Mains

National Trust’s Holnicote estate says restored wetlands and rivers offer proof of resilience to drought, wildfires and floodingAerial footage of an estate in Somerset has revealed the benefits of rewilding land in the face of extreme weather brought about by the climate crisis.The area of the National Trust’s Holnicote estate where rivers have been returned to their natural courses and wetlands have been restored have remained green and lush during the five heatwaves across the summer. In contrast, the surrounding countryside has become parched and brown. Continue reading...

Discovery marks latest grim finding in lake as water levels in crucial reservoir outside Las Vegas continue to declineHuman remains have once again been discovered at Lake Mead outside Las Vegas, Nevada, marking the latest in a line of gruesome discoveries as water levels in the crucial reservoir continue to drop, authorities said.These remains were discovered on 16 August, USA Today reported. The National Park Service (NPS) told the outlet there did not appear to be anything suspicious about the body. Continue reading...

• A comprehensive revision checklist has been released for UPSC Civil Services Mains 2026 aspirants, focusing on 15 essential International Relations (IR) topics. • The guide highlights critical areas including the India-UK FTA, Arctic geopolitics, UNSC reforms, neighbourhood ties, and the concept of "Pax Silica." • These topics are linked to Previous Year Questions (PYQs) to help candidates understand how recent global developments impact India's foreign policy.

Cedric Lodge, 58, sentenced in December to eight years in prison for stealing and selling body parts in national schemeHarvard University has agreed to pay a $53m settlement to resolve civil lawsuits stemming from the illegal theft and sale of human remains that had been donated to its medical school for scientific research.A former Harvard medical school morgue manager, Cedric Lodge, 58, was sentenced in December last year to eight years in prison after he had pleaded guilty in May to stealing and selling human body parts in a nationwide scheme. Prosecutors said this had involved the theft and sale of organs, skin, brains and dissected heads from cadavers donated to Harvard from 2018 through at least March 2020. Continue reading...

• A comprehensive revision checklist has been released for UPSC Mains 2026 aspirants, focusing on 15 essential Polity and Governance topics. • The guide aims to help candidates bridge the gap between static syllabus requirements and evolving current affairs, which often pose a significant challenge. • This resource is critical for final preparations as the Mains examinations are scheduled to commence on August 21.

Tehran urges US to ‘correct its behaviour’ as UAE says one of its ships targeted by Iranian missileIran has issued tough new demands for reopening the strait of Hormuz, while the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile, as a deal to open the strategic waterway remained out of reach on Saturday.Iran’s politburo-like body known as the supreme national security council said the strait of Hormuz will not open until the United States “corrects its behaviour”, with its state broadcaster publishing a statement from the council’s secretary, Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, who is also a commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps IRGC. Continue reading...

• The SET Index is currently trading sideways as investors maintain a cautious stance amid a lack of significant new market drivers. • Market participants are closely monitoring geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, specifically focusing on negotiations regarding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. • Investors are also awaiting the release of upcoming U.S. labor data, which is expected to influence global market sentiment.