Zojila pass is now open to tourists and does not require prior authorisation or a no-objection certificate (NOC).
About Zojila Pass
- Elevation: Around 3528 m (11, 649 ft) above sea level.
- It is an important link between Ladakh and Kashmir, separating the Kashmir Valley from Drass Valley.
- Nestled on National Highway 1 between Srinagar and Leh, this pass is considered to be the second-highest pass after Fotu La.
- In 2018, the Zojila tunnel project was launched.
- When completed, it will be the longest bi-directional in Asia.
Locust movement is based on a cognitive decision-making process based on their perception of nearby motion as per a new study.
About Locust
- Locusts are the short-horned grasshoppers with highly migratory habits, marked polymorphism and voracious feeding behavior.
- They are capable of forming swarms (adult’s congregation) and hopper bands (nymphal congregation).
- They cause great devastation to natural and cultivated vegetation.
- Only four species viz. Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria), Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), Bombay Locust ( Nomadacris succincta) and Tree locust (Anacridium sp.) are found in India.
Amazon launched the first 27 satellites under its Project Kuiper for deployment of an internet-from-space network.
About Project Kuiper
- It is Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network.
- LEO is an area of space that extends up to 2,000 kilometers above Earth.
- Consists of: Ground infrastructure, a constellation of ~3232 satellites, and customer terminals.
- Aim: To provide high-speed, low latency, affordable global broadband access to unserved and underserved areas.
- It is named after the Kuiper belt, a region of the solar system beyond the 8 major planets.
- Similar projects: SpaceX Starlink
Article Sources
1 sourceIt is a concept given by sociologist Ulrich Beck in his book ‘Risk Society: Towards a New Modernity.’
About Risk Society
- Definition: Risk Society describes a shift from an industrial society to one increasingly shaped by uncertainty and hazards created by technological and environmental developments.
- E.g. Nuclear technology and associated risks of disasters.
- In such a society, the focus moves from the distribution of wealth to the prevention and management of risks.
- Gender dimension: In a risk society, women, especially in developing countries, face greater risks due to unequal access to resources, decision-making power, and healthcare.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast ‘above normal’ rainfall — 105% of the long-period average (LPA) of 87 cm (1971-2020) — during the June-September southwest monsoon season.
About Long-period average (LPA)
- Concept: It refers to the average rainfall recorded over a specific region during a defined time interval.
- Period: It is calculated over a long historical period — usually 30 years.
- Purpose: LPA serves as a benchmark to compare current or forecasted rainfall, helping to categorize it as normal, above normal, or deficient.
- LPAs for various meteorological region ranges: Varies from around 61 cm for the drier Northwest India to more than 143 cm for the wetter East and Northeast India.
The Drugs & Cosmetics (Compounding of Offences) Rules 2025 have been notified.
About the rules
- Purpose: To allow minor offences under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act to be compounded—i.e., settled through fines instead of legal proceedings.
- Applicable to:
- Pharmaceutical companies and
- Any person involved in manufacture, import, sale, distribution, or related activities under the Act.
- Conditions for Compounding: Only first-time offenders are eligible.
The Golconda Blue, a 23.24-carat Fancy Vivid Blue Diamond, was scheduled for auction in Geneva.
Golconda Blue diamond
- Historically owned by Maharaja Yeshwant Rao Holkar of Indore.
- Origin: Likely from Golconda region, known for its diamond mines.
- Golconda diamonds include the Koh-i-Noor, Darya-i-Nur, and Archduke Joseph diamond.
- Accounts by European Travellers
- Jean-Baptiste Tavernier (1605–89) recorded booming diamond trade and royal monopoly.
- Others: Jean de Thévenot (1633–77) noted there was no uniformity in diamond prices; Marco Polo (1292): Praised India’s monopoly over high-quality diamonds.
Recent studies show that microplastic pollution can impair pollinators like bees and bumblebees, affecting their ability to forage and pollinate.
About Bees
- Range: Wild bees species live on every continent except Antarctica.
- Characteristics
- Only female bees have stingers (which are modified ovipositors, organs originally used to lay eggs).
- Feed exclusively on sugary nectar and protein-rich pollen from flowering plants.
- Pollinate a staggering 80 percent of all flowering plants.
