India has joined an elite global group dedicated to the containment of the Rinderpest virus, commonly referred to as "cattle plague." This group includes facilities from the UK, USA, France, Japan, and Ethiopia.

Rinderpest was once the most destructive livestock diseases in history but was globally eradicated in 2011. However, Rinderpest Virus-Containing Material (RVCM) still remains in a few laboratories, posing potential risks if released.

A significant milestone in global animal health and biosecurity was reached when the ICAR-National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD) in Bhopal was designated as a Category A Rinderpest Holding Facility (RHF). India has laid down a global standard protocol in the NIHSAD centre to keep the virus and developed capabilities to conduct research on it.

India's unemployment rate climbed to 5.6% in May 2025 from 5.1% in April, as reported by the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS). This increase reflects a rising challenge for job seekers across both rural and urban areas, notably among young people and women. The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) also observed a broader decline in employment due to several seasonal factors.

Rural areas saw a considerable rise in unemployment among those aged 15–29, with the rate reaching 13.7% in May from 12.3% in April. The situation was similarly difficult for urban youth, where unemployment marginally increased to 17.9% from 17.2% the previous month. Overall, rural unemployment stood at 5.4%, while urban unemployment was slightly higher at 5.9%.

India has dispatched the second and final batch of machinery for Passion Fruit Processing to Suriname under the SEEDS (Supply of Equipment for Efficient Development of SMES) initiative. The External Affairs Ministry today said in a social media post that this is aimed at boosting Suriname’s SME Industry and farmers’ incomes. The project will strengthen India-Suriname bilateral ties.

An amount of Rs 951.27 crore has been sanctioned by the Union ministry of road transport and highways for construction of a new Tura Bypass in the West Garo Hills, Meghalaya spanning 29.03 kmto decongest the district headquarters Tura and enhance road safety in the urban areas. The bypass will connect NH-127B to NH-217 and will be built to a 2-lane configuration with paved shoulders, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari announced through a post on social media.

“NH-217 (formerly NH-51) serves as the principal artery linking Guwahati to Dalu, which lies at the international border with Bangladesh and functions as an inland customs check-post,” the official notification said. “The bypass will commence near Sanchonggre village on NH-127B and end at Jenggitchakgre village on NH-217. It is designed to circumvent the current alignment of NH-217, which traverses the densely developed and heavily congested urban core of Tura town, where narrow road widths and substantial traffic volumes impede mobility,” the Union minister said. “This infrastructure will not only alleviate congestion within Tura but also enhance road safety by segregating local traffic from through traffic,” the notification read.

India’s wholesale price index (WPI)-based inflation eased to a 14-month low of 0.39 percent in May, down from 0.85 percent in April, according to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Food inflation dropped to 1.72 percent from 2.55 percent, while primary articles saw a contraction of 2.02 percent. The fuel and power segment registered deflation at 2.27 percent, and inflation in manufactured products slowed to 2.04 percent. The ministry attributed the positive inflation rate to rising prices in food products, chemicals, and transport equipment. WPI reflects wholesale-level price changes, differing from CPI which measures consumer-level price variations.

Telangana State Education Department has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with some NGOs to enhance teaching infrastructure and learning outcomes across all government schools yesterday. The MoUs have been signed in the presence of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy. As per the MoUs, the NGOs will offer state-of-the-art technology-based teaching services free of cost to students in the government schools.

Among the NGOs that signed the MoU are Nandan Nilekani-led EkStep Foundation, Sunita Krishnan’s Prajwala Foundation, Alakh Pandey’s Physics Wallah, Khan Academy, Shoaib Dar’s Pi Jam Foundation, and Safina Hussain’s Educate Girls. These NGOs bring a wide range of expertise in digital education, foundational learning, and girl child education. An official release stated that the move is part of the government’s broader strategy to bridge the digital divide and elevate the quality of education in public institutions across Telangana.

Brazil’s Foreign Ministry has announced that Vietnam has officially joined BRICS as a partner country. The ministry’s statement said that, as a dynamic economy deeply integrated into global value chains, Vietnam is an important player in Asia.

The Russian news agency Sputnik reported that after expressing its desire to become a member of the global body, Vietnam has now become the 10th BRICS partner. The partner country category was created at the 2024 BRICS Summit in Kazan, Russia. The current list of partners includes Vietnam, Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, and Uzbekistan.

World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought is being observed today globally. The day is a unique moment to remind everyone that land degradation neutrality (LDN) is achievable. The commemoration of the day is led by the Secretariat of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification. The theme for this year is – “Restore the land. Unlock the оpportunities”, which shines a light on how restoring nature’s foundation-land-can create jobs, boost food and water security, support climate action and build economic resilience.

As part of its celebrations in India, Union Minister for Environment, Forest & Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat will inaugurate the National Workshop on “Strategies for Combating Desertification and Drought” at the Arid Forest Research Institute in Jodhpur today. The workshop is aligned with the 2025 global theme, and it will emphasise the importance of land restoration for climate resilience, biodiversity, and sustainable rural development. The workshop will bring together scientists, policymakers, forest officials, and civil society organisations.

Britain on Sunday named Blaise Metreweli, a career intelligence officer, as the first female head of the Secret Intelligence Service, the foreign spy service known as MI6.

Metreweli, 47, who is currently MI6’s head of technology, known as “Q”, joined the Secret Intelligence Service in 1999, and has spent most of her career in operational roles in the Middle East and Europe, the government said in a statement.

Richard Moore, the current chief of MI6, will step down in the autumn after a five-year tenure.

“I am proud and honoured to be asked to lead my service,” said Metreweli, who takes on one of the most powerful jobs in Western intelligence and will be known by the code name “C”.

The recently released report card on Rajasthan’s Cash Plus model — India’s first State-led pilot to converge Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT) with Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) for improving maternal and child nutrition — indicates a 49% rise in early breastfeeding (now reaching 90% of newborns), 44% of women being more receptive to home-based counselling, 49% improvement in dietary diversity among pregnant women, and 54% more women using cash specifically for nutrition.

The State government scheme augments the national Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), which provides financial assistance to pregnant and lactating women for their first living child. It aims to improve the health and nutrition of mothers and their infants by offering cash incentives. The scheme is implemented by the Ministry of Women and Child Development.

Rajasthan carried out the assessment of its enhanced programme through a three-year field study starting 2021.