Context:

• The International Conference on Critical Metals 2025, held in Jamshedpur, highlighted the growing global urgency for cooperation, technological innovation, and supply chain security in the strategic minerals sector. Experts from government, academia, and industry called for stronger partnerships to ensure the sustainable extraction, processing, and recycling of critical minerals, which are vital for national security and green technologies.

Context:

• Veteran playback singer and actress Sulakshana Pandit passed away on 6 November 2025 in Mumbai at the age of 71 following a cardiac arrest after prolonged illness. She was admitted to Nanavati Hospital, where she breathed her last. Her funeral was scheduled for 7 November 2025, marking the end of a versatile career spanning music and cinema.

Context:

• The Government of Mizoram has launched the Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Solve Project to address the alarming rise in violence against women and to promote gender equality in the state. The initiative was inaugurated in Aizawl by Social Welfare, Women and Child Development Minister Lalrinpuii, marking a major step toward women’s safety, empowerment, and social justice.

Context:

• The Khasi community of Meghalaya celebrated the Shad Nongkrem Festival at Smit, the traditional capital of Hima Khyrim, located about 20 km from Shillong. This five-day annual festival is among the most important cultural and religious events of the Khasi tribe, symbolising thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest, prosperity, and communal harmony.

Context:

• In a major environmental initiative, the Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has introduced a five-way waste segregation system in educational institutions. The decision was finalised during the 17th board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, marking a significant move toward sustainable and systematic waste management in the state.