At the centre of the dispute between Thailand and Cambodia is Preah Vihear temple, which is called Phra Viharn in Thai.

About Preah Vihear Temple

• It is an ancient temple complex perched atop the Dangrek Mountains, straddling the Thai-Cambodian border.
• Historical Origin: Built in the 11th–12th centuries during the Khmer Empire’s golden age.
• Significance: It is a Lord Shiva temple and is a sacred and symbolic site for both nations.
• In 2008, listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cambodia.

• Australia, UK United Kingdom (UK) signed the bilateral Nuclear-Powered Submarine Partnership and Collaboration Treaty (the Geelong Treaty) under AUKUS Pillar I.
  • The US is not a signatory to this treaty.
  • Earlier, Trump administration launched a review to examine whether Aukus submarine pact aligns with his “America first” agenda.
• The treaty enables 50 years of strategic cooperation to design and build a new class of nuclear-powered submarine.
• AUKUS is security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States that focuses on technology sharing in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Divya Deshmukh becomes third Women's World Cup Winner, defeats Humpy Koneru in FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 at Batumi, Georgia.
• She is now eligible to be India’s fourth woman to become a grandmaster.
  • Earlier three are Koneru Humpy, Harika Dronavalli and Vaishali Rameshbabu.
• FIDE Women’s World Cup is a tournament, different from the World Chess Championship, organized by FIDE (The International Chess Federation).
  • FIDE is the governing body of the sport of chess, and it regulates all international chess competitions. 

Setubandha Scholar Scheme enables students from traditional gurukuls to obtain recognised degrees and research scholarships at top IITs.

About Setubandha Scholar Scheme

• The scheme marks a significant institutional recognition of traditional knowledge systems, which for decades have operated outside formal academic structures.
• The scheme facilitates their integration into mainstream academia through the award of postgraduate and doctoral degrees.
• Backed by the ministry of education and implemented by the Indian Knowledge System (IKS) division of the Central Sanskrit University (CSU)
• It offers fellowships of up to Rs 65,000 per month.

The government reviewed the status of setting up 7 Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs).

About Zonal Cultural Centres 

• Autonomous bodies under the Ministry of Culture.
• Aim to preserve and promote folk, tribal, and vanishing art forms.
• Focus on youth engagement and showcasing the diversity of Indian culture.
•  Headquarters: Patiala (Punjab), Nagpur (Maharashtra), Udaipur (Rajasthan), Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), Kolkata (West Bengal), Dimapur (Nagaland) and Thanjavur (Tamil Nadu)

Recently, the BRICS Ministers of Culture Meeting was held in Brasilia, Brazil. 

Key highlights 

• New BRICS Cultural Platform: Agreed to set up a platform to promote cultural and creative industries within the BRICS group.
  • Aim to develop cultural infrastructure, boost content sharing, support artist exchange, and launch joint projects.
• Culture in Post-2030 Development Agenda:  Backs including culture as a separate goal in the post-2030 development agenda, in line with UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development (MONDIACULT). 
  • BRICS also took note of UNFCCC’s Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action (GFCBCA).

The CDSCO requested that NDMA levels in the antacid Ranitidine (a medicine that reduces acid production in stomach) be checked after reports of contamination.

What is NDMA?

• A yellow, odorless liquid at room temperature.
• Forms unintentionally during manufacturing and is found in air, water, soil, and some foods.
• Possibly cancer-causing (carcinogen).
• Previously used in rocket fuel, but stopped due to environmental contamination.
• Also used in cosmetics, lubricants, and plastics as an additive or softener.

The Prime Minister praised the first-ever grassland bird census held in Kaziranga National Park, Assam using Acoustic Monitoring Technique. 

• The census focused on 10 rare or threatened bird species, including the Bengal Florican and Black-breasted Parrotbill.

Acoustic Monitoring Technique

• Since traditional bird surveys (like visual spotting) don't work well for small, shy, and camouflaged birds an Acoustic Monitoring Technique was used in which 
• Acoustic recorders were placed on tall trees near grasslands during the breeding season (March–May) to captured bird songs and calls. 
• Sounds were analysed using:
  • Spectrograms (graphical representation of the sound)
  • BirdNET (AI tool to identify bird calls)

The UN Secretary-General presented the Nelson Mandela Prize to Brenda Reynolds (Canada) and Kennedy Odede (Kenya).

About the Prize

• Established by the UN General Assembly in 2015.
• Awarded every 5 years to one male and one female from different regions.
• Recognizes individuals who have dedicated their lives to serving humanity, especially in reconciliation, social cohesion, and community development.
• Winners receive a plaque with a citation and Mandela quote—no cash award.
• UN staff are not eligible.
• No Indian received the award yet