Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have identified a new species of beetle named Clinidium lalitae. 

About the New Species

• The newly found species was discovered in the Talle Valley Wildlife Sanctuary in Arunachal Pradesh.
• It belongs to the subfamily Rhysodinae.
• It is characterised by its unique morphology and belongs to a rare group of ground beetles that inhabit forest floors. 
• These beetles play a significant ecological role in nutrient cycling and soil health

India and China are working towards restarting the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which has remained suspended since 2019.

About Kailash Mansarovar 

• It is a holy pilgrimage in the Western Himalayan  ranges of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.
• It includes Mount Kailash (highest peak in Kailash Ranges) and Lake Mansarovar (world’s highest freshwater lake).
• Religious and Cultural significance: Considered holy in Hindu, Jain, Buddhist religions.
• The Yatra was accessible through 2 different routes - Lipulekh Pass (Uttarakhand) and Nathu La Pass (Sikkim).

Indian Navy Hosted Meghayan-25 Symposium to commemorate World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) formation and WMO Day 2025.

About WMO

• Generis:  Established on 23rd March 1950 as an specialized agency of the United Nations.
• Member:  193 Member States and Territories including India
• Mandate: Provides the framework for international cooperation to advance meteorological, climatological, hydrological, and related environmental services, to improve well-being of all.
• Reports : State of the global climate report
• Headquarter:  Geneva,Switzerland.

Over 1.3 crore individuals were insured via GeM platform in FY 2024–25.

About GeM (2016)

• It is Public Procurement Portal for goods and services for all Central Government and State Government Ministries, Departments, Public Sector Units etc.
• Ministry: Ministry of Commerce and Industry
•  Key Advantages of GeM: Ease of procurement through an open and transparent procurement platform.

Supreme Court upholds Urdu signage in Maharashtra.

• SC also observed that language belongs to a community, to a region, to people; and not to a religion.

About Urdu language

• It is an Indo-Aryan language.
• Linguists consider Standard Urdu and Standard Hindi to be different formal registers both derived from the Khari Boli dialect, which is also known as Hindustani.
• It originated and developed in the Indian sub-continent.
• It is included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Tuti Island has been devastated by two years of war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

About Tuti Island

• It is located at the confluence of the Blue and White Niles in Khartoum, Sudan.
  • It is a historic oasis and one of the city’s oldest settlements.
• It is a crescent-shaped island and formed by silt deposition.

The Ministry of Mines has today issued the guidelines for setting up of Centres of Excellence (CoE) under the National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM).

About National Critical Mineral Mission

• Launch: In January 2025.
• Ministry: Ministry of Mines
• Objective: 
  • To secure India’s critical mineral supply chain by ensuring mineral availability from domestic and foreign sources.
  • Strengthening the value chains by enhancing technological, regulatory, and financial ecosystems to foster innovation, skill development, and global competitiveness in mineral exploration, mining, beneficiation, processing, and recycling.

It is released by the World Trade Organisation (WTO).

Major findings

• Under current conditions, the volume of world merchandise trade is likely to fall by 0.2% in 2025. 
  • The decline is expected to be particularly steep in North America, where exports are forecasted to drop by 12.6%.
• Severe downside risks exist, including the application of “reciprocal” tariffs and broader spillover of policy uncertainty.
• The report contains for the first time a forecast for services trade to complement its projections for merchandise trade.
  • The volume of services trade is forecasted to grow by 4.0% in 2025.

NADA India Hosts a National Conference on Building Together a Clean Sport Ecosystem.

About NADA

• Ministry: It is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports.
• Aim: Creating a dope-free environment and promoting fair play in sports in India.
• NADA India implements the anti-doping programme in India, in line with the World Anti-doping Code 2021.
• The key areas of functioning include Sample Collection (SC), Results Management (RM), Anti-Doping Education & Awareness, Research and Intelligence & Investigations (I&I).

Harvard researchers question the wet-bulb temperature survival threshold, suggesting it may be closer to 31°C instead of the widely accepted 35°C.

About Wet-bulb temperature

• It is a meteorological term used to describe the lowest temperature that can be reached by evaporating water into the air at constant pressure. 
• It is measured by covering a thermometer bulb with a wet cloth and letting the water evaporate.
• This temperature helps measure humidity and understand how much water can evaporate into the air, affecting things like comfort, farming and weather patterns