In News:

• In a groundbreaking scientific development, researchers at Stanford University, in collaboration with the Arc Institute, have used artificial intelligence (AI) to design viruses capable of killing harmful bacteria.
• This breakthrough offers a potential solution to the global antibiotic resistance crisis and marks a significant advance in AI-guided synthetic biology.

The Challenge of Antibiotic Resistance

• Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing global health threat. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), AMR is among the top public health and development challenges, contributing to an estimated 1.27 million deaths globally in 2019 and playing a role in 4.95 million deaths.
  • In India alone, around 6 lakh lives are lost annually due to drug-resistant infections. Traditional antibiotics are increasingly ineffective, necessitating novel approaches to combat bacterial diseases.
• Bacteriophages, or viruses that specifically target bacteria, provide a promising alternative. Unlike antibiotics, phages attack specific bacterial strains, sparing beneficial microbes. However, engineering or identifying effective phages has historically been slow and labor-intensive.

AI Breakthrough: The Evo Model

To accelerate this process, scientists developed Evo, a large AI model for genomics, described as a “ChatGPT for DNA”. Evo was trained on 80,000 microbial genomes and millions of bacteriophage and plasmid sequences, encompassingapproximately 300 billion nucleotides.

Key Features of Evo:

• Foundation Model for Genomics: Predicts, designs, and generates genetic code for synthetic biology applications.
• Generative Capability: Creates novel viral blueprints, synthetic genomes, and protein variants (e.g., Cas9 variants).
• Extended Context Length: Understands long DNA sequences and gene interactions.
• High Precision: Operates at nucleotide-level resolution.
• Accelerated R&D: Reduces decades of trial-and-error lab work to weeks.
• Open Research: Publicly available for non-commercial academic use.

How the AI-Designed Viruses Were Created

1. Selection of Model Virus: Scientists chose phiX174, a simple virus infecting E. coli, due to its well-characterized genome (11 genes) and manageable complexity.
2. AI Training: Evo analyzed millions of viral sequences, learning gene structures and functional combinations that could enhance antibacterial activity.
3. Generative Design: The AI proposed hundreds of new virus variants predicted to attack bacteria effectively.
4. Laboratory Synthesis: Researchers synthesized the AI-designed genomes and tested them in the lab. 16 new viruses successfully infected and destroyed bacteria, with some performing better than natural counterparts.

Significance of the Discovery

• Rapid Innovation: AI accelerates phage design, shrinking decades of research into weeks.
• Targeted Therapy: Offers precision treatments against drug-resistant bacterial infections.
• Agricultural and Clinical Applications: Potential to safeguard human health, hospitals, and food production from bacterial threats.
• Scientific Implications: Raises philosophical and biological questions about AI’s ability to create life-like entities, as viruses, while not strictly “alive,” mimic key life processes.

Safety and Ethical Considerations

Experts caution that AI-designed viruses, if misused or released unintentionally, could pose biosecurity risks. While engineering harmful human viruses is highly complex, the possibility of accidental creation of dangerous pathogens calls for strict safety protocols, oversight, and ethical guidelines. Responsible research is essential to ensure societal benefit while minimizing risk.

In News:

The Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, launched Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) 2025 in New Delhi as part of the decade-long celebrations of the Make in India initiative. The launch marks a major step in India’s efforts to create a globally competitive, efficient, and sustainable logisticsecosystem, integral to achieving the goals of Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047.

About LEADS 2025

• Logistics Ease Across Different States (LEADS) is a national index and survey developed by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• It aims to benchmark and rank the logistics performance of Indian States and Union Territories, providing actionable insights to improve supply chain efficiency and reduce logistics costs.

Objectives

• To evaluate and compare logistics performance across States and UTs.
• To identify best practices and policy gaps for targeted reforms.
• To guide infrastructure planning and capacity building for logistics improvement.
• To support Make in India by enhancing logistics competitiveness and reducing costs.

Key Features of LEADS 2025

• Corridor Performance Tracking
  • Assessment of 5–7 key national logistics corridors based on journey time, truck speed, and waiting periods.
  • Provides a data-driven evaluation of corridor efficiency.
• API-Enabled Real-Time Data
  • Introduces API-based analytics to evaluate section-wise speeds on major road corridors.
  • Offers sharper insights into congestion points and logistics bottlenecks.
• State Rankings &Categorisation: States and UTs are ranked under Leaders, Achievers, and Aspirers categories to encourage healthy competition and policy innovation.
• Digital Dashboard: A new interactive monitoring platform allows States and UTs to track performance and progress in real time.
• Policy Recommendations: The survey provides customised state-level action plans to address infrastructure, service, and regulatory gaps.

Assessment Parameters

LEADS evaluates States and UTs on five major dimensions:

1. Infrastructure Quality – Roads, warehousing, multimodal connectivity.
2. Service Quality – Availability, reliability, and performance of logistics providers.
3. Efficiency – Timeliness, truck turnaround time, and ease of clearances.
4. Policy and Regulatory Support – State-level facilitation measures and grievance redressal mechanisms.
5. Stakeholder Perception – Industry feedback on cost, speed, and reliability of logistics operations.

In News:

A recent study published in the Records of the Zoological Survey of India has documented 51 species of herpetofauna — including amphibians and reptiles — in Papikonda National Park, located in the northern part of the Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh. This comprehensive survey marks a significant step in understanding the region’s biodiversity, which has remained largely underexplored.

Key Findings of the Study

Researchers recorded 18 amphibians, 21 lizards, 10 snakes, and 2 turtles through extensive fieldwork conducted between September 2021 and February 2023. The study revealed three species — Minervaryakalinga, Sphaerothecamaskeyi, and Hemidactylus kangerensis — reported for the first time in Andhra Pradesh.

According to the IUCN Red List (2024):

• 46 species are listed as Least Concern,
• 3 species are Not Yet Assessed,
• Hemidactylus kangerensis is Endangered, and
• Lissemyspunctata is Vulnerable.

Under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 2022, several species enjoy legal protection:

• Schedule I:Chamaeleozeylanicus, Calodactylodes aureus, Pangshura tentoria, Lissemyspunctata
• Schedule II:Hoplobatrachustigerinus, Euphlyctiscyanophlyctis

The study also highlighted rare species such as Psammodynastespulverulentus and Argyrophisdiardii, the latter recorded for the first time in the Eastern Ghats. Two Eastern Ghats endemics — the Indian golden gecko (Calodactylodes aureus) and Dutta’s Mahendragiri gecko (Hemidactylus sushilduttai) — were also documented.

About Papikonda National Park

• Location: East and West Godavari districts, Andhra Pradesh
• Area: Approximately 1,012.86 sq km
• Established: Declared a Reserved Forest (1882), Wildlife Sanctuary (1978), and upgraded to National Park (2008)
• Landscape: Rugged terrain of the Eastern Ghats, divided by the Godavari River, with elevation ranging from 20–850 metres
• Geographical Features: Contains 62 named mountains, including Devara Konda (highest point) and Verala Konda (most prominent peak)
• Recognition: Identified as an Important Bird and Biodiversity Area (IBA) by BirdLife International

Flora and Fauna

• Vegetation: Tropical moist deciduous, semi-evergreen, and dry deciduous forests.
• Flora: Teak, rosewood, sandalwood, bamboo, sal, mahua, pterocarpus, terminalia, cassia, and eucalyptus.
• Fauna: Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, sloth bear, dhole (wild dog), sambar, and spotted deer.
• Unique Feature: Home to the “KanchuMekha”, a rare dwarf goat breed native to the region.

Conservation Significance

• The study provides baseline data crucial for biodiversity conservation and monitoring in the Eastern Ghats. Researchers warned that herpetofaunal populations face multiple threats — including habitat loss, fragmentation, emerging diseases, and climate change.
• Rare and threatened species like the Jeypore Hill Gecko (Geckoellajeyporensis), Barkud Spotted Skink (Barkudiainsularis), and King Cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) emphasize the need for targeted conservation strategies.
• The authors advocated for systematic surveys and integrated taxonomic approaches across the Eastern Ghats to enhance understanding of species distribution and to strengthen regional conservation planning.

In News:

The Indian Army’s Sapta Shakti Command recently conducted a major integrated firepower exercise, ‘Amogh Fury’, at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges in Rajasthan’s Thar Desert. The large-scale drill showcased the Army’s growing emphasis on technology-driven warfare, jointness of combat arms, and preparedness for multi-domain operations.

Objectives and Significance

• The primary aim of Exercise Amogh Fury was to test combat power, coordination, and operational readiness under realistic battlefield conditions.
• The exercise simulated live battle scenarios, enabling forces to validate their capabilities in offensive and defensive operations, while ensuring seamless integration between ground and air platforms.
• The drill reflected the Army’s commitment to operational transformation in line with evolving security dynamics, focusing on rapid decision-making, situational awareness, and integrated command structures.

Key Features of the Exercise

The exercise featured coordinated manoeuvres involving:

• Battle Tanks and Infantry Combat Vehicles – for armoured and mechanised warfare.
• Attack Helicopters and Long-Range Artillery – providing precision firepower support.
• Drones and Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) – for real-time reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition.

These diverse platforms operated in unison to demonstrate jointness between air and ground forces, vital for modern high-intensity conflicts.

Integration of Advanced Technologies

A central focus of Amogh Fury was the use of modern technologies such as:

• Network-centric communication systems
• Integrated Command-and-Control (C2) architecture
• Real-time surveillance and targeting systems

These advancements allowed for the creation of a unified operational picture, enhancing situational awareness, rapid coordination, and decision-making across command levels. The integration of these systems reflects the Army’s move toward digitised battlefield management and multi-domain warfare capability.

Training and Outcomes

The exercise provided pragmatic training for personnel across all ranks under realistic combat conditions. It served as a testbed for refining tactical procedures and assessing the synergy between combat arms, support units, and logistic elements.

Through Amogh Fury, the Indian Army strengthened its readiness to counter emerging threats, underscoring its focus on agility, precision, and technological superiority on the modern battlefield.

In News:

In a major recognition of artistic excellence, the Government of India has announced that legendary actor, director, and producer Shri Mohanlal Viswanathan Nair will be conferred with the DadasahebPhalke Award for the year 2023, the highest honour in Indian cinema.

About the DadasahebPhalke Award

The DadasahebPhalke Award is India’s highest honour in the field of cinema, instituted in 1969 to commemorate the birth centenary of DadasahebPhalke, widely regarded as the Father of Indian Cinema.

• Inaugural Recipient: Devika Rani (1969)
• Presented by: The President of India
• Award Components: Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) medallion, a shawl, and a cash prize of ?10 lakh
• Purpose: To recognise individuals for their outstanding lifetime contribution to the growth and development of Indian cinema.

About DadasahebPhalke

Dhundiraj Govind Phalke (1870–1944), born in Trimbak, Maharashtra, was a painter, photographer, playwright, and filmmaker. He directed India’s first full-length feature film, Raja Harishchandra (1913), which laid the foundation for Indian cinema. His pioneering vision and creative ingenuity earned him the title of “Father of Indian Cinema.”

Significance

The conferment of the DadasahebPhalke Award on Mohanlal marks a momentous chapter in Indian cinematic history. It recognises not just his artistic brilliance but also his contribution in shaping Indian cinema as a powerful medium of cultural expression. His journey from Kerala to global acclaim embodies the spirit of Indian creativity and excellence celebrated through this prestigious award.