Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia sinensis plant. Tea is the world’s most consumed drink, after water. It is believed that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China. This year, International Tea Day highlights tea’s significant contributions to livelihoods, sustainability, and well-being.
Tea production and processing contributes to the reduction of extreme poverty (Goal 1), the fight against hunger (Goal 2), the empowerment of women (Goal 5) and the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems (Goal 15). International Tea Day 2025 celebrates the theme "Tea for Better Lives."
Held every year on 21 May, UNESCO leads the celebration of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development highlighting not only the richness of the world’s cultures, but also the essential role of intercultural dialogue for achieving peace and sustainable development.
According to UNESCO data, the cultural and creative sector is one of the most powerful engines of development worldwide. It accounts for more than 48 million jobs globally –almost half of which are held by women – representing 6.2% of all existing employment and 3.1% of global GDP.
To strengthen and enhance India’s cybersecurity audit ecosystem, the three-day national annual conference, ‘CERT-In SAMVAAD 2025,’ organized by the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) in collaboration with SkillsDA, was inaugurated by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY.
The event included a panel discussion on ‘Cybersecurity Audits & Regulatory Expectations: Bridging the Gap’ moderated by Shri S.S. Sarma, Director Operations, CERT-In with Panellists from various Regulators. This engaging discussion provided auditing organizations with valuable and actionable insights into regulatory expectations.
In Shooting, Adriyan Karmakar opened India’s medal account with a silver in the 50m rifle prone event at the ISSF Junior World Cup in Suhl, Germany. The 20-year-old shot a score of 626.7, just 0.3 points behind Sweden’s Jesper Johansson, who won gold.
Adriyan, who has earlier represented India juniors at the world championships but never in a World Cup, shot confidently and was one of the earliest participants to finish. Adriyan’s performance also set a new junior national record in the event.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has imposed a penalty of Rs. 1 crore on Acko General Insurance. The penalty was imposed by the regulator on the insurer for violating the provisions of regulations on outsourcing activities as well as norms on payment of commission or remuneration or reward to insurance agents and insurance intermediaries.
“The order should be placed before the board of the insurer in the upcoming board meeting and the insurer shall provide a copy of the minutes of the discussion,’‘ the IRDAI said in its order. Acko General was also directed to submit an action taken report within 90 days from the date of the issue of the order.
The Executive Committee of State Bank of India’s Central Board on Tuesday approved long-term overseas fund raising of up to $3 billion. This fund raising in single / multiple tranches under “Reg-S/144A” will be through a public offer and/or private placement of senior unsecured notes in US dollar or any other major foreign currency during FY 2025-26.
The funds will be raised in single and multiple tranches through a public offer or private placement of senior unsecured notes in US dollar or any other major foreign currency, SBIsaid in a BSE filing. Its stock closed 1.2 per cent lower at ₹785.35 per share.
Government e Marketplace (GeM), India’s national public procurement portal, marked its 8th Incorporation Day with a reaffirmation of its transformative impact on inclusive economic growth and digital governance. GeM’s user base has seen a threefold increase in recent years, with over 1.64 lakh primary buyers and 4.2 lakh active sellers now onboard.
The platform offers more than 10,000 product categories and over 330 services. Independent assessments, including from the World Bank and Economic Survey, validate GeM’s impact, noting an average cost saving of nearly 10% in government procurement.
Nearly 97% of all transactions on GeM are now free from transaction charges. Additionally, fees have been reduced by 33% to 96% and capped at ₹3 lakh for orders exceeding ₹10 crore, significantly down from the earlier ₹72.5 lakh. For sellers with annual turnover below ₹1 crore, the caution money deposit has been cut by 60%, with full exemptions granted to select groups.
GeM has now been adopted across all 36 States and Union Territories, with Uttar Pradesh leading the way. Eight states—including Maharashtra, Manipur, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh have mandated GeM usage.
In a pioneering digital governance move, GeM launched GeMAI, India’s first generative AI-powered chatbot in the public sector. Supporting both voice and text interactions in 10 Indian languages, GeMAI enhances user support and embodies GeM’s mission of inclusive, intelligent service delivery.
Nepal’s Yala Glacier has officially been declared dead — the first such loss recorded in Asia and only the third globally after Iceland’s OK Glacier and Mexico’s Ayoloco Glacier. Once a vital part of the Himalayan ice-scape, the Yala Glacier has shrunk by 66 per cent since the 1970s and retreated nearly 784 meters, marking a devastating new chapter in Earth’s climate crisis
In 2021, ICIMOD, with the United Nations, marked the disappearance of Lemthang Glacier, in Bhutan, which was wiped out by a glacial lake outburst flood in 2017. According to recent data, the Hindu Kush Himalayan (HKH) region — home to 54,000 glaciers — is facing catastrophic losses due to rapidly rising temperatures.
Colombia formally agreed to join China's vast Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, as Beijing draws Latin America closer in a bid to counter the United States. China has surpassed the United States as the biggest trading partner of Brazil, Peru, Chile and other Latin American nations, and two-thirds of countries there have signed up to Belt and Road Infrastructure drive
Celebrated each year on 20 May, World Metrology Day highlights the vital role of measurement science in our daily lives. From GPS navigation to medical doses and construction safety, metrology ensures consistency and reliability worldwide.
The metric system enables global collaboratioan architect in Sudan can design for Mexico using the same standards. This Day promotes metrology’s impact on quality of life and environmental preservation, aligning with UNESCO’s mission to advance science for a better world.
To mark this milestone, UNESCO is organizing a symposium, at its Headquarters in Paris, under the theme 150 years of the Metre Convention: Science, innovation and global impact. World Metrology Day was established in 1999 by the International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) to commemorate the signing of the Metre Convention on 20 May 1875 in Paris.
In a landmark moment for the nation’s educational journey, Mizoram today became the first fully literate state under the ULLAS (Understanding Lifelong Learning for All in Society) initiative. Mizoram’s recognition as the first fully literate state was declared under the Ministry of Education’s ULLAS initiative, which mandates a minimum literacy rate of 95% of the population
According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS 2023–2024), Mizoram has reached a literacy rate of 98.2%. To support the mission, the State Centre for Literacy (SCL) was set up under SCERT. It developed Mizo language learning materials titled Vartian, along with an English version for learners in Lawngtlai district.
Hon. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will inaugurate 103 Amrit Stations (through video conference) during an event at Bikaner, Rajasthan on 22nd May 2025. Karnataka’s 05 railway stations i.e. Munirabad, Bagalkot, Gadag, Gokak Road, Dharwad are among the 103 Amrit Stations to be inaugurated by Hon. PM on 22nd May 2025.
These 103 Amrit Stations, situated in 86 districts across 18 States and Union Territories of India, have been developed at a cost of over Rs 1,100 crore. Over 1,300 stations are being redeveloped with modern facilities, designed to reflect regional architecture and enhance passenger amenities under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme (ABSS).
A new peer-reviewed research in PLOS ONE has found Ladakh is home to the world's highest recorded density of snow leopards. With 477 animals, almost 68 per cent of India's estimated 709 snow leopards are in the Union Territory. The population covers approximately 47,572 km² of Ladakh's mountainous land.
The numbers globally vary from 0.92 to 1.8 per 100 km². Ladakh surpasses these levels considerably now. Hemis National Park itself contains an amazing density of 2.07 leopards per 100 km². This number far exceeds earlier record high counts made in areas of Tibet. Snow leopards were downlisted from Endangered to Vulnerable on the Red List in 2017.
Aiming to envision India's ascent to global economic leadership by its 100th year of independence, renowned economist S P Sharma launched his latest book 'India@2047: Leading the Global Economic Order' in New Delhi.
S P Sharma, Chief Economist at New Economic Order Economists and former Chief Economist of the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry, emphasised that India is already demonstrating strong economic momentum, resilience, and strategic policy focus despite global uncertainties. According to the book, India's average GDP growth of over 8 per cent during FY22 to FY24.
