Content
- Over 800 killed, 2,800 injured as earthquake strikes Afghanistan
- 2 more die of ‘brain-eating amoeba’ infection in Kerala
- India-U.S. relationship: trust defines partnership, not tariffs
- What is CEREBO, the brain tool developed indigenously?
- Can an AI image-to-video feature put children at risk?
- SC refuses to entertain plea against roll-out of 20% ethanol-blended petrol nationwide
- Geographers uncover why some rivers stay single while others split
Over 800 killed, 2,800 injured as earthquake strikes Afghanistan
What is an Earthquake?
- An earthquake = sudden shaking of Earth’s surface due to release of stored energy (elastic strain) in rocks.
- Occurs when two tectonic blocks slip past one another → seismic waves radiate out.
- Key terms:
- Hypocenter: Point inside Earth where quake starts.
- Epicenter: Point directly above it on surface.
- Magnitude: Measures energy released (Richter/Mw scale).
- Depth: Shallow quakes (<70 km) more destructive than deep ones.
Relevance : GS I (Geography – Earthquakes, Plate Tectonics) + GS III (Disaster Management – Preparedness, Response, Regional Cooperation)
Why Do Earthquakes Occur?
- Earth’s crust is divided into tectonic plates.
- Plates move (few cm/year), colliding, diverging, or sliding → stress builds → sudden slip → quake.
- Magnitude vs Impact:
- Each unit rise in magnitude ≈ 32x more energy.
- Magnitude 6 releases 32x more energy than magnitude 5.
Why Afghanistan is So Vulnerable
- Tectonic Setting:
- Lies on collision zone between Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate.
- Collision rate: ~45 mm/year (among fastest in world).
- Creates complex fault systems (thrust + strike-slip faults).
- Seismicity:
- Hindu Kush region → one of most active globally.
- Recorded >7 major quakes (>7.0 magnitude) since 1900.
- Geography & Settlement Patterns:
- Mountainous terrain → landslides, blocked rescue.
- Many rural houses → made of mud-brick, stone → collapse easily.
- Dense family sleeping arrangements at night → high casualties.
- Socio-political Factors:
- Weak governance, poor infrastructure, limited disaster response.
- Conflict zones → difficult access for rescue and aid.
Why Do Shallow Quakes Cause More Damage?
- Depth < 70 km = “shallow focus earthquake.”
- Energy is released close to surface → intense ground shaking.
- Example: 2023 Herat quakes killed ~1,300 people; 2025 Nangarhar quake killed 800+.
Implications of Afghanistan’s Seismic Vulnerability
- Humanitarian: Mass deaths, injuries, displacement.
- Economic: Destruction of homes, livelihoods, agriculture.
- Regional Spillover: Tremors affect Pakistan, Iran, Central Asia.
- Geopolitical: International aid dependence; Taliban regime’s limited capacity.
Way Forward – Reducing Risks
- Preparedness:
- Early warning systems; seismic monitoring networks.
- Community awareness & drills.
- Resilient Infrastructure:
- Earthquake-resistant construction codes (mud-brick retrofitting).
- Ban on unsafe hillside settlements.
- Disaster Response:
- Regional cooperation (SAARC, SCO) for disaster relief.
- Pre-positioned rescue supplies in quake-prone zones.
- Long-term Strategy:
- Integrate seismic risk into urban planning.
- International support for rebuilding with resilience.
2 more die of ‘brain-eating amoeba’ infection in Kerala
Basics
- Disease: Amoebic meningoencephalitis = rare, fatal brain infection caused by free-living amoebae.
- Causative agent:
- Naegleria fowleri → causes Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM).
- Balamuthia mandrillaris / Acanthamoeba → cause Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis (GAE).
- Mortality rate: ~95% despite treatment.
Relevance : GS II (Health – Communicable Diseases, Public Health Policy) + GS III (Environment – Climate Change & Health; Science & Tech – Emerging Diseases)

Transmission
- Amoeba enters the human body through the nose while swimming/bathing in contaminated water.
- Not transmitted person-to-person.
- Travels along olfactory nerves → brain → causes inflammation.
Symptoms
- Incubation: 5–10 days after exposure.
- Early: fever, headache, nausea, vomiting.
- Later: stiff neck, confusion, seizures, hallucinations, coma → death.
Variants
- PAM (Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis): acute, rapid, usually Naegleria fowleri.
- GAE (Granulomatous Amoebic Encephalitis): slower progression, linked to Acanthamoeba/Balamuthia.
Kerala Outbreak (2024–25)
- Location: Kozhikode and Malappuram districts.
- Deaths: 3 confirmed (including an infant, a 9-year-old, and a 52-year-old).
- Cases: 42 suspected; 13 under treatment, 8 in ICU.
- Likely source: contaminated well water used domestically.
- Public health response: State-wide chlorination drive for waterbodies.
Why Kerala is Seeing Cases
- Environmental factors: warm, stagnant freshwater bodies (ideal for amoeba growth).
- Behavioral factors: widespread use of untreated well water.
- Climatic factors: rising temperatures, erratic rainfall → increased microbial proliferation.
- Detection gap: under-reporting due to misdiagnosis as bacterial/viral meningitis.
Public Health Implications
- Health burden: High fatality, affects children disproportionately.
- Surveillance challenge: Rare disease → delayed diagnosis, limited lab capacity.
- Water safety crisis: Highlights gaps in rural water management.
- Psychosocial impact: Fear of “brain-eating amoeba” could trigger panic and mistrust in public water systems.
Policy & Governance Response
- Kerala Health Dept:
- Emergency surveillance and awareness campaigns.
- Chlorination of wells, ponds, water tanks.
- Gaps:
- Lack of early diagnostic infrastructure.
- Absence of national guidelines on amoebic infections.
- Weak enforcement of water quality standards in rural areas.
Way Forward
- Water safety: Regular monitoring, chlorination, deep cleaning of wells.
- Early detection: Equip district hospitals with PCR tests for amoebae.
- Treatment protocols: Stock drugs like Amphotericin B, Miltefosine.
- Community awareness: Avoid swimming in stagnant waters, ensure boiled/filtered water for infants.
- Research need: National registry on rare infections; climate-disease link studies.
- Integrated action: Converge health, local govt, water supply boards.
India-U.S. relationship: trust defines partnership, not tariffs
Basics
- Tariff: A tax imposed by a government on imports (can be ad valorem, specific, or mixed).
- Purpose: Protect domestic industries, correct trade imbalances, or exert geopolitical leverage.
- Impact: Makes foreign goods costlier → reduces competitiveness → hits exporters.
Relevance: GS II (International Relations – India–U.S. Relations, WTO) + GS III (Economy – Trade Policy, Protectionism vs Free Trade)
The 2025 U.S. Move
- Decision: U.S. doubled tariffs to 50% on a wide range of Indian exports.
- Scale: $87.3 billion worth of Indian exports to U.S. in 2024; $48–55 billion now directly at risk.
- Sectors hit hardest (labour-intensive, job-creating):
- Gems & jewellery: ~$10B (25% of exports go to U.S.).
- Textiles & apparel: ~$8B (70% destined to U.S.).
- Agriculture: ~$6B (rice, spices, seafood, niche agri-products).
- Leather & footwear: ~$3B.
- Exporters rushed to fulfill orders before tariffs took effect (July 2025: jewellery exports +16%, lab-grown diamonds +27.6%).
Why This Matters
- Economic shock: Job-intensive sectors risk losing U.S. market share to cheaper suppliers (e.g., Bangladesh, Vietnam).
- Value chain disruption: India’s traditional export strengths undermined.
- Perception issue: Seen as a setback after decades of building a “strategic, multi-faceted” U.S.-India relationship.
Areas Unaffected / Thriving
- Pharmaceuticals: $50B industry, $3.7B exports in H1 2025; exempt from tariffs. India supplies 40% of U.S. generics.
- Services & IT: $387.5B trade in FY 2024–25; $33.2B to U.S. → remains strong (IT, BFSI, consulting).
- Defence & Security: Joint exercises, co-production, technology transfers, intelligence sharing continue.
- Energy & Climate: LNG imports, renewable partnerships, green hydrogen cooperation unaffected.
- Space & Innovation: NASA–ISRO projects, digital innovation partnerships expanding.
- Aviation: Boeing orders, airport modernization projects remain robust.
Strategic Dimension
- Beyond tariffs:
- Diaspora: 4.8M Indian-origin population; >150 Indian-origin CEOs in global corporations.
- Students: >200,000 Indians in U.S. universities, contributing to talent & innovation pipelines.
- Soft power: Indian festivals in U.S. politics & culture reinforce people-to-people trust.
- Resilience of ties: Survived Cold War suspicion, sanctions, past trade disputes → trust, not tariffs, defines partnership.
India’s Possible Responses
- Short-term:
- Diversify markets (Africa, Latin America, Indo-Pacific).
- Speed up order completion to minimize immediate losses.
- Medium-term:
- Strengthen domestic resilience: move up value chain, invest in design & branding (esp. textiles & jewellery).
- Innovate supply chains to reduce U.S. dependence.
- Long-term:
- Persist in “hardware diplomacy” (defence, energy, tech) while tariffs dominate “trade headlines.”
- Leverage diaspora & people-to-people ties as the “software” of U.S.-India relations.
- Push for WTO-compatible dispute resolution if tariffs violate norms.
Way Forward
- Balanced strategy: Protect vulnerable sectors (MSMEs in textiles, gems, leather).
- Proactive diplomacy: Use 2+2 dialogue & Quad to negotiate trade relief.
- Atmanirbhar Bharat push: Reduce vulnerability to sudden external shocks.
- People-first diplomacy: Use diaspora and education linkages as stabilizers.
What is CEREBO, the brain tool developed indigenously?
Basics of the Device
- Developer: Collaboration between ICMR, MDMS, AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan Research.
- Nature: Hand-held, portable, non-invasive tool.
- Purpose: Early detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) → intracranial bleeding + edema.
- Technology: Uses near-infrared spectroscopy + machine learning.
- Output: Radiation-free, colour-coded results within 1 minute.
- Safety: Suitable for infants, pregnant women, unskilled/paramedic use.
Relevance : GS II (Health – Healthcare Access, Affordable Technology) + GS III (Science & Tech – AI, Medical Innovation, Atmanirbhar Bharat/Make in India)

Importance of CEREBO
- Accessibility: Designed for areas lacking CT/MRI (ambulances, rural clinics, trauma centres, disaster response units).
- Affordability: Cost-effective, avoids expensive imaging.
- Speed: Reduces time-to-diagnosis → critical in the “golden hour” for brain injuries.
- Triage support: Helps decide which patients need urgent CT/MRI.
- Global adoption: Potential use in military, disaster, and emergency healthcare systems.
Clinical & Regulatory Validation
- Trials: Multi-centre clinical performance evaluation at leading trauma/neuro centres.
- Evidence: Confirmed diagnostic accuracy, decision-making speed, integration feasibility.
- Post-market surveillance: Positive feedback on adoption by frontline staff.
- Health Technology Assessment: Recommends use in tertiary care for:
- Faster CT scan access.
- Optimised triage.
- Reduced imaging costs.
Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Definition: Brain dysfunction caused by sudden external trauma → mild (concussion) to severe.
- Common causes:
- Road traffic injuries: ~60%.
- Falls: 20–25%.
- Violence: ~10%.
- Epidemiology (India):
- 1.5–2 million injured annually.
- ~1 million deaths per year.
- Major cause of morbidity, mortality, disability, and socio-economic burden.
- Traditional diagnosis:
- Glasgow Coma Scale (subjective, error-prone).
- Imaging (costly, needs infrastructure, not always accessible).
- Complications: Permanent brain damage, cognitive impairments, emotional instability, higher neurodegenerative risk.
Why CEREBO is a Game-Changer
- Bridges diagnostic gaps in rural & underserved areas.
- Decentralises brain injury care → frontline workers can screen before reaching tertiary centres.
- Reduces mortality by enabling early detection and timely intervention.
- Supports universal health coverage goals (affordable, accessible, scalable tech).
- Global relevance: Could be adopted by WHO emergency health kits, disaster relief operations, and military medical units.
Challenges / Limitations
- Needs large-scale deployment funding.
- Requires training modules for paramedics & unskilled users.
- Potential risk of false positives/negatives in borderline cases.
- Must integrate seamlessly into existing trauma-care pathways.
Way Forward
- Scale-up production with Make in India & MedTech Mission.
- Integrate with National Health Mission (NHM) & Ayushman Bharat emergency care.
- Promote PPP collaborations for faster adoption.
- Continuous post-market surveillance to refine accuracy.
- Explore export potential as a low-cost diagnostic tool for LMICs (low- and middle-income countries).
Can an AI image-to-video feature put children at risk?
Basics of the Incident
- Trigger: Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian used MidJourney to animate a childhood photo with his mother.
- Reaction:
- Many empathised with the emotional value of reliving a memory.
- Others criticised it as creating “false memories”, interfering with healthy grieving.
- Virality: Video gained 20M+ views on X, sparking global debate.
Relevance : GS III (Science & Tech – AI & Deepfakes; Cybersecurity) + GS IV (Ethics – Technology & Society, Child Protection, Digital Ethics)
Technology Behind It
- AI Photo-to-Video Tools: MidJourney, Google Photos “Create”, xAI’s Grok Imagine.
- Process: Still photo → AI predicts missing frames → generates motion (hair moving, hugs, eye blinks).
- Evolution:
- Earlier: AI upscaling (removing blur/pixelation).
- Now: Generative AI → morphing, object removal, filling gaps, creating lifelike but synthetic videos.
Potential Benefits
- Memory preservation: Reviving old or damaged photos of loved ones.
- Cultural heritage: Restoring archival photos/videos for museums and education.
- Entertainment: Creative storytelling, personalisation in media.
- Accessibility: Helping visually impaired people experience photos in dynamic formats.
- Therapeutic potential: Comfort for grieving families, closure in some contexts.
Risks & Concerns
- False memories: Risk of altering personal or collective memory.
- Emotional manipulation: Artificial comfort may hinder natural grieving.
- Consent & ethics: Photos of deceased or minors turned into videos without permission.
- Child safety:
- Cybercriminals misuse to create synthetic CSAM (Child Sexual Abuse Material).
- Example: U.S. teen’s suicide after extortion from AI-generated nudes.
- NCMEC reports 7,000+ cases (2022–24) involving AI-enabled exploitation.
- Privacy: Minors’ photos online can be weaponised into deepfakes.
- Cultural harm: Morphing celebrities or leaders → reputational damage, misinformation.
Legal & Ethical Dimensions
- Copyright: Editing copyrighted images usually requires permission.
- EU (GDPR):
- Children (<16) cannot consent to use of personal data/images.
- AI-generated “synthetic media” in legal grey zones unless explicitly illegal.
- U.S.:
- NCMEC raises alarm on GenAI + child exploitation.
- Deepfake laws vary by state.
- India:
- IT Rules 2021: Platforms must remove morphed/AI deepfake content.
- MeitY advisories: Explicit takedown obligations for CSAM/deepfakes.
- Platforms like Meta, Google, X → mandated grievance officers in India.
- Ethics: Raises questions of consent, dignity, autonomy, especially for vulnerable groups (children, deceased).
Platform Safeguards
- Google Photos:
- Limited prompts (“subtle movements”, “I’m feeling lucky”).
- Adds invisible digital watermark (SynthID) + visual watermark.
- Red teaming, content filters, user feedback loops.
- xAI (Musk): No clear safeguards disclosed yet.
- Industry gaps: Guardrails uneven, enforcement weak, AI firms aggressively promoting services.
Governance & Policy Gaps
- Global gap: No comprehensive international framework for synthetic media misuse.
- Law lagging tech: Regulations designed for explicit content, not synthetic “realistic” but non-explicit media.
- Accountability challenge: Who is liable — creator, platform, or AI company?
- Detection limitations: Watermarks can be bypassed; filters not foolproof.
Way Forward
- Stronger regulations: Global framework on AI content moderation (like GDPR but AI-specific).
- Child protection:
- Explicit ban on synthetic CSAM (like real CSAM).
- Technical safeguards: compulsory watermarking, detection standards.
- Consent & transparency: Mandatory disclosure when AI-modified content is used.
- Awareness & literacy: Digital literacy campaigns on risks of AI-generated deepfakes.
- Ethical AI: Encourage responsible use (e.g., memory preservation with explicit consent, educational uses).
- India-specific: Integrate with upcoming Digital India Act, focus on AI deepfake detection, strict liability on platforms.
SC refuses to entertain plea against roll-out of 20% ethanol-blended petrol nationwide
Basics of the Case
- Petition: Filed challenging nationwide roll-out of E20 fuel (20% ethanol-blended petrol).
- Claim:
- Violates rights of vehicle owners whose cars are incompatible with E20.
- No option left for ethanol-free petrol (older blends like E5, E10 phased out).
- Risks mechanical damage, insurance denial, and reduced efficiency.
- Petitioner’s Demand:
- Continue availability of ethanol-free petrol for vehicles manufactured before April 2023.
- Mandate clear ethanol labelling at all fuel stations.
- Conduct nationwide impact study on non-compatible vehicles.
Relevance: GS III (Environment – Clean Energy Transition, Climate Mitigation) + GS III (Agriculture – Farmer Income, Biofuel Policy) + GS III (Economy – Energy Security, Consumer Rights)

Supreme Court’s Decision
- Bench: CJI B.R. Gavai & Justice K. Vinod Chandran.
- Dismissed Petition: Refused to interfere in government’s clean fuel policy.
- Reasoning:
- Policy linked to farmers’ income, energy security, and forex savings.
- Court unwilling to obstruct India’s clean fuel transition.
- AG R. Venkataramani suggested petition reflected vested interests against blending.
Government’s Stand
- Benefits of E20:
- Boosts sugarcane farmers’ income.
- Reduces oil imports (India imports ~85% of crude).
- Cuts carbon emissions.
- Ministry of Petroleum claimed: better acceleration, improved ride quality.
- Insurance Validity: Clarified that policies remain valid for vehicles using E20.
- Implementation: E20 being gradually rolled out since 2023, replacing E5/E10.
Issues Raised by Petitioners
- Efficiency Loss:
- NITI Aayog’s 2021 report: E20 could cut fuel efficiency by 6–7% in 4-wheelers and 3–4% in 2-wheelers.
- Vehicle Damage: Non-compatible engines may suffer corrosion, deposit buildup, or faster wear.
- Consumer Rights:
- Lack of choice (no ethanol-free petrol).
- Breach of right to informed choice under Consumer Protection Act, 2019 (absence of proper labelling).
- Liability Gaps:
- Vehicle manufacturers & insurers won’t cover damage caused by E20 use in non-compatible vehicles.
Broader Context
- India’s Ethanol Blending Policy:
- E20 target by 2025-26 (advanced from 2030).
- Part of National Biofuel Policy, 2018.
- Current status (2024-25): E20 rollout in progress; E10 nearly universal.
- Global Practices:
- U.S., Brazil widely use higher ethanol blends (E20–E85).
- Requires compatible flex-fuel vehicles.
- Economic Linkages:
- Supports sugar sector by diverting surplus cane to ethanol.
- Helps stabilise sugar prices and ensure rural incomes.
Challenges & Risks
- Technical:
- Older vehicles not compatible → mechanical degradation.
- Mileage reduction → higher consumer costs.
- Agricultural:
- Over-reliance on sugarcane (water-intensive crop).
- Risk of food vs fuel debate if more land shifts to ethanol crops.
- Environmental:
- While ethanol cuts tailpipe emissions, cane cultivation strains water resources.
- Consumer Protection: Lack of awareness, limited choices at pumps.
Analysis of SC Verdict
- Positive:
- Reinforces India’s clean energy & self-reliance transition.
- Judicial deference to policy choices on energy & climate.
- Concerns Ignored:
- Consumer choice & compensation for vehicle damage.
- Adequacy of public consultation & awareness campaigns.
- Balance between farmers’ welfare vs consumer rights.
Way Forward
- Technical Solutions:
- Gradual phase-out of old vehicles, retrofit options for compatibility.
- Mandatory labelling of ethanol content at pumps.
- Policy Safeguards:
- Transitional period: Ensure parallel supply of ethanol-free petrol.
- Consumer compensation framework for engine damage.
- Agricultural Diversification:
- Encourage second-generation biofuels (crop residues, waste, maize, sorghum).
- Reduce sole dependence on sugarcane ethanol.
- Public Awareness: Campaigns on efficiency changes, safety, and insurance coverage.
Geographers uncover why some rivers stay single while others split
Basics of River Typology
- Single-thread rivers:
- Flow in one continuous channel.
- Typically meandering, with equilibrium between bank erosion and bar accretion.
- Width remains relatively stable.
- Multi-thread rivers (braided):
- Split into multiple channels separated by bars/islands.
- Arise when erosion exceeds deposition, widening the channel until it splits.
- Exhibit inherent instability and frequent lateral shifts.
Relevance: GS I (Geography – Fluvial Geomorphology, River Systems) + GS III (Disaster Management – Floods, River Basin Management, Human Interference in Natural Systems)

The UCSB Study (2023, Science)
- Dataset:
- 84 rivers across the globe.
- 36 years of Landsat satellite imagery (1985–2021).
- Method:
- Particle Image Velocimetry — tracked small changes in annual satellite images.
- Produced >4,00,000 measurements of erosion vs accretion.
- Key Finding:
- Single-thread rivers → balance between erosion and deposition.
- Multi-thread rivers → erosion dominates deposition → widening & splitting.
- Thus, erosion imbalance drives multi-threading.
Supporting Stanford Study (2023)
- Focus: Role of vegetation in meandering rivers.
- Findings:
- Vegetated bends → move outward (increase sinuosity).
- Unvegetated bends → migrate downstream without much lateral shift.
- Vegetation causes levee formation, influencing bend migration & floodplain evolution.
Human Interference in River Morphology
- Drivers of change:
- Damming, diking, sediment mining, agriculture, channelization.
- Many rivers have transitioned from multi-thread to single-thread due to artificial confinement.
- India example:
- Ganga and Brahmaputra sections artificially confined with embankments → altered natural dynamics.
Case Studies: Indian Rivers
- Ganga (Patna, Farakka, Paksey): Exhibits both single-thread and braided stretches.
- Brahmaputra (Pasighat, Pandu, Bahadurabad):
- Classical braided river.
- Very high erosion rates, unstable channels.
- Sub-channels widen and split repeatedly → inherent instability.
Implications for Flooding & River Management
- Multi-thread rivers:
- Higher flood and erosion risks.
- Rating curves (used to measure flow discharge) must be updated frequently.
- River restoration:
- Multi-channel rivers can return to natural state relatively quickly if allowed space.
- Nature-based solutions:
- Remove artificial embankments.
- Restore floodplains.
- Vegetated buffer zones.
- Reactivate abandoned channels.
- Wetland creation in braided stretches.
Conceptual Shifts in River Geomorphology
- Old view: Rivers shaped by equilibrium of erosion and deposition.
- New view (UCSB study): Instability cycles drive multi-thread rivers — widening → splitting → widening again.
- Old view: Plants co-evolved with meandering rivers.
- New view (Stanford study): Vegetation changes migration dynamics, not just stability.
Broader Significance
- Geomorphology: Advances theory of river channel formation.
- Ecology: Different river types → different habitats & ecosystem services.
- Climate Adaptation: As extreme rainfall increases, river instability becomes a key risk factor.
- Engineering: Models for flood prediction must move beyond fixed-width assumptions.
- Policy: Calls for integrated river basin management that respects natural morphodynamics.