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Ebola is a rare but deadly virus that spreads through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of infected people. DR Congo has seen several Ebola outbreaks since the first recorded one in 1976, which keeps the country a long-running focus for response teams.

Context: Iran, the US and Israel have been in a long-running standoff over Iran's nuclear programme. The supreme leader holds final authority over Iran's military and state decisions, so his orders carry major weight.

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: A world model is an AI system that learns how an environment behaves so it can predict what happens next, which helps machines plan actions. Google has released earlier Genie models as research previews, so Genie 4 continues that line of work.

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: Dearness allowance is a payment added to basic salary and pension to offset rising prices, and states revise it periodically. The central government also revises its own DA rate twice a year, so state hikes are often watched by staff elsewhere.

Context: Alphabet owns Google, along with YouTube and Android. Big tech firms are spending heavily on AI chips and data centres, and investors keep asking when those bets will earn money. Sharp swings like this often reflect that wider debate, not one quarter alone.

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: 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.

Tax devolution is the share of the Union's tax income that the Centre passes on to state governments, which they use for schools, roads and health. The Centre typically pays it in regular monthly instalments, with extra payments added at times.

Context: GST is India's goods and services tax, a single tax that replaced many state and central levies in 2017. Each state where a business sells can require its own registration, so easier rules can matter a lot to small online sellers.

Context: Many women do farm work but are often not counted as farmers in official records, because land ownership usually decides recognition. Recognition can affect access to farm schemes, loans and benefits.

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: 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: Many homebuyers have waited years for flats when a builder defaulted on loans and stalled work. Under India's insolvency law, a developer's failure can freeze all its projects, so the new rules offer a narrower route for sound ones.

Context: India has long had rules on research using animals, and regulators update them from time to time. Animal welfare groups and scientists often clash over how strict such safeguards should be.

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: 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.

Context: The H-1B is a US work visa that many Indian software engineers and other skilled workers use, and a green card grants permanent residence. Each new Congress and administration can change these rules, so election results matter for applicants.

Context: Foxconn is the Taiwanese company that assembles many Apple devices, including in India. Foldable phones use flexible screens, which have been a known durability concern for the whole industry.

Context: Big tech firms are spending huge sums on AI data centres and chips, so investors are worried whether those costs will pay off; the Nasdaq is the US index heavy in technology shares.

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.

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: Jowar, also called sorghum, is a staple grain eaten widely in parts of Karnataka. When rain fails, harvests shrink and supply tightens, so prices tend to climb.

Context: NavIC is India's own regional satellite navigation system, meant to give location and timing services over India and nearby areas. Like GPS, it needs a group of satellites in orbit, so each new launch helps keep it working.

Context: The Census is India's official count of its population, and it was delayed from 2021. Caste was not counted in the last full census, and the new round will include it for the first time.

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: Glass waste is hard to recycle, so turning it into building material can help cut landfill waste. Concrete with glass has long raised concern about a chemical reaction that can crack it, which is why long-term checks matter.

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: The Quad is an informal grouping of India, the US, Japan and Australia that works on shared interests in the Indo-Pacific. Critical minerals such as lithium and rare earths are used in batteries and electronics, making supply a growing concern for governments.

Context: Madhyamam is a Malayalam news daily based in Kerala, and this dispute is over unpaid wages that have built up for months. Long pay delays often lead to strikes, and unions usually push for talks between the staff and management.

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.

FSSAI is the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, which sets food rules and licences for restaurants and food businesses across the country. A show cause notice is a formal first step asking a business to respond before any final penalty is decided.

Context: Fusion joins light atoms together to release energy, the same process that powers the sun, and no country has yet run a fusion power plant that sends electricity to the grid. Private firms are joining this race, and India's effort is one example.

Context: The Enforcement Directorate investigates money laundering and can arrest people even when they have been granted bail in an earlier case. Azam Khan is a senior Samajwadi Party leader from Uttar Pradesh, and the case concerns funds linked to Jauhar University.

Delhi often sees severe smog in winter, when cold air traps pollution close to the ground. Similar winter action plans have been used in the National Capital Region for years, with curbs stepping up as air quality worsens.

Context: India's census is held every ten years and runs in two steps, first listing houses and buildings, then counting every person. Jammu and Kashmir's progress shows how the national count is moving state by state.

Context: Customs duty is a tax on goods brought into India, and cotton is the main raw material for yarn and clothing. Exemptions like this are often used when domestic supply runs short or prices rise.

Context: Zilla panchayats are district-level and taluk panchayats are block-level elected bodies that manage local development and services. Local body polls are often delayed, so a fixed timeline matters to voters and candidates.

Context: Gaganyaan is India's planned human spaceflight mission, run by ISRO, the Indian Space Research Organisation. Parachutes slow a returning spacecraft to a safe landing speed, so their testing is a key safety step.

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.

Context: Poland's Constitutional Tribunal reviews whether laws follow the constitution, so a deadlock there can hold up legal decisions. The pro-European government and the nationalist president have clashed over the court for a long time.

Context: NHAI, the National Highways Authority of India, builds and manages national highways. Flyover projects on busy Kerala roads often face local objections over traffic, flooding and access to shops, so such disputes are common.

Context: Space telescopes orbit high above Earth and are usually not built to be brought back, so their orbits slowly decay over time. Rescue missions in space are rare and technically difficult, which is why a failed attempt draws attention.

Context: CAQM is the Commission for Air Quality Management, which sets air rules for Delhi and nearby states that often face severe winter smog. Factories are among the sources of pollution, so enforcement of these rules is a long-running effort.

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: Kuki-Zo and Meitei communities in Manipur have been in conflict since May 2023, and the state has seen displacement and deaths. Agreements with armed groups and tribal organisations are often contested locally, so the rally reflects a wider debate over peace and security in the state.

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.

Maximum retail price is the highest amount a shop can legally charge for a product, so the cap protects buyers from paying more. Rice is a staple food in India, and state governments often set such limits when prices rise.

The US keeps military bases across the Gulf and wider Middle East, so attacks on them touch many countries and oil routes. Iran and the US have been rivals in the region for decades, and India watches closely because of oil and its large diaspora.

Context: Airfares in India often rise during festival season because demand peaks and many people travel home. Airlines also add fuel and other surcharges that pass costs on to passengers, so route prices can shift quickly.

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: 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: Sugarcane is a major cash crop in north Karnataka, and farmers' income depends on the price mills pay for their cane. Price disputes often return each harvest season, which is why protests keep coming back.

Context: Cyclone Arnab recently hit Odisha, and the Bay of Bengal often produces storms in autumn that can bring heavy rain to coastal districts. IMD, India's weather agency, issues these warnings, and this storm is forecast to be weaker than Arnab.

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: El Niño is a periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean that often weakens the Indian monsoon and brings drier spells. Kyasanur forest disease is a tick-borne illness found in forested parts of Karnataka and Kerala.

Export duties are extra taxes on fuel sold abroad, and the government reviews them every fortnight to balance domestic supply with overseas sales. Indian refiners also export a lot of fuel, so these levies can influence how much is kept for domestic buyers.

Vande Bharat is India's fast semi-high-speed train line, built in India and now running on many routes. Sleeper versions add overnight berths, which suit long journeys like Varanasi to Delhi.

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: 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: 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: 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: November is when the monsoon has withdrawn from most of India, so daytime temperatures often rise while nights turn cooler. IMD's monthly outlooks help farmers, city planners and power utilities prepare for the coming weeks.

Context: SoO, or Suspension of Operations, is a truce deal between the government and armed groups in Manipur, and it has been contested since ethnic violence began there in 2023.

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: Tensions between Iran and the United States have been rising, and Iran's leaders have recently promised a strong response to any new US attack. Qeshm is an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, a busy route for oil shipments.

Context: Municipal corporations and municipal councils run civic services such as roads, water and sanitation in Indian towns and cities. Their elected mayors and chairpersons lead these bodies, so local elections shape everyday services for residents.

Context: Utilities are the companies that generate, transmit and sell electricity, and many are regulated, so state regulators approve how much they can charge. Rising demand and costly grid upgrades are common reasons bills climb, and the midterm elections are due in November 2026.

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: 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: Low-pressure areas over the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea often grow into depressions or cyclones, and they can bring heavy rain to coastal south India. The IMD, India's official weather agency, issues these forecasts, which are updated as the system moves.

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: Mandya is a farming district in southern Karnataka, where canal irrigation is a major concern for farmers. Jayadeva is a well-known heart-care institute in Bengaluru, so a 100-bed hospital adds to the state's healthcare network.

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: Abiy Ahmed has led Ethiopia since 2018 and won the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize, and his government fought a war in the northern Tigray region from 2020 to 2022. Ethiopia has faced internal conflicts, so defence readiness is a major focus.

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: 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.

The Quad is an informal grouping of India, Japan, Australia and the United States that works on shared interests in the Indo-Pacific. Economic coercion means using trade or money to pressure another country, and export curbs are one common tool.

Context: India offers two income tax regimes, an old one that allows many deductions and a newer one with lower rates but fewer deductions. Taxpayers pick the regime that gives them the lower tax bill.

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 2018 Sandpapergate scandal involved Australian players tampering with the ball in South Africa, which made this series a closely watched return. Simon Harmer is a South African off-spin bowler.

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: State governments often announce paid holidays on set dates, and November 1 is also the formation day of several states, including Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Employers in covered workplaces must usually pay staff for that day.

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: 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 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.

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: 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: 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.

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.

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: 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.

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.

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: 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: 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: Women's cricket in India has grown quickly since the Women's Premier League began, with domestic leagues helping younger players reach the national side. Muzumdar's comments look ahead to the next generation of T20 players.

Context: Sergio Gor is the US ambassador to India, and trade talks between the two countries have been on and off for years. Trade agreements of this kind set tariffs and market access for goods such as textiles and farm products.

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: 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: 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: 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.

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.

Somalia's government has faced al-Shabaab, an Islamist militant group, since the early 2000s, and the country's state was largely broken after its civil war began in 1991. The UN mission was one part of international help for rebuilding Somali institutions.

Context: Russia seized parts of southern Ukraine after its February 2022 invasion, and many civilians there have been cut off. Belarus borders Ukraine to the north, so evacuees arriving there are crossing into a neighbouring country.

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.

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: 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: 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: Kerala's state government pays pensions to retired government staff, and each extra-payment request is checked by the Finance department. Many pensioners across India depend on monthly pension income to cover daily costs.

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: 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.

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: 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.

HMWSSB is the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, the city's main water utility. Treated water is wastewater cleaned for reuse, and tanker services help when pipes do not reach every home.

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: 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: 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: 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: Landslides in Wayanad district in July 2024 destroyed several villages and left many families displaced. The township is part of the state's rehabilitation effort, and survivors have stayed in rented homes until permanent houses are ready.

Context: The Rafale is a French-built fighter jet that India agreed to buy, and the Tejas is India's homegrown light fighter, which has been delayed for years. Both are central to the air force's plans to replace older aircraft.

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.

BRS is a Telangana party that governed the state until 2023, so this is part of the ongoing political contest over jobs in the state. Scam allegations about job-recruitment bodies often focus on fake offers charged to unemployed applicants.

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.

Patriot is a US-made air-defence system, and Ukraine has relied on it since Russia's full-scale invasion began in 2022. Air defence has been a constant need in that war, and large arms sales usually pass a congressional review first.

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.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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: 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.

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: 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: Deepavali firecrackers have long been linked to air pollution in Indian cities, which is why courts and governments set limits on which crackers can be used and when. Green crackers are designed to produce less smoke than regular ones.

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: 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.

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: 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: 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.

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: Formal jobs have regular pay and social security, while many Indian workers are in informal work without these protections. Schemes like this usually aim to bring more people into the formal workforce.

Context: Many firms have cut jobs in recent years while investing heavily in AI, and the trend is sometimes called an AI boomerang. Workers weighing a return should understand that job security and pay terms can change after a layoff.

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: 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: 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: 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: 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: Exporters have faced higher shipping and insurance costs in recent years, partly due to global trade disruptions, which squeeze margins for small and medium businesses. The commerce ministry runs trade support schemes to help them compete abroad.

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: 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.