India’s first zoo-based biobank has been established at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal.

• The facility, also known as a ‘frozen zoo,’became operational in July 2024 as part of a collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) under the Ministry of Science and Technology.
• The biobank collects and preserves DNA materials, cellular and tissue samples from endangered animals, as well as reproductive cells from deceased specimens.
• The initiative supports wildlife conservation, genetic research, and potential revival of critically endangered or extinct species.
• Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, established on August 14, 1958, is known for breeding high-altitude herbivores and pheasants.
• The zoo gained international recognition for its red panda conservation program, which was shortlisted for a global conservation award by the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) in October 2024.

• To mark the 10th anniversary of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science on February 11, UNESCO launched the “Imagine a world with more women in science”
• The campaign emphasizes the value of diverse perspectives in science and encourages greater women’s participation using the hashtag #EveryVoiceInScience.
• The UNGA declared the day in 2015to reduce the gender gap in STEMM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics & Medicine)
• In India, 43% of STEMM enrollment in higher education consists of women, but only 6% of scientists in the country are women.
• UNESCO(United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) was founded on November 16, 1945, to promote international cooperation in education, science, and culture.
• UNESCO has 195 member countries and is headquartered in Paris, France.
• It publishes important reports like the Global Education Monitoring Report and the Gender Parity Index.

The Indian Navy’s INS Shardul and Long Range Maritime Surveillance P-8I aircraft arrived at Benoa Port in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia to participate in the International Fleet Review (IFR), which is scheduled from February 16 to February 22, 2025.

• This year’s theme is “Maritime Partnership for Peace and Stability,” focusing on natural disaster management and humanitarian aid.
• The International Fleet Review (IFR), is a prestigious international event in which participating navies showcase their ships in a parade, typically reviewed by an incumbent head of state or military dignitaries.
• It also marks the 80th anniversary of the Indonesian Navy’s formation.
• Exercise Komodo 2025 will gather 15 nations for multilateral maritime training, including a joint maritime search and rescue scenario.

Meta launched Project Waterworth, a subsea internet cable to improve connectivity in the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other regions, which was announced following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S. and is expected to be operational by 2039.

• The Artificial Intelligence(AI)-powered subsea cable system spans 50,000 km across five continents, connecting the S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions.
• It will be the longest and highest-capacity subsea cable, with cables laid at depths up to 7,000 meters and protected in shallow waters using advanced burial techniques.
• India will invest in maintaining and repairing undersea cables in the Indian Ocean for the project.

The project will create three new oceanic corridors, boosting the scale and reliability of internet networks and fostering international cooperation, digital inclusion, and technological progress.

A recent study has shown that coral reefs in the Gulf of Eilat underwent a 3,000-year period of halted growth because of global cooling, but eventually made a natural recovery from deeper waters.

• The Gulf of Eilat, also known as the Gulf of Aqaba, is a northern extension of the Red Sea, positioned between the Sinai Peninsula to the west and the Arabian Peninsula to the
• The Gulf of Eilat shares its borders with four countries along its coastline:
• Egypt – Northwest
• Israel – North
• Jordan – Northeast
• Saudi Arabia – East and Southeast
• The Gulf of Aqaba is known for its coral reefs, which are some of the northernmost in the world.

• Gyanesh Kumar has been appointed as India’s 26^th Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).
• He is a 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Kerala cadre.
• He is an IIT Kanpur graduate in Civil Engineering, also studied Business Finance at ICFAI and Environmental Economics at Harvard.
• The Chief Election Commissioner heads the Election Commission of India, a constitutional body responsible for administering elections to the Parliament, State Legislatures, and the offices of the President and Vice-President.

• The Himachal Pradesh government has launched a bio-engineering initiative to combat landslides using vetiver grass.
• The Himachal Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (HPSDMA) has launched a pilot project to combat landslides using vetiver grass, in collaboration with the Vetiver Foundation-Climate Resilience and Sustainability Initiatives (CRSI) from Tamil Nadu
• The HPSDMA has received 1,000 saplings from CRSI, which have been planted in a nursery at Berti village in Solan
• Vetiver’s deep roots, which can grow up to four meters, bind soil and reduce the risk of landslides by preventing soil erosion and slowing water runoff.
• Vetiver also absorbs excess water, reducing soil saturation, making it a cost-effective and sustainable solution. This initiative aims to protect steep slopes ahead of the 2025 monsoon season.

• The 8th Indian Ocean Conference is being organised by India Foundation in association with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Oman on February 16-17, 2025 in Muscat, Oman.
• The theme for this year’s Conference is “Voyages to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership”.
• India, in partnership with Singapore and Oman, is hosting the Eighth Indian Ocean Conference
• The Indian Ocean Conference was started by India Foundation in 2016 at Singapore, with participation from 30 countries.
• The Indian Ocean, the third-largest ocean in the world, spans 70.56 million square kilometers and connects Asia, Africa, and Australia.
• It has historically served as a natural trade corridor influenced by Indian civilization and maritime networks.
• Surrounding the Indian Ocean are 26 coastal nations, including India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives, Oman, Indonesia, Australia, South Africa, and Somalia.
• The Indian Ocean is a global trade hub, facilitating 70% of global container traffic and 90% of India’s energy imports, making it a crucial economic corridor.

 TRUST INITIATIVE

• India and the United States have launched the TRUST Initiative to enhance supply chains for critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials.

• The Transforming Relationship Utilizing Strategic Technology (TRUST) is a bilateral agreement between India and the United States to boost cooperation in critical minerals, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials.
• It builds on India’s involvement in the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP) and the Minerals Security Finance Network (MSFN), with the goal of diversifying supply chains, reducing dependence on China, and promoting technology transfer
• The initiative focuses on building strong supply chains for essential materials like lithium and rare earth elements (REEs).
• The TRUST initiative aims to foster innovation in defense, AI, semiconductors, quantum computing, biotechnology, energy, and space.
• It seeks collaboration among governments, academia, and the private sector to drive advancements in these sectors.
• The TRUST initiative focuses on strengthening pharmaceutical supply chains, especially for active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), which rely on minerals like lithium and magnesium.
• As the second-largest API manufacturer, India’s focus is key to supporting its pharmaceutical industry.

• Recently, India hosted the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) and the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) India Conference 2025 in New Delhi from February 10-14, marking the country’s first time hosting the event.
• The theme of the conference was “Next Generation Administrative Reforms – Empowering Citizens and Reaching the Last Mile.”
• The event was inaugurated by Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State for PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
• Key figures featured at the event included Ra’ed Mohammed BenShams, President of the IIAS, and Srinivas, Secretary of DARPG.
• The conference, jointly organized by the IIAS and DARPG, Government of India.
• Experts from over 55 countries discussed innovations in public administration, governance, and policymaking.
• The International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS), founded in 1930 and headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, is a key global organization focused on advancing public administration.

• At Invest Karnataka 2025, Karnataka’s Energy Minister K J George introduced the Clean Mobility Policy for the years 2025 to 2030.
• The policy aims to attract investments of ₹50,000 crore and generate one lakh jobs in Karnataka.
• It also supports efforts to reduce carbon emissions and enhance air quality.
• Karnataka provides subsidies of up to 25% on capital expenditure for clean mobility projects.
• Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts are eligible for a 20%
• Karnataka plans to develop clean mobility clusters in Gauribidanur, Dharwad, and
• The policy aims to set up 2,600 new EV charging stations, complementing the 5,403 existing stations, and supporting over 2.5 lakh registered electric vehicles.
• With a focus on strengthening its position in the electric vehicle (EV) sector, the state plans to become a hub for clean mobility innovation in Asia.