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Attappady is a hilly forest region in Palakkad district of Keralam, home to a large tribal population. Infant deaths and malnutrition there have been recurring concerns for decades, and the area has long faced gaps in health care and food access.

Context: Student safety in schools is a major concern for parents and authorities across India. Questions about who is allowed on school premises are often raised after incidents like this one.

Context: Cyclones and rough seas often keep fishing boats in harbour for days, and coastal families rely on daily earnings. Weather bans can quickly push fisherfolk into debt when they have little savings to fall back on.

Electrocution from electric fences set up to keep out animals or intruders has caused deaths in parts of India. Such deaths have prompted repeated calls for stricter enforcement of safety rules.

Context: The Strait of Hormuz, between Iran and Oman, is one of the world's busiest oil shipping routes, so attacks there affect fuel prices and supply. Tensions across West Asia have been rising, and many Indian seafarers work on ships passing through it.

Context: Crypto exchanges hold users' digital coins, so a hack can leave customers unable to recover funds. Major hacks have hit exchanges before, and they often lead to tighter security rules and questions about how safe crypto storage is.

Context: The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea passage between Iran and Oman that carries a large share of the world's oil. Many ships passing through it have crews from India, so restrictions there affect Indian families and fuel prices.

Children with special needs often rely fully on school staff for their safety, so schools are expected to follow strict supervision and reporting rules. Cases like this raise questions about how well those rules are followed and how complaints are handled.

Context: WhatsApp keeps automatic backups in Google Drive on Android and iCloud on iPhone, so deleted chats are usually restorable only from the most recent backup saved before deletion.

Context: Google has put a first data-centre satellite in orbit, so this test checks whether AI can work beyond Earth. A haiku is a short three-line poem, often about nature.

Context: AI data centres on Earth use large amounts of electricity and cooling, which is a growing concern for tech firms. Putting computing in orbit is an untested idea that companies are exploring as a possible alternative.

Context: KMF, or Karnataka Milk Federation, is the state's large dairy cooperative and sells milk under the Nandini brand. Dairy price revisions like this often reflect rising costs for farmers and transport, so households feel the change in their monthly budget.

The RBI is the central bank that regulates India's banks and sets banking rules. Banks now hold large amounts of digital customer data and run online payments, so breaches can put ordinary people's savings and accounts at risk.

Context: El Niño is a natural warming of the central and eastern Pacific that shifts rain and heat patterns worldwide. It often weakens the Indian monsoon, so farmers and water planners watch it closely.

Context: AI models are trained on large amounts of web content, and news sites have long complained about bots copying their work. Robots.txt, the standard file that tells bots what not to crawl, is the common tool publishers use today.

Context: Pensioners usually need to prove each year that they are alive to keep receiving their pension, and the life certificate is the usual proof. Face authentication lets pensioners verify their identity using a camera instead of visiting a bank or pension office in person.

Context: Lava is an Indian smartphone brand known for budget phones, and this rise lands in the segment where buyers are most price-sensitive. Mid-range phones sit just above that tier, so their buyers may also watch prices closely.

Context: YouTube has age settings and content rules, but AI tools let anyone make songs and videos quickly, so filters struggle to keep pace. Bhojpuri and Punjabi music are hugely popular across India, so such content can reach large family audiences.

The census counts the population once every ten years, and its data helps guide how government plans services and resources. Enumerators are the field staff who visit homes to collect the answers.

Automatic emergency braking systems use sensors to spot a possible crash and brake if the driver does not react in time. India has some of the highest road death tolls in the world, so vehicle safety rules are a steady policy focus.

Context: Many households in Indian cities hire maids and cooks through private agencies, which often operate with little public oversight. Police verification is meant to check a worker's background before they enter a home.

Context: A cess is an extra charge collected for a specific purpose, separate from the regular tax on goods. TASMAC is the state-run liquor retailer in Tamil Nadu, and liquor sales bring in a large share of state revenue.

Context: KYC, or Know Your Customer, is the process banks follow to confirm who their customers are. Mule accounts are often opened with stolen or borrowed identities, and online fraud has been rising in India, so the court's review could change how accounts are opened.

Context: BS VI is India's current vehicle emission standard, and Delhi has tightened rules on older, non-compliant vehicles to fight severe winter air pollution. Commuters from nearby NCR towns are among those most affected.

Low-pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal can grow into depressions that bring heavy rain, flooding and disruption to coastal states. Andhra Pradesh and Kerala often see heavy rain in this season, so following local alerts and IMD updates helps families plan travel and safety.

Context: India's census is held every ten years, and the previous one was in 2011. Its results shape decisions on seats, welfare schemes and how government money is shared between states.

Context: AI models learn from large amounts of data, but hospital records, bank details and government files are often too private to share openly. Sealed-room setups are one way to keep such data protected while still letting AI use it.

Context: Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters posing as police, CBI or tax officials, keeping victims on video calls while they transfer money. Such cases have grown across India, and courts are asking whether banks should do more to flag suspicious transfers.

Context: The Siang project is a large hydropower dam on the Siang river in Arunachal Pradesh, seen as a strategic counter to China's mega dam upstream on the Yarlung Tsangpo. Such projects often face local concern about land, water and displacement.

Context: Yaks are large, high-altitude animals found across the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau, and they are important to herders there. Finding a related species helps scientists trace how today's yaks evolved.

Context: The Railway Board is the central body that oversees Indian Railways and sets rules that its zones follow. Many long-distance trains run overnight, so charging limits affect travellers who rely on phones for tickets, maps and navigation.

Context: Oleshky is in southern Ukraine, on the Dnipro river, and has been under Russian control since the early months of Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. Short local pauses like this are usually fragile, so they do not end the wider war between the two countries.

Context: AAP governs Punjab, and the state's next Assembly election is due in 2027. Candidate lists in the months before a vote show which seats each party sees as key.

Context: The state first offered this instant pension to women in the old-age category, and this change reaches groups who often have irregular incomes. Filariasis is a mosquito-borne disease, and toddy tappers collect palm sap for a living.

Context: India's main privacy law is the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, which sets rules for how companies and the state use personal data. Changes to it would affect how millions of people's data is collected and protected.

Context: The World Bank is a global lender that publishes poverty estimates by comparing household spending with an international poverty line. Its figures for India have often been debated, because national surveys and methods can give different results.

Tenements are multi-family housing blocks built by government bodies for low-income families, and many are old and unsafe. Rebuilding aging blocks usually requires residents to move out first while construction takes place.

Context: Amhara is a large region in northern Ethiopia where armed conflict between government forces and regional militias has been ongoing since 2023, and drones have become a common weapon in the fighting.

Context: The Commission for Air Quality Management coordinates pollution control across Delhi and its neighbouring cities. Every winter, smoke and dust push the region's air into hazardous levels, and the commission often uses steps like these.

Context: Mars meteorites are rocks knocked off the Red Planet by ancient impacts that later fell to Earth. Scientists study them to learn about Mars's early history.

Context: Disinvestment means the government selling its stake in a public company, and IDBI Bank has been part of such plans for years. Bank staff and unions often watch these moves closely because jobs and asset values can change.

Context: Bonus payments are a yearly money matter for many workers, and in India the Payment of Bonus Act, 1965 sets the rules for them. Fake messages can cause anxiety and protests, so official clarifications from labour offices are the reliable source to check before acting.

Context: Delhi faces severe smog most winters, when cold air and smoke from crop burning trap pollution close to the ground. The GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) is a staged set of emergency steps that rise as air quality worsens.

Context: The Chief Election Commissioner heads the body that runs India's national and state elections. Removing a CEC is a formal process that needs a motion passed in Parliament, so a public event like this does not by itself remove anyone from office.

Context: A glacial lake outburst flood happens when a lake held back by glacier ice or debris suddenly bursts, sending water and rocks rushing downstream. Bhutan's Himalayan rivers flow into Assam, so the flood risk reaches Assam's plains quickly.

Context: Bank fraud often involves transfers that the account holder did not authorise, and quick reporting to the bank is the usual first step to limit losses. Customers who act early usually have a better chance of recovering money.

Context: Misappropriation means funds were taken or misused rather than used as intended. An FIR, or First Information Report, is the formal police complaint that starts a criminal investigation into such cases.

Context: Free-flow tolling lets vehicles pay without stopping at a barrier, using RFID tags fixed to windscreens. Delhi's entry points are often jammed during peak hours, so the change is part of a wider push to reduce traffic and pollution in the city.

Context: The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission, which runs India's elections. A formal impeachment requires Parliament to act, so a symbolic version is a protest rather than a step toward removal.

Context: Odisha lies on the Bay of Bengal coast and is hit by cyclones several times a year, especially in the post-monsoon months. Such storms often bring heavy rain that causes floods and landslides in nearby districts.

Context: OnePlus is a smartphone brand owned by China's Oppo group and sold in India. Snapdragon is Qualcomm's chip family, and its Elite line is the top tier used in flagship phones.

Diwali, also called Deepawali, is one of India's biggest festivals and is celebrated across many regions with different local customs. Dhanteras usually marks the start of the festival, with Bhai Dooj closing it.

Kerala's hills are a major cardamom-growing region, and small planters rely on auctions to sell their crop and get paid quickly. The West Asia crisis is disrupting trade and energy markets, which can slow money moving through the supply chain.

Context: PM-KISAN, launched in 2019, gives eligible farmer families income support of Rs 6,000 a year, paid in three instalments. Instalments are announced regularly by the Centre, and state governments often share the event with local leaders.

Context: Under India's IT Rules, the government and platforms can order posts taken down, and the rules set time limits for acting on those orders. Debate continues over how much users can see, challenge or appeal such removals.

Context: After the Taliban took control of Afghanistan in 2021, many Afghans who had worked with US forces were evacuated abroad. Their future immigration status has since become a contested policy question in the US.

Manipur has been divided by ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities since 2023, and the SoO deal was meant to calm armed groups while talks continued. Its future matters for peace in the state before any election.

Context: BPT is a popular rice variety in South India, and rice is a staple food for most Indian households. Governments set ceiling prices to stop sudden spikes in the cost of essential food.

Context: Kabila led DR Congo from 2001 to 2019, after taking over from his father. Eastern DR Congo has seen years of fighting with armed groups, so any new rebel movement draws close attention.

Context: GST is India's national tax on most goods and services, and enforcement officers can check businesses and goods. Rules like these shape how often traders and transporters face checks and penalties.

Context: Aden is Yemen's southern port city and the base of the internationally recognised government. The Houthis, an armed group that controls much of northern Yemen, have fought that government since 2014, and Saudi Arabia leads a coalition backing it.

Context: Transgender people in India gained legal recognition in 2014 through the Supreme Court's NALSA judgment, which recognised a third gender and self-identification. Since then, many government bodies have had to set up procedures to change staff records under service rules.

Context: Sugarcane prices in India are guided by a government-set minimum, but farmers often protest when mill payments feel low or arrive late. Belagavi is a major sugarcane district in north Karnataka, so protests there affect many growers.

Context: Tariffs are taxes on imported goods, and US tariffs on Canadian products have hit industries like forestry and paper that rely heavily on exports. When a single mill anchors a small town, its closure can affect nearly every local family.

Context: Indian households buy gold for weddings and festivals, so price swings change the cost of planned purchases. Gold prices move with global markets, the US dollar and interest rates, which is why forecasts are hard to make.

Context: Social media companies face many lawsuits in the United States, and some involve claims about harm to young users. Meta and Snap are both large platforms, so the outcome of this case could influence how other similar cases are handled.

Context: Customs duty is a tax on imported goods, and India often adjusts it on cotton to balance mill supply against farmers' prices. Spinning mills and garment makers depend on cotton, so changes to the duty affect their costs.

Context: The World Bank measures poverty using its own international yardsticks, adjusted for living costs, so its figures often differ from India's official estimates. Forecasts like this are usually revised as new survey data comes in.

Context: TRAI is the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, which sets rules for phone and internet companies. As AI tools spread into networks and customer services, regulators worldwide are increasingly asking firms to set clear internal rules for them.

Context: The Kerala PSC runs public recruitment exams for state government jobs, so copied questions affect many candidates. This probe follows an earlier case in which the commission's chairperson was indicted in an exam fraud matter.

Context: Mangolpuri is an industrial area in northwest Delhi where many small factories operate in crowded buildings. Fires at such units have repeatedly raised concerns about exit routes and fire safety rules for workers.

The IPL is India's top franchise cricket league, where teams buy players at auctions and can change captains from season to season. Mumbai Indians is one of its most successful teams, so leadership changes draw wide attention.

Context: Refugees are people forced to flee their home country because of persecution, war or violence. Resettlement means a country agrees to accept them permanently, usually through a government-run route rather than irregular travel.

Context: China has been developing reusable spacecraft as part of a wider push in space, competing with the United States and others. Spy satellites and declassified reports are how governments often reveal such programmes.

Context: The Department of Veterans Affairs offers home loans to US military veterans. The Servicing Purchase program let the VA buy troubled loans from lenders, helping borrowers keep their homes, so ending it shifts costs back onto individual homeowners.

Context: Jammu and Kashmir is a union territory whose Lieutenant Governor is the Centre's appointed head. Security convoys for officials often close or slow roads, which can affect ordinary traffic, including ambulances.

Context: Martian meteorites are rocks blasted off Mars by ancient impacts that later landed on Earth, letting scientists study the Red Planet without going there. Finds like this help researchers piece together how Mars formed and changed over billions of years.

Context: A census counts every person and household, and governments use the results to plan schools, roads, health services and seats in Parliament. The reference date is the moment whose population counts are recorded.

Context: Oleshky is in southern Ukraine's Kherson region, which Russia occupied in 2022 during the ongoing war. Evacuation corridors are often used in frontline towns where basic services have been cut off.

Context: Cyclone Arnab is a storm hitting India's east coast with heavy rain and flooding in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Palasa and Visakhapatnam sit on the main coastal rail line that links northern and southern India.

Context: Vande Bharat is India's fast, modern train series built to cut journey times, and sleeper versions add overnight travel. Kashi is another name for Varanasi, a major pilgrimage city.

Context: NVS satellites are part of India's satellite navigation system, and the earlier NVS-02 failure makes this launch closely watched. Propulsion systems move a spacecraft into its planned orbit.

Context: Google Search has long sent large numbers of visitors to websites, and publishers worry that AI-written answers keep readers on Google's page instead. Reddit relies heavily on search traffic to reach new users, so this dispute matters for online communities.

Context: Golden Dome is a US missile defence plan announced by President Trump in 2025 to shield the country from missile attacks. Big tech firms joining such projects is part of a wider debate about defence work by technology companies.

Context: SIR, or Special Intensive Revision, is the Election Commission of India's detailed review of voter rolls, and Delhi's name deletions have drawn attention as a result. Voter roll accuracy matters because only names on the final list can cast a ballot in elections.

Context: Online scams such as fake payment links and phishing calls are common in India, and victims often struggle to get lost money back. The Reserve Bank of India already has rules on customer liability for unauthorised digital transactions, so this view adds pressure on banks.

Context: Jailbreaks usually lead to suspensions and transfers while officials review security, guard duties and staffing. Theni is a district in southern Tamil Nadu, near the Kerala border.

Context: Village development in India is often funded by both the Centre and states, through schemes that can overlap and confuse local planning. Plans that run for several years, with regular checks, aim to make spending more coordinated and results easier to track.

Context: In India, a government can seek to withdraw certain cases, and courts often have to approve the request. Such moves are often debated over which cases should qualify and why.

Mule accounts are bank accounts opened or rented so criminals can move stolen money through them, often for a small payment. Such accounts are a common route for online scams, so banks and police watch them closely.

Context: Nvidia makes the graphics chips that most AI systems are trained and run on, so its spending shapes the wider AI boom. An AI bubble refers to prices and valuations rising far above what the underlying businesses earn.

Peels and stalks are often thrown away, while public health advice usually focuses on eating enough fruit and vegetables overall. Such findings usually add detail to general diet advice rather than replace it.

Context: The Nasdaq is heavy in technology companies, so its moves often show how investors feel about the tech sector. Huge spending on AI has become a major theme, and investors are now questioning whether that spending will pay off.

Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of Parliament, and its members are elected by state legislatures rather than directly by voters. When a seat falls vacant mid-term, a byelection is held to fill it only for the rest of that term.

Context: Ahoi Ashtami is a festival observed mainly in North India, where mothers fast for their children's wellbeing. It falls a few days before Diwali, so many families plan it alongside the wider festive season.

Context: Spain runs one of Europe's largest high-speed rail networks, so a deadly crash puts its safety record in the spotlight. Óscar Puente leads the transport ministry, which oversees the country's trains.

Context: Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers among Indian women, so early checks matter. Doctors usually use a physical exam, imaging such as ultrasound or mammography, and sometimes a biopsy to tell harmless lumps from cancer.

Context: Deepfakes are AI-generated videos or audio that can imitate real people, which raises questions about privacy, likeness and ownership. Indian courts are being asked to decide such matters while specific laws on AI are still developing.

Context: The World Bank is a global lender that publishes poverty estimates for countries, and India's figures are often debated because they depend on how poverty is measured. Inequality describes how unevenly income and wealth are spread across people.

Context: Cooperative supermarkets are stores owned by their members, and they often aim to offer everyday goods at fair prices. Bundled packs like this help make basic household groceries easier to afford when prices rise.

Context: NVS satellites are part of NavIC, India's own regional navigation system used for positioning across the country. Pyro valves are small valves triggered by controlled explosive charges, used in rockets to manage fuel and pressure flow.

Context: PNB is Punjab National Bank, one of India's largest state-run lenders, and the CBI is the country's central agency for major criminal investigations. Fixed deposits are savings locked in for a set period, so this matters to anyone who holds money in such accounts.

Context: Forex reserves are the foreign currency and gold held by the central bank, used to steady the rupee and pay for imports. Repeated falls often reflect the central bank selling dollars to support the currency during market pressure.

Context: Half helmets cover only part of the head and give far less protection than full-face helmets in a crash. Penalty point systems are used in several places to hold repeat offenders accountable, and a licence suspension is a stronger step than a single fine.

Context: The Ganges water-sharing treaty between India and Bangladesh was signed in 1996 and sets out how river flows are shared in the dry season. Any renewal draws close attention on both sides because water and transit are sensitive issues.

Context: Drink-driving is one of the leading causes of road deaths in India, and enforcement drives usually follow high-profile crashes that bring the issue into public debate. Such crackdowns can mean more checks on roads and stricter action against offenders.

Context: Alphabet is the parent company of Google, and big tech firms are spending heavily on AI data centres and chips. Investors now want to see clear returns on that spending, which is a key question for the wider AI boom.

Context: Manipur has seen violence between the Kuki and Meitei communities since 2023. A Suspension of Operations deal usually pauses security action against armed groups while peace talks continue.

Context: Margin means the gap between what a drug costs to make or buy and what it sells for. Cancer treatment is expensive in India, and drug prices have been a long-running debate between companies, patients and regulators.

Big tech firms have poured huge sums into AI data centres and chips over the past few years, and investors are now asking when that spending will pay off. Markets often swing sharply when that doubt grows.

Context: The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow sea route between Iran and Oman that carries a large share of the world's oil. Limpet mines are small bombs fixed to a ship's hull, and Indians form a large share of many ship crews.

Context: Air pollution in north India, especially in winter, is a long-running health concern, and fireworks during Diwali are widely blamed for spikes in it. Many local curbs on crackers have been tried over the years.

Context: The Paris Agreement, signed in 2015, set global goals to limit warming and cut emissions. The Lancet is a long-running medical journal, and this report is a yearly health tracker for climate change, so it shows whether promises are turning into action.

Context: Land owned by the defence establishment is usually restricted, so construction on it needs official clearances. Buyers who paid for flats in such projects often face long waits and legal battles to get their money back.

Context: Many teenagers use AI chatbots, and companies face growing pressure to add age-based safeguards. OpenAI makes ChatGPT, one of the most widely used AI chatbots in the world.

Context: Tasmac is the state-run liquor retailer in Tamil Nadu. The bottle-return refund is a way to encourage recycling, and it means buyers will pay more upfront for many drinks.

Context: Attappady is a hilly tribal area in Palakkad district of Keralam, where many families live far from major hospitals. Infant deaths in such places often lead officials to check nutrition, maternal care and access to health services.

Context: Birth and death certificates are needed for school admissions, passports, property matters and insurance claims. India Post is the government postal service, with offices reaching even remote villages.

Context: Chickenpox is a common childhood infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. After recovery, the virus stays dormant in nerve tissue and can later cause shingles in some people.

Context: NVS-03 is a navigation satellite in India's NavIC system, which provides positioning for users across India and nearby regions. GSLV is ISRO's launch vehicle used to put heavier satellites into orbit.

Context: Andhra Pradesh was recently hit by Cyclone Arnab, so residents are watching closely for more heavy weather. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues these forecasts, and depressions over the Bay of Bengal can sometimes strengthen into cyclones.

Context: Many households and workplaces depend on packaged drinking water, especially where tap supply is unreliable. Regulators check these units for hygiene and quality, and lab results show whether the water is safe to drink.

Poland's courts have been a major political fight since 2015, when the ruling government began overhauling the judiciary, which the EU and many judges criticised. Those disputes over judicial independence still shape today's clashes.

Context: PM-KISAN is a central government scheme that pays eligible farmers income support in instalments, and Kevadia in Gujarat is home to the Statue of Unity.

Context: Many vision problems in India, such as cataracts and uncorrected refractive errors, can be treated cheaply if caught early. Family decision-making about health spending has long been linked to unequal care for women.

Context: The INDIA bloc is an alliance of opposition parties that contests elections against the ruling NDA led by the BJP. Ramlila Maidan is a large, historic ground in central Delhi often used for mass rallies.

Context: Riyadh is Saudi Arabia's capital. Saudi Arabia has faced drone and missile attacks in recent years, including from Yemen's Houthi movement, so early reports of a drone often raise questions about who sent it.

Context: PU, or pre-university, is the two-year college stage after Class 10 in Karnataka, and SSLC is the state's Class 10 board exam. Seats at this level are growing each year, so the state is slowing new private openings to match seats with students.

Context: Sugarcane is a major crop in Karnataka, and farmers often protest over the prices and payments they receive from sugar mills. Jail Bharo protests, where people deliberately court arrest, are a common way to press demands.

Context: Odisha faces floods during the monsoon, and Kandhamal is a hilly district where heavy rain can loosen slopes and trigger landslides. Such events often bring rescue work and questions about early warnings for remote villages.

Context: E100 is pure ethanol fuel, far stronger than the E20 blend sold at many Indian pumps, which is why ordinary petrol cars need special engines to run on it.

Stubble burning means setting fire to leftover crop stalks after harvest, mainly in north India. The smoke often worsens air quality in Delhi and nearby areas each autumn.

Delhi often records severe air pollution in winter, when cold weather and smoke from crop burning in nearby states trap pollutants. A central commission coordinates action across Delhi and neighbouring states.

Context: Gig workers, such as delivery and ride-hailing staff, often lack formal benefits like pensions or paid leave. Dedicated boards are a step toward welfare schemes designed for their needs.

Context: Forward-deployed engineers work closely with clients to put AI tools into real use, and India's large IT services sector is watching how its workforce adapts to these new roles.

Context: Banking fraud has been a growing concern across India, and the Reserve Bank of India has repeatedly urged customers to guard their account details and OTPs. Cases like this usually lead to investigations into both staff conduct and how the transactions were approved.

Context: NavIC is India's homegrown satellite navigation system, a regional alternative to GPS covering India and nearby areas. Adding satellites helps keep it working well and reduces reliance on foreign systems.

Context: Form 7 is the Election Commission's form for objecting to voter names, and booth-level agents are party workers who track voters at each polling booth. Such objections can remove names from voter rolls, so they are closely watched ahead of elections.

Context: PM-Kisan began in 2019 as a direct cash support scheme for farmers, paid into their bank accounts in instalments. Farmers can check their status on the official scheme portal if they are unsure whether they qualify.

Context: US midterms are held two years into a presidency and elect all House seats and some Senate seats. Mail-in voting lets people post their ballots, and rules differ by state, so checks like these vary across the country.

Context: Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue and malaria tend to rise in Delhi during the monsoon, when standing water lets mosquitoes breed. Civic bodies typically step up drain cleaning and fogging each year to cut these risks.

Context: An MRI machine gives detailed body scans but costs far more to buy and maintain than an X-ray, so some state hospitals use private operators. Public-private partnerships are a common way for states to keep such services running.

Context: The sugar minimum support price and sugar-to-ethanol policy are set by the Centre, which shapes how much mills pay farmers for cane. Cane yields fall in drought years, which squeezes farmers and mills alike.

Context: Rising prices and wages that have not kept pace have fuelled cost-of-living protests across Europe in recent years. Unions often call strikes to press governments for action on pay and prices.

Context: IRDAI regulates insurance companies in India, and Consumer Commissions are the forums where ordinary people file complaints against companies. Long pending cases mean delays for policyholders and others waiting for a decision.

Context: Mazari and Chattha are known in Pakistan for human rights work and for taking on cases involving civil liberties. Their case adds to wider debate about how Pakistan treats lawyers, activists and critics of the state.

Context: Age concessions are relaxations that let candidates from specified social and welfare groups apply beyond the general age limit. Direct recruitment means hiring candidates from outside government rather than promoting existing staff.

Context: Nandini is the milk brand of KMF, the Karnataka Milk Federation, a state cooperative sold widely across Karnataka. Milk prices affect household budgets and the cost of tea, meals and food served by hotels and eateries.

Context: Cyclones form over warm seas in the Bay of Bengal and often hit the coasts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in the autumn months. Evacuating people early is the main way authorities cut the loss of life, so the evacuation numbers matter most.

Context: The Black Sea is a key shipping route for grain and oil, and attacks there have increased since the war in Ukraine began in 2022. Greek shipping companies carry a large share of global cargo, so disruptions can raise trade costs far beyond the region.

Context: A digital arrest is a scam where fraudsters pretend to be officials on a phone or video call and demand money from victims. The Supreme Court is also examining whether banks must compensate people who lose money to digital fraud.

Context: Russia has been fighting a full-scale war with Ukraine since February 2022, and attacks on rail and civilian areas have been a repeated concern. Zaporizhzhia is a major city in southeastern Ukraine.

Context: The Diversity Visa Program was set up to give people from countries underrepresented in US immigration a chance at a green card. Countries that send many immigrants to the US, such as India, are generally not eligible for it.

Context: Uttar Pradesh's 1090 Women Powerline is a state helpline that women can call to report harassment and seek help. Helplines like this are part of wider efforts to make public spaces safer for women.

Context: The Census counts every household, and enumerators are the field workers who visit homes to collect answers. Aadhaar is a national identity number, and it is not on its own proof of citizenship, which is why questions about its use are being asked.

Context: Airlines often struggle when jet fuel prices rise, since fuel is one of their biggest costs. Alaska Air Group is the parent of Alaska Airlines, a major carrier on the US West Coast.

Context: Police in the UK are often sent to mental health emergencies that health services may be better placed to handle. The change aims to make sure the right responders reach people in crisis.

Context: Voter rolls are revised periodically, and people left off the list cannot vote until they are added. Belagavi is a large district in northern Karnataka, and voter-list accuracy often becomes a political issue ahead of elections.

Context: Glacial lakes form when glaciers melt and collect water behind natural barriers of rock or ice. Bhutan's rivers flow into India, so a flood there can reach Bengal and Assam within hours.