• Delhi’s air quality has once again plunged into alarming levels, entering the ‘red zone’ as several localities recorded ‘severe’ pollution levels. The city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI) reached 361, categorised as ‘very poor’, according to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Despite the worsening air, GRAP Stage 3—a stricter pollution control stage—has not yet been enforced. Officials cite a comparatively better air quality trend this November than in 2024 and effective coordination among pollution-control agencies.

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• NASA has confirmed that Earth is currently experiencing the strongest geomagnetic storm of 2025, classified as a G5-level event—the most extreme on the NOAA geomagnetic scale. Triggered by a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun, the storm has illuminated skies across the world with rare auroras while posing risks to satellites, navigation systems, and power grids.

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• Japan and the United States have launched a major strategic collaboration to develop deep-sea mining operations near Minamitorishima Island, Japan’s easternmost territory in the Pacific Ocean. The initiative seeks to secure rare earth elements (REEs) — critical for advanced technologies, clean energy systems, and defence manufacturing — amid China’s near-total dominance in global rare earth processing.

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• India is preparing for the launch of Atomesus AI, a next-generation artificial intelligence platform developed by the Indus Valley Group. Created by a team of young Indian innovators with experience in ISRO-linked research, Atomesus AI aims to become the world’s most affordable and secure AI system, fully built, trained, and hosted in India. The project reflects India’s growing focus on technological sovereignty and data security in the digital age.

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• The Department of Pension and Pensioners’ Welfare (DoPPW) has issued a clarification on October 29, 2025, regarding the entitlement of central government employees under the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) in cases of resignation. The update provides detailed guidance on how resignation affects the assured payout and pension corpus under the new scheme, which came into effect from April 1, 2025.