Geography 

EARTH'S INNER CORE MAY HAVE CHANGED SHAPE: WHAT NEW STUDY SAYS - Indian Express

The Earth is in a constant state of flux, and changes are constant on its surface and deep within its core. The shifting tectonic plates, climate variations, and even the movement of the magnetic poles together contribute to the ever-evolving and ever-changing nature of our planet.

Redefining the Inner Core

Deformed Inner Core

• New Findings:
  • Inner core shape changes over time due to viscous deformation.
  • Shifts occur at the shallow boundary of the inner core.
• Cause of Deformation:
  • Interaction with the turbulent molten outer core.
  • First observed evidence of the outer core disturbing the inner core on a human timescale.
• Scientific Significance:
  • Reveals hidden dynamics within Earth's core.
  • May improve understanding of Earth’s thermal and magnetic fields.

Polity 

President's rule among options for Manipur: the provision and its history - Indian Express

Manipur CM N Biren Singh resigned as Manipur’s Chief Minister recently. If the party fails to find a consensus CM candidate, the state may have to be put under President’s rule.

President’s Rule

• Constitutional provision: Article 356
• Effects:
  • State government’s functions transfer to the Centre.
  • State legislature’s powers shift to Parliament.
  • High Court functions remain unaffected.
• Process of Imposition:
  • Initiated when the President, based on the Governor’s report, is satisfied that state governance cannot function as per the Constitution.
  • A Proclamation is issued, initially valid for two months.
  • Must be approved by both Houses of Parliament to continue.
• Duration : Initially extended for six months, with renewals up to three years.
• Extensions: Beyond one year, further extensions require:
  • National or state-specific Emergency 
  • Election Commission’s certification citing difficulties in conducting state elections.

History of President’s Rule in India

• Imposition: Since 1950, imposed 134 times across 29 states & UTs.
• Frequent imposition: Manipur & Uttar Pradesh (10 times each).

Longest durations:

• Jammu & Kashmir – 12+ years (4,668 days).
• Punjab – 10+ years (3,878 days).
• Puducherry – 7+ years (2,739 days).

Reasons: Militant activity, law & order issues, political instability.

Supreme Court on President’s Rule (S.R. Bommai Case, 1994)

• Judicial review applicable: Courts can examine if the proclamation is illegal, malafide, or an abuse of power.
• President’s decision not absolute: Courts can check if relevant material was considered.
• State governments’ autonomy protected: Only the legislature is suspended unless Parliament approves the rule within two months.

Justice B.P. Jeevan Reddy’s Observations

• States are not mere appendages of the Centre.
• Courts must not dilute state powers through interpretation.
• Impact: Instances of President’s Rule have declined since the Bommai judgment.

In poll-bound Meghalaya, rat-hole coal mining hopes ride on Article 371 - The Hindu 

A regional party in poll-bound Meghalaya has indicated that bringing the State under the purview of Article 371 could help resume rat-hole coal mining, which has been banned since April 2014. The elections to the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council are scheduled for February 21.

Autonomous District Council (ADC)

• Constitutional Provision: Governed under Sixth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• Coverage: 10 tribal areas in Assam (3), Meghalaya (3), Tripura (1), and Mizoram (3).
• Formation: Each tribal area forms an Autonomous District with an Autonomous District Council (ADC).
• Members: 30 (26 elected by adult franchise, 4 nominated by Governor).
• Tenure: 5 years from the date of constitution.
• Legislative Functions:
  • Laws on land, forest management (except reserved forests).
  • Appointment of traditional chiefs and headmen.
  • Regulation of inheritance, marriage, divorce, and village courts.

Administrative Functions:

• Establish/manage schools, dispensaries, markets, ferries, fisheries, roads.
• Control of money lending and trading by non-tribals (requires Governor’s assent).

Revenue Sources

• Taxes on professions, trades, callings, employment.
• Taxes on animals, vehicles, boats.
• Taxes on entry and sale of goods in markets, tolls on ferries.
• Taxes for school, dispensaries, roads maintenance.

World Affairs 

How will freeze on USAID affect the world? - The Hindu 

Recently, on his first day in office for a second term, U.S. President Donald Trump put in place a 90-day freeze on foreign assistance. Consequently, personnel of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) were stopped from disbursing assistance across the world. 

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

• About: stablished in 1961 as an independent agency through an Act of Congress.
• Role: Aligns U.S. civilian foreign aid and development assistance.
• Mission: Promote democratic values, global peace, and prosperity while securing U.S. interests.
• Function: Provides financial aid in over 100 countries.
• Focus areas: Economic development, health, education, food security, humanitarian aid, climate change, democracy, and governance.
• Working: Works with governments, NGOs, businesses, and international organizations through grants and technical assistance.
• Programs:
  • PEPFAR – AIDS relief.
  • Feed the Future – Hunger and food security.
  • Power Africa – Electricity access.
  • Water for the World Act – Water, sanitation, and hygiene.
• Funding:
  • 2024 Budget: $44.20 billion (0.4% of U.S. federal budget).
  • 42% of all humanitarian aid tracked by the UN in 2024 came from USAID.
• Top beneficiaries: Ukraine, Ethiopia, Jordan, Somalia, Congo, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria, Yemen, South Sudan.
• Challenges of stopping funding:
• Withdrawal of funds could halt critical projects, impacting quality of life and survival.

• HIV/AIDS crisis: UN warns 6 million deaths in 4 years if funding stops.

• Haiti exception: $13.3M aid frozen, but $40.7M approved for police.
  • USAID workforce cut from 10,000 to 294 employees.
  • Africa Bureau: 12 staff, Asia Bureau: 8 staff retained for critical work.
• Past USAID Involvement in India:
  • India-USAID partnership since 1951 (Emergency Food Aid Act).
  • Initially focused on food aid, education, and healthcare.
  • Funding (last decade): ~$1.5 billion (0.2%-0.4% of total USAID budget).
  • 2024 funding: $79.3 million, mainly for health (HIV/AIDS, TB, maternal-child health, immunization).

Future Implications: 

• Reduced dependence: India’s funding from USAID has declined over years.
• Government concerns over conditions for grants.
• Major impact unlikely, but health sector projects may face challenges.
• USAID has directed project suspensions in India until further notice.

Plan to amend nuclear liability law may enthuse American, French firms - The Hindu 

Ahead of Indian Prime Minister’s visit to Paris and Washington, the Union government’s announcement that it would amend the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damages Act (CLNDA), 2010, and the Atomic Energy Act, 1962, is likely to enthuse American and French nuclear power companies, whose projects have been deadlocked due to legal concerns for more than 15 years. 

Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act (CLNDA), 2010

• About: Adopted in 2010, forms the legal basis for India’s response to nuclear incidents.
• Basis: Vienna Convention, Paris Convention, and Brussels Supplementary Convention.
• Role: Establishes compensation mechanism for nuclear accident victims.
• Provisions:
  • Strict & No-Fault Liability: Nuclear plant operators are liable regardless of fault.
  • Liability Cap: Operator’s liability capped at ₹1,500 crore, requiring insurance/financial security.
  • Government Liability: If damages exceed ₹1,500 crore, the government covers up to ₹2,100-₹2,300 crore (300 million SDRs).
• Compensation Claims: Timeline established for claim settlements.
• Incident Reporting: Atomic Energy Regulatory Board must report incidents within 15 days.
• Nuclear Damage Claims Commission: Ensures equitable compensation and conflict resolution.

Sci and Tech 

Astronomers Discover ‘Quipu’—The Largest Structure In The Universe - Indian Express 

 Astronomers have identified what could be the largest structure ever found in the known universe. This massive formation, named “Quipu," stretches an astonishing 1.3 billion light-years across and contains an estimated 200 quadrillion solar masses. 

Quipu 

• About: Superstructure of galaxies grouping into clusters and superclusters.
• Components: Contains ~70 galactic superclusters.
• Length: Spans 3 billion light-years.
• Estimated mass: 200 quadrillion solar masses.
• Comparison with milky way: 13,000 times the length of the Milky Way.
• Size: Hundreds of thousands of times more massive than a single galaxy.
• Structure: Resembles the Incan "Quipu" counting system with a long central filament and branching filaments.
• Significance:
  • Transient configuration—expected to break into smaller, collapsing units over time.
  • Helps refine cosmological models and understand galaxy evolution and large-scale cosmic dynamics.

China installs deep-sea detector to hunt mysterious ‘ghost particles’ - Indian Express 

Chinese scientists have placed special detectors deep in the South China Sea to explore the possibility of building a huge underwater observatory. Their goal is to find neutrinos. Scientists placed their equipment 5,250 feet underwater using a deep-sea submersible called Shenhai Yongshi (Deep-Sea Warrior).

Neutrinos/ Ghost particles

• About: Nearly massless, electrically neutral, and interact weakly with matter.
• Detection: Difficult to detect due to minimal interaction with other particles.
• Discovery: Predicted in 1930, experimentally discovered in 1956.
• Properties: Belong to lepton family, unaffected by strong force, but interact via weak force (radioactive decay).
• Source: Generated from decay of heavy particles into lighter ones.
• Presence: Most abundant particles in the universe & 100 trillion neutrinos pass through the human body every second.
• Importance:
  • Crucial in standard model of particle physics.
  • Significant in stellar physics, black holes, cosmology, and Big Bang studies.

Defence 

HAL Renames HJT-36 jet trainer as ‘Yashas’ following significant upgrades - The Hindu 

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has renamed its flagship HJT-36 jet training aircraft as ‘Yashas’, following significant upgrades to improve departure characteristics and spin resistance across the aircraft’s operational envelope.

Yashas – HAL’s Jet Trainer Aircraft

• About: Flagship jet trainer aircraft by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
• Earlier name: Hindustan Jet Trainer (HJT)-36.
• Use: Stage II pilot training, including counter-insurgency, counter-surface force operations, and armament training.

Key Features:

• Upgraded avionics and modern cockpit for enhanced training and operational efficiency.
• Weight reduction and replacement of imported equipment with Indian-made Line Replaceable Units (LRUs) for self-reliance.
• Aerobatic capabilities and support for 1,000 kg payload for armament carriage.
• Powered by FADEC-controlled AL55I Jet engine, ensuring best-in-class thrust-to-weight ratio, optimised thrust management & high reliability.
• Stepped-up rear cockpit and drooped nose for better all-around vision and situational awareness.