Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 25th April 2026

Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary:

The Chhattisgarh government is set to launch a new jungle safari in the Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary soon.

• Bhoramdeo Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as Bhoramdev Wildlife Sanctuary, is located in the Kabirdham district of Chhattisgarh.
• It is part of the larger Maikal range of the Satpura hills, which is known for its unique ecosystem.
• It is part of the Kanha-Achanakmar Corridor, which connects Kanha National Park in Madhya Pradesh with Achanakmar Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh.
• Named after the famous Bhoramdeo Temple situated nearby, the sanctuary covers an area of approximately 352 sq.km.
• Bhoramdeo Temple, an ancient temple complex dating back to the 7th to 11th centuries, was built by the Nagvanshi dynasty.
• The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is often referred to as the “Khajuraho of Chhattisgarh,”.
• The sanctuary’s terrain is characterized by undulating hills, dense forests, and numerous streams.
• The region surrounding Bhoramdev Wildlife Sanctuary is inhabited by various tribal communities, including the Baiga, Gond, and Kanwar tribes.
• This wildlife sanctuary is the origin of the Fen and Sankari rivers.
• The sanctuary’s diverse ecosystem includes tropical moist and dry deciduous forests.
• Flora: Lush forests of Saaj, Sal, Tendu, and Nilgiri trees.
• It is home to a variety of wildlife, including tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and various species of deer and birds.

Hindu Kush Himalaya: New Report

According to a new report by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region sees record 27% drop in snow persistence.

• It extends around 3,500 km over eight countries — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Myanmar, and Pakistan.
• It runs northeast to southwest and divides the valley of the Amu Darya (the ancient Oxus River) to the north from the Indus River valley to the south.
• It is considered the Third Pole(after the North and South Poles) and has significant implications for climate.
• The HKH forms the largest area of permanent ice cover outside of the North and South Poles and is home to 4 global biodiversity hotspots.
• The range has numerous high snow-capped peaks. Mount Everest (8,849 m) in Nepal is the highest peak in the entire HKH region, while Tirich Mir (7,708 m / 25,289 ft) in Chitral, Pakistan, is the highest peak of the Hindu Kush range itself.
• The HKH region is the source of ten large Asian river systems: the Amu Darya, Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irrawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtze, Yellow River, and Tarim.
• It contains diverse ecosystems which include glaciers, alpine meadows, forests, wetlands, and grasslands.
• HKH may be divided into three main sections: the eastern Hindu Kush, the central Hindu Kush, and the western Hindu Kush, also known as the Bābā Mountains.
• The inner valleys of the Hindu Kush see little rain and have desert vegetation.

Luzon Island:

China’s military recently said it conducted military drills including live-fire exercises in waters east of the Philippines’ Luzon Island.

• Luzon Island is the largest and most important island of the Philippines.
• It is found in the northern part of the country.
• More than half of the Filipino population lives on Luzon.
• Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, is located on this island.
• It is bounded by the Philippine Sea (east), Sibuyan Sea (south), and the South China Sea (west).
• To the north, the Luzon Strait separates Luzon from Taiwan.
• Luzon’s coastline, more than 5,000 km long, is indented by many fine bays and gulfs, including Lingayen Gulf and Manila Bay on the west and Lamon Bay and Lagonoy Gulf on the east.
• The important ranges are the Cordillera Central in the north; the Sierra Madre, following much of the east coast; and the Zambales Mountains on the central-western coast.
• Mount Pulag (2,930 metres) is the island’s highest peak.
• There are also famous volcanoes like Mount Mayon (known for its perfect cone shape) and Mount Pinatubo.
• Luzon has the largest lake in the Philippines, the Laguna de Bay.
• The major rivers are Cagayan, Abra, Agno, Pampanga, and Bicol.
• In addition to Manila, the main cities of Luzon are Quezon City, Pasay, Cabanatuan, Legaspi, Baguio, Batangas, and Laoag.
• Luzon leads the country both in industry (concentrated near Manila) and in agriculture (rice, corn [maize], coconuts, sugarcane, mangoes, bananas).

Wheat Crop : Study

The government clarified the current wheat production scenario of 2025-26 and said that the crop remains resilient despite weather variations.

• Wheat is the second most important staple food crop in India after rice.
• It is a temperate crop that thrives in cool and dry climates.
• It is primarily grown as a Rabi crop, meaning it is sown in the winter season and harvested in spring.
• Required climatic conditions for wheat cultivation
  • Temperature: A cool temperature (10°C to 15°C) during sowing and 21°C to 26°C during ripening ensures optimum growth and grain quality.
  • Rainfall: Wheat requires 50-75 cm of well-distributed rainfall.
  • Excessive rain or humidity during the ripening period can harm the crop, while drizzles brought by Western Disturbances in northwestern India during winter significantly improve yields.
  • Bright sunshine during ripening improves grain formation and quality.
  • Frost or hailstorms during the flowering stage can damage the crop severely.
  • It grows well in a clay loam or loam texture soil.
  • Major Wheat Producing Countries: China, India, Russia and the United States.
  • Major Wheat Producing States: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, and Haryana

Kanha Tiger Reserve : Tiger Monitoring Systems

Recent back-to-back cub deaths in Kanha put the spotlight on tiger monitoring systems.

• It is located in the “Maikal” ranges of the Satpuras in the state of Madhya Pradesh.
• It has an active corridor between Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves. Kanha is also connected with the Achanakmar Tiger Reserve of Chhattisgarh State.
• It is characterized mainly by forested shallow undulations, hills with varying degrees of slopes, plateaus, and valleys.
• The region is known for some of the ancient tribal communities, like the Gond and Baiga still inhabit the region.
• It is also the first tiger reserve in India to officially introduce a mascot, “Bhoorsingh the Barasingha”.
• It primarily consists of a moist Sal and moist mixed deciduous forest.
• Flora: Bamboo, Tendu, Sal, Jamun, Arjun, and Lendia flourish.
• The Park has a significant population of Royal Bengal Tigers, leopards, sloth bears, and Indian wild dogs.

Artemis Accords : In News

Jordan signed the Artemis Accords at NASA Headquarters.

• It was launched in 2020.
• The Artemis Accords are a non-binding set of principles designed to guide civil space exploration
• It provides a common set of principles to enhance the governance of the civil exploration and use of outer space.
• It was co-led by NASA and the U.S. Department of State, together with seven other founding member nations (Australia, Canada, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom).
• India is also a signatory to this accord.
• The principles of the Artemis Accords include
  • Peaceful exploration,
  • Full transparency in space activity, including public release of scientific data,
  • Interoperability of systems to enhance safety and sustainability,
  • Emergency assistance to personnel in distress,
  • Preserving outer space heritage,
  • Extracting and utilising space resources in compliance with the Outer Space Treaty, and
  • The safe disposal of orbital debris.

Malaria : Study

The World Health Organization announced that it had given prequalification approval to a malaria treatment for newborns and infants for the first time.

• Malaria is a life-threatening febrile illness caused by Plasmodium parasites.
• It is transmitted through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.
• It is not contagious, but can be spread through infected blood or contaminated needles.
• Risk: Infants, children under 5 years, pregnant women and girls, travellers and people with HIV or AIDS are at higher risk of severe infection.
• Symptoms appear 10–15 days after infection and include fever, chills, and headache.
• Severe symptoms can include seizures, difficulty breathing, jaundice, dark urine, and death if untreated.
• Prevention includes vector control, use of mosquito nets, repellents (DEET, IR3535, Icaridin), long-sleeved clothing, and chemoprophylaxis for travellers.
• Early diagnosis and treatment using microscopy or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are critical.
• Treatments include:
  • ACTs (Artemisinin-based Combination Therapies) for P. falciparum.
  • Chloroquine for P. vivax
  • Primaquine to prevent relapses in P. vivax and P. ovale infections.

RBI Cancels Paytm Payments Bank Licence:

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has cancelled the banking licence of the Paytm Payments Bank Limited and effectively ended the its ability to operate as a bank. This decision is comes after the years of regulatory concerns and the repeated non-compliance. The central bank has also announced that it will approach the High Court to wind-up the proceedings. This development marks the turning point for the country’s fintech ecosystem and also raises key questions about regulatory discipline.