Economy
Inflation:
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- Context: Retail inflation moves up marginally to 0.7%
- Inflation is a sustained increase in general price level, leading to fall in purchasing power of money.
- In India, inflation is officially measured by CPI (Combined); WPI tracks wholesale price changes.
- RBI’s inflation target: 4% ± 2% under the Flexible Inflation Targeting (FIT) framework (Monetary Policy Framework Agreement, 2016).
- Demand-pull inflation: Excess demand over supply (income growth, fiscal stimulus).
- Cost-push inflation: Rise in input costs (fuel, wages, imported inflation).
- Core inflation: CPI excluding food and fuel → reflects demand-side pressures.
- Stagflation: High inflation + low growth + high unemployment (policy dilemma).
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Geography, Mapping, Ecology & Environment
Moei river:
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- Moei River (also called Thaungyin River) flows along the Thailand–Myanmar border.
- It is a tributary of the Salween (Thanlwin) River, which ultimately drains into the Andaman Sea.
- Originates in the Dawna Range (Tenasserim Hills) region.
- Acts as a natural boundary between Tak Province (Thailand) and Karen State (Myanmar) in several stretches.
- The river has been in news due to border security, refugee movement, and humanitarian concerns linked with Myanmar’s internal conflict.
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Methane emissions:
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- Methane is generated naturally by decomposing organic matter.
- Around 15% of India’s methane emissions are from the waste sector.
- Methane (CH₄) is a short-lived climate pollutant but has ~28–34 times higher Global Warming Potential than CO₂ (100-year period).
- Major sources: agriculture (enteric fermentation, paddy fields), fossil fuel extraction, landfills, and wastewater.
- Responsible for about 30% of current global warming since pre-industrial times.
- Reducing methane gives quick climate benefits due to its ~12-year atmospheric lifetime.
- Global Methane Pledge (2021): Voluntary commitment to reduce global methane emissions by 30% by 2030 (from 2020 levels).
- India has not joined the Global Methane Pledge, citing livelihood and food security concerns.
- Over the past few years, multiple new satellite missions have emerged, such as CarbonMapper’s Tanager and the Space Research Organisation Netherlands (SRON) projects.
- Platforms such as ClimateTRACE and WasteMap collate this global monitoring data, combining it with baseline statistics for advanced modeling.
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Nauradehi tiger reserve:
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- Context: Nauradehi tiger reserve to be third cheetah habitat in M.P.
- Nauradehi Tiger Reserve is located in Madhya Pradesh (Sagar, Damoh and Narsinghpur districts).
- It is the largest wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
- Lies in the Vindhyan hill range and represents dry deciduous forest ecosystem.
- Identified as a potential tiger reintroduction site under India’s Project Tiger due to habitat connectivity.
- Forms part of a tiger landscape corridor linking Panna–Satpura–Melghat regions.
- Managed by the Madhya Pradesh Forest Department with NTCA oversight.
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Trat Province:
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- Trat Province is located in eastern Thailand, along the Gulf of Thailand.
- It shares an international boundary with Cambodia.
- The province includes several islands, the most important being Ko Chang, part of Mu Ko Chang National Park (marine + terrestrial).
- Lies close to the Cardamom Mountains ecosystem, making it ecologically significant.
- Strategically important due to Thailand–Cambodia border trade and security linkages.
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Defence & Security
MH-60R Seahawk Helicopter:
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- MH-60R is a multi-role maritime combat helicopter developed by Lockheed Martin / Sikorsky (USA).
- India procured it via the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) route for the Indian Navy.
- Designed mainly for Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Surface Warfare (ASuW).
- Equipped with dipping sonar, sonobuoys, air-launched torpedoes, and Hellfire missiles.
- Operates from frontline naval ships (destroyers, frigates) and shore bases.
- Enhances blue-water naval capability and maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
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