Art and Culture 

Korowai Tribe - The Hindu 

An Indian travel YouTuber recently embarked on a remarkable expedition into the jungles of Indonesia, aiming to connect with the elusive Korowai tribe.

Society 

SC verdict on child marriage must be followed by guardrails against undue criminalisation - Indian Express 

A bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized the widespread prevalence of child marriages. The court introduced extensive guidelines for the effective enforcement of the PCMA.

World Affairs 

The UN force in Lebanon, its mandate and role, and Israel's aggression - Indian Express 

Recently, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) issued a statement saying the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had used a bulldozer to “deliberately demolish an observation tower and perimeter fence of a UN position in Marwahin” (close to the border with Israel).

Economy 

Taxing Industrial Alcohol - Indian Express

In a decision that will boost the coffers of States, the Supreme Court recently held that the phrase “intoxicating liquors” in the State list includes industrial alcohol, and States have the power to regulate and tax it.

Environment

Spraying diamond dust to cool Earth: What a new study proposes, despite ‘geoengineering’ concerns - Indian Express 

A new study has argued that spraying millions of tonnes of diamond dust in the Earth’s upper atmosphere every year could help cool down the Earth and combat global warming. As per their analysis, shooting five million tonnes of diamond dust into the stratosphere each year, over the course of 45 years, could cool our planet by an impressive 1.6°C.

Rajaji Tiger Reserve - The Hindu 

Wildlife panel of the Union Environment Ministry has deferred nod to the National Highway Authority of India’s (NHAI) four-lane project, which was proposed to pass through Rajaji Tiger Reserve and Shivalik Elephant Reserve in Uttarakhand.

Rajaji Tiger Reserve

• Location: Spread across Haridwar, Dehradun, and Pauri Garhwal districts in Uttarakhand, within the Shivalik range of the Himalayas, covering 820 km².
• Named After: Freedom fighter Rajgopalachari, popularly known as "Rajaji."
• Biodiversity: Located in a transition zone between the temperate western and central Himalayas, enhancing species diversity.
• Terai-Arc Landscape: Part of the 7,500 km² Terai-Arc landscape, between the Yamuna and Sharda rivers.

• Vegetation: Semi-evergreen to deciduous and mixed broad-leaved forests to Terai grasslands; classified as Indus-Ganges Monsoon Forest.
• Flora: Rohini, Palash, Shisham, Sal, Khair, Arjun, and more.
• Fauna: Tigers, Asian elephants, leopards, jungle cats, Himalayan black bears, sloth bears, striped hyenas, and various deer species.

Anguiculus dicaprioi - The Hindu 

Family: Belongs to the Colubridae family, the largest family of snakes with 304 genera and 1,938 species.

• Teeth: Possesses dozens of small-sized teeth.
• Size: Grows to about 22 inches.
• Appearance: Has a broad collar with small dark brown spots, a robust skull, and a steeply domed snout.
• Habitat: Lives at altitudes of around 6,000 feet above sea level.
• Distribution: Found in Himachal Pradesh (Chamba, Kullu, Shimla), Uttarakhand (Nainital), and Chitwan National Park, Nepal.
• Activity: Active from late May to August, not seen at other times of the year.

Colubrid Snakes

• Definition: A diverse group of largely nonvenomous snakes belonging to the family Colubridae.

• Size: One of the largest snake families, with over 1,800 species.
• Characteristics: They lack hind limbs.
• Distribution: Found worldwide except in Antarctica and some remote oceanic islands.
• Habitats: Inhabit diverse environments, including forests, grasslands, deserts, wetlands, and aquatic areas.
• Venom: Most colubrid snakes are non-venomous, though some, like the venomous boomslang, are exceptions.
• Examples: King snakes, water snakes, milk snakes, garter snakes, racers, rat snakes, ring-necked snakes, and hog-nosed snakes.

Sci and Tech 

Betelgeuse - The Hindu 

Recent research has unveiled a surprising discovery about Betelgeuse, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.