Prime Minister highlighted that the Indian coffee is gaining popularity globally.

About Coffee

• India is now the seventh-largest coffee producer globally and 70% of coffee produced is being exported, earning $1.80 billion during 2024–25.
• Key Coffee Growing Regions: Karnataka (Chikmagalur, Coorg and Hassan); Tamil Nadu (Pulney, Shevaroy, Nilgiri and Annamalai); Kerala (Wayanad, Travancore and Malabar).
• Soils: Deep, Fertile, rich in organic matter, well- drained and slightly acidic (PH 6.0-6.5)
• Growing Conditions: Gentle to moderate slopes with temperature of 15-30 0C, and annual rainfall of 1000-2500 mm. 
• Types: Robusta and Arabica.

Government announced Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar 2025, highest recognition for outstanding and inspiring contributions by scientists, technologists, and innovators in diverse fields of science, technology, and technology-led innovation.

About Rashtriya Vigyan Puraskar

• Conferred under four categories: 
  • Vigyan Ratna (VR) (lifetime achievements & contributions in any field of science and technology), 
  • Vigyan Shri (VS) to recognize distinguished contributions in any field of science and technology
  • Vigyan Yuva-Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (VY-SSB) for recognizing & encouraging young scientists 
  • Vigyan Team (VT) for exceptional team work in science and technology.
• Prof. Jayant Vishnu Narlikar (Physics) was awarded Vigyan Ratna (VR) Posthumously.
  • He co-developed Hoyle–Narlikar theory of gravity – an alternative to Einstein’s general relativity and a counterpoint to the widely accepted Big Bang model.

National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) released funds to Biodiversity Management Committees in UP and Sikkim.

About NBA:

• Overview: It is a statutory, autonomous body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
• Established:  In 2003 under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
• Headquarters:  Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
• Functions:  Performs facilitative, regulatory and advisory functions on issues of conservation, sustainable use of biological resources and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the use of biological resources.
• Complementary Entities: Under the Biodiversity Act, 2002 and the Biodiversity Rules, 2004, two complementary entities – State Biodiversity Boards at the State level and Biodiversity Management Committees at the local village level – have been established to complement the NBA.

Proposal to redraw the boundaries of Karakoram and Changthang sanctuaries in Ladakh has been received by the Central government.

About Karakoram WLS

• Established in 1987. 
• Location: Karakoram range, Ladakh.
• Fauna: Snow leopard, Himalayan brown bear, Himalayan wolf, ibex (Wild goat), wild blue sheep (Bharal), etc. 
• Flora: Alpine vegetation, medicinal plants, cold desert flora etc.

About Changthang WLS

• Location: Ladakhi Changthang plateau, Leh district.
• Significance: Home to highest altitude water lakes, namely, Tso Moriri, Pangong Tso and Tso Kar.
• Fauna: Snow Leopard, Tibetan Wild Ass, Dark-necked crane, etc. 

Prime Minister urged citizens to make the 150th year of the National Song memorable by carrying forward its values for future generations.

About National Song (Vande Mataram)

• Composition: In Sanskrit by Bankimchandra Chatterjee.
  • The song was a part of Bankimchandra's most famous novel Anand Math (1882). 
  • It shares an equal Status with Jana-Gana-Mana (National Anthem). 
• First Sung: At the 1896 session (Calcutta) of the Indian National Congress by Rabindranath Tagore.
• Adopted on: 24 January 1950 by the Constituent Assembly of India as the National Song of India.

Subansiri Lower HEP undergoes test run.

About Subansiri Lower HEP

• Run of River scheme with small Pondage on river Subansiri (Tributary of Brahmaputra).
• Location: Near North Lakhimpur on the border of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
• Execution By: NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) Limited. 

Recent studies suggests that dark matter could explain the mysterious gamma-ray glow at the Milky Way’s centre.

About Dark Matter

• Meaning: It is regarded as the invisible glue that holds the universe together, making up most of the mass in galaxies and galaxy clusters. 
  • Unlike normal matter, it does not interact with electromagnetic force, i.e., neither absorb, reflect or emit light, making it extremely hard to spot.
• Scientists estimate that dark matter makes up about 27% of the Universe. 
• Significance:  It is believed to shape the cosmos, organize galaxies and cosmic objects on a large scale. 

International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently released the Global Finance Stability Report (GFSR), April 2025. 

About GFSR

• Purpose: Provide a regular assessment of global financial markets and identify potential systemic weaknesses before they lead to crises. 
• Key Findings
  • Tightened Global Financial Conditions: Have caused significant increase in the Global financial stability risks.
  • Role of Major geopolitical risk events: Especially military conflicts, can lead to substantial decline in stock prices and increases in sovereign risk premiums. 
• Other Key Reports by IMF: World Economic Outlook, Fiscal Monitor.