IAS

Cardamom Hills

◾️ Also called Yela Mala hills

◾️ Famous for crops like Cardamom, Pepper and Coffee

▪️States : Kerala and Tamilnadu

◾️ Western Ghats along with Cardamom Hills are UNESCO World Heritage Site

◾️Includes Idukki Dam and Mullaperiyar Dam

◾️ Surrounded by Annamalai hills to North west, Palani hills to North east and Agasthyamalai hills to South

𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲 - Blue Pottery is widely recognized as a traditional craft of Jaipur practiced by Bhil tribes, Rajasthan. The name 'blue pottery' comes from the eye-catching cobalt blue dye used to color the pottery.

𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝑰𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑫𝒂𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑩𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑫𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚

The International Day for Biological Diversity is celebrated every year on 22 May to raise global awareness about the unprecedented loss of species and to urge action to protect Earth's living fabric. It is vital because biodiversity provides our food, clean water, and medicines, and serves as our strongest defense against climate change.

This year, the theme for International Day for Biological Diversity 2026 is "Acting locally for global impact."

While Fundamental Rights empower citizens with freedom, equality, and constitutional protection, Fundamental Duties inspire every citizen to uphold discipline, patriotism, and civic responsibility.
Together, they strengthen the spirit of the Indian Constitution.

UPSC Calender 2027

India and Italy will celebrate 2027 as the “Year of Culture and Tourism” to promote cultural exchanges and strengthen dialogue between the two ancient civilisations.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said, the initiative will help deepen mutual understanding and further strengthen cultural diplomacy between the two countries. She said, stronger ties between countries are measured not only through political and economic relations but also through connections between people and societies.

Giorgia Meloni was addressing a joint press conference with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rome yesterday. She said, India and Italy will also work towards further developing the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC). Giorgia Meloni described IMEC as a major connectivity and economic corridor linking Europe, the Middle East and India with the potential to strengthen trade, investment and supply-chain resilience.

The Hindu: 21/5/26
1) Nothing wrong in caste count : SC : page 1
2) The bail rule : page 8
3) Measure for Measure: page 8
4) Analysing India's budgets for justice: page 9
5) India, Italy seal : page 12
6) Private firm conducts firing trials of indigenous rockets : page 14
7) NCDEX : page 15

The Indian Express: 21/5/26
1) Trade corridor, defence: page 1
2) Govt. Pitch to US nuclear mission: page 1
3) India- Italy joint statement: page 5
4) Boost to India - South Korea defence cooperation: page 9
5) Our highway policy needs a green reset : page 12
6) War is top political violence: page 15
7) Rising night time heat : page 17

The Hindu: 20/5/26
1) Delhi police suggest larger SC bench : page 1
2) Democracy, rule of law make Nordic nations : page 1
3) First and foremost: page 10
4) India's EV ambition: page 10
5) Shanti act : page 10
6) EPF details: page 16
7) Zwan - wolf effect : page 22

The Indian Express: 20/5/26
1) Green tech to innovation: page 1
2) Xi and Putin : page 1
3) SC sites citizens right to move freely : page 1
4) Moon's upper surface has two distinct layers within centimeters: page 11
5) On bail court : page 12
6) India and Italy look to the future: page 13
7) India, Norway need a sovereign investment corridor : page 13
8) In stray dog case in SC : page 15

The Hindu: 19/5/26
1) Reduce travel, adopt EVs : page 1
2) Disabled inmates face double disadvantage: page 4
3) Unlearnt lessons : page 6
4) Waiting for the storm : page 6
5) Strategic spark in India- South Korea defence ties : page 6
6) Strengthening domestic energy: page 9
7) EU chief wants to seal pact : page 13
8) India still short on expertise: page 18

The Indian Express: 19/5/26
1) Bail the rule : page 1
2) India is now naxal free : page 5
3) Citizenship rule change : page 5
4) India, Norway elevate bilateral ties : page 7
5) In federalism challenges : page 9
6) On Saranda forests: page 10
7) For economic growth: page 11
8) Rupee hits new low of 96.4 : page 13

Operation Smiling Buddha was successfully conducted by India on May 18, 1974, which was the first confirmed nuclear test by a nation that was not a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

Operation ‘Smiling Buddha’ was a landmark and courageous decision that showed our nation’s scientific prowess and made India the world’s sixth nuclear power .Which was the first confirmed nuclear test by a nation that was not a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

How was the name chosen?
* The name was chosen because the test was conducted on Buddha Purnima that year.
* “The Buddha has finally smiled” was the message conveyed by Raja Ramanna, Director of India’s premier nuclear research institute Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

Highlights
* The test was conducted on May 18, 1974 under the supervision of Raja Ramanna, who was then the director of India's premier nuclear research institute Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).
* Smiling Buddha' (MEA designation: Pokhran-I) was the assigned code name of India's first successful nuclear bomb test.
* With the Smiling Buddha, India became the world's sixth nuclear power after the United States, Soviet Union, Britain, France and China to successfully test out a nuclear bomb.
* It was led by a team of 75 scientists and engineers, led by Raja Ramanna, PK Iyengar, Rajagopala Chidambaram, and others had worked on it from 1967 to 1974
* It took nearly two-year preparation for India to conduct this test.
* India tested its first fission bomb, a nuclear weapon that had the explosion power similar to the bomb dropped by the USA in Hiroshima, Japan.
* The highlight of the test was that India had managed to avoid detection by the United States and other intelligence agencies.
* It is believed that the actual yield was around 8-12 Kilotons of TNT.

2026 is observed globally under the theme "Museums Uniting a Divided World". The day highlights the critical role museums play as bridges across cultural, social, and geopolitical divides.