Bond Markets Latest News

U.S. President Donald Trump has not only disrupted international trade rules but has also sought to challenge the independence of the U.S. Central Bank (Federal Reserve).

About Bond Market

• The bond market is a financial marketplace where investors buy and sell debt securities, primarily bonds, issued by governments, corporations, or institutions.

About Bonds and Inflation Impact

• A bond is a financial instrument that promises a fixed return (face value) at the end of a specific period, unlike equity, which has no fixed term or guaranteed returns.
• Bonds are generally safer investments used to hedge against risks or act as a store of value.
• Bond yields are inversely proportional to their market price: when prices fall, yields rise.
• Inflation erodes the real returns from bonds. If inflation exceeds bond yield, investors lose purchasing power.
• When inflation expectations rise, the Central Bank typically raises interest rates, causing bond prices to fall and yields to rise, impacting investment decisions across the economy.
• Currency depreciation also impacts foreign bondholders negatively, reducing their real returns when converting back to their home currency.

About the Indian Bond Market

• The Indian Bond Market is a vital segment of the financial system where government entities, corporations, and financial institutions raise funds by issuing bonds.
• Investors provide loans to the issuers and, in return, receive periodic interest payments and principal repayment upon maturity.

Structure of the Indian Bond Market

• Primary Bond Market: In the Primary Market, new bonds are issued by the government, corporations, or financial institutions to raise capital.
  • Government Securities (G-Secs): Bonds issued by Central and State Governments, including Treasury Bills (short-term) and Government Bonds (long-term).
  • Corporate Bonds: Bonds issued by private or public companies, credit-rated based on their creditworthiness.
  • Municipal Bonds: Issued by local governing bodies for funding public infrastructure projects.
  • Public Sector Undertaking (PSU) Bonds: Bonds issued by government-owned corporations.
  • Green Bonds: Dedicated bonds for financing environmentally sustainable projects.
  • Masala Bonds: Rupee-denominated bonds issued in foreign markets.
• Secondary Bond Market: In the Secondary Market, previously issued bonds are traded among investors.
  • Examples include instruments like Treasury Bills (T-Bills), Commercial Papers (CPs), and Certificates of Deposit (CDs).

Bond Markets FAQs

Q1. What is a bond market?
Ans. The bond market is a financial marketplace where investors buy and sell debt securities, primarily bonds, issued by governments, corporations, or institutions.

Q2. What are government securities (G-Secs)?
Ans. Government securities (G-Secs) are bonds issued by a government to borrow money from the public, considered among the safest investments due to sovereign backing.

Q3. What is the difference between primary and secondary bond markets?
Ans. In the primary market, bonds are issued and sold for the first time; in the secondary market, investors trade existing bonds among themselves.

Q4. Who regulates the bond market in India?
Ans. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) regulates the government bond market, while the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) regulates corporate bond markets.

Source: TH

RNA-Based Antiviral for Agricultural Virus Latest News

Plant pests and diseases destroy nearly 40% of the world’s annual crop production, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). Plant viruses alone cause over $30 billion in annual losses globally.

What is the Mosaic Virus?

• The Mosaic virus is a parasite that destroys plants at the molecular level.
• Infected plants spread the virus to other plants, potentially devastating an entire harvest.
• It affects a wide variety of crops, including roses, beans, tobacco, tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, pumpkins, squash, melons, and peppers.

About Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV)

• CMV is a plant virus affecting a wide range of crops such as cucumber, melon, eggplant, tomato, carrot, and lettuce.
• CMV was first identified in cucumbers in 1934, giving the virus its name.
• The virus is spread mainly through sap-sucking insects called aphids, with nearly 90 aphid species capable of transmitting CMV.
• CMV can also spread through human touch, but the likelihood is extremely low.
• Weather conditions with high temperatures and intermittent rain promote the multiplication of aphids, thereby facilitating the spread of CMV.
• CMV is a major threat, infecting more than 1,200 plant species, including cucumbers, cereals, and medicinal plants.
• In India, CMV causes 25-30% yield losses in banana plantations and up to 70% infection rates in crops like pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons.

RNA-Based Defence Mechanism

• RNA Silencing: A natural defence system in plants against viral attacks.
  • Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) from the virus triggers the plant’s immune response.
  • Dicer-like enzymes (DCLs) slice the dsRNA into small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).
  • siRNAs then guide the system to destroy viral RNA, stopping virus replication.

Types of RNA-Based Techniques

• Host-Induced Gene Silencing (HIGS): Plants are genetically modified to produce virus-targeting dsRNA internally for continuous protection. However, high costs, regulatory hurdles, and risk of viral resistance limit its use.
• Spray-Induced Gene Silencing (SIGS): RNA sprays are applied to plant leaves, activating natural immunity without altering plant DNA. Cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but traditional dsRNA often generates a random mix of siRNAs, reducing efficiency.

RNA-Based Antiviral for Agricultural Virus FAQs

Q1. What is a Mosaic Virus?
Ans. A Mosaic Virus is a plant virus that causes a mottled appearance with light and dark green or yellow patches on leaves, severely affecting crop growth and yield.

Q2. Which crops are commonly affected by Mosaic Virus?
Ans. Tobacco, tomato, cucumber, sugarcane, papaya, and legumes are among the crops commonly affected by different types of Mosaic Viruses.

Q3. What are the major types of Mosaic Viruses?
Ans. The major types include Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV), Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), and Papaya Ringspot Virus (PRSV).

Source: TH

Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre Latest News

The government recently authorised Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to share and receive information from the Enforcement Directorate under the anti-money laundering law, a move aimed at detecting money trails and combating cyber frauds.

About Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre

• I4C has been established under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to act as a nodal point at the National level in the fight against cybercrime. 
• It is designed to provide a framework and ecosystem for law enforcement agencies (LEAs) to deal with cybercrime in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.
• I4C brings together academia, industry, public, and government in the prevention, detection, investigation, and prosecution of cybercrimes.
• Headquarters: New Delhi

Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre Objectives

• To act as a nodal point to curb Cybercrime in the country.
• To strengthen the fight against Cybercrime committed against women and children.
• Facilitate easy filing of cybercrime related complaints and identifying cybercrime trends and patterns.
• To act as an early warning system for LEAs for proactive cybercrime prevention and detection.
• Awareness creation among the public about preventing cybercrime.
• Assist States/UTs in capacity building of Police Officers, Public Prosecutors and Judicial Officers in the area of cyber forensic, investigation, cyber hygiene, cyber-criminology, etc.
• Identify the research problems and needs of LEAs and take up R&D activities in developing new technologies and forensic tools in collaboration with academia/research institutes within India and abroad.
• Suggest amendments, if required, in cyber laws to keep pace with fast-changing technologies and international cooperation.
• To coordinate all activities related to the implementation of Mutual Legal Assistance Treaties (MLAT) with other countries related to cybercrimes in consultation with the concerned nodal authority in MHA.

Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre Components 

• National Cybercrime Threat Analytics Unit (TAU): For reporting threats pertaining to cybercrimes at regular intervals.
• National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP): To report various cybercrime complaints by citizens at all India levels on a common platform on a 24x7 basis from “anywhere, anytime”.
• National Cybercrime Training Centre (NCTC): To impart training to government officials, especially state law enforcement agencies.
• National Cybercrime Research and Innovation Centre: To carry out research for the development of indigenous tools for the prevention of cybercrimes.
• Platform for Joint Cyber Crime Coordination Team: For coordination, sharing of modus operandi of cybercrimes, data/information among states/UTs LEAs.
• Cybercrime Ecosystem Management Unit: For creating mass awareness in cyber hygiene for prevention of cybercrimes.
• National Cybercrime Forensic Laboratory (Investigation) Ecosystem: For helping LEAs in cyber forensics investigation.

Other Initiatives

• Citizen Financial Cyber Fraud Reporting and Management System: For immediate reporting of financial cyber frauds and preventing the siphoning of funds by cyber criminals on a near-real-time basis.
• National Toll-Free Helpline number ‘1930’ has been operationalized to provide citizen assistance in lodging online cyber complaints.
• The social media handle “CyberDost”, which provides cyber safety tips at regular intervals.
• I4C has envisaged the Cyber Crime Volunteers Program to bring together citizens with a passion to serve the nation on a single platform and contribute to the fight against cybercrime in the country.

Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre FAQs

Q1. Where is the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre?

Ans. New Delhi

Q2. Is the I4C a statutory body?

Ans. No, the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) is not a statutory body.

Q3. Under which ministry has the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) been established?

Ans. Ministry of Home Affairs

Source: TH

Critical Tiger Habitat Latest News

The Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH) of Sariska Tiger Reserve (STR) is likely to expand by approximately 4,500 hectares following a rationalisation exercise mandated by the Supreme Court of India's Central Empowered Committee (CEC).

About Critical Tiger Habitat

• Critical Tiger Habitat (CTH), also known as core areas of tiger reserves, are identified under the Wild Life Protection Act (WLPA), 1972.
• These are based on scientific evidence that "such areas are required to be kept as inviolate for the purpose of tiger conservation, without affecting the rights of the Scheduled Tribes or such other forest dwellers".
• The notification of CTH is done by the state government in consultation with the expert committee constituted for the purpose.
• Inviolate Status: These areas are kept inviolate (free from human activities) for the purpose of tiger conservation.
• The forests peripheral to CTH are notified as buffer areas, which act as a transition between CTH and non-tiger reserves.

Key Facts about Central Empowered Committee

• It was set up in 2002 (reconstituted in 2008) by the Supreme Court.
• It served as a watchdog for issues pertaining to environmental conservation and compliance.
• In 2023, the Supreme Court transferredthe CEC, to the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change. 
• According to the Union Environment Ministry’s notification, the central empowered committee will now be institutionalised as a permanent statutory body, moving away from its earlier ad hoc status. 
• Composition of the new CEC
  • It will have a chairman with experience of 25 years in the field of environment, forests and wildlife or proven administrative experience of not less than 25 years in the central or state governments.
  • He will be nominated by the central government for a tenure of three years.
  • The age limit for the Chairperson is set at 66 years, and the rank must not be below that of an Additional Secretary.
  • The member secretary will be a full-time serving officer of the government not below the rank of Deputy Inspector General of forests or director in the Government of India.
  • This person is required to have special knowledge in the field of environment, forests, or wildlife, and experience of at least 12 years.
  • The member secretary too, will be appointed by the Centre.
  • The three expert members will be one each from the fields of the environment, forests, and wildlife with experience of at least 20 years.
  • They will also be nominated by the Centre for a tenure of three years.
  • One notable change in the new central empowered committee structure is the exclusion of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), which were previously part of the committee.
• The primary responsibilities of the CEC include:
  • Monitoring compliance with environmental laws and regulations.
  • Providing expert recommendationsto the government and judiciary on environmental issues.
  • Investigating complaints and grievances related to environmental violations.
  • Conducting site visits and inspections to assess environmental damage and suggest remedial measures.
  • Reporting to the Supreme Court and other relevant authorities on matters related to environmental conservation.

Critical Tiger Habitat FAQs

Q1. Under which Act are Critical Tiger Habitats (CTH) identified?

Ans. Wild Life Protection Act, 1972

Q2. Who declares critical tiger habitats?

Ans. The notification of CTH is done by the state government in consultation with the expert committee constituted for the purpose.

Q3. What is meant by the "inviolate" status of a Critical Tiger Habitat?

Ans. It is kept free from human activities for tiger conservation.

Source: TOI

Cucumber Mosaic Virus Latest News

A team of researchers recently reported developing an RNA-based antiviral agent that confers strong protection against cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), a widespread and destructive plant virus.

About Cucumber Mosaic Virus 

• It is one of the most common plant viruses.
• CMV was first identified in 1916 as the causal agent of cucumber and muskmelon disease in the United States. 
• CMV infects more than 1,200 plant species, including critical food crops like cucumbers, squash, and cereals, and medicinal plants. 
• It spreads through small sap-sucking insects called aphids. 
• With nearly 90 aphid species capable of transmitting CMV, outbreaks are often difficult to contain.
• In India, CMV is responsible for 25-30% yield losses in banana plantations. In pumpkins, cucumbers, and melons, infection rates can soar up to 70%. 
• Symptoms: Affected plants develop a mosaic discolouration, stunted growth, and commercially unviable fruits.
• Management: 
  • Cultural practices and the heavy use of agrochemicals are the most common control measures for CMV. 
  • There is no known cure for cucumber mosaic.
  • Infected plants should be removed and destroyed to eliminate the plants as potential reservoirs for the virus (which can subsequently be spread to other nearby healthy plants).

Cucumber Mosaic Virus FAQs

Q1. What are the symptoms of mosaic virus?

Ans. Affected plants develop a mosaic discolouration, stunted growth, and commercially unviable fruits.

Q2. Can mosaic virus live in soil?

Ans. Mosaic viruses are challenging to control and can remain active in the soil for years.

Q3. How to treat mosaic virus on cucumbers?

Ans. Early plant removal is the best action as this reduces the level of virus in, and slows spread into, the crop. 

Source: TH

Extant Hyena Species Latest News

International Hyena Day 2025 (27th April): The four extant species of hyena or hyaenids found on the African continent are facing increasing threats, leading to population declines, according to conservation organisation, Wild Africa.

About Hyenas

• Hyenas are dog-like carnivores belonging to the family Hyaenidae, native to Asia and Africa, noted for their scavenging habits.
• There are four extant hyena species:
  • Spotted Hyena (Crocuta crocuta)
  • Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena)
  • Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea)
  • Aardwolf (Proteles cristatus)
• Habitat: Forest edges, grasslands, savannas, sub-deserts, and mountains up to 13,000 feet elevation.
• Distribution: Across Africa, parts of the Middle East, and Asia.

Physical Features

• Hyenas are four-legged animals with scraggly fur and large ears.
• They have long forelegs, a powerful neck, and strong shoulders, allowing them to dismember and carry prey.
• Excellent sight, hearing, and sense of smell make them proficient scavengers and hunters.
• Hyenas are predominantly nocturnal, being most active during the night.
• Their lifespan averages 12 years, although they can live up to 25 years; Brown hyenas typically have a shorter lifespan.

Conservation Status (IUCN)

• Spotted Hyena: Least Concern but declining, with fewer than 50,000 individuals remaining.
• Striped Hyena: Near Threatened, with less than 10,000 mature individuals.
• Brown Hyena: Near Threatened, with just over 10,000 in the wild.
• Aardwolf: Least Concern, though exact numbers are unknown due to their elusive nature.

Extant Hyena Species FAQs

Q1. How many extant species of hyenas are there?
Ans. There are four extant species of hyenas: the spotted hyena, brown hyena, striped hyena, and aardwolf.

Q2. Which hyena species is most common in India?
Ans. The striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) is the most common species found in India.

Q3. Are hyenas more closely related to dogs or cats?
Ans. Despite appearances, hyenas are more closely related to cats (Feliformia suborder) than to dogs.

Source: DTE

Medium Range-Surface to Air Missile Latest News

The Indian Navy has successfully test-fired a Medium range surface-to-air missile (MR-SAM) air defence missile system aboard the INS Surat warship in the Arabian Sea recently.

About Medium Range-Surface to Air Missile

• It is a high-response, quick-reaction, vertically launched supersonic missile designed to neutralize enemy aerial threats – missiles, aircraft, guided bombs, helicopters, etc.
• It is developed jointly by Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and Israel Aerospace Industries, and is produced at Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL).
• Features:
  • Each MRSAM weapon system comprises one command and control system, one tracking radar, missiles, and mobile launcher systems.
  • The mobile launcher is used to transport, emplace, and launch up to eight canisterised missiles in two stacks. 
  • It can fire the missiles in single or ripple firing modes from the vertical firing position.
  • The weapon is 4.5 m-long, weighs approximately 276kg, and is equipped with canards and fins for control and manoeuvrability.
  • It is equipped with an advanced active radar radio frequency (RF) seeker, advanced rotating phased array radar, and a bidirectional data link. 
  • It is powered by a dual-pulse solid propulsion system developed by DRDO.
  • The propulsion system, coupled with a thrust vector control system, allows the missile to move at a maximum speed of Mach 2. 
  • The weapon has the ability to engage multiple targets simultaneously at ranges of 70 km.

Medium Range-Surface to Air Missile FAQs

Q1. The Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) is developed jointly by DRDO and which foreign organization?

Ans. Israel Aerospace Industries

Q2. What is the primary purpose of the MRSAM system?

Ans. Neutralize aerial threats like missiles, aircraft, and helicopters

Q3. What is the maximum engagement range of the MRSAM system?

Ans. 70 km

Source: HT

Exercise Balikatan Latest News

As many as 17,000 personnel are participating in the annual “Balikatan” exercises, which this year will simulate a “full-scale battle scenario” as the treaty allies seek to deter China’s ambitions in the waterway.

About Balikatan Exercise

• It is the largest bilateral exercise conducted between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States.
• “Balikatan,” a Tagalog phrase that means “shoulder-to-shoulder,”  characterizes the spirit of the exercise and represents the alliance between the Philippines and the United States.
• Held annually, Exercise Balikatan is designed to enhance military interoperability and readiness in support of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines.
• The 2025 edition is the 40th iteration of the exercise.
• Distinguishing itself from past iterations, Balikatan 25 will feature a Full Battle Test that incorporates real-world forces and events into a virtual and constructive exercise scenario. 
• The exercise will span all domains—air, land, sea, space, and cyber—testing the interoperability between U.S. and Philippine forces to simulate the defense of Philippine sovereignty.
• The exercise will consist of four primary components: a Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) operation, humanitarian civic assistance (HCA) activities, a command-and-control exercise (C2X), and a Multilateral Maritime Exercise (MME). 
• Each component will encompass several training events and engagement throughout the Philippines.

Exercise Balikatan FAQs

Q1. What is Balikatan Exercise?

Ans. It is the largest bilateral exercise conducted between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the United States.

Q2. The Balikatan Exercise is held in support of which treaty?

Ans. It is in support of the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines.

Q3. Which new feature will distinguish Balikatan 25 from previous exercises?

Ans. Full Battle Test with real-world forces and virtual scenarios

Source: TH

Cholistan Desert Latest News

Recently, Pakistan's Government decided to halt its ambitious canals project after widespread protests in Sindh.

Why in the News?

• The Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI), launched in 2023, aims to modernise Pakistan’s agriculture sector by providing irrigation infrastructure, introducing advanced technologies, and improving agricultural productivity.
• The Cholistan Canal, a major component of this initiative, was supposed to irrigate about 1.2 million acres of land in southern Punjab, particularly in the Cholistan Desert, a water-scarce region.

About Cholistan Desert

• It is also known locally as Rohi, and is located in the southern part of Pakistani Punjab.
• It forms part of the Greater Thar Desert, which extends into Sindh province of Pakistan and the Indian state of Rajasthan.
• The name "Cholistan" comes from the Turkic word "chol", meaning "sands" and the Persian suffix "istan", meaning "land".
• Historically, Cholistan was a centre for caravan trade, leading to the construction of numerous forts during the medieval period.
• The Derawar Fort is the best-preserved example of these medieval structures.
• Cholistan covers an area of 25,800 km² (10,000 sq mi) across the Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan districts.
• About 81% of the region is sandy, while 19% comprises alluvial flats and small sandy dunes.
• The Cholistan Desert has an arid and semi-arid tropical desert climate with very low annual humidity.
• Water resources include natural pools called Toba and manmade pools called Kund.

Cholistan Desert FAQs

Q1. Where is the Cholistan Desert located?
Ans. The Cholistan Desert is located in the southern part of Punjab province in Pakistan, near the India-Pakistan border.

Q2. Which major river once supported the Cholistan Desert?
Ans. The now-dried-up Hakra River (believed to be part of the ancient Saraswati-Ghaggar river system) once supported human settlements in the Cholistan region.

Source: IE

Bone Collector Caterpillar Latest News

A new carnivorous caterpillar has been discovered on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, earning the nickname "bone collector" because of its unusual behaviour.

About Bone Collector Caterpillar 

• The "Bone Collector" is a newly discovered carnivorous caterpillar found exclusively on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
• It constructs a protective case using body parts of its prey, such as ant heads and fly wings, along with silk.
• Habitat: The bone collector is found in a small, isolated patch of mountain forest on Oahu, which is also threatened by invasive species.
• The caterpillar's evolutionary lineage is estimated to be at least six million years old, older than the formation of the Hawaiian islands themselves.
• This caterpillar feeds on insects caught in spider webs and adorns its silk case using the body parts of its prey, such as ant heads and fly wings.

About Hawaii

• Hawaii is a U.S. state located in the Pacific Ocean and is made up of an archipelago formed by volcanic activity.
• It comprises eight main islands: Hawaii (Big Island), Maui, Oahu, Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Niihau, and Kahoolawe.
• The capital city is Honolulu, situated on Oahu.
• The islands feature diverse landscapes, including active volcanoes, rainforests, beaches, and dramatic cliffs.
• The Hawaiian Islands originated from a hotspot in the Earth's mantle, which continues to create volcanic formations across the Pacific.

Bone Collector Caterpillar FAQs

Q1. What is a Caterpillar?
Ans. A Caterpillar is the larval stage of insects belonging to the order Lepidoptera, which includes butterflies and moths.

Q2. Why are Caterpillars considered agricultural pests?
Ans. Caterpillars feed voraciously on leaves, stems, and fruits, causing severe damage to crops such as cotton, maize, vegetables, and pulses.

Q3. Name a few important Caterpillar pests in India.
Ans. Key pests include Fall Armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Cotton Bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), and Cabbage Looper (Trichoplusia ni).

Source: TH