KARNATAKA ISSUES

• Karnataka is set to become the first Indian state to commercialize biodegradable, bio-compostable milk packets, addressing the severe plastic pollution crisis. Developed from corn starch, these plant-based packets, tested by BAMUL, decompose within six months and enhance soil fertility. Conventional milk packets take up to 500 years to degrade, harming ecosystems and filling landfills. BAMUL launched a pilot in Hunsenahalli on June 5, 2025, showing promising results without quality loss. With support from Karnataka Milk Federation, state-wide rollout is planned despite a minor cost rise. The initiative offers a scalable, eco-friendly packaging solution for a high-impact, daily-use product.
• Biocon Foundation, in partnership with BeST Cluster and NCBS, launched the BioWISE program to support 25 women students in Karnataka pursuing life sciences. The initiative provides mentorship, internships, hands-on training, and soft skills to empower disadvantaged women from Tier-2 and Tier-3 universities in STEM. Aimed at increasing women’s participation and leadership in science, the program aligns with broader goals of fostering a diverse, future-ready scientific community in India.
• Chief Minister Siddaramaiah will inaugurate Karnataka’s first Kusum-C solar substation in Gauribidanur, Chikkaballapur, aimed at providing reliable daytime electricity to farmers. The 20 MW solar unit, the largest under Kusum-C in the state, will generate power locally for agricultural pumps. The scheme, supported by a central subsidy, seeks to generate 2,400 MW of solar power by 2025, benefiting over 6 lakh pumpsets and improving rural energy access.

POLITY

• The Centre revised the Foreigners Identification Portal (FIP) procedure, urging States/UTs to use district-level fingerprint scanners under the IVFRT system. NAFIS is a nationwide database of criminal fingerprints, designed to help law enforcement quickly identify criminals and link them to ongoing cases. It assigns a unique 10-digit ID to each criminal, capturing biometric data for life. Managed by NCRB, NAFIS enables real-time tracing and retrieval of criminal information across India.

SCIENCE

• Researchers at IISER Bhopal discovered that the BBX32 gene helps seedlings time their emergence from soil by keeping the shoot hook closed until light is detected. Ethylene activates BBX32 underground, while light stabilizes it by preventing degradation from COP1. BBX32, in turn, boosts PIF3, which activates HLS1, crucial for hook maintenance. In soil-like tests, overexpressed BBX32 led to better seedling survival. This mechanism ensures safe emergence and holds potential for breeding climate-resilient crops. The study, published in New Phytologist, highlights how BBX32 regulation aids in germination through precision timing and stress adaptation.
• NASA’s 2001 Mars Odyssey orbiter captured a striking image of Arsia Mons, a massive shield volcano in Mars’s Tharsis region. Standing over 18 km high with a 300 km base, it is one of the largest volcanoes in the solar system. Arsia Mons has a wide caldera and shows signs of billions of years of activity, with recent eruptions within the last 2 million years. Its lava flows and volcanic features reveal a complex eruptive history.

MISCELLANEOUS NEWS

• MS Dhoni, India’s most successful cricket captain, was inducted into the ICC Hall of Fame 2025 in a ceremony held in London. The Hall of Fame, established in 2009, honours cricketers globally for exceptional skill, leadership, and lasting impact on the sport. Dhoni, known for his calm leadership and match-finishing abilities, played 538 international matches, scored 17,266 runs, and made 829 dismissals. Under his captaincy, India won the T20 World Cup (2007), ODI World Cup (2011), and Champions Trophy (2013). He becomes the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to receive this prestigious global recognition.
• Carlos Alcaraz made a historic comeback to win his fifth Grand Slam at the French Open, overcoming a two-set deficit for the first time in his career. Facing world No. 1 Jannik Sinner in a marathon final, he saved three match points and triumphed in a five-set thriller. At 22, he matched Rafael Nadal’s record of five majors at the same age, calling it destiny. This victory cements his status among tennis’s elite and sparks talks of a new rivalry.