January 7, 2025 Introduction: The recent passage of the Bill to amend the Forest (Conservation) Act marks change in India’s approach to forest regulation. This amendment comes after more than four decades since the original Act was enacted in 1980. The government aims to align the Act with contemporary ecological, strategic, and economic needs. The brief nature […]

January 7, 2025 Introduction: The United States is currently facing severe winter storms, impacting over 60 million people in the eastern regions. This cold spell is expected to bring temperatures as low as -50°C (-60°F). The cause is the polar vortex, a mass of extremely cold air that has expanded southwards from the Arctic. This […]

January 7, 2025 Introduction: On January 6, 2025, several workers became trapped for over 12 hours in a coal “rat-hole” mine in Dima Hasao district, Assam. The mine was flooded, prompting ongoing rescue operations. Two motor pumps are currently at work to remove water from the mine, which is reportedly several hundred feet deep. Assam’s Chief […]

January 7, 2025 Introduction: It has been wreaking havoc on the planet’s water cycle, leading to severe consequences for ecosystems and human populations. The 2024 Global Water Monitor Report marks the alarming effects of climate change on water distribution and availability. Researchers from various countries, including Australia, Saudi Arabia, China, and Germany, compiled the report using data […]

January 6, 2025 Introduction: The Uttarakhand State Disaster Management Authority (USDMA) is actively working on a comprehensive action plan to study and monitor glacial lakes in the region. This initiative aims to establish early warning systems to prevent disasters such as glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs). The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has identified 13 glacial lakes in Uttarakhand, […]

January 6, 2025 Introduction: Recent events have brought into light a serious outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 in India. Three tigers and a leopard have succumbed to the virus at the Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoological Park in Nagpur. This incident marks first, as it is the first recorded case of HPAI causing mortality […]

January 6, 2025 Introduction: Tripura-has achieved milestone in biodiversity documentation with the discovery of the Banded Royal butterfly (Rachana jalindra indra). This rare species was recorded for the first time in the state, specifically within the Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary. Wildlife officials announced this finding, which has been documented in the peer-reviewed journal Munis Entomology & […]

January 4, 2025 Introduction: The decline of feline species worldwide, especially big cats like snow leopards, is alarming. Conservationists are increasingly concerned about their dwindling populations, primarily due to habitat loss, poaching, and climate change. Snow leopards inhabit high mountain ranges across Central and South Asia. Recently, finding occurred in Himachal Pradesh, India, where the elusive Pallas’s cat […]

January 4, 2025. Introduction: The Gujarat government is preparing to launch India’s inaugural census of coastal and wader birds. This landmark event will occur at the Marine National Park and Sanctuary in Jamnagar from January 3 to 5, 2025. The census aims to enhance knowledge about bird populations and their habitats. It is a collaborative effort between […]

January 4, 2025 Introduction: Recent reports indicate a concerning rise in tularemia cases, also known as rabbit fever, in the United States. The disease, caused by the bacterium *Francisella tularensis*, has seen over a 50 per cent increase in reported cases. This rise is particularly notable among children aged 5-9, older men, and American Indians or […]