8th October 2026

Explanation - Situated near the Great Rann of Kutch, Banni, the largest grassland of Asia, spread over 2,717 sq.km, is in the grip of a severe drought as winter sets in. While the area is known for its scarce rainfall and semi-drought conditions, it is for the first time in 13 years that the Maldharis, the nomadic natives of Banni, are leaving their villages in droves as water gets scarce.

Explanation - It is a statutory quasi-judicial autonomous authority, re-established in 1979 under the Press Council Act, 1978. Objectives — Preserving the freedom of the press. Maintaining and improving the standards of newspapers and news agencies in India. Composition — Chairman: The Chairman, typically a retired Supreme Court judge, is nominated by a committee that includes the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, and an elected representative from the 28 members. Other Members: Of the 28 members, 13 represent working journalists, which include six editors and seven other working journalists, other than editors of newspapers. 6 members represent newspaper owners or managers, with two each from large, medium, and small newspapers. One member comes from the news agency sector. In addition, the Press Council of India comprises 5 representatives from Parliament—3 nominated by the Speaker of the Lok Sabha and 2 by the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha. 3 members representing education, law, and literature are nominated by the University Grants Commission, Bar Council of India, and Sahitya Akademi.

Explanation - Neutrinos are known as ghost particles. ‘IceCube’ is located in Antarctica to study the neutrinos effect.

Explanation - Neutrinos are electrically neutral, elementary weakly interacting subatomic particles with half-integer spin. Neutrinos are similar to the more familiar electron, with one crucial difference: neutrinos do not carry electric charge. Because neutrinos are electrically neutral, they are not affected by the electromagnetic forces which act on electrons.

Explanation - Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is mainly a mixture of propane and butane, produced as a byproduct of crude oil refining and natural gas processing. It may also contain small amounts of other hydrocarbons. In contrast, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is primarily methane, derived from natural gas. Liquefaction Process and Storage — LPG becomes liquid under moderate pressure or low temperatures, making it relatively easy to store and transport. LNG, however, requires extreme cooling below -160°C and must be stored in specialised cryogenic tanks, making its handling more complex and energy-intensive. Volume and Transportation Advantage — Both fuels are liquefied to reduce volume for transport. LPG reduces to about 1/260th of its gaseous volume, while LNG shrinks further to about 1/600th, enabling efficient long-distance transportation, especially where pipelines are not feasible. Usage and Applications — LPG is widely used for cooking, heating, and some industrial applications, and also as a vehicle fuel in certain regions. LNG itself has limited direct use but is mainly transported and then converted back into natural gas, which is used for cooking, transport (CNG), and industries such as fertilisers, power generation, refineries, and petrochemicals.