🇮🇳 National News
1. Indigenous HPV Test Kits Launched
- India rolled out its first home-grown RTPCR-based HPV test kits on April 23, 2025.
- Developed by DBT, AIIMS Delhi, NICPR, NIRRCH & WHO-IARC to detect the 7–8 most common high-risk HPV types.
- Kits are cost-effective, rapid, and leverage expanded post-COVID RTPCR labs—boosting early cervical cancer screening.
2. 171 Million Lifted from Extreme Poverty
- Between 2011–12 and 2022–23, India cut extreme poverty from 16.2% to 2.3%, lifting 171 million people.
- Rural poverty fell from 18.4% → 2.8%; urban from 10.7% → 1.1%.
- Lower-middle-income poverty also dropped from 61.8% → 28.1%, lifting 378 million people.
🏞 State News
1. Five Cheetah Cubs Born in Kuno NP (MP)
- Cheetah “Nirva” had five cubs at Kuno National Park (845.7 sq km), raising India’s total to 31 cheetahs.
- Success credited to PM-led Cheetah Project’s protection efforts.
2. ₹40 Crore Sanctioned for Mangaluru’s Riverfront Road
- Karnataka Govt. added ₹40 crore to the Kallapu-Sajipa project (total now 25% of ₹160 crore).
- Also approved a ₹12 crore hanging foot bridge and ₹200 crore for coastal erosion control.
3. Kalaignar Centenary Park in Chennai
- Opened Feb 2024 on reclaimed Agri-Horti land.
- Features zipline, aviary, treehouses, botanical exhibits, and selfie-friendly spots.
📈 Economy News
Fitch Cuts India’s Growth Forecast to 6.4%
- Due to global trade tensions, Fitch lowered FY 2025 growth to 6.4%.
- World growth for 2025 now seen below 2%, weakest since 2009.
- India’s fundamentals remain strong, but exports & investments face headwinds.
📚 Books & Authors
“The Kashmir Shawl” by Rosie Thomas
- Historical fiction set in 1940s & today across Wales, Kashmir, Ladakh.
- Follows Mair Ellis unraveling her grandmother’s past via a Kashmiri shawl.
- Explores colonial history, family secrets, and Kashmiri culture.
🏆 Awards News
Madhusudan Sai Gets Fiji’s Highest Honour
- Awarded “Companion of the Order of Fiji” for founding Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Children’s Hospital.
- First free children’s hospital in the South Pacific.
NICDC Wins Udyog Vikas Award
- Recognized for Palakkad Industrial Smart City in Kerala.
- 1,710 acre Greenfield project under the National Industrial Corridor Programme.
🛡️ Defence News
India–France $7.4 B Deal for 26 Rafale Jets
- Purchase includes 22 single-seat and 4 twin-seat Rafale fighters for the Navy.
- Deliveries by 2030; crew training in France & India.
DRDO Scramjet Combustor Test Success
- DRDL conducted a 1,000+ sec hot test of an active-cooled scramjet combustor on April 25, 2025.
- Validates technology for Mach 5+ hypersonic cruise missiles.
🏗️ Schemes News
UDAN Completes 8 Years
- Launched 2016 to boost regional air travel with fare caps & subsidies.
- Now in phase 4.0, adding seaplanes, Krishi UDAN, and 120 new destinations.
Ayushman Vay Vandana Launched in Delhi
- Offers ₹10 lakh free health cover to citizens aged 70+.
- ₹5 lakh from Centre + ₹5 lakh from Delhi Govt; includes check-ups and tests.
🌐 Summits & Conferences
BRICS Labour Ministers’ Meeting Declaration
- Held April 25 in Brasília on AI, climate change & jobs.
- India highlighted ethical AI, green-jobs training (FutureSkills Prime), and net-zero by 2070.
🔬 Science & Technology
ISRO’s Semicryogenic Engine Test at IPRC
- Short-duration hot test on April 24, 2025, validated start-up, turbo-pumps, pre-burner at 60% power.
- Paves way for more efficient launch vehicles with higher payloads.
📅 Important Days
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World IP Day (April 26)
Theme: “IP and Music: Feel the Beat of IP” — highlights IP’s role in supporting musicians. -
Chernobyl Remembrance Day (April 26)
Marks the 1986 disaster; honors victims & underscores nuclear safety. -
World Safety & Health at Work Day (April 28)
2025 Theme: “AI and Digitalisation at Work” — focuses on tech for safer workplaces. -
World Veterinary Day (April 26)
Theme: “Animal Health Takes a Team” — celebrates vets’ roles in public health and conservation.