Current Affairs 31 May 2025

Study: Only 24% present-day glaciers will remain if world gets warmer.

• According to a new study published in the journal Science, If the world gets warmer by 2.7°C due to the current trajectory of climate policies, only 24% of the world’s present-day glaciers will remain.
• Glaciers: They are essentially large and thick masses of ice that are formed on land due to the accumulation of snow over centuries.
• They hold 70 per cent of the Earth’s freshwater.

Government selects 3 start-ups to develop local AI models.

• In part of its ambitious India AI Mission, the government selected three more start-ups – SoketAI, Ganani AI and Gan AI — to build home-grown AI foundational models.
• This is in addition to selection of the first start-up, Sarvam AI, to build India’s Sovereign large language model (LLM) ecosystem.

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered three ancient tombs in the Dra.

• Egyptian archaeologists have discovered three ancient tombs in the Dra Abu al-Naga necropolis in Luxor, dating back to the New Kingdom period (1550–1070 BC).
• It is located on the east bank of the Nile River in Egypt.
• It is home to numerous historic landmarks, including the Luxor Temple, Karnak Temples, the Valley of the Kings and Queens, and several funerary temples and noble tombs.

Centre’s notification of 34 biostimulants to spur manufacturing.

• In a move to boost India’s agri-input industry, the Government has registered 34 new biostimulants.
• Biostimulants are substances or microorganisms that enhance plant growth, yield, and stress tolerance, but do not directly provide nutrients like traditional fertilisers.
• They are incorporated under the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO) in 2021 as a distinct category of fertilisers.

IOB, Amul, Richplus to promote organic farming.

• Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), Amul, and Rich Plus have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote organic farming in India.
• A co-branded Organic Farming Card has been introduced for account holders of IOB who are engaged in organic farming.
• IOB has announced a dedicated credit scheme named Harit Kranti.
• Richplus will play a key role in offering technical expertise.