The central government on Monday announced the country’s first tailings policy, setting guidelines for exploration of critical minerals from primary as well as the secondary sources like mine dumps and tailings of existing mines.

Tailings refer to the leftover waste material after valuable minerals are extracted from crushed ore.

The government had, in its last Union Budget, announced to launch a policy for “recovery of critical minerals from tailings”.

The policy was required because the occurrence of critical and strategic elements is not just restricted to the solid mineral resources under the administrative control of the Ministry of Mines but may also be available in other commodities which are being dealt with by various other ministries.

India needs to up the ante after ranking sixth among 11 Asian countries in the newly released Asia Manufacturing Index (AMI) 2026, which measures the relative competitiveness of major manufacturing economies across eight key pillars and 43 sub-parameters.

In its third year, the Index — released by Dezan Shira & Associates, a pan-Asian market entry advisory firm headquartered in Hong Kong — places India behind key Asian competitors in the global manufacturing race. Malaysia has moved up to second place for the first time in 2026, replacing Vietnam, which has slipped to third.

Among developed economies, Singapore has climbed one rank to fourth, overtaking South Korea, which has dropped to fifth. These shifts, the study says, reflect intensifying regional competition.

Mr Bakul Limbasiya, Founder of Bhathwari Technologies, has been honoured with the APO National Award, a distinguished national recognition celebrating exceptional individual contributions to productivity enhancement, innovation, and leadership in India. Instituted by the Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) and administered in India by the National Productivity Council (NPC) under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Government of India, the award is widely regarded as one of the country’s most credible acknowledgements of excellence in advancing productivity and competitiveness across industries.

The recognition carries particular significance as it not only acknowledges Mr Limbasiya’s personal journey and achievements, but also marks a defining moment for India’s lab-grown diamond (LGD) industry. Traditionally, the APO National Award has been conferred upon eminent leaders such as Mr Anil Naik of Larsen & Toubro and Dr Verghese Kurien, reflecting its legacy of honouring individuals who have shaped India’s industrial and economic narrative. The inclusion of the lab-grown diamond sector among its recipients highlights the industry’s growing strategic, technological, and economic importance.

Surat-based athlete Yash Anil Rashiya has made history by winning gold for India at the 7th Roll Ball World Cup 2025 in Dubai, marking a breakthrough moment for Indian Roll Ball on the global stage

Surat (Gujarat) [India], January 19: Yash Anil Rashiya, a 20-year-old Roll Ball athlete from Surat, has emerged as one of India’s brightest sporting talents after winning the gold medal at the 7th Roll Ball World Cup 2025 in Dubai, representing Team India. The victory marks a significant milestone for Indian Roll Ball on the global stage and places Surat firmly on the international sports map.

Selected among 12 elite players to represent the country, Rashiya played a key role in India’s championship-winning campaign, helping the national team secure the World Cup title against strong international competition.

Scientists have discovered two previously unknown ant fly species. The rare insects were found in Delhi and Western Ghats. One species emerged from Delhi’s Northern Ridge urban forest. The second species was located in Tamil Nadu’s Siruvani Hills. Both regions reveal unexpected biodiversity surviving within fragmented habitats.

Researchers have discovered two rare ant-fly species in India. These insects belong to the Microdontinae subfamily of hoverflies. They are unusual because their larvae develop inside ant nests. This behaviour makes them extremely difficult to spot in nature. The species were officially named Metadon ghorpadei and Metadon reemeri.

Metadon ghorpadei was discovered in Delhi’s Northern Ridge Forest. The urban forest provides refuge for surprisingly rare species. Metadon reemeri was found in Siruvani Hills of Western Ghats. Western Ghats is a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot in India. Both locations highlight the importance of conserving even small habitats.

Lucknow has emerged as the first city in Uttar Pradesh to achieve 100 per cent scientific processing of municipal solid waste under the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban, marking a major milestone in urban waste management.

The achievement follows the commissioning of the Shivari Solid Waste Management Plant, which has positioned the city as a zero fresh waste dump urban centre. The newly inaugurated plant has a processing capacity of 700 metric tonnes per day.

With this addition, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation now operates three waste processing facilities, each with a capacity of 700 MT per day. Collectively, the plants can scientifically process over 2,100 metric tonnes of waste daily, effectively eliminating the open dumping of fresh municipal waste in the city.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams retired from the space agency after 27 years of remarkable service. The retirement, effective from the 27th of last month, was announced by NASA this morning.

In a press release, NASA said Williams flew on three missions to the International Space Station (ISS), spending 608 days in space, the second-most for a NASA astronaut, and completed nine spacewalks totalling over 62 hours, the most by a woman. She was also the first person to run a marathon in space.

The Indian-origin Williams first flew in 2006 on the Space Shuttle Discovery and later served as commander of the ISS during Expedition 33. Her most recent mission was in 2024-2025 aboard Boeing Starliner and SpaceX Crew-9, where she commanded Expedition 72.

A new species of ginger, Parakaempferia alba, has been discovered in the Siang Valley of Arunachal Pradesh, underlining the Eastern Himalayas’ status as a global biodiversity hotspot. The discovery has been published in the Nordic Journal of Botany.

The plant was found in the Miglung area of East Siang District at an altitude of 150–400 meters, growing along shaded streambanks in humid, sandy soil. The research team comprises Tatum Mibang, Bipankar Hajong, Devpratim Koch, and Pankaj Bharali.

Scientists note that the finding highlights the ecological richness of the region. Belonging to the ginger family (Zingiberaceae), the species may have potential medicinal and economic importance pending further research.

The Geological Survey of India (GSI) under the Ministry of Mines will host the 65th Central Geological Programming Board (CGPB) meeting in Delhi on January 21. The meeting, to be held at the A.P. Shinde Symposium Hall at ICAR, Pusa, will bring together representatives from Central ministries, State governments, industry, academia and mining bodies to discuss emerging geoscience priorities, mineral exploration strategies and challenges linked to clean energy, geohazards and sustainable development.

The CGPB functions as a key platform where GSI presents its Annual Field Season Programme (FSP) for discussion, ensuring coordinated survey and exploration activities across the country and preventing duplication of efforts. Suggestions and collaboration requests from State governments, mineral exploration agencies, PSUs and private players are evaluated, following which GSI finalises its annual programme in line with national priorities.