Celebrated globally on 1 August

• Purpose: To celebrate the invention and use of the World Wide Web, which made it possible to access information, connect with people, and learn online.
• Founder Honoured: The day honours Tim Berners-Lee, the British scientist who invented the World Wide Web in 1989.

ABOUT WORLD WIDE WEB

• The World Wide Web (WWW or Web) is a system of interlinked web pages that can be accessed using the internet. It allows us to view websites, read content, watch videos, shop, and communicate
• Invented By: Tim Berners-Lee in 1989, while working at CERN (European research centre).

Every year, 1 August is observed as World Lung Cancer Day to raise public awareness about lung cancer.

Purpose: To inform people about the dangers, causes, and early signs of lung cancer and to encourage early diagnosis and treatment.

ABOUT LUNG CANCER

• Lung cancer is a disease in which abnormal cells grow uncontrollably in the lungs and form tumors.
• Main Causes: Smoking (main cause), Air pollution, Exposure to chemicals like asbestos and radon, Genetic factors
• Common Symptoms: Long-lasting cough, Chest pain, Shortness of breath, Weight loss without trying

Current Context A stampede near Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, claimed 8 lives and injured 28 others.

 ABOUT Mansa Devi Temple

• Location:
  • Situated on Bilwa Parvat (Sivalik Hills), Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
  • Also called Bilwa Tirth, one of the Panch Tirth (Five Pilgrimages) in Haridwar.
• Deities:
  • Dedicated to Goddess Mansa Devi, a form of Shakti (Goddess Durga).
  • Also houses Goddess Chandi Devi.
• History & Features:
  • Built between 1811-1815 by Maharaja Gopal Singh of Manimajra.
  • Spans over 100 acres and follows the traditional North Indian temple style.
  • A key centre of Shakti worship in northern India.

Current Context : The Indian Army conducted Exercise Divya Drishti in the high-altitude regions of East Sikkim to test advanced military technologies.

 ABOUT THE EXERCISE

• Purpose: To test new technologies for battlefield awareness, real-time surveillance, and faster decision-making.
• Participants: Troops from the Trishakti Corps (Headquarters: Sukna, near Siliguri).
• Key Highlights:
  • Use of ground-based systems and aerial platforms like drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to simulate realistic battle scenarios.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled sensors connected with advanced communication systems were used.
  • Created a sensor-to-shooter link for smooth and secure data flow among command centres and soldiers.
  • Focused on checking the army’s readiness in using AI and other modern technologies in a real battlefield situation.

Current Context : The State of Food and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) Report 2025 highlights that 720 million people (8.2% of the global population) were affected by hunger in 2024.

 ABOUT SOFI REPORT

• Prepared By:
• United Nations (UN) agencies:
  • Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
  • International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
  • UNICEF (UN Children’s Fund)
  • World Food Programme (WFP)
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
• Purpose: Provides the latest data and analysis on hunger, food security and nutrition worldwide.

 Key Highlights (2025)

• Hunger is still higher than pre-pandemic levels and even higher than in 2015.
• 96 million more people are suffering from chronic hunger compared to 2015.
• 3 billion people were moderately or severely food insecure in 2024.
• Undernourished population by region (2024):
  • Asia: 323 million
  • Africa: 307 million
  • Latin America and the Caribbean: 34 million
• Although hunger levels have declined in Southeast Asia, Southern Asia, and South America, food insecurity is still persistent or increasing in other regions like Africa.

Current Context The Sundarbans Tiger Reserve (STR) in West Bengal is set to become India’s second-largest tiger sanctuary.

• A proposal to expand the reserve by 1,100 square kilometres is under consideration by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).
• Once approved, the area will increase from 2,585.89 sq km to 3,629.57 sq km.

 ABOUT THE PROPOSAL

• Forest Ranges to be Added:
  • Raidighi
  • Matla
  • Ramganga (all in South 24-Parganas district of West Bengal)
• Significance: After expansion, the STR will be second followed by Nagarjunasagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradeshin terms of area.

Current Context : India performed well at the World University Games 2025 held in Germany and stood at the 20th position.

Performance Details:

• India won a total of 12 medals:
  • 2 Gold medals
  • 5 Silver medals
  • 5 Bronze medals
• Indian athletes won medals in sports such as athletics, archery, tennis, and badminton.

Highlights:

• On the final day, India won:
  • Silver medal by Ankita Dhyani in the women’s 3,000 metres steeplechase event.
  • Bronze medal in the men’s 4×100 metres relay event.
  • Bronze medal in the women’s race walk team event.

Global Rankings:

• Japan was ranked 1st with 34 gold medals.
• China stood 2nd with 30 gold medals.
• United States of America came 3rd with 28 gold medals.

Current Context : Turkey has launched its most powerful non-nuclear bomb called Gazap (meaning Wrath in Turkish) at the International Defence Industry Fair 2025 in Istanbul.

 ABOUT GAZAP BOMB

• Weight and Design:
  • The bomb weighs 970 kilograms and uses a special thermobaric (vacuum) explosion technique.
  • It can release more than 10 fragments per metre, which is much higher than ordinary bombs.
• Destructive Power:
  • When dropped, it creates very high temperatures (up to 3,000 degree Celsius) and powerful shock waves that can melt steel and concrete.
  • It can destroy everything within a radius of 1 kilometre.
• Deployment:
  • Currently, the bomb can be used from F-16 fighter jets and F-4 Phantom aircraft of the Turkish Air Force.
  • Turkey is planning to make it compatible with drones in the future.

Significance:

• The Gazap bomb is considered one of the most dangerous conventional (non-nuclear) weapons in the world and shows Turkey’s growing defence technology capabilities.

Current Context: Union Minister of Communications Jyotiraditya Scindia launched the Sanchar Saathi mobile application in Hindi and 21 regional languages.

 ABOUT SANCHAR SAATHI MOBILE APPLICATION

• The application was first introduced in January 2025 and has already been downloaded more than 46 lakh times.
• Purpose: To protect mobile phone users from cyber fraud in the telecom sector.
• Key Features:
  • Users can report suspicious calls and messages that may be fake or fraudulent.
  • Facility to trace and block lost or stolen mobile phones so that they cannot be misused.
  • Users can check if someone has taken unauthorized mobile connections using their identity documents.

Current Context : Indian states of Punjab and Haryana observe 31 July every year as Shaheed Udham Singh Martyrdom Day.

 ABOUT SHAHEED UDHAM SINGH KAMBOJ

• Early Life:
  • Born Sher Singh in Sunam, Punjab on 26 December 1899. Initially took the revolutionary name Ram Mohammad Singh Azad, symbolizing unity across faiths under Indian freedom.
• Role in Independence Struggle:
  • Kamboj was an Indian revolutionary best known for assassinating Michael O’Dwyer in March 1940 to avenge the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
• Martyrdom:
  • Tried and sentenced to death by hanging at Pentonville Prison in London on 31 July 1940
  • During his trial, he undertook a 42-day hunger strike and made a powerful statement about his fight against colonial rule.
• Legacy:
  • Revered as Shaheed‑i‑Azam Udham Singh, meaning “The Great Martyr”.
  • India’s Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru later honoured his sacrifice: “I salute Shaheed‑i‑Azam Udham Singh with reverence, who kissed the noose so we may be free.”
  • The Udham Singh Nagar district in Uttarakhand is named after him.