Poland Intercepts another Russian Plane over the Baltic Sea.

About Baltic Sea

• Situated in Northern Europe.
• Bordering countries: Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Finland, Estonia, Germany, Denmark, and Russia.
• Kiel Canal connects the North Sea to the Baltic Sea.
• Connected to the Atlantic Ocean through the Danish Straits.
• Often cited as the world’s largest brackish inland water body
  • As its water salinity levels are lower than that of the World Oceans due to the inflow of fresh water from the surrounding land and the sea’s shallowness.

India launched Exercise Trishul, a major tri-Service drill along western border with Pakistan across Gujarat and Rajasthan.

About Exercise Trishul

• Objective: To comprehend joint operational capability and strategic preparedness of the Indian Army, Navy, and the Air Force.
• The exercise will serve as a platform to demonstrate how indigenous defense systems are being integrated into India’s operational framework.

A recent study revealing distinct Red and Blue Doppler shifts confirms the presence of the Alfven waves in the Sun’s Corona.

About Alfven Waves

• They are magnetic waves that travel along the Sun’s magnetic field lines, causing the plasma to oscillate sideways.
• It occurs in a plasma state (or conducting fluid), resulting from the interaction of the magnetic fields and electric currents within it.
• They are believed to carry energy from the Sun’s surface into the corona, contributing to its extremely high temperatures.
• Significance:  Coronal heating, Solar Wind Acceleration, Improved Space Weather Forecasting etc.

The 43rd session of UNESCO’s General Conference named Lucknow as the Creative City of Gastronomy as part of its UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

• Second Indian city in this category after Hyderabad.
• Other Indian cities include: Gwalior (Music), Jaipur (Crafts & Folk Art), Chennai (Music), etc.

About UCCN

• Origin: Created in 2004 to strengthen cooperation with and among cities that have recognized creativity as a strategic factor of sustainable development.
• Covers 7 creative fields: Crafts & Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Music and Media Arts. 

World’s first-ever white Iberian Lynx was spotted in Spain.

About Iberian Lynx

• IUCN status: Vulnerable
• IUCN Green Status of Species: Largely Depleted.
• CITES: Appendix I 
• Habitat: Mosaic of dense scrub for shelter and open pasture for hunting.
  • Rabbit abundance is the essential component of Iberian lynx habitat.
• Behaviour: Mainly crepuscular (generally sleep during day) and nocturnal but can also be active at daytime.
• Major Threats: Rabbit population collapses, habitat loss and fragmentation, disease transmission, low genetic diversity, poaching etc.

2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was recently held in the South Korean city of Gyeongju.

About APEC (Secretariat: Singapore)

• Founded: In 1989
• Members: 21 economies (Australia, Canada, Chile, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the United States etc.)
  • India: Not a member (observer status).
• Objective: To build a dynamic and harmonious Asia-Pacific community by championing free and open trade and investment, promoting economic integration, cooperation, etc.

Chairperson to the EAC-PM says that India’s investment rate needs to rise to 34-35% to get 7% growth, which is largely financed through savings and foreign investment.

About Savings Rate

• It is the amount of GDP that is saved by households, businesses, and the government.
• Calculated as the difference between disposable income and final consumption expenditure.
• In 2024, India’s savings rate was 30.2% (as a percentage of GDP).