Euthalia Malaccana

Context: The butterfly species Euthalia malaccana has been newly recorded in India, specifically in the Leparada district of Arunachal Pradesh.

About Euthalia Malaccana

• Euthalia malaccana, also known as Fruhstorfer’s Baron, is a species of nymphalid butterfly.
• Found primarily in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, the Malay Peninsula, and the Sunda Islands
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC) under the IUCN Red List. 
• Main features
  • Males have a distinct blue apical spot on their forewings.
  • Females have larger blue apical spots.
  • The hindwings have small red spots that help distinguish Euthalia malaccana from similar species like Euthalia lubentina.

World Metrology Day 2025

Context: On the occasion of World Metrology Day 2025, the Department of Consumer Affairs celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Metre Convention.

In addition to the above, the government also introduced the “One Nation, One Time” initiative

About World Metrology Day 2025

• World Metrology Day is celebrated every year on May 20.
• The theme for 2025 is “Measurements for all times, for all people.”
  • It shows how measurements are important in the past, present, and future for everyone.
• India became the 13th country authorized to issue OIML (International Organization of Legal Metrology) certificates.
  • This enhances India’s credibility in international trade and supports wider acceptance of Indian products in global markets.
• World Metrology Day was started in 1999 by the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM).
• It was created to remember the signing of the Metre Convention.
  • The Metre Convention (French: Convention du Mètre) is an international treaty signed on 20 May 1875 in Paris.
  • It is also known as the Treaty of the Metre.
  • Establishing a uniform and globally recognized system of measurements to ensure accuracy, consistency, and international cooperation in metrology.

One Nation, One Time” Initiative

• The “One Nation, One Time” Initiative is a timekeeping initiative. 
• Launched: Under the Draft IST Rules, 2025, the “One Nation, One Time” initiative was introduced.
• Objective: Aims to provide millisecond-level accurate Indian Standard Time (IST) via five Regional Reference Standard Laboratories (RRSLs).
• Beneficial for sectors like telecom, banking, and transport, ensuring consistent national timekeeping.

Shirui Lily Festival

Context: The Shirui Lily Festival is being held in Manipur for the first time since 2023, after a two-year break due to conflict in the state.

About Shirui Lily festival

• It is one of Manipur’s two major tourism festivals, the other being the Sangai Festival, named after the state animal, the brow-antlered deer.
• Named After: Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae), the state flower of Manipur.
• Celebration: It was first held in 2017.
  • The Shirui Lily festival coincides with the blooming season of this rare flower.
• Location: Ukhrul district. 
  • Tangkhul Naga community is predominant in the district.
• Aim Of the Event: Designed as an eco-tourism festival to raise awareness about the Shirui Lily and
  • To promote tourism to the hills of Ukhrul.

About Shirui Lily

• Endemic Species: The Shirui Lily (Lilium mackliniae) is found only in the upper reaches of the Shirui Hill range in Ukhrul district, Manipur, at an elevation of 2,673 meters.
• Local Legend: Locals call it ‘Kashsong Timrawon’.
• Threats to Survival: Climate change, Human encroachment, Resource exploitation and Invasion of habitat by a wild dwarf bamboo species.

78th Session Of The World Health Assembly

Context: Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi addressed the 78th Session of the World Health Assembly in Geneva via videoconferencing.

About The World Health Assembly

• The World Health Assembly is the decision-making body of the World Health Organization (WHO).
• Established: 1948.
• Meets: Annually in Geneva, Switzerland
• Organized by: World Health Organization (WHO)
• Functions: 
  • Set Global Health Policies: Frames WHO’s strategic direction, goals, and priorities.
  • Approve Budget and Programs: Reviews and approves the WHO Programme Budget for coming years.
  • Elect Leadership: Appoints the Director-General of WHO (every 5 years).
  • Health Governance and Coordination: Coordinates international responses to public health emergencies.
    • Monitors progress on UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 (Health and Well-being).

Key Highlights from WHA78

• Adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement: The pact aims to ensure that drugs, therapeutics and vaccines are globally accessible when the next pandemic hits. 
  • It requires participating manufacturers to allocate a target of 20 percent of their vaccines, medicines and tests to the WHO during a pandemic to ensure poorer countries have access.
  • Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing system (PABS) ensures rapid sharing of pathogen data with manufacturers.
  • It advocates One Health Approach to tackle pandemics.
  • This is only the second international legal instrument adopted under Article 19 of the WHO Constitution, following the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (2003).
• Budget: A revised budget of $4.2 billion was approved for the next two years at the annual assembly in Geneva.
• Absence of US: For the first time since 1948, the U.S., which provides about one-fifth of WHO’s $6.8 billion budget, was absent from the annual World Health Assembly.

Official Secrets Act, 1923

Context: Haryana-based YouTuber Jyoti Rani was booked under Sections 3 and 5 of the Official Secrets Act and Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for allegedly spying for Pakistan by sharing sensitive information with a Pakistani High Commission official. 

About Official Secrets Act, 1923 (OSA)

• Colonial Origins: The Indian Official Secrets Act (Act XIV), 1889 was introduced by the British to suppress dissent and muzzle newspapers critical of colonial policies.
• Amendments: The Act was tightened in 1904 under Lord Curzon’s tenure as Viceroy of India and was replaced by a comprehensive version in 1923, still in force today.
• Coverage: The law covers a broad range of offences, such as wrongful communication of official secrets, codes, passwords, sketches, plans, and other classified materials.
• ‘Secret Information’: The Act does not define what constitutes “secret information.”
• Applicable: It applies to all Indian citizens, including government servants, both within and outside the country.
• Section 3 Of the OSA: Deals with penalties for Spying.
  • Covers: Unauthorized access to prohibited areas, making or sharing sensitive material useful to an enemy.
  • Punishment: Up to 14 years for defence-related offences.
    • Up to 3 years in other cases.
• Section 5: Deals with Wrongful Communication.
  • Covers: Unauthorized or careless disclosure of secret information.
  • Culpability: Both sender and receiver are culpable under the Act.
  • Punishment: Up to 3 years imprisonment, or fine, or both.

About Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023

• It is India’s new criminal code that replaces the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and aims to modernize and reform the criminal justice system.
• Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita: Deals with ‘Act endangering sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.’

Kaleshwaram Commission

Context: The Justice Pinaki Chandra Ghose Commission of Inquiry has sent a notice to former chief minister of Telangana, K Chandrashekar Rao.

About Kaleshwaram Commission/Justice P.C. Ghose Commission

• The Kaleshwaram Commission, headed by retired Supreme Court Justice P.C. Ghose, has been constituted by the Telangana government to investigate alleged irregularities in the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP),  one of India’s largest irrigation initiatives

About Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP)

• It is the world’s largest multi-stage lift irrigation project on the confluence  of Pranahita River and Godavari River, located in Bhupalpally district, Telangana
• It was inaugurated in 2019 and  envisioned to lift water from the Godavari to supply irrigation, drinking water, and industrial use across large parts of northern Telangana.

India – A Leading Potato Producer

Context: According to scientists from the International Potato Center (CIP), India is on track to overtake China and become the world’s top potato producer.

About Potato

• Potato (Solanum tuberosum) is one of the most important food crops globally.
• A temperate crop, but grown under subtropical conditions in India.
• Known as:  the “poor man’s friend” due to its affordability and widespread use.
• Grows well in loamy & sandy loam soils rich in organic matter.
• Major potato producing states: Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar. 
• Important varieties of Potato: Kufri Jyoti, Kufri Giriraj, Kufri Pukhraj, Kufri Sindhuri.
  • In Indian potato cultivation, “Kufri” refers to a series of potato varieties developed for high yield, disease resistance, and adaptability.
• Industrial Uses
  • Used in starch and alcohol production.
  • Potato starch (farina) is used in laundries & textile mills.
  • Converted into processed food items like chips, sliced potatoes, and shredded potatoes.

Potato Production statistics

• Current Status: India is currently the second-largest potato producer globally.
• Top 3 producers globally: China, India, and Ukraine (According to FAOSTAT database 2023)

Jarosite

Context: Recently,  Indian researchers studied six jarosite veins from Kachchh, Gujarat and conducted Luminescence Testing as to how much light jarosite emitted due to stored radiation energy.

What is Jarosite?

• Jarosite is a yellow-brown mineral that contains potassium, iron, and sulphate.
• It is commonly found on Mars and in arid, salty regions on Earth, like Kachchh in Gujarat.
• Importance of Jarosite for Mars Studies: There is a possibility that jarosite can act as a natural clock to date past events on Mars, such as dust storms or floods.

Key Findings

• Resilience to High temperature : Jarosite survives extreme heating and remains detectable despite high temperatures.
• Dating Planetary Events
  • Absorbed radiation measured between 590 and 2,600 gray (SI unit).
  • This means jarosite can record geological events up to 25,000 years old.

16th Century Inscription in Haveri District of Karnataka

Context: A 16th Century sculptural inscription was discovered near Chandrashekara temple  Haveri district of Karnataka.

About the Inscription

• Dated: The inscription is dated Saka 1461, Vikari, Bhadrapada su.5, which corresponds to August 18, 1539 CE
• Language: The  inscription is in the Kannada language
• Sculptural Inscription: 
  • The Text: It was inscribed on a stone slab, stating that 6,307 people had perished due to bara or drought.
  • Sculpture: The sculpture depicts a person carrying a basket containing two or three bodies on his head.
• Significance: 
  • Record: The inscription is the first such historical record of a humanitarian disaster caused by a natural calamity in India.
  • The discovery is hailed as a significant addition to India’s epigraphic heritage.
  • It could also help researchers trace climatic patterns and demographic changes based on such records.

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