPM involves multiple government departments, financial institutions, and industry bodies to ensure a coordinated strategy.
• Addressing Structural Challenges: The mission aims to resolve issues like the cost of trade finance, compliance expenses, branding, and logistics bottlenecks. 

• To strengthen the export competitiveness of Indian exporters in the face of global trade challenges.
• To provide targeted support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
• To consolidate existing support programs like the Interest Equalisation Scheme (IES) and Market Access Initiative (MAI).
• To generate employment across related sectors. 

• Strengthen trade finance by ensuring timely and affordable credit access for MSMEs, leveraging digital platforms.
• Enhance market intelligence capabilities to identify and penetrate new export markets using data-driven mechanisms.
• Promote the "Brand India" image through global marketing, improved packaging, and enhanced e-commerce support.
• Address structural bottlenecks such as inadequate logistics infrastructure and reduce compliance burdens for exporters.
• Leverage free trade agreements (FTAs) and upcoming trade deals to expand market access and diversify export destinations.
• Adopt a sector-specific approach with set export targets monitored by relevant ministries, ensuring focused growth.

• Number of Cheetahs: Eight cheetahs (including two males) will be translocated.
• Purpose: The initiative is a component of 'Project Cheetah', a unique wildlife conservation effort by India to re-establish the species in its historical range after its extinction in the country in 1952. The move aims to assist in the regeneration of the cheetah population and ensure genetic diversity, as Botswana hosts a large portion of Southern Africa's cheetah population.
• Logistics: The cheetahs, sourced from the Ghanzi town in the Kalahari Desert, have been moved to a quarantine facility at the Mokolodi Nature Reserve near Gaborone. A symbolic handover event was planned for November 14, 2025, with the actual transfer to India expected to occur in the coming months, possibly by January 2026, after necessary quarantine procedures and medical examinations are completed.
• Destination in India: The new batch of cheetahs is expected to be housed in either Kuno National Park or the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh, both of which have prepared the necessary enclosures and facilities.
• Alongside the cheetah pact, the two countries signed an MoU on healthcare and pharmaceuticals and discussed other cooperation areas such as ARV medicine supply from India to Botswana.
• India currently has around 27 cheetahs mostly from previous translocations from Namibia and South Africa, with some mortality reported due to climatic and health challenges; hence, the need for this fresh batch from Botswana.
• Commitment: President Murmu thanked her counterpart, President Duma Gideon Boko, for the gesture and assured that India would take good care of the animals. 

• Jungle Warfare College: In November 2025, the standing committee of the National Board for Wildlife (SC-NBWL) recommended the Chhattisgarh government's proposal to alter the Pamed Wildlife Sanctuary's boundaries to build a new jungle warfare college and a security forces' camp. This is intended to bolster the permanent security infrastructure in the former Naxal stronghold.
• Operation Summary: 'Operation Black Forest', a 21-day joint offensive by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Chhattisgarh Police, was the largest anti-Naxal operation ever conducted in the Karreguttalu Hill area along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. The operation, which ran from late April to mid-May 2025, successfully dismantled the Maoists' main base camp and supply chains.
• Impact: The operation resulted in the neutralization of at least 31 Maoists, including top leaders such as the general secretary of the CPI-Maoist, Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju. Additionally, 54 Naxalites were arrested and 84 surrendered across the affected states.
• Official Recognition: Union Home Minister Amit Shah felicitated the security personnel involved in the operation in September 2025, calling it a "golden chapter" in the fight against Naxalism.
• Future Goal: The government has reiterated its commitment to eliminate Naxalism from India by March 2026, viewing the success of 'Operation Black Forest' as a major step towards that goal. 

• Progressive Nature: MND is progressive, meaning symptoms worsen over time as more motor neurons die. It can significantly shorten life expectancy, particularly in forms like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), but the rate of progression varies widely among individuals.
• Unaffected Senses: In most cases, MND does not affect a person's senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell), bladder or bowel function, or sexual function.
• Multidisciplinary Care: While there is no cure, a multidisciplinary healthcare team can help manage symptoms, maintain independence, and improve quality of life. 

Type	Affected Neurons	Key Symptoms	Prognosis
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)	Both upper and lower	Muscle weakness, stiffness, twitching, slurred speech, difficulty breathing/swallowing	Most common; life expectancy typically 2-5 years after onset
Progressive Bulbar Palsy (PBP)	Brainstem (bulbar) region	Difficulty speaking/swallowing, choking spells, emotional lability (inappropriate crying/laughing)	Shorter survival time than ALS on average
Progressive Muscular Atrophy (PMA)	Lower motor neurons	Slow, progressive muscle wasting and weakness, particularly in arms/legs, no upper motor neuron signs	Slower progression than ALS; generally not fatal in early stages but can progress to ALS
Primary Lateral Sclerosis (PLS)	Upper motor neurons	Muscle stiffness (spasticity) and weakness, typically in the legs first, progressing slowly	Very slow progression; usually not life-shortening
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)	Lower motor neurons	Inherited, affects children and adults with muscle weakness, often in trunk/limbs	Severity varies by type; some forms are life-threatening in infancy
Kennedy's Disease	Lower motor neurons	Inherited (affects men), muscle cramps/twitches, weakness in face/limbs, endocrine issues	Very slow progression, not life-shortening

• Weakened grip or stumbling/clumsiness.
• Muscle twitching (fasciculations) and cramps.
• Slurred speech or difficulty swallowing.
• Breathing difficulties and fatigue.
• Emotional lability (uncontrollable crying or laughing). 

• The exact causes of most MND cases are unknown (sporadic cases account for 90-95%). A combination of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors is thought to play a role. 
• Genetics: About 5-10% of cases are inherited due to specific gene mutations.
• Risk Factors: Age (typically diagnosed between 40 and 70), male sex, smoking, and exposure to certain toxins or heavy metals may increase risk. 

• Thorough medical history and physical examination.
• Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS): Measure electrical activity in muscles and nerves.
• MRI scans: Used to rule out structural issues, tumors, or other neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis.
• Blood and urine tests: To exclude metabolic or inflammatory causes. 

• Medications: Drugs like riluzole (Rilutek) and edaravone (Radicava) may slightly slow the progression of ALS. Other medications can help with muscle stiffness, cramps, pain, and excessive saliva.
• Therapies: Physical, occupational, and speech therapy are vital for maintaining mobility, function, and communication.
• Supportive Care: Assistive devices (braces, wheelchairs, communication aids), nutritional support (feeding tubes if necessary), and respiratory support (non-invasive ventilation) are essential components of care. 
•  

• The Authority, established under the PPV&FR Act, 2001, comprises a Chairperson, fifteen members (both ex-officio and nominated), and a Registrar-General who serves as the ex-officio Member-Secretary. 
• The Chairperson is an eminent person appointed by the Central Government with extensive experience in plant varietal research or agricultural development.
• The fifteen members include eight ex-officio members from various government departments and ministries, three representatives from State Agricultural Universities and State Governments, and one representative each from farmers' organizations, tribal organizations, the seed industry, and women's organizations associated with agriculture.
• The Registrar-General heads the Plant Varieties Registry. 

• Registration of Plant Varieties: It establishes and maintains the National Register of Plant Varieties, documenting and cataloguing all registered varieties (new, extant, and farmers' varieties). Varieties must meet the criteria of Distinctness, Uniformity, and Stability (DUS) to be registered.
• Protection of Plant Breeders' Rights: The Authority grants exclusive commercial rights to registered breeders for producing, selling, and marketing their new varieties for a specified period (15 years for field crops, 18 years for trees and vines).
• Protection of Farmers' Rights: It recognizes and protects the rights of farmers who have traditionally conserved, improved, and made available plant genetic resources. Specific farmers' rights include:
• Saving and Selling Seeds: Farmers can save, use, sow, re-sow, exchange, share, or sell their farm produce, including seed of protected varieties, as long as they do not sell it as "branded seed".
• Benefit Sharing: Farmers and communities who provide genetic material used in developing a registered variety are entitled to a share of the commercial benefits derived from that variety.
• Compensation: If a registered variety fails to perform as expected under recommended management conditions, farmers can claim compensation from the breeder.
• Exemption from Fees: Farmers are exempted from application and registration fees for their own varieties.
• Awards and Recognition: The Authority administers the National Gene Fund, which provides "Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards" and individual "Farmer Rewards & Recognitions" to farming communities and farmers for their contributions to conservation efforts.
• Ensuring Seed Availability: It can issue a compulsory license for a protected variety if its seed is not available to farmers in sufficient quantity or at a reasonable price after three years of registration. 

• Bone Health: Vitamin D's primary role is maintaining calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood, which prevents bone disorders like rickets in children and osteomalacia (softening of the bones) and osteoporosis (weakening of the bones) in adults.
• Muscle Function: It supports muscle strength, which can help reduce the risk of falls, especially in older adults.
• Immune System: The immune system requires vitamin D to fight off invading bacteria and viruses.
• Other Roles: Research suggests potential links to reduced risks of certain cancers, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and type 2 diabetes, although more research is needed to confirm these non-skeletal benefits. 

Source	Details
Sunlight	The skin produces vitamin D3 when directly exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB) rays from the sun. It is a major natural source, but factors like latitude, season, time of day, skin color, and sunscreen use can limit production. Health experts recommend limiting sun exposure without protection due to skin cancer risk.
Food	Very few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D. Good natural sources include fatty fish (salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines), fish liver oils, beef liver, cheese, and egg yolks.
Fortified Foods	Many common foods have vitamin D added to them (fortified), such as milk, many breakfast cereals, and some brands of orange juice, yogurt, and plant-based milks.
Supplements	Vitamin D is available in two forms in supplements: D2 (ergocalciferol, from plants) and D3 (cholecalciferol, from animals/lichen). Both effectively raise blood levels, but D3 might raise them higher and for longer.

• Capital and Largest City: Muscat.
• Official Language: Arabic, though English is widely spoken in cities.
• Religion: Islam is the official religion, with the majority of the population being Ibadi Muslim, a moderate branch of Islam.
• Government: Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy. The current Sultan is Haitham bin Tariq Al Said.
• Currency: Omani rial (OMR).
• Economy: A high-income economy with significant oil and natural gas reserves, tourism, and trade of fish and agricultural products. The country is working to diversify its economy through initiatives like Oman Vision 2040.
• Population: Approximately 5.49 million (2025 estimate), with a large expatriate population. 

• Oman's terrain is diverse, featuring rugged mountains in the north and south, extensive sandy deserts in the central regions (part of the Rub' al Khali, or "Empty Quarter"), and a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. 
• The climate is generally hot and dry, with coastal areas experiencing high humidity in summer.
• The southern Dhofar region has a unique climate influenced by the summer monsoon (Khareef), making it more temperate and fertile. 

• Appearance: These bears have a glossy black coat, a light brown muzzle, and large, prominent ears. Their fur is longer and thicker than other Asian black bear subspecies, a necessity for the cold Himalayan climate.
• Size: On average, adults measure 1.4 to 1.7 meters (56 to 65 inches) from nose to tail and typically weigh between 90 and 120 kilograms (200 to 265 pounds). They can weigh up to 180 kg (400 pounds) in the autumn when preparing for hibernation.
• Behavior: They are skilled climbers and spend a significant amount of time in trees, foraging, resting, or avoiding danger. While naturally diurnal, many have become nocturnal to avoid human contact. In the colder, northern parts of their range, they hibernate during winter, descending to lower elevations. 

• Primary Diet: Acorns, nuts, fruits, honey, roots, and insects like termites and beetle larvae.
• Opportunistic Feeding: They may prey on small mammals or livestock (sheep, goats, cattle) if their natural food sources are scarce. 

• Habitat Loss: Deforestation, forest fires, and conversion of land for agriculture and human settlements are primary concerns.
• Poaching: Despite being legally protected since 1977, illegal hunting is a significant problem, primarily for their gall bladders and other body parts used in traditional Asian medicine.
• Human-Wildlife Conflict: As habitats shrink and food sources become erratic due to climate change, bears are increasingly coming into contact and conflict with human populations, leading to crop damage, livestock predation, and sometimes aggressive encounters. 

• Galactic Habitable Zone: The planet must be in a specific region of the galaxy (a narrow ring around the center in a spiral galaxy) where there are enough heavy elements to form rocky planets, but where radiation from the galactic center and supernovae is not too intense.
• A Stable Star and Planetary System: The central star must be a long-lived, stable G-type (Sun-like) or K-type star, and the planet must be in a stable, nearly circular orbit within the star's continuously habitable zone, allowing liquid water to exist on the surface for billions of years.
• A Terrestrial Planet of the Right Size: The planet must be large enough to retain an atmosphere and oceans, but not so large that it becomes a gas giant or develops a Venus-like runaway greenhouse effect.
• A Large Moon: Earth's unusually large Moon, formed by a giant impact event, is thought to be essential for stabilizing the planet's axial tilt, which in turn leads to stable seasons and climate over geological timescales.
• Plate Tectonics and a Strong Magnetic Field: Plate tectonics help regulate the planet's temperature through the carbon cycle, create diversified ecosystems, and contribute to the magnetic field that shields the surface from cosmic radiation.
• "Jovian Protector": The presence of gas giants like Jupiter in the outer solar system may help shield the inner planets from frequent asteroid and comet impacts, providing long periods of stability necessary for complex evolution. 

• The DRISHTI system is an AI-based Freight Wagon Locking Monitoring System developed by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati Technology Innovation and Development Foundation (IITG TIDF).
• It aims to tackle the operational challenge of identifying unlocked or tampered doors on moving freight wagons—a major issue for safety and security in India's rail logistics.
• Key features of the DRISHTI system include AI-powered cameras and sensors installed on freight wagons to capture and analyze door positions and locking status in real time.
• It uses advanced computer vision and machine learning algorithms to detect anomalies such as unlocked or tampered doors without disrupting train movement.
• The system automatically generates alerts for operators when irregularities are detected.
• Benefits of DRISHTI include reduced dependence on manual inspection, enhanced freight security, improved wagon sealing integrity, and greater operational efficiency.
• It improves safety by preventing cargo theft and accidents due to unsecured doors, minimizes manual inspection labor and error, and provides data-driven real-time monitoring, making freight operations smarter and faster.
• After successful trial phases with encouraging accuracy levels, Indian Railways plans to expand DRISHTI's deployment beyond the Northeast Frontier Railway zone to a wider national scale, marking a significant technological step towards modernizing India's rail freight system with AI and automation.

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