About Ambazari Lake:

• It is located near the southwest border of Nagpur in Maharashtra.
• It is the oldest, largest, and one of the eleven lakes adorning the city.
• It was built in 1870 under the rule of the Bhonsle dynasty.
• It was constructed as a reservoir to supply water to Nagpur, and it played a crucial role in meeting the city’s water needs for over 30 years.
• The lake’s origins are tied to the Nag River, which flows from it.
• The name “Ambazari” is derived from the Marathi word “Amba,” meaning mango, as the lake is surrounded by mango trees.
• A well-maintained garden was developed beside Ambazari Lake in 1958.

About Saraswati Wildlife Sanctuary:

• Saraswati Wildlife Sanctuary, also known as the Seonsar Forest, is located in the districts of Kaithal and Kurukshetra, in Haryana.
• Culturally and ecologically significant, the sanctuary is tied to the mythical Saraswati River, believed to have flowed through the region.
• The sanctuary is also home to ancient archaeological remains, with bricks found here dating back to the Kushan and Gupta periods, suggesting the area was inhabited over 1,500 years ago.
• There is also a 400-year-old Water well made of small lakhauri bricks associated with the Mughal empire era.
• Flora: The forest is characterized by "Sub-group 5B tropical deciduous forest" vegetation, featuring dense clusters of Kikar, Neem, Shisham, and Peepal trees.
• Fauna:
  • It is a critical habitat for a variety of wildlife, including the Blue Bull (Nilgai), Wild Boar, Spotted Deer, and the rare Hog Deer.
  • It hosts over 250 species of resident and migratory birds, especially during the winter months.

About Bismarck Sea:

• It is a part of the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
• It is bounded to the southwest by the northeast coast of Papua New Guinea and to the northwest through to the southeast by the Bismarck Archipelago, consisting of the Admiralty Islands (north), New Ireland (east), and New Britain (southeast).
• It opens to the Pacific on the north and to the Solomon Sea on the southeast through the Vitiaz and Dampier straits and St. George’s Channel.
• The basin, with a general depth of 2,000 meters and maximum depths approaching 2,500 meters, is divided by a central ridge into the eastern New Ireland and western New Guinea sections.
• The sea was under German control from about 1885 until 1914 and bears the name of the German statesman Otto von Bismarck.
• During World War II, it was the site of many important naval battles between the Allied Forces and Japanese troops.
• The Battle of the Bismarck Sea in March 1943 was a significant event where Allied forces stopped a Japanese convoy.
• Today, the area is explored by historians and divers looking for sunken ships and airplanes.

About Daishoin Temple:

• It is a Buddhist temple of the Shingon School located on Miyajima Island in the Chugoku region of Japan.
• It lies at the base of Mount Misen, the tallest mountain on Miyajima.
• It was founded by Kobo Daishi in 806 on his return from China following gumonji-ho, a 100-day Buddhist training.
• Its vast grounds are covered in multiple unique halls, structures, and statues.

Key Facts about Miyajima Island:

• Miyajima, also known as Itsukushima, is a small island located in the Seto Inland Sea off the coast of Japan.
• Hiroshima is the nearest major city.
• It is famous for its “floating” red torii gate that appears to stand on water during high tide.

Itsukushima Shrine:

• _{Constructed around 1168 C.E., it is the center of activity on the island of Miyajima.}

• _{This shrine is unique in that it is built over water.}

• _{Each of the buildings — the main hall, the prayer hall, and the Noh theater — are supported by stilts and connected by boardwalks over the water.}

• _{It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.}

About Indian Skimmer:

• The Indian skimmer, also known as the Indian scissor-bill, is a specialised riverine bird species.
• It is known for its unique feeding behaviour of flying low over water and skimming the surface with its elongated lower mandible to catch fish.
• Scientific Name: Rynchops albicollis
• Habitat and Distribution:
  • It was formerly widely distributed across the Indian subcontinent but it is presently confined only to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Myanmar.
  • The species primarily inhabits large, sandy, lowland rivers, lakes, and adjacent marshes.
  • During the non-breeding season, it is found in estuaries and coastal areas.
  • Most breeding colonies are now confined to rivers such as the Chambal, Ganges, Yamuna, Mahanadi, and Son, with additional records from Pong Dam in Himachal Pradesh and the Tawa Reservoir in Madhya Pradesh.
  • It is recognised as an indicator species of healthy riverine ecosystems.
• Features:
  • It is easily identifiable by its drooping, bright orange bill, where the lower mandible extends farther than the upper.
  • It has a distinctive black cap, black mantle, and black wings, which contrast sharply with its white underparts.
  • In flight, it displays a white trailing edge on its wings and a short, forked tail with blackish central feathers.
• Conservation Status:
  • IUCN Red List: Endangered

About Muga silk:

• It is known as the "golden silk" of Assam.
• It is a rare and prestigious textile from the Brahmaputra Valley.
  • It is obtained from semi-domesticated multivoltine silkworm, Antheraea assamensis. These silkworms feed on the aromatic leaves of Som and Soalu plants and are reared on trees similar to that of tasar.
• It is valued for its natural golden hue, durability and eco-friendly production without artificial dyes.
• Muga culture is specific to the state of Assam and an integral part of the tradition and culture of that state.
• The muga silk, an high value product is used in products like sarees, mekhalas, chaddars, etc.
• It was received the Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2007.

Key Facts about Shirui Lily silk

• It draws its inspiration from the misty heights of Shirui Kashong peak in Manipur.
• It is inspired by the rare Shirui Lily, (a delicate bell-shaped flower with pale pinkish-white petals that blooms nowhere else in the world).
• For the Tangkhul Naga community of Manipur, the Shirui Lily symbolises purity, identity, and cultural pride.
• The lily also holds deep cultural resonance in Italy, where it has long symbolised purity, grace and artistic refinement, frequently appearing in Renaissance art.

About Kiwi Fruit:

• The Kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa also known as Chinese Gooseberry) is a small, edible, oval-shaped fruit.
• Appearance: It has fuzzy brown skin and bright green or golden flesh with edible black seeds.
• Required Climatic Conditions for Kiwi:
  • It grows well between 900 to 1600 m above mean sea level wherever the climate is warm and humid.
  • Rain: It requires a well distributed rainfall of about 150 cm for its growth.
  • Soil: Deep, rich, well-drained sandy loam soils are ideal for cultivation of kiwi.
  • It requires 700-800 chilling hours (no. of hours during which temperature remains at or below 70 C during the winter season).
• Nutritional Value: It is a rich source of vitamin B & C and minerals like phosphorus, potassium & calcium.
• Distribution: It is grown widely in New Zealand, Italy, USA, China, Japan, Australia, France, Chile and Spain.
• In India, it is mostly grown in Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh and Kerala.

About Cyprus:

• It is a Eurasian island country.
• Location: It is located in the extreme northeastern corner of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Anatolian peninsula.
• Neighbouring Countries: Turkey (North), Syria (East), and Lebanon (Southeast).
• It is a member of the European Union (EU).
• Capital City: Nicosia  
• Geographical Features of Cyprus:
  • It is the third largest Mediterranean island after Sicily and Sardinia.
  • Climate: Temperate and Mediterranean with dry summers and variably rainy winters. 
  • Major Cities: Limassol, Larnaca, Famagusta, and Paphos.
  • Mountain Ranges: Kyrenia and Troodos Mountains.
  • Highest Point: Mount Olympus (1,952 m).
  • Rivers: Pedieos is the longest river in Cyprus.
  • Natural Resources: It mainly consists of Copper, pyrites, asbestos, gypsum, timber, salt, marble, clay earth pigment.

About India-Africa Forum Summit:

• It is the highest apex institutional platform for dialogue and cooperation between India and African countries.
• It was established in 2008.
• Purpose: It aims to strengthen political dialogue, economic cooperation, trade, investment, technology transfer, capacity building and people-to-people relations between India and Africa.
• The Summit reflects a shared commitment to South–South cooperation, inclusive development, multilateralism and sustainable partnerships.
• The Summit has been held three times: IAFS-I in 2008 (New Delhi), IAFS-II in 2011 (Addis Ababa), and IAFS-III in 2015 (New Delhi).
• Objectives:
  • Strengthen diplomatic and strategic relations between India and African countries
  • Promote economic cooperation and increase bilateral trade and investment
  • Encourage technology transfer, innovation and industrialization
  • Enhance cooperation in health, agriculture, education and infrastructure
  • Support sustainable development and regional integration
  • Foster youth empowerment, entrepreneurship and skills development
  • Strengthen peace, security and maritime cooperation
  • Promote South–South cooperation and multilateral collaboration.