• Recently, Delhi HC held that CBI is not completely exempted from disclosing information under RTI as per Section 24 of RTI Act.

• Section 24 of RTI Act
  • It provides immunity from the Act, to intelligence and security organizations specified in Second Schedule of the Act.
  • However, information pertaining to the allegations of corruption and human rights violations need to be disclosed by such agencies.

• Other Exemptions
  • Section 8(1) lists exemption from disclosure of information. e.g. Information which,
    • Would prejudicially affect sovereignty and integrity of India.
    • May constitute contempt of court or breach of privilege of Parliament  etc.

• INS Sandhyak, first Survey Vessel Large (SVL) Ship, commissioned into Indian Navy in Visakhapatanam.

• About INS Sandhayak
  • First in a series of four SVL ships.
  • Equipped with state-of-the-art hydrographic equipment including Deep & Shallow Water Multi-Beam Echo-Sounders, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle, etc.
  • Can offer limited defence capabilities and serve as hospital ship during wartime or emergencies.
  • Has an indigenous content of over 80% by cost.

• California (the USA) has been hit by two back-to-back Atmospheric River storms.

• Atmospheric Rivers
  • Atmospheric Rivers indicate narrow, elongated corridors of concentrated moisture transport associated with extra-tropical cyclones.
  • Typically located within low-level jet, an area of strong winds in lower levels of atmosphere, ahead of cold front in an extra-tropical cyclone.
  • These are largest transport mechanisms of freshwater on Earth.
  • Strong landfall by interacting with topography, can deposit significant amounts of precipitation in short periods of time leading to flooding and mudslides.

• There are more than 700 OSCs set up across India.
  • OSCs fall under Sambal Sub Scheme of Mission Shakti initiated by Ministry of Women and Child Development. 
  • Scheme of OSC is being implemented since 2015.

• Objectives
  • To provide integrated support and assistance to women affected by violence and in distress.
  • To facilitate emergency and non - emergency access to a range of services.

• Services offered
  • Medical assistance
  • Assistance to women in lodging FIR 
  • Legal aid and counselling etc.

• Scientists believe that it is possible to extract matter and energy from the Ergosphere within the event horizon.
• Ergosphere is the region between event horizon and stationary limit of a rotating black hole (Kerr Black hole).
  • "Stationary limit" is a surface around the outside of a rotating black hole. 
    • Objects which passes through this is always in motion due to distortion of space caused by black hole
  • "Event horizon" is a notional boundary around a black hole beyond which no radiation can escape.

• TOI-715 b is a super Earth exoplanet discovered by NASA, which is about 137 light-years away from Earth.
  • It revolves around its parent star in the conservative habitable zone.
• Super-Earth is a reference only to an exoplanet’s size - larger than Earth and smaller than Neptune - but not suggesting they are necessarily similar to Earth.

• About habitable zone or Goldilocks zone
  • It is the area around a star where it is not too hot and not too cold for liquid water to exist on the surface of surrounding planets.

• NASA completed first phase of its plans to put a nuclear fission reactor on the Moon.

• About Project
  • It focused on developing concept designs for a small, electricity-generating nuclear fission reactor that could be used during a future demonstration on the Moon and to inform future designs for Mars.

• Significance
  • Solar power systems have limitations on the Moon because a lunar night lasts nearly 14 Earth days.
  • But a nuclear reactor, even when placed in permanently shadowed areas (where there might be water ice), could generate continuous power without external dependence.

• PM laid foundation stone for Maa Kamakhya Access Corridor under the PM’s Development Initiative for North Eastern Region (PM-DevINE) scheme.

• About Kamakhya Temple
  • Situated on Nilachal Hills in Guwahati, Assam, it is one of the 51 Shakti peethas.
  • An important pilgrimage centre for tantric worshippers.
  • Present temple was rebuilt in 1565 CE by Chilarai. 
  • Architecture is a combination of Nagara style and Saracenic style.
  • Annual festival Ambubachi Mela commemorates yearly menstruation of goddess Kamakhya.

Argentina (Capital: Buenos Aires)

• Argentina’s Lower House of Congress approved ‘Omnibus’ reform bill to transform its economy and the state.

• Political Features
  • Country in South America.
  • Neighboring Countries: Chile (south and west), Bolivia and Paraguay (north), and Brazil, Uruguay (east).

• Geographical Features
  • Geographically divide into four major regions: Andes, North, Pampas, and Patagonia.
  • Pampas is the agricultural heartland.
  • Bounded to the east by Atlantic Ocean.
  • Major rivers: Parana, Paraguay, Uruguay, Iguazu, Salado, etc.
  • Highest peak: Cerro Aconcagua.