The Secretary General of the Ramsar Convention said that India has more Ramsar sites compared to China. 

• India currently has 89 Ramsar site whereas China has 82. 

About Ramsar Convention

• It is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
• It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975. 
  • India ratified Convention in 1982
• Almost 90% of UN member states have become “Contracting Parties”. 
• A wetland must meet at least 1 of 9 criteria such as regularly supporting 20,000 or more water birds, or conserving biological diversity etc.

Over 60% of the global land area has experienced temperature flips since 1961 as per study. 

• Researcher observed that first intense flips likely began in the early 20th century, with acceleration in recent decades.

About Temperature Flip

• It refers to sudden swings between extreme heat and cold (or vice versa) within a short time frame.
• It can lead to severe health, environmental, and infrastructure impacts due to lack of time to adapt.

Union Government notified the GST Appellate Tribunal (Procedure) Rules, 2025. 

• These rules detail the procedures for filing, managing, and adjudicating appeals before this quasi-judicial body.

About GSTAT

• It is the second Appellate Authority established under the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017 (CGST Act).
• Function: It hears various appeals under the CGST Act and the respective State/UT GST Acts. 
• Benches: It has one Principal Bench located at Delhi and 31 State benches located at various locations across States.

ICAR-National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources (NBFGR) discovered two new species of fish.

About Discovery

• Labeo uru, named after the traditional wooden dhow for its sail-like elongated fins, was found in the Chandragiri river.
  • Chandragiri river is a westflowing interstate river originating from Pattimala hills in Kodagu in Karnataka.
• Labeo chekida, a small, dark-bodied fish known locally as ‘kaka chekida’, inhabits the Chalakkudy river.
  • Chalakkudi River is formed by the confluence of five streams originating in the Anamalai Hills of the Western Ghats.
• Both are freshwater fish and endemic to river systems, highlighting the role of the Western Ghats as a biodiversity hotspot.

The UN Spotlight Initiative finds that climate change is intensifying the social and economic stresses that are fuelling increased levels of violence against women and girls.

• Every 1°C rise in global temperature is associated with a 4.7% increase in intimate partner violence.

About UN Spotlight Initiative

• It is a global strategic partnership between the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).
• Launch: 2017
• Objective: To ensure that all women, especially those marginalised and vulnerable, live free from violence and harmful practices.

Scientists in USA have discovered bacteria named Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis which conducts electricity. 

About Ca. Electrothrix yaqonensis

• It is named after the Yaqona people, indigenous to the Yaquina Bay region (USA).
• Notable for electric conductivity which is rare among bacteria. This conductivity helps optimize metabolic functions in sediment environments.
• Significance:
  • It holds potential to develop bioelectronic devices for use in medicine, industry, food safety etc.
  • These bacteria can transfer electrons to clean up pollutants, so they could be used to remove harmful substances from sediments.

A breakthrough method discovered of controlling properties of phonons.

About Phonon

• A phonon is a unit of vibrational energy resulting from the collective oscillation of atoms within a crystal. 
  • These vibrations, akin to sound waves, propagate through the material and can carry energy.  
• Phonons are responsible for carrying energy, especially in the form of heat, through the material. 
• Significance: Phonons play a key role in designing materials with custom thermal, optical, and electronic properties, making them crucial for advancements in quantum technology.

India’s first indigenously developed HPV test kits for cervical cancer screening validated by Department of Biotechnology (DBT).

About HPV

• HPV is a common sexually transmitted infection which can affect the skin, genital area and throat. 
• In most cases the immune system clears HPV from the body. 
• Persistent infection with high-risk HPV can cause abnormal cells to develop, which go on to become cancer. 
  • Cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer caused by HPV.
• Treatment: There is currently no treatment for HPV infection.