21.07.25

What is Moon Day?

• Observed annually on July 20th.
• Commemorates the first manned Moon landing by NASA’s Apollo 11 mission in 1969.

Why it Matters:

• Milestone Achievement: A significant event in human space exploration and scientific progress.
• Honors Apollo 11: Recognizes the courage and teamwork involved in the mission.
• Inspires Future Missions: Motivates ongoing and future lunar exploration like Artemis and Chandrayaan.
• Promotes STEM: Encourages public interest in science, technology, engineering, math, and the spirit of discovery.

About the Moon:

• Earth’s only natural satellite.
• Fifth-largest moon in the Solar System.
• Average distance from Earth: 384,400 km.
• Diameter: 3,474 km.
• Likely formed ~4.5 billion years ago from a Mars-sized impact on Earth.
• Has eight phases due to its orbit around Earth and relation to the Sun.
• Causes Earth’s ocean tides through its gravitational pull.
• Lacks a significant atmosphere, leading to extreme temperature fluctuations.
• Surface features include craters, mountains, and basaltic plains (maria).

Key Scientific Facts:

• Tidal Locking: Always shows the same face to Earth due to synchronous rotation and revolution.
• Drifting Away: Moves 3.8 cm farther from Earth each year.
• Weak Gravity: About 1/6th of Earth’s gravity.
• No Protection: Lacks an atmosphere and magnetic field, leaving it exposed to solar radiation and meteor impacts.
• Tidal Influence: Its gravity is crucial for marine life and coastal ecosystems.
• Largest Relative to Planet: Proportionally the largest moon compared to its host planet.
• Water Ice: Discovered in permanently shadowed polar craters, vital for future missions.

Space Missions & Exploration:

• Apollo 11 (1969): First human Moon landing by Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.
• Chandrayaan-3 (2023): India became the first nation to land on the Moon’s south pole.
• Artemis Program: NASA’s initiative to return humans to the Moon and establish a sustainable base.

Cultural Significance:

• Calendars: Used in various cultural lunar calendars.
• Daytime Visibility: Can be seen during the day due to its brightness and proximity.
• Celestial Phenomena: Events like Blood Moons (lunar eclipses) and Supermoons capture public attention.

Why in News: The OECD-FAO Agricultural Outlook 2025-2034 provides a 10-year forecast to guide policy on global agricultural and fish markets.

Cereal Production & Biofuels:

• Global cereal production to grow 1.1% annually, mainly from yield increases.
• By 2034, only 40% of cereal production will be for direct human consumption; 27% will go to biofuels and industrial uses.
• Biofuel demand to grow 0.9% annually, driven by Brazil, India, and Indonesia.

Market Growth & Emissions:

• Agricultural and fish production to grow 14% by 2034, powered by middle-income nations’ productivity.
• This growth will result in a 6% increase in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Consumption Trends:

• Per capita calorie intake from livestock and fish products to rise 6% globally.
• Lower-middle-income countries will drive this increase, with a 24% rise in intake.
• Despite improvements, low-income countries will still have significantly lower intake than global targets.

Biofuel Impact on Food Security:

• Land Use: Biofuel crops can displace food production land (e.g., India needing 7.1 million hectares for E20).
• Resource Strain: Biofuel crops demand significant water and fertilizers.
• Food Inflation: Biofuels increase feedstock demand, raising food prices (e.g., Indian rice prices up 14.5%).
• Environmental Trade-offs: Expansion can cause deforestation and biodiversity loss.

Policy Recommendations:

• Feedstock Diversification: Promote 3G ethanol from microalgae. Invest in GM crops for biofuels.
• Land Use: Implement biofuel zoning to protect fertile land; use marginal/wastelands.
• Incentives: Strengthen MSP for diverse grains; align ethanol procurement with food surplus.
• Productivity: Improve agricultural productivity to reduce undernourishment and emissions.

Major Security Breach at CoinDCX: India’s CoinDCX, a leading crypto exchange, experienced a hack on July 19, 2025. Hackers stole approximately ₹378 crore ($44.2 million) by compromising an internal operational wallet used for liquidity.

• Why it’s News: This is a significant financial loss for a major exchange, highlighting the persistent cybersecurity threats within the cryptocurrency sector.

User Funds Remain Secure: CoinDCX confirmed that the breach did not impact any customer wallets or funds. The company is absorbing the entire loss from its own treasury.

• Why it’s News: This is crucial for user confidence. Despite the large theft, the exchange’s robust security for customer assets and its willingness to cover the loss demonstrate responsibility and mitigate panic.

Hackers Used Obfuscation Techniques: The stolen stablecoins (USDT, USDC) were moved across Solana and Ethereum, routed through Tornado Cash to hinder tracking. Blockchain investigators detected the activity before CoinDCX’s announcement.

• Why it’s News: This illustrates the sophisticated methods employed by crypto hackers and the ongoing challenge of tracing illicit funds due to privacy-enhancing technologies like Tornado Cash.

CoinDCX’s Response: The company has informed CERT-In and is conducting cybersecurity audits. Founders have been transparent with users about the situation.

• Why it’s News: The swift and transparent response, including involving cybersecurity agencies, sets a standard for handling such incidents and reassures the wider crypto community about accountability.

Underlying Risk in Crypto Platforms: The incident underscores the inherent cybersecurity risks associated with cryptocurrency exchanges, even those with proactive security measures.

• Why it’s News: It serves as a reminder to all users and platforms that the digital asset space remains a target for sophisticated cyberattacks, necessitating continuous vigilance and investment in security.

• Why it’s news: This highlights the immediate human impact of the natural disaster.

• Why it’s news: Demonstrates the response and support mechanisms put in place for affected populations.

• Why it’s news: Shows the ongoing efforts to meet the basic needs of those displaced.

• Why it’s news: Provides crucial data on the scale of the flood and water management operations.

• Why it’s news: Underscores the administrative and safety directives being issued to manage the crisis.

• Why it’s news: Provides background information on the river’s importance and scale, contextualizing the flood event.

Most Precise Comparison of Optical Atomic Clocks: Researchers conducted the largest and most sophisticated test to date involving 10 optical atomic clocks across three continents to build confidence for redefining the SI unit of time.

• Why it’s news: This test is crucial for validating the accuracy and agreement between these next-generation clocks, a prerequisite for changing the global time standard.

Advancing Towards Redefining the Second: The comparison paves the way for potentially redefining the second by 2030, moving away from the current Caesium-133 atomic clock standard.

• Why it’s news: This signifies a major shift in fundamental physics and timekeeping, driven by the superior precision of optical clocks.

Optical Clocks Offer Superior Accuracy: Optical atomic clocks use atoms like Strontium-87 and Ytterbium-171, operating at much higher optical frequencies than the microwave frequencies of current Caesium clocks.

• Why it’s news: This higher frequency allows for 10,000x greater precision, potentially losing only 1 second over 15 billion years, compared to Caesium clocks losing 1 second every 300 million years.

Rigorous Testing and Validation: The test involved linking clocks via fiber optics and advanced GPS techniques, identifying and addressing potential discrepancies.

• Why it’s news: This demonstrates the scientific community’s commitment to rigorous verification before adopting a new standard and highlights the challenges in achieving global agreement between highly sensitive instruments.

Broader Applications: The enhanced accuracy of optical atomic clocks has implications for quantum sensing, high-speed networking, space science, and fundamental physics.

• Why it’s news: This indicates that the redefinition of the second is not just an abstract scientific goal but will have tangible impacts on various advanced technologies and scientific endeavors.

India’s Food Inflation Lowest Since Jan 2019: India’s CPI food inflation at 2.1% in June 2025 is significantly lower than the US (2.7%), UK (4.5%), and EU (3%).

Key Factors:

• Good Monsoon: Second consecutive year of good monsoon boosted crop output.
• Government Policy: Zero/low-duty imports of pulses and edible oils helped control prices.
• Global Prices: Cooling global prices for oil and pulses contributed.
• High Food Stockpiles: Government maintained high central food stockpiles.

RBI Implication: Easing food inflation provides room for the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to consider cutting interest rates, which were previously high due to inflation concerns.

Monsoon & Crop Boost: Ample rainfall improved soil moisture and groundwater, benefiting Kharif crops. Sown area for Kharif crops saw a marginal increase.

Import & Support Measures: Government facilitated imports of pulses and edible oils at reduced duties. Support prices for crops like tur were increased to ensure farmer returns.

Over 100 MPs sign impeachment notice against Justice Yashwant Varma.

• Why in News: Initiated due to allegations of proven misbehaviour, following a judicial panel’s indictment over burnt currency found at his residence.

India’s process for removing judges is called impeachment.

• Why in News: It’s the common term for removing Supreme Court or High Court judges for proved misbehaviour or incapacity, aiming to protect judicial integrity.

Constitutional basis: Articles 124(4) and 218, plus the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968.

• Why in News: These articles define the grounds and process for removal.

Grounds for removal: Proved misbehaviour or incapacity.

• Why in News: Judges can only be removed for serious misconduct or inability to perform duties.

Process involves: Motion by 100+ (Lok Sabha) or 50+ (Rajya Sabha) MPs, Speaker/Chairman acceptance, a 3-member inquiry committee, parliamentary debate, and special majority in both Houses.

• Why in News: This outlines the stringent procedure required for removal.

Presidential order: Removal requires a motion passed by both Houses, followed by a Presidential order.

• Why in News: This is the final constitutional step for removal.

Drawbacks: Resignation can halt proceedings; no judge has been successfully impeached post-independence due to high thresholds and political factors.

• Why in News: Highlights the difficulty and potential loopholes in the impeachment process.

Past attempts: Justice V. Ramaswami (1993) and Justice Soumitra Sen (2011).

• Why in News: Illustrates historical instances of impeachment proceedings.

New Regulations for Offshore Atomic Minerals: The government has notified the Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Operating Right Rules, 2025, under the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002. This introduces strict rules for exploring and mining atomic minerals like uranium and thorium offshore.

Restricted Access to Offshore Atomic Minerals:

• Only government entities and private firms nominated by the Centre can explore or mine atomic minerals offshore.
• Foreign involvement requires prior government approval.
• Licensing for India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is limited to CPSEs or Centre-nominated agencies.

Threshold for Applicability: These 2025 rules apply only when uranium or thorium concentrations exceed a specific “threshold value.” Below this threshold, the 2024 rules will apply.

Mandatory Environmental Restoration: Exploration activities must be followed by mandatory marine environmental restoration and rehabilitation of affected seabeds within six months.

Significance of Atomic Minerals: Uranium and thorium are crucial for nuclear energy. India has limited uranium but abundant thorium, primarily found in monazite sands along its coast, with Kerala and Odisha being major sources.

Inconclusive Air India Crash Report: The preliminary report on the Ahmedabad crash is inconclusive, leading to distrust in the investigation and the system. This fuels demands for comprehensive aviation sector reforms for a genuine ‘culture of safety’.

Systemic Failures, Not Single Incidents: Aviation accidents result from multiple, aligned failures across different layers (airline operator, airport infrastructure, air traffic control, DGCA, MoCA), not a single cause.

Regulatory Loopholes & Obstacles: Strict building regulations near airports (pre-2008) were bypassed, allowing numerous obstacles that interfere with radar and communication. Despite amended rules, enforcement and demolition mechanisms for illegal construction remain weak.

DGCA’s Limited Capability & Over-Reliance: The DGCA has insufficient technical expertise, heavily relying on foreign regulators (FAA, EASA) for certifications, as seen with IndiGo’s engine issues.

Substandard Maintenance & Crew Standards: Aircraft Maintenance Engineers (AMEs) face stress with no duty limits. DGCA allows delegation to less-qualified technicians. Flight Time Duty Limitations (FTDT) are often violated by pilots, with DGCA granting exemptions. Cabin crew are undervalued.

Airline Profit Over Safety: Airlines prioritize profit, leading to unsafe policies. Airline officials responsible for violations often retain positions, and DGCA-appointed officers within airlines lack real authority.

Air Traffic Management Shortages: A severe shortage of Air Traffic Controller Officers (ATCOs) exists, with unimplemented recommendations for licensing and duty-time limitations.

Whistleblower Silencing: Whistleblowers reporting safety issues face demotion, transfer, or termination, fostering a culture of fear and discouraging disclosures.

Judiciary’s Role & Undervalued Life: Courts are urged to scrutinize technical assessments. The judiciary’s conservative approach to valuing human life disincentivizes safety investments.

Need for Systemic Reform: Immediate, comprehensive reform is necessary, focusing on accountability, oversight, and a safety-over-profit commitment, including mental health support for air crew without punitive consequences.

• Identification: Promptly identify disabled prisoners at admission.
• Universal Accessibility: Provide wheelchair-friendly spaces, accessible toilets, ramps, and prison information in accessible formats (Braille, sign language).
• Therapeutic Facilities: Ensure dedicated spaces for physiotherapy, psychotherapy, etc.
• Access Audit: Conduct state-level access audits of prisons.
• Training: Train and sensitize prison staff on the needs of disabled prisoners.

• Why: To create a formal regulatory framework, boost user confidence with consumer protections, and position the US as a global crypto leader.

• Why: They offer price stability unlike volatile cryptocurrencies, facilitating financial services.

• Why: To curb misuse and enhance oversight, VDAs are under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. India’s official alternative is the Central Bank Digital Currency (Digital Rupee).

• Why: Demonstrates growing political influence of the crypto industry and a shared interest in its regulation.

• Why: To address concerns over potential conflicts of interest within government. (Note: This ban doesn’t apply to the president or his family).

Paradigm Shift Needed: India must move from a focus on food production to soil management to improve both crop and human nutrition, recognizing that nutrient-rich soils yield nutritious food.

Soil Deficiencies & Human Health: Micronutrient deficiencies in soil (like zinc) lead to crops with lower nutritional value, causing widespread malnutrition, such as childhood stunting, impacting physical and cognitive development.

Poor Soil Health Status: Soil Health Card data reveals severe deficiencies: less than 5% of tested soils are sufficient in nitrogen, 40% in phosphate, 32% in potash, and only 20% in soil organic carbon (SOC).

Low Soil Organic Carbon (SOC): SOC is crucial for soil health, nutrient cycling, and water retention. India’s SOC levels are critically low, with adequate levels considered 0.50-0.75% by IISC, and ideally 1.5-2% according to Rattan Lal.

Imbalanced Fertiliser Use: Nitrogen is overused (e.g., 61% excess in Punjab) while phosphorus and potassium are underused, drastically reducing the fertilizer-to-grain response ratio from 1:10 to 1:2.7.

Environmental Impact of Urea: Only 35-40% of nitrogen from urea is absorbed by crops; the rest is released as a potent greenhouse gas (nitrous oxide) or contaminates groundwater as nitrates.

Recommendations:

• Shift to science-based, soil- and crop-specific fertilization.
• Strengthen the Soil Health Card Scheme with digital integration and farmer advisories.
• Incentivize use of P, K, sulphur, and micronutrient fortified fertilizers.
• Promote organic manures and biofertilizers to boost SOC.
• Recognize soil health as a public health imperative.

Collaboration: ICRIER and OCP Nutricrops are collaborating to develop and scale data-driven soil nutrition solutions for improved crop productivity and nutritional quality.

Goal: Achieve “nutritional sufficiency” rather than just “caloric sufficiency” for a healthy nation.

Inauguration of Helpline (14473): A new helpline number was launched for waste pickers, providing them with a dedicated support channel.

Distribution of PPE Kits and Ayushman Cards: Sewer and Septic Tank Workers (SSWs) and Waste Pickers received Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kits and health insurance cards (Ayushman cards). This emphasizes safety and healthcare access for these workers.

Launch of AR/VR Training Module: An Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality training module was introduced for SSWs. This signifies a move towards modern, safer, and more effective training methods for occupational safety.

NAMASTE Scheme’s Goal: The scheme aims to eliminate hazardous manual scavenging by promoting mechanized sanitation, ensuring no direct contact with human waste.

Human-Centric and Rights-Based Initiative: NAMASTE focuses on the safety, dignity, and inclusion of sanitation workers, aligning with UN SDGs for clean water, decent work, and reduced inequality.

Formalization and Empowerment: The scheme works to formalize, rehabilitate, and empower SSWs and waste pickers through training, safety equipment, and livelihood opportunities like “Sani-preneurship.”

Government Commitment: The events highlight the government’s dedication to prioritizing marginalized communities and ensuring dignity for those historically underserved in sanitation work.

Scheme Scope: NAMASTE covers over 4800 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across India and is a three-year Central Sector Scheme (2023-24 to 2025-26).