𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗟 (𝗟𝗔𝗖) | 𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗 | 𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞 | 𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗦𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗔

𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗖𝗧𝗨𝗔𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗢𝗟 (𝗟𝗔𝗖)

International Relations

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁

• The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has disturbed the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) through its patrolling behaviour.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗔𝗖

• 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The de facto line separating Indian-controlled territory from Chinese-controlled territory.
• 𝗟𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵: India estimates it at approximately 3,488 km, while China estimates around 2,000 km.
• 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀:
  • 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻: Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
  • 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲: Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.
  • 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻: Ladakh.

𝗠𝗰𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲

• 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: The de facto boundary between India and China in the Eastern Sector, particularly between Arunachal Pradesh and Tibet.
• 𝗢𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗻: Drawn during the Shimla Convention of 1914, involving Great Britain, China and Tibet.
• 𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁: From the Bhutan border in the west to the Myanmar border in the east.
• 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Rejects the McMahon Line and claims Arunachal Pradesh as Zangnan (South Tibet).
• 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮’𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲: Arunachal Pradesh is an integral part of India.

𝗟𝗔𝗖 𝘃𝘀 𝗟𝗼𝗖

• 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 (𝗟𝗔𝗖):
  • Separates Indian- and Chinese-controlled territories.
  • Not mutually agreed upon, fully delineated on maps or demarcated on the ground.
  • Differences in perceptions of its alignment can lead to border tensions.
• 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗹 (𝗟𝗼𝗖):
  • Separates Indian- and Pakistani-controlled areas in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • Originated from the 1949 Karachi Agreement following the 1947–48 India–Pakistan war.
  • Renamed the LoC under the 1972 Shimla Agreement.
  • Its alignment is depicted on maps authenticated by the military representatives of both countries.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗗𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

• LAC: India–China; alignment remains disputed.
• LoC: India–Pakistan; alignment is defined by bilateral agreements.

𝗟𝗢𝗦𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗗𝗔𝗠𝗔𝗚𝗘 𝗙𝗨𝗡𝗗

Environment

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁

• The UN Climate Convention’s Loss and Damage Fund earmarked $21.6 million for Nepal to address damage caused by the Bhotekoshi floods.
• It marks the first time the Fund has earmarked money for a specific country, according to the supplied report.

𝗕𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗸𝗼𝘀𝗵𝗶 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀

• 𝗖𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲: An ice-and-rock avalanche in August 2026 triggered flooding across the Bhotekoshi–Trishuli–Narayani river system.
• 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀: At least $2.69 billion.
• 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀: At least $4.71 billion.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱

• 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲: Support developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to climate change in addressing economic and non-economic losses and damages.
• 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸: Operates under the financial mechanism of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁:
  • COP27 (2022): Governments agreed to establish the Fund.
  • COP28 (2023): Its Governing Instrument was adopted.
• 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Address climate-related losses arising from extreme weather events and slow-onset events.
• 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: Developing countries particularly vulnerable to climate change, especially those with significant capacity constraints.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺𝘀

• Economic losses: Damage to infrastructure, property, livelihoods and economic activities.
• Non-economic losses: Loss of life, cultural heritage, biodiversity and community identity.
• Slow-onset events: Gradual climate impacts such as sea-level rise, desertification and ocean acidification.

𝗖𝗜𝗩𝗜𝗟 𝗗𝗘𝗙𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘 𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗪𝗢𝗥𝗞

Science & Technology

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁

• The Union Home Ministry launched a first-of-its-kind pilot initiative to strengthen civil defence preparedness by providing specialised training to Civil Defence Master Trainers through the Indian Army.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗖𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

• 𝗘𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱: First established in India in 1941.
• 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘀: Civil Defence Act, 1968 (Act 27 of 1968).
• 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀:
  • Preserve human lives.
  • Minimise damage to property.
  • Maintain essential services and production.
  • Promote public morale during emergencies.

𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

• Initially focused on protecting civilians against enemy attacks.
• Its scope expanded following the 1962 India–China conflict and the 1965 India–Pakistan conflict.
• The 2009 amendment expanded its role in disaster management before, during and after natural and man-made disasters.

𝗠𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

• Emergency preparedness and response.
• Protection against nuclear, biological and chemical (NBC) threats.
• Assistance during natural and human-induced disasters.
• Protection of essential services and critical infrastructure.

𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗨𝗜𝗡 𝗗𝗥𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗦 𝗠𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗦𝗡𝗢𝗪𝗠𝗘𝗟𝗧 𝗜𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗖𝗔

Environment

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁

• A recent study suggests that penguin droppings may accelerate snowmelt in Antarctica by promoting the growth of snow algae.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗗𝗼 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘁?

• 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: Penguin droppings deposit nutrients from their marine diet onto land and snow, fertilising algae.
• 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝗴𝗮𝗲: Under favourable conditions, algae use chlorophyll for photosynthesis, supporting rapid growth.
• 𝗥𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗹𝗴𝗮𝗲: Under nutrient stress or other unfavourable conditions, some algae produce protective red pigments that help shield their cells from intense sunlight.
• 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: Coloured algae darken the snow, reducing its albedo (reflectivity).
• 𝗜𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: Darker snow absorbs more solar energy, potentially accelerating local snowmelt.

𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻𝘀

• 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲: Flightless, aquatic birds belonging to the family Spheniscidae.
• 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Primarily found in the Southern Hemisphere, especially Antarctica.
• 𝗦𝘄𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴: Excellent swimmers adapted to aquatic life.
• 𝗗𝗶𝗲𝘁: Mainly fish, krill and squid.
• 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗲𝘀: Emperor penguin and Adélie penguin.
• 𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗮́𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗼𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝗻: The only penguin species naturally found north of the equator.
• 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The emperor penguin and Galápagos penguin are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.

𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗿𝗺

• 𝗔𝗹𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗼: The proportion of incoming solar radiation reflected by a surface. Lower albedo means greater absorption of solar energy.