Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority
Governance
In News
- The Government of India, the Government of Nagaland, and representatives of the Eastern Nagaland Peoples’ Organisation (ENPO) have signed a historic agreement for the creation of the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA).
Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority
- FNTA will cover six districts — Tuensang, Mon, Kiphire, Longleng, Noklak and Shamator inhabited by eight major Naga tribes.
- Objective – The agreement provides for devolution of powers enhancing administrative and developmental autonomy.
- Mini-Secretariat – It is headed by an Additional Chief Secretary/Principal Secretary-level officer.
- Significance – It aims to promote balanced regional development, financial autonomy, and participatory decision-making in a historically underdeveloped region.
- Note – However, the arrangement does not dilute Article 371(A) of the Constitution, which safeguards Naga customary practices, land rights, and social institutions.
Vizhinjam Port
Syllabus: GS3/Economy
News
- Vizhinjam International Seaport in Kerala has risen to the 83rd position globally in container handling, reflecting the rapid scale-up of India’s newest deep water transshipment hub.
Vizhinjam Port
- Location: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
- Key Features: One of the deepest ports in India.
- Capable of handling Ultra Large Container Vessels (ULCVs).
- Developed under the Design, Build, Finance, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOT) model.
- Significance: Efficient cargo movement, reduces India’s dependence on foreign ports like Colombo (Sri Lanka), Singapore, and UAE for transshipment, strengthens India’s maritime security
International Space Station (ISS)
(Science and Technology)
Context
- The International Space Station (ISS) is scheduled to be de-orbited in 2030, marking the end of nearly three decades of continuous human presence in space.
International Space Station (ISS)
- It is a modular, habitable, microgravity laboratory in low Earth orbit, orbiting 400 km above Earth.
- It was launched in 1998, and has been continuously inhabited since 2000, making it one of the longest-running human space missions in history.
- It is operated collaboratively by five major space agencies: NASA (United States), Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan) and CSA (Canada).
Key Features:
- It is the largest human-made structure in space, with a mass exceeding 400,000 kg, and a structure nearly 109 meters long.
- Power is supplied by solar arrays generating tens of kilowatts of electricity.
- The ISS plays a crucial role in studying the effects of long-term space radiation and microgravity on the human body, helping scientists understand bone loss, muscle atrophy, and immune system changes.
NDMA’s First-ever Guidelines For Identification of Disaster Victims
Syllabus: GS3/Disaster Management
In News
- Recently, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has released the country’s first-ever Standard Operating Procedure with guidelines for the identification of victims in the event of “mass fatality incidents”.
National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)
- Headed by – Prime Minister of India.
- It is the apex body for Disaster Management in India.
- It was established under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
- Objective – It is responsible for formulating policies, plans, and guidelines for disaster management and promoting an ethos of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, and response.
CAR T-cell therapy
(Science and Tech)
In News
- Researchers at IIT Bombay addressed a critical challenge in CAR T-cell and other adoptive T-cell transfer (ACT) therapies.
T-cells
- They are white blood cells that act as the body’s frontline defenders, detecting and destroying infections or abnormal cells like cancer, and coordinating other immune cells to respond—making them crucial for immunotherapy.
CAR T-cell therapy
- It is an advanced treatment that modifies a patient’s T-cells to more effectively attack cancer.
- Doctors first collect T-cells from the patient’s blood and then introduce a gene that gives them special receptors called chimeric antigen receptors (CARs).
- These receptors function like GPS, directing the T-cells to locate and target cancer cells.
- After engineering, the T-cells are expanded in the lab and then infused back into the patient’s body.
- NexCAR19 is the world’s first humanised CAR-T therapy developed in India by ImmunoACT.
Benefits
- Targeted Precision: : CAR-T cell therapy Specifically attacks cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, reducing side effects compared to chemotherapy.
- Personalised Treatment: CAR-T cell therapy Uses the patient’s own T-cells, engineered to target their unique cancer, enhancing effectiveness.
- Long-Lasting Effects: Engineered T-cells can persist in the body, providing extended protection against cancer recurrence.
- Reduced Hospitalisation & Costs: Fewer hospital stays and less supportive care needed, leading to potential cost savings.
- Advances in Cancer Treatment: Opens new avenues in immunotherapy, expanding treatment options and research possibilities.
- Technological Evolution: Continuous development of CAR constructs allows targeting of diverse cancers and combination therapies.
- Affordability: Indigenous therapies like NexCAR19 in India make CAR-T treatment more accessible and cost-effective.
Agni-3 Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile
Syllabus:GS3/Defence
In News
- India successfully test-fired the nuclear-capable Agni-3 ballistic missile from Chandipur, Odisha, with a strike range exceeding 3,000 km.
Agni-3 ballistic missile
- Developed by – Defence Research and Development Organisation.
- Strike range– 3,000 km.
- Uniqueness – It is capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear warheads.
Agni
- It is India’s indigenously developed long-range missile system by DRDO
- Agni-I to Agni-IV: Range 700–3,500 km, payload 12–40 kt, developed in 1990s, deployed mid-2000s.
- Agni-V: Three-stage solid-fuel, MIRV-capable, range up to 5,000 km, potentially intercontinental (5,500+ km).
- Agni-P: Two-stage solid-fuel, weight 11,000 kg, range 1,000–2,000 km, incorporates advanced propulsion/navigation, can carry high-explosive, thermobaric, or nuclear warheads.
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