Daily Current Affairs 2025  

13/12/2025

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CA-13/12/2025

• Boreendo (also called Bhorindo) is a traditional spherical clay vessel‑flute associated mainly with the Thari community in Pakistan’s Sindh region.
• It is made from terracotta (sun‑dried and kiln‑fired clay), giving it an eco‑friendly character and a distinctive mellow, breathy sound.

• Archaeological parallels link Boreendo to terracotta vessel‑flutes excavated at Mohenjo‑daro, situating its origins in the broader Indus Valley Civilization context.
• Traditionally, it is played at winter bonfires, weddings, and local festivals, and is deeply woven into village life and nature‑centred musical practices in the Thar/Sindh region.​

• The instrument is typically egg‑ or sphere‑shaped with one air inlet and about three to five finger holes.
• Sound is produced by blowing air into the inlet, and the tone is altered by finger placement and by tilting the mouthpiece, with size and number of holes affecting pitch range.​

• NFHM preserves India's cinematic legacy through restoration and digitization efforts. Launched in 2015, it addresses the rapid deterioration of film reels and related materials.​

• NFHM operates under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, with the National Film Archive of India (NFAI) in Pune as the implementing agency.
• Key goals include condition assessment of film reels, 2K/4K digitization and restoration of landmark films, preventive conservation, and capacity-building via training workshops.
• It also develops web-based IT solutions and archival vaults for long-term storage.​

• Headquartered in Pune with regional centers in Bengaluru, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram, NFAI joined the International Federation of Film Archives in 1969.

• The National Film Archive of India (NFAI) preserves India's cinematic heritage. Established in 1964 under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, it focuses on archiving films and related materials.​
• In March 2022, NFAI merged with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC). The National Film Heritage Mission, launched in 2015, aids digitization and restoration efforts.

• Features a catamaran hull for superior stability, larger deck area, and enhanced seakeeping.​
• Displacement around 380-390 tons; length approximately 30-32.9 meters, breadth 13 meters.​
• Powered by two 1,342 kW engines, achieving a cruise speed of 11 knots with 72-hour endurance at economical speed (25% fuel reserve).​

• Built by Titagarh Rail Systems Limited (TRSL), Kolkata, as the first of five vessels under Make in India.​
• Designed per Indian Naval Rules and Indian Register of Shipping standards; tested at NSTL, Visakhapatnam.​

• Equipped with advanced diving systems for inspections, salvage, maintenance, search-and-rescue, and diver training; supports 18 personnel.​

• Its induction boosts Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make in India initiatives through collaboration between the Navy, DRDO's NSTL, and private industry, reducing import reliance.
• This enhances maritime domain awareness, undersea warfare readiness, and operations along India's coastline and in the Indian Ocean Region.​

• The Champions of the Earth Award is the United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) highest environmental honor, established in 2005 to recognize outstanding leaders driving sustainable change.
• It highlights individuals and organizations tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution through innovative actions. Since its inception, it has honored 122 laureates, including 28 world leaders.​

• Policy Leadership: Public officials advancing environmental policies at global, regional, or national levels.​
• Inspiration and Action: Leaders inspiring change through bold examples and public engagement.​
• Entrepreneurial Vision: Innovators creating new technologies or business models for a greener future.​
• Science and Innovation: Pioneers in research yielding profound environmental benefits.​

• Students designated as Sanchar Mitras conduct awareness drives like cyber fraud prevention, responsible mobile usage, EMF radiation concerns, and citizen-centric telecom services.
• The program fosters secure digital behavior and bridges the gap between citizens and telecom ecosystems.​

• It targets students from technical institutes offering programs in telecom, electronics, computer science, or cybersecurity, nominated via local DoT units.
• Selected volunteers receive structured training from the National Communications Academy–Technology (NCA-T) and DoT’s Media Wing on 5G, 6G, AI, cybersecurity, and telecom policies.​

• Pax Silica unites the US with eight allies—Australia, Israel, Japan, Netherlands, Singapore, South Korea, UAE, and UK—to build resilient supply chains from minerals to AI infrastructure.
• The coalition focuses on joint ventures, co-investments, and protecting technologies from adversarial control, responding to China's dominance in 12 of 17 rare earth metals.
• It aims to reduce dependencies and enable scaled deployment of transformative tech.​

• India lacks established capabilities in advanced AI, semiconductors, and critical mineral repositories, unlike founding members. 

• Despite prior US-India pacts like the 2024 Critical Minerals MoU and iCET framework, India was not invited, possibly due to its nascent role in advanced AI supply chains.
• This occurs amid stalled bilateral trade talks and US expectations for India's support against China, as noted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
• India remains in the older Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) for critical minerals diversification.

• Vehicles emit CO, NOx, volatile organic compounds, PM2.5, and black carbon, with road transport accounting for about 15% of global CO2 emissions and 20-30% of urban particulate matter in India.
• Older vehicles under BS-III norms produce higher emissions compared to BS-VI standards, which have reduced PM by up to 82% and NOx by 68% through better engine tech and aftertreatment.​

• India's Bharat Stage norms have progressively tightened limits, phasing out older vehicles and promoting BS-VI compliance nationwide since 2020.
• Transition to electric vehicles, improved public transport, and congestion pricing help reduce emissions, alongside global efforts like Euro standards that cut NOx and particulates.​

• The system integrates Microsoft Azure OpenAI for AI assistants, automated workflows, and legal guidance from Indian laws.
• It links cases, analyzes digital evidence, and pulls open-source intelligence to help officers resolve cases faster.
• Currently piloted in 23 Nagpur stations, it reduced turnaround time by 80% in tests.​​

• Developed by CyberEye with Microsoft's India Development Center and the state's MARVEL SPV, it was unveiled on December 12, 2025, at the Microsoft AI Tour in Mumbai.
• Plans exist to expand to all 1,100 police stations statewide amid rising cybercrimes, with over 3.6 million incidents reported nationally in 2024.​

• This marks India's first AI-driven cybercrime investigation platform, standardizing policing and boosting efficiency in a high-fraud environment.
• It supports victim aid by streamlining evidence from banks and telecoms.
• Maharashtra leads in AI governance for public safety.

• The legislation breaks the Department of Atomic Energy's (DAE) monopoly by allowing private sector entry into civil nuclear activities like atomic mineral exploration, fuel fabrication, equipment manufacturing, and plant operations under government oversight.
• DAE retains control over sensitive areas such as heavy water production and nuclear waste management.
• It aligns with the National Nuclear Energy Mission, including ₹20,000 crore for small modular reactors (SMRs) targeting five by 2033.​

• Amendments to the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act cap supplier liability, redesign operator insurance to ₹1,500 crore per incident via the Indian Nuclear Insurance Pool, and provide government backstops.
• Up to 49% foreign direct investment is permitted. A new independent nuclear safety authority and specialized tribunal will enhance regulation, transparency, and dispute resolution.​

• PM10 and PM2.5 are key measures of particulate matter (PM) in air pollution, defined by particle size in micrometers (μm).
• PM10 includes particles up to 10 μm, while PM2.5 covers finer particles up to 2.5 μm, making PM2.5 a subset of PM10.​

• PM10 particles, often called coarse dust, mainly arise from sources like wind-blown dust, road traffic, construction, and agriculture.
• PM2.5, or fine dust, stems more from combustion processes such as vehicle emissions, power plants, and burning wood or fossil fuels.​

• PM10 particles typically lodge in the upper respiratory tract, causing irritation to eyes, nose, and throat.
• PM2.5 penetrates deeper into lungs and enters the bloodstream, raising risks for respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and even lung cancer.​

• Air quality standards regulate both, with PM2.5 often prioritized due to greater health risks; for instance, WHO guidelines emphasize reducing PM2.5 exposure.
• In India, the National Ambient Air Quality Standards set limits like 60 μg/m³ annual average for PM2.5 and 100 μg/m³ for PM10.​

• EFF and RSF refer to two key lending facilities of the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
• Extended Fund Facility (EFF) supports countries tackling medium-term balance of payments issues through structural reforms,
• Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) aids vulnerable nations in building resilience against climate change and pandemics.​

Aspect	EFF (Extended Fund Facility) ​	RSF (Resilience and Sustainability Facility) ​
Primary Purpose	Addresses medium-term balance of payments issues via structural reforms and macroeconomic stability.	Builds resilience to macro-critical climate, environmental, and health risks through policy reforms.
Duration	3-4 years.	Up to 20 years (longer-term loans).
Target Countries	Advanced, emerging, and low-income countries.	Low- and middle-income countries eligible for concessional financing.
Financing Terms	Standard IMF terms; disbursements tied to reviews and performance criteria.	Concessional (low-interest, long maturity); often pairs with EFF or other programs.
Recent Examples	Pakistan (37-month program, 2024); Jordan (4-year, ongoing reviews). ​	Pakistan (US$200M disbursed, 2025); Jordan (US$700M, 2025). ​

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