People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Latest News

The Trump administration's recent policy changes to end animal testing are garnering support from animal rights groups like PETA.

About People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals

• It is a nongovernmental organization (NGO) committed to ending abusive treatment of animals in business and society and promoting consideration of animal interests in everyday decision-making and general policies and practices.
• It is the largest animal rights organization in the world.
• It is based in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, with entities worldwide.
• PETA was founded in 1980 by Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco, who were influenced by Australian ethicist Peter Singer’s book Animal Liberation (1975). 
• Initially recognized for exposing cruelty in research laboratories, PETA has grown into a global entity with over nine million members and considerable annual expenditures. 
• PETA opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview, and focuses on the four areas in which the largest numbers of animals suffer the most intensely for the longest periods of time: in laboratories, in the food industry, in the clothing trade, and in the entertainment business. 
• PETA also works on a variety of other issues, including the cruel killing of rodents, birds, and other animals who are often considered “pests” and cruelty to domesticated animals.
• PETA works through public education, investigations, research, animal rescue, legislation, protests, and negotiations with companies and regulatory agencies.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals FAQs

Q1. Who were the founders of PETA?

Ans. Ingrid Newkirk and Alex Pacheco

Q2. What is the main focus of PETA’s efforts?

Ans. Ending abusive treatment of animals in business and society

Q3. Where is PETA's headquarters located?

Ans. Norfolk, Virginia, USA

Source: HT

Operation ATALANTA Latest News

Recently, the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) under Operation ATALANTA has proposed a joint naval exercise with the Indian Navy.

Why in the News?

• EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA, which operates in the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, has proposed a joint maritime exercise with the Indian Navy to be conducted around the end of May 2025.
• The primary goal of the proposal is to enhance coordination and maritime cooperation between European naval forces and the Indian Navy, particularly in the face of resurgent piracy threats and geopolitical instability in the Red Sea region.
• The proposed drill will go beyond the usual Passage Exercises (PASSEX) and will include advanced tactical manoeuvres, counter-piracy operations, and inter-naval communications training, if approved.
• The Horn of Africa region, once again experiencing piracy amidst Houthi rebel activity in the Red Sea, has prompted a need for enhanced maritime coordination, even though incidents have decreased recently.

About Operation ATALANTA

• Launched in 2008, Operation ATALANTA is the EU's counter-piracy mission in the Western Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, initially targeting piracy off the Somali coast.
• Its expanded mandate includes:
  • Protection of World Food Programme (WFP) vessels
  • Surveillance of the arms embargo on Somalia
  • Monitoring drug and arms trafficking
  • Combating Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing
  • Disruption of illegal charcoal trade

Operation ATALANTA FAQs

Q1. What is Operation ATALANTA?
Ans. Operation ATALANTA is a counter-piracy naval mission launched by the European Union in 2008 to protect vessels against piracy off the coast of Somalia and the Horn of Africa.

Q2. What are the objectives of Operation ATALANTA?
Ans. The operation aims to safeguard World Food Programme (WFP) shipments, protect vulnerable ships, monitor fishing activities, and deter piracy in the Western Indian Ocean.

Q3. Which naval forces participate in Operation ATALANTA?
Ans. Naval forces from European Union member states along with international partners collaborate under the EU Naval Force (EU NAVFOR) for Operation ATALANTA.

Source: TH

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology Latest News

Recently, the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), in partnership with IIT Bombay, has launched a pilot V2G project to test its feasibility in the state.

What is Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology?

• Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) is a set of technologies that enable Electric Vehicles (EVs) to send stored electricity back to the power grid when they are not in use.
• When an EV is idle and connected via a bi-directional charger, it can act as a decentralised battery energy storage system, contributing electricity to the grid.
• V2G supports both charging (Grid to Vehicle – G2V) and discharging (Vehicle to Grid – V2G) of EV batteries, creating a two-way energy flow.
• EV batteries act as a load on the grid during charging, which can be managed using tools like Time of Use (ToU) tariffs and smart charging to reduce stress during peak hours.
• During discharging, EV batteries serve as distributed energy sources, providing electricity during peak demand periods or when renewable energy (RE) is low.
• V2G is part of a broader framework including Vehicle to Home (V2H) and Vehicle to Vehicle (V2V) applications, but V2G is the most widely explored use case globally.

Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology FAQs

Q1. What is V2G Technology?
Ans. Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) Technology allows electric vehicles (EVs) to return stored electricity back to the grid when they are not in use, helping balance energy supply and demand.

Q2. How does V2G Technology benefit the power grid?
Ans. V2G helps stabilize the power grid by storing surplus energy in EVs during low demand and supplying it back during peak demand periods, thereby reducing the load on power stations.

Q3. Why is V2G important for renewable energy integration?
Ans. V2G enables efficient energy storage, helping overcome the intermittent nature of renewable energy sources like solar and wind by using EV batteries as distributed energy reservoirs.

Source: TH

Flue Gas Desulphurisation Latest News

A recent study commissioned by the Principal Scientific Adviser said that the Union Environment Ministry should roll back its 2015 policy mandating all of India’s 537 coal-fired plants to install a class of equipment called Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD).

About Flue Gas Desulphurisation

• In an FGD system, sulphur compounds, particularly sulfur dioxide (SO2), are removed from the exhaust emissions of fossil-fuelled power stations. 
• This is done by means of an industrial process through the addition of absorbents. This can remove up to 95 % of the sulphur dioxide from the flue gas (exhaust gas).
• The wet process has become the main method of FGD in large, fossil-fuelled power plants. 
• In this method, the flue gases are steam-saturated with the absorbent in aqueous solution. 
• Substances such as ammonia or sodium sulphite are used as absorbents; however, the use of lime or limestone slurry (wet limestone scrubbing) is also widespread. 
• The uncleaned flue gas is sprayed in a scrubber tower (absorber tower) with a mixture of water and limestone (scrubbing slurry), whereby most of the sulphur dioxide is bonded by chemical reaction.

Why Do We Need Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD)?

• Most fossil fuels (coal, oils, etc.) contain some sulphur. 
• When a fossil fuel is burnt, the sulphur it contains is released to the atmosphere via the process of combustion. 
• Some coals may contain up to 4% sulphur, which is a significant amount considering that a coal power station may burn in excess of 5,000 tonnes of coal per day.
• Sulfur dioxide in itself is a major air pollutant which impacts all life. 
• It is also a precursor of acid rain, which has significant adverse impacts on forests, freshwaters, and soils, in turn killing insect and aquatic life forms, causing paint to peel, corrosion of steel structures such as bridges, and weathering of stone buildings and statues.
• The removal of sulfur dioxide is critical to establishing a safe and clean environment where toxic emissions are kept to a safe level.

Flue Gas Desulphurisation FAQs

Q1. What is the primary purpose of a Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) system?

Ans. To remove sulphur dioxide from flue gases

Q2. What is the most commonly used method of Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) in large power plants?

Ans. Wet scrubbing

Q3. What happens to the sulphur dioxide after reacting with the absorbent in an Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) system?

Ans. It forms a solid compound like gypsum.

Source: TH

International Maritime Bureau Latest News

Global Maritime piracy and armed robbery incidents have seen a noticeable increase in the first three months of 2025, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB).

About International Maritime Bureau

• The ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB) is a non-profit-making organisation,established in 1981, to act as a focal point in the fight against all types of maritime fraud, malpractice, and piracy. 
• It is a specialised division of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC).
• It serves as a platform for cooperation and information sharing among various stakeholders, including governments, shipping companies, and law enforcement agencies. 
• By acting as a central hub for reporting and disseminating information on maritime crimes, the IMB helps in preventing and combating piracy, armed robbery, and other illicit activities that pose a threat to the safety of ships and crew members.
• The IMB Piracy Reporting Centre is located at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• The key services of the PRC are:
  • Issuing daily status reports on piracy and armed robbery to ships via broadcasts on the Inmarsat-C SafetyNET service. 
  • Reporting piracy and armed robbery at sea incidents to law enforcement and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
  • Helping local law enforcement apprehend pirates and assist in bringing them to justice. 
  • Assisting shipowners whose vessels have been attacked or hijacked.
  • Assisting crew members whose vessels have been attacked. 
  • Providing updates on pirate activity via the Internet, twitter, and email alerts.
  • Publishing comprehensive quarterly and annual reports detailing piracy statistics. 
• The services of the PRC are provided free of charge to all ships irrespective of their ownership or flag. 
• The IMB also locates lost ships or ships seized by pirates, recovers stolen cargoes, and prepares customised reports on a chargeable basis. 
• The United Nations (UN) International Maritime Organization (IMO), in its resolution A 504 (XII) (9) adopted on 20 November 1981, has, among other things, urged all governments,interests, and organizations to exchange information and provide appropriate co-operation with the IMB. 
• The IMB also has an observer status with the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO – INTERPOL). 
• Through its expertise and extensive network, the IMB offers mediation and arbitration services, helping parties involved in maritime disputes to reach amicable settlements and avoid costly legal proceedings.
• IMB actively engages in advocacy and awareness campaigns to promote best practices in maritime security and trade facilitation. 
• It collaborates withinternational organizations, such as the IMO, to develop guidelines and standards aimed at enhancing the security and efficiency of global shipping operations.

International Maritime Bureau FAQs

Q1. Where is the International Maritime Bureau?

Ans. IMB has its Head Office at Limassol, Cyprus.

Q2. What is the primary objective of the International Maritime Bureau (IMB)?

Ans. Act as a focal point to combat maritime fraud, malpractice, and piracy

Q3. IMB operates as a specialized division of which organization?

Ans. International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)

Source: MI

Dal Lake Latest News

A tourist shikara overturned in Srinagar’s iconic Dal Lake recently as strong winds lashed parts of Jammu and Kashmir, sending four people, including a tourist family and a boatman, into the water. 

About Dal Lake

• It is a mid-altitude urban lake located in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir.
• It is surrounded by the Pir Panjal mountains.
• It is integral to tourism and recreation in Kashmir and is named the “Jewel in the crown of Kashmir” or “Srinagar’s Jewel”.
• It is also known as the Lake of Flowers.
• The shoreline of the lake, which is about 15.5 kilometres (9.6 mi), is encompassed by a boulevard lined with Mughal-era gardens, parks, houseboats, and hotels. 
• It has an average depth of almost 5 ft and a maximum depth of 20 ft. 
• It is one of the world's largest natural lakes. 
• The lake covers an area of 18 sq.km. and is part of a natural wetland which covers 21.1 sq.km., including its floating gardens.
• The floating gardens, known as “Raad” in Kashmiri, blossom with lotus flowers during July and August.
• The wetland is divided by causeways into four basins; Gagribal, Lokut Dal, Bod Dal, and Nagin (although Nagin is also considered an independent lake).
• Lokut-dal and Bod-dal each have an island in the centre, known as Rup Lank (or Char Chinari) and Sona Lank, respectively.
• Dal Lake is also popular for the floating market where vendors have their own Shikaras/wooden boats and approach tourists.

Dal Lake FAQs

Q1. Is Dal Lake the largest freshwater lake in India?

Ans. No, Dal Lake is not the largest freshwater lake in India.

Q2. Which lake is known as lake of Flowers?

Ans. Dal Lake in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir is often referred to as the "Lake of Flowers"

Q3. Which mountain range surrounds Dal Lake?

Ans. Pir Panjal Mountains

Source: IE

Colossal Squid Latest News

Marine scientists recently captured the world's first footage of a colossal squid swimming freely in its natural habitat - nearly a century after the species was first identified.

About Colossal Squid

• It is one of the largest and most elusive invertebrates on Earth.
• Scientific Name: Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni
• Distribution: It is found in the icy depths of the Southern Ocean near Antarctica.

Colossal Squid Features

• This soft-bodied marine animal is somewhat like an octopus, but with a much bulkier frame and far greater length.
• It has a tube-shaped body, huge eyes, and arms and tentacles with suckers to grab food.
• It can reach lengths of up to 7 metres (around 23 feet) and weight as much as 500 kilograms.
• When they’re young, these creatures are almost see-through, giving them the glassy, ghost-like look that’s typical of many deep-sea juveniles. 
• As they grow, their appearance changes drastically, taking on a deep red or purplish colour and developing thick, muscular arms.
• Fully grown, they are believed to be the largest invertebrates on Earth, meaning they have no bones but can still grow to massive sizes.
• What really sets the colossal squid apart, though, are the sharp, swivelling hooks on its tentacles, something no other squid species has. 
• It’s also known for having the largest eyes of any animal ever discovered, believed to help it detect prey and predators in the pitch-black ocean depths.
• Colossal Squid Conservation Status: It is classified as Least Concern under the IUCN Red List.

Colossal Squid FAQs

Q1. Where is the colossal squid primarily found?

Ans. Southern Ocean near Antarctica

Q2. What makes the colossal squid’s eyes remarkable?

Ans. They are the largest eyes of any known animal.

Q3. What is the conservation status of the colossal squid according to the IUCN Red List?

Ans. Least Concern

Source: TH

NASA’s Curiosity Rover Latest News

Recently, NASA’s Curiosity Rover has discovered carbon-bearing minerals on Mars, marking the first solid evidence of a carbon cycle on the Red Planet.

About NASA’s Curiosity Rover

• Curiosity is a U.S. robotic rover launched on November 26, 2011, aboard an Atlas V rocket and landed on Mars on August 5, 2012.
• It is part of NASA’s Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission and was the first to use a sky crane landing system to reach the Martian surface.
• The rover runs on a thermoelectric power generator, which utilises the radioactive decay of plutonium instead of solar panels.
• Its four primary scientific goals are:
  • Determine whether life ever existed on Mars.
  • Characterise Mars' past and present climate.
  • Understand the geology of Mars.
  • Prepare for future human exploration.
• The rover is approximately 3 meters long, weighs around 900 kilograms, and is equipped with an onboard chemistry lab for analysing rock samples.

 Key Findings from the Rover

• The discovery was made during the rover’s exploration of an 89-meter stretch of terrain in an ancient lakebed in the Gale Crater, where it drilled into different types of rocks.
• The Curiosity rover identified a carbonate mineral called siderite, which contains carbon and oxygen, in the sulfate-rich layers of Martian rocks. This is the first time this mineral has been found on Mars.
• The rocks containing 5–10% siderite by weight suggest that a significant portion of Mars’ past CO₂ may be trapped in the planet's crust, rather than having escaped into space.
• The rocks also showed the presence of iron oxyhydroxides, indicating that siderite may have dissolved in acidic water, releasing some CO₂ back into the atmosphere. This points to a limited and slow carbon cycle.

NASA’s Curiosity Rover FAQs

Q1. What is NASA's Curiosity Rover?
Ans. NASA's Curiosity Rover is a robotic explorer launched to Mars in 2011 as part of the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission to study the planet’s climate and geology.

Q2. What are the primary objectives of Curiosity?
Ans. Curiosity’s main goal is to determine if Mars ever had conditions suitable for microbial life and to analyse soil, rocks, and the Martian atmosphere.

Q3. Which landing site was chosen for Curiosity on Mars?
Ans. Curiosity successfully landed in Gale Crater on Mars on August 6, 2012, an area believed to have once contained water.

Source: SCN

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) Latest News

Recently, the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) signed an official agreement with the Government of India, formally establishing India as the headquarters and secretariat of the alliance.

About the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)

• Launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in April 2023 during the 50th anniversary of Project Tiger. Formally approved by the Union Cabinet in February 2024.
• Implementation agency: The IBCA is implemented through the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC).
• Objective: To conserve seven major big cat species across the world: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah.
• Current ratifying members: India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, Somalia, Liberia are the initial countries that ratified the IBCA Framework Agreement.
• Membership: Membership is open to all UN Member States, including:
  • Range countries, where big cats naturally occur.
  • Non-range countries that are interested in supporting global conservation of big cats.

IBCA as a Global Legal Entity

• India formally joined the IBCA in September 2023, after ratifying the framework agreement.
• The IBCA became a treaty-based intergovernmental organisation after five countries ratified the framework agreement. These include India, Nicaragua, Eswatini, Somalia, and Liberia.
• Institutional Support and Funding: India has committed ₹150 crore (for the period 2023–2028) as budgetary support for:
  • Creating a corpus fund,
  • Building infrastructure, and
  • Covering recurring expenses of the IBCA.

International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) FAQs

Q1. What is the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA)?
Ans. The International Big Cat Alliance is a global initiative launched by India in 2023 to facilitate collaboration in the protection and conservation of seven big cat species: Tiger, Lion, Leopard, Snow Leopard, Puma, Jaguar, and Cheetah.

Q2. Which organisation leads the IBCA?
Ans. The International Big Cat Alliance is led by India, leveraging its Project Tiger experience, and aims to unite countries for research, training, and conservation financing.

Q3. Why was the IBCA established?
Ans. The IBCA was created to combat poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and habitat loss, while fostering transboundary cooperation among range countries for big cat conservation.

Source: IE

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Latest News

Recently, scientists have found tentative but strong evidence of possible extraterrestrial life on a distant exoplanet named K2-18b, located 124 light years away from Earth in the Leo constellation.

About James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

• The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), launched in December 2021, is the largest and most powerful space observatory built through a collaboration between NASA, European Space Agency (ESA), and Canadian Space Agency (CSA).
• JWST orbits the L2 Lagrange Point, about 1.5 million km beyond Earth, enabling a stable position for deep-space observation.
• The telescope operates primarily in the infrared spectrum and is equipped with components such as:
  • Optical Telescope Element (OTE) – collects light from distant objects.
  • Integrated Science Instrument Module (ISIM) – houses all cameras and instruments.
  • Sunshield – protects sensitive instruments from solar radiation.
  • Spacecraft Bus – provides necessary operational support.

Scientific Findings on K2-18b

• The Cambridge University research team studied the planet’s atmosphere and detected chemical signatures of gases like dimethyl sulphide (DMS) and dimethyl disulphide (DMDS).
• On Earth, these gases are known to be produced only by marine phytoplankton and certain bacteria, raising the possibility of biological activity on K2-18b.
• The amount of DMS detected is thousands of times greater than Earth's levels, suggesting, if biological, that the planet might be teeming with life.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) FAQs

Q1. What is the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)?
Ans. The James Webb Space Telescope is a space-based observatory launched by NASA in December 2021 designed to observe the universe in infrared light.

Q2. How is JWST different from the Hubble Telescope?
Ans. Unlike Hubble, which observes mainly in visible and ultraviolet light, JWST focuses on infrared light, allowing it to see through cosmic dust and view early galaxies.

Q3. What scientific goals does JWST serve?
Ans. JWST aims to study the formation of stars, galaxies, and planetary systems, analyze exoplanet atmospheres, and look back to the earliest stages of the universe.

Source: BBC