India Elected Unopposed to UN Human Rights Council for the Seventh Time

• India is elected for a three-year term (2026–28) starting next year.

About UN Human Rights Council

• Overview: It is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations system that promotes and protects human rights globally.
• Genesis: Established in 2006 by the General Assembly by replacing the Commission on Human Rights.
• Membership: It has 47 members elected annually by the UN General Assembly, serving three-year terms with a maximum of two consecutive terms.
• Function: Provides a global forum on human rights, adopts resolutions, reviews member states, and mandates investigations and special procedures.

5th Samudra Shakti exercise commenced in Visakhapatnam 

About Samudra Shakti Exercise

• It is an India-Indonesia joint bilateral maritime exercise.
• It has two phases i.e., Harbour phase and Sea phase. 

India and Canada agreed on a new roadmap for their relations after talks between their foreign ministers.

• Relations between the two nations were strained for nearly two years after the Former Canadian Prime Minister alleged India’s involvement in the assassination of a Sikh separatist. 

Key-highlights 

• Re-establish the Canada-India Ministerial Energy Dialogue (CIMED).
• Promote two-way trade for LNG & LPG and investment in the oil and gas Exploration & Production sector, including clean technologies.
• Re-launch the Joint Science and Technology Cooperation Committee (JSTCC).
• Collaborate on sustainable low-carbon fuels and technologies such as green hydrogen, biofuels, Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and electric mobility.
• Emphasis on research partnerships in emerging technologies (such as AI, cybersecurity, and fintech).

India’s renowned wildlife conservationist, Vivek Menon, has been elected as the new Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) for the 2025-2029.

IUCN SSC

• It was established in 1949.
• It is a science-based network of more than 10,500 volunteer experts from almost every country of the world.
• Role:  To provide information to IUCN on biodiversity conservation, the inherent value of species, their role in ecosystem health and functioning, etc.

Only a small number of tropical forests carbon offset projects under Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Plus (REDD+) have achieved significant cuts in deforestation

About REDD+

• Developed by Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• REDD stands for ‘Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries.
• The ‘+’ stands for additional forest-related activities that protect the climate, namely sustainable management of forests and the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks. 
  • Under it, developing countries can receive results-based payments for emission reductions when they reduce deforestation.
• Part of the Paris Agreement.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released its 21st Greenhouse Gas Bulletin detailing the state of greenhouse gases.

Key Highlights

• Record CO2 Levels: Atmospheric CO2 reached 423.9 ppm in 2024, up 3.5 ppm from 2023 (largest annual increase since records began in 1957).
• Warmest Year: 2024 was the warmest year on record, with global temperatures 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels, breaching the 1.5°C Paris Agreement threshold for the first time.
• Radiative forcing (or climate forcing): Long-lived greenhouse gases increased by 54%. 
  • Radiative forcing is defined as a measure that allows for the approximate comparison of the climatic effects of various changes to the planet.
  • Large radiative forcing indicates proportionate change in global mean temperature.
• Other Greenhouse Gases: Methane and nitrous oxide also increased above pre-industrial levels.

Scientists have discovered a new phase of matter called a time rondeau crystal. 

About Time Rondeau Crystal

• It is a state of matter that exhibits a unique mix of order and disorder over time.
  • Unlike normal crystals, which have a repeating pattern in space, this crystal shows a pattern in time.
• Its behavior is partly ordered and partly random, not repeating exactly like traditional time crystals.
• This phase has been observed in quantum systems, such as nuclear spins in diamonds, under controlled experimental conditions.
• Significance: Enhances quantum computing , applications in time-sensitive technologies etc.

India has provided critical Prussian Blue capsules to Indonesia to help mitigate the effects of Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination. 

• Cs-137 is a radioactive isotope produced during nuclear fission and used in medical devices and industrial gauges. 
• Its exposure can cause burns, acute radiation sickness, and even death.

About Prussian Blue Capsules:

• Prussian Blue works by trapping radioactive cesium and thallium in the intestines, preventing their absorption into the body.
• By helping eliminate these materials from the body, it reduces radiation exposure and limits potential health damage.

India’s passport has slipped to 85^th rank in Henley Passport Index, 2025.

• Singapore has strongest passports in the world

About Henley Passport Index

• It is released by Henley & Partners, a global leader in residence and citizenship planning.
• It is a ranking of all the world’s passports according to the number of destinations and their holders can access without a prior visa. 
• The index is based on exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• Significance: The stronger the passport, the more countries its holders can enter without a prior visa, a privilege that reflects diplomatic ties, economic influence, and international trust.