Current Affairs - International

Birch Glacier, located in the southern Swiss Alps near the Furka Pass and the Italian border, lies within Switzerland and serves as the source of the Rhône River. It is one of the most studied and accessible glaciers in the region. In recent decades, it has experienced significant retreat due to climate change, with its surface marked by crevasses and ice caves. Switzerland, which contains more glaciers than any other country in Europe, is facing accelerated melting, leading to concerns over stability and natural disasters like the avalanche that affected Blatten village in May 2025.

Governments across the Asia-Pacific region have signed a historic declaration to achieve universal birth and death registration by 2030, marking a key milestone in the CRVS (Civil Registration and Vital Statistics) Decade initiative led by UN-ESCAP. This extended goal follows a decade of significant progress, including a 60% drop in the number of unregistered children under 5 and a notable rise in birth and death registration coverage across countries. The 2030 target aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 16.9, which emphasizes legal identity for all. Achieving this objective will require addressing bureaucratic gaps, boosting digital transformation, and ensuring inclusive and equitable service delivery.

India recently achieved a milestone in agricultural exports by sending its first shipment of rose-scented litchis from Pathankot, Punjab, to Doha, Qatar. This move was facilitated by APEDA along with the Punjab Horticulture Department and reflects India’s growing focus on premium horticultural exports. The consignment used refrigerated pallets to ensure fruit freshness, highlighting logistical efficiency. This initiative aligns with broader goals of export diversification, farmer empowerment, and enhancing India's global agri-trade presence. The export not only showcases India's capability to produce high-value crops but also opens new market opportunities in the Gulf region, particularly Qatar and the UAE.

On June 26, 2025, Indian Air Force Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla became the 634th astronaut to enter space. He joined the Axiom-4 (Ax-4) mission, a 14-day international research initiative aboard the International Space Station (ISS), launched by Axiom Space in partnership with SpaceX. Representing India, Shukla's journey underscores the country’s rising presence in global space exploration efforts. The mission includes astronauts from the U.S., Poland, and Hungary, aiming to advance scientific research and international cooperation. His milestone as the 634th astronaut adds to India's growing list of space pioneers and reinforces its future ambitions, such as the upcoming Gaganyaan mission.

Scientists in China have discovered two new henipaviruses in bats located in Yunnan province, raising significant public health concerns. These viruses are genetically similar to the deadly Nipah and Hendra viruses, both of which are known to cause fatal encephalitis and respiratory illnesses in humans. Found in bat kidneys, the viruses pose a risk of transmission through contaminated fruits or water, particularly in areas where human settlements are close to bat habitats. This discovery, made through genetic sequencing of samples collected over four years, highlights the ongoing risk of zoonotic spillovers and reinforces the need for global vigilance in monitoring emerging infectious diseases.