CURRENT TOPICS in HIGHLIGHTS 21 TO 31 JANUARY 2025
CURRENT TOPICS in HIGHLIGHTS 21 TO 31 JANUARY 2025
1. India's Performance in Kho Kho
6. Kerala has launched the Kerala Warnings, Crisis, and Hazard Management System (KaWaCHaM) for real-time disaster alerts.
KaWaCHaM:
❖ It is developed by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) with support from the
National Disaster Management Authority and the World Bank.
❖ It offers hazard assessment, alert issuance, and threat-based action planning.
❖ Key features include:
❖ A network of siren-strobe light units.
❖ Emergency operation centers connected via Virtual Private Network (VPN).
❖ Decision support software and a large data center.
7. Atmospheric CO2 levels reached a record high in 2024, driven by wildfires and human
activities, as reported by the Keeling Curve.
Keeling Curve:
❖It is a graph that represents the concentration of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere over time,
measured in parts per million (ppm).
❖Continuous measurements began in 1958 at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.
❖Developed by: Charles David Keeling
❖Significance: It is one of the most iconic indicators of global atmospheric change.
8. Recent ceasefire terms between Israel and Hamas also stipulate Israel’s withdrawal from the
Philadelphi Corridor.
❖Corridor was originally established under the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
❖It is a narrow strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border, ~14 km long and 100 meters wide.
❖It serves as a critical border area between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt's Sinai
Peninsula.
9. National Tourism Day
Observed on: 25 January
2025
• Aim: to promote the tourism
industry and recognize its
contribution to the growth
and sustainability of tourist
destinations and local
communities.
10.National Voters Day
Observed on: 25 January 2024
• Aim: To mark the foundation day of
Election Commission of India, i.e.,
25th January 1950.
• Main purpose: to encourage,
facilitate and maximize enrolment,
especially for the new voter.
11. Indonesia's Amount Ibu erupted 1000 times this month.
The Ibu volcano is an active
stratovolcano located along
the NW coast of Halmahera
Island in Indonesia.
❖ Ibu's activities follow a series
of eruptions of different
volcanoes in Indonesia, which
sits on the Pacific "Ring of
Fire" and has 127 active
12. 7 Padma Vibhushan awardees for 2025:
* Sharda Sinha (Posthumously): Renowned folk singer from Bihar.
* Osamu Suzuki: Japanese business leader, former chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation.
* M T Vasudevan Nair: A prominent Malayalam writer, known for his novels, short stories, and screenplays.
* Sushil Kumar Modi (Posthumously): Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, recognized for his contributions to public affairs.
* Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy: A leading gastroenterologist, Chairman of AIG Hospitals.
* Dr. Anil Kakodkar: A distinguished nuclear scientist, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
* Kalyan Singh (Posthumously): Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, recognized for his contributions to public service.
13. The Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day in 2025 was H.E. Prabowo Subianto, the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
14. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), set up its 6th new regional office in Varanasi.
Inland Waterways Authority of India:
❖ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
❖ Origin: Statutory body established under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act (IWAI),
1985.
❖ Objective: Development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.
❖ Purpose: Undertakes projects for development & maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national
waterways through grants received from Ministry of Shipping.
15. Uttrakhand adopt uniform civil code, launch portal.
Uttarakhand became the first Indian State post-Independence to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which applies to all residents except Scheduled Tribes and natives who have migrated out of the State.
The UCC aims to provide uniformity in laws governing personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property rights.
16. DeepSeek's Al Model Innovations:
DeepSeek-R1: Claimed to be nearly 50 times cheaper to operate than OpenAl's GPT-4 for specific tasks.
DeepSeek-v3: Training cost under $6 million, utilizing Nvidia's H800 chips, significantly undercutting the billions spent by U.S. firms.
Al Assistant: DeepSeek's flagship model dethroned OpenAl's ChatGPT as the highest-rated free app on Apple's App Store.
Impact on Global Al Dynamics:
The launch has shifted the perception that Chinese Al models lag behind U.S. counterparts.
Signals a potential turning point in the competition between U.S. and Chinese Al firms.
President Trump described DeepSeek's emergence as a "wake-up call" for U.S. industries, emphasizing the need for competitive efficiency.
17.Recently, Vayu Sena Medal was awarded to officers for executing Operation Sankalp.
Operation Sankalp:
It was launched by Indian Navy to protect the maritime community from various non-traditional threats in the backdrop of Israel-Hamas conflict.
❖ It included three areas of operations: Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas, Arabian Sea and off the East Coast of Somalia.
During the operation, the Navy responded to a number of incidents saving lives, seizing narcotics, rescuing the hijack of merchant vessels, etc.
18. Martyrs' Day/Shaheed Diwas
Observed on: 30 January 2025
Aim: An honour of those who are recognised as martyrs for the nation.
➤ The date was chosen as it marks the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1948, by Nathuram Godse.
➤ The President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister on 30 January get together at the Rajghat to the Samadhi of the Mahatma Gandhi to pay honour by putting a garland of flowers to the statue of the Bapu.
India secured victories in both the men's and women's categories at the inaugural Kho Kho World Cup held in New Delhi.
Despite the achievement, the popularity of Kho Kho remains limited globally and even domestically.
India's Performance in Kho Kho:
India won both men's and women's titles, led by captains Pratik Waikar and Priyanka Ingle, respectively.
Limited Popularity:
Kho Kho, though rooted in Indian rural culture, has not gained widespread attention internationally or within India.
2. Olive Ridley Turtles
Smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
These turtles are carnivores
Best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada
Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea; also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle.
* Habitat:
Found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Odisha's Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world's largest rookery (colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
3. After the Supreme Court scrapped electoral bonds last year, political donations through electoral trusts surged.
Electoral Trusts:
❖ Electoral Trusts is governed by the Electoral Trusts Scheme, 2013 and Rule 17CA of the Income-tax
Rules 1962.
❖ Trusts are set up by companies to distribute donations from individuals and firms to political parties.
❖ Unlike electoral bonds, trusts must report donor and recipient details annually to the Election
Commission.
❖ Trusts must renew registration every three years.
4. Parakram Diwas
Observed on: 23 January
2025
• Aim: to celebrate Netaji's
birth anniversary to
inspire people of the
country, especially the
youth, to act with
fortitude when faced with
adversity.
5. National girl child day
Observed on: 24 January
2025
• Aim:
➢ Highlight the inequalities
faced by girls
➢ Promoting awareness
about the rights of the girl
child.
➢ To increase awareness on
the importance of girl
education, and their health
and nutrition.
Despite the achievement, the popularity of Kho Kho remains limited globally and even domestically.
India's Performance in Kho Kho:
India won both men's and women's titles, led by captains Pratik Waikar and Priyanka Ingle, respectively.
Limited Popularity:
Kho Kho, though rooted in Indian rural culture, has not gained widespread attention internationally or within India.
2. Olive Ridley Turtles
Smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
These turtles are carnivores
Best known for their unique mass nesting called Arribada
Scientific name: Lepidochelys olivacea; also known as the Pacific ridley sea turtle.
* Habitat:
Found in warm waters of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.
Odisha's Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary is known as the world's largest rookery (colony of breeding animals) of sea turtles.
3. After the Supreme Court scrapped electoral bonds last year, political donations through electoral trusts surged.
Electoral Trusts:
❖ Electoral Trusts is governed by the Electoral Trusts Scheme, 2013 and Rule 17CA of the Income-tax
Rules 1962.
❖ Trusts are set up by companies to distribute donations from individuals and firms to political parties.
❖ Unlike electoral bonds, trusts must report donor and recipient details annually to the Election
Commission.
❖ Trusts must renew registration every three years.
4. Parakram Diwas
Observed on: 23 January
2025
• Aim: to celebrate Netaji's
birth anniversary to
inspire people of the
country, especially the
youth, to act with
fortitude when faced with
adversity.
5. National girl child day
Observed on: 24 January
2025
• Aim:
➢ Highlight the inequalities
faced by girls
➢ Promoting awareness
about the rights of the girl
child.
➢ To increase awareness on
the importance of girl
education, and their health
and nutrition.
6. Kerala has launched the Kerala Warnings, Crisis, and Hazard Management System (KaWaCHaM) for real-time disaster alerts.
KaWaCHaM:
❖ It is developed by the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) with support from the
National Disaster Management Authority and the World Bank.
❖ It offers hazard assessment, alert issuance, and threat-based action planning.
❖ Key features include:
❖ A network of siren-strobe light units.
❖ Emergency operation centers connected via Virtual Private Network (VPN).
❖ Decision support software and a large data center.
7. Atmospheric CO2 levels reached a record high in 2024, driven by wildfires and human
activities, as reported by the Keeling Curve.
Keeling Curve:
❖It is a graph that represents the concentration of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere over time,
measured in parts per million (ppm).
❖Continuous measurements began in 1958 at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii.
❖Developed by: Charles David Keeling
❖Significance: It is one of the most iconic indicators of global atmospheric change.
8. Recent ceasefire terms between Israel and Hamas also stipulate Israel’s withdrawal from the
Philadelphi Corridor.
❖Corridor was originally established under the 1979 Israel-Egypt Peace Treaty.
❖It is a narrow strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border, ~14 km long and 100 meters wide.
❖It serves as a critical border area between the southern Gaza Strip and Egypt's Sinai
Peninsula.
9. National Tourism Day
Observed on: 25 January
2025
• Aim: to promote the tourism
industry and recognize its
contribution to the growth
and sustainability of tourist
destinations and local
communities.
10.National Voters Day
Observed on: 25 January 2024
• Aim: To mark the foundation day of
Election Commission of India, i.e.,
25th January 1950.
• Main purpose: to encourage,
facilitate and maximize enrolment,
especially for the new voter.
11. Indonesia's Amount Ibu erupted 1000 times this month.
The Ibu volcano is an active
stratovolcano located along
the NW coast of Halmahera
Island in Indonesia.
❖ Ibu's activities follow a series
of eruptions of different
volcanoes in Indonesia, which
sits on the Pacific "Ring of
Fire" and has 127 active
12. 7 Padma Vibhushan awardees for 2025:
* Sharda Sinha (Posthumously): Renowned folk singer from Bihar.
* Osamu Suzuki: Japanese business leader, former chairman of Suzuki Motor Corporation.
* M T Vasudevan Nair: A prominent Malayalam writer, known for his novels, short stories, and screenplays.
* Sushil Kumar Modi (Posthumously): Former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar, recognized for his contributions to public affairs.
* Duvvur Nageshwar Reddy: A leading gastroenterologist, Chairman of AIG Hospitals.
* Dr. Anil Kakodkar: A distinguished nuclear scientist, former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission.
* Kalyan Singh (Posthumously): Former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, recognized for his contributions to public service.
13. The Chief Guest for India's 76th Republic Day in 2025 was H.E. Prabowo Subianto, the President of the Republic of Indonesia.
14. Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI), set up its 6th new regional office in Varanasi.
Inland Waterways Authority of India:
❖ Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
❖ Origin: Statutory body established under the Inland Waterways Authority of India Act (IWAI),
1985.
❖ Objective: Development and regulation of inland waterways for shipping and navigation.
❖ Purpose: Undertakes projects for development & maintenance of IWT infrastructure on national
waterways through grants received from Ministry of Shipping.
15. Uttrakhand adopt uniform civil code, launch portal.
Uttarakhand became the first Indian State post-Independence to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which applies to all residents except Scheduled Tribes and natives who have migrated out of the State.
The UCC aims to provide uniformity in laws governing personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and property rights.
16. DeepSeek's Al Model Innovations:
DeepSeek-R1: Claimed to be nearly 50 times cheaper to operate than OpenAl's GPT-4 for specific tasks.
DeepSeek-v3: Training cost under $6 million, utilizing Nvidia's H800 chips, significantly undercutting the billions spent by U.S. firms.
Al Assistant: DeepSeek's flagship model dethroned OpenAl's ChatGPT as the highest-rated free app on Apple's App Store.
Impact on Global Al Dynamics:
The launch has shifted the perception that Chinese Al models lag behind U.S. counterparts.
Signals a potential turning point in the competition between U.S. and Chinese Al firms.
President Trump described DeepSeek's emergence as a "wake-up call" for U.S. industries, emphasizing the need for competitive efficiency.
17.Recently, Vayu Sena Medal was awarded to officers for executing Operation Sankalp.
Operation Sankalp:
It was launched by Indian Navy to protect the maritime community from various non-traditional threats in the backdrop of Israel-Hamas conflict.
❖ It included three areas of operations: Gulf of Aden and adjoining areas, Arabian Sea and off the East Coast of Somalia.
During the operation, the Navy responded to a number of incidents saving lives, seizing narcotics, rescuing the hijack of merchant vessels, etc.
18. Martyrs' Day/Shaheed Diwas
Observed on: 30 January 2025
Aim: An honour of those who are recognised as martyrs for the nation.
➤ The date was chosen as it marks the assassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi in 1948, by Nathuram Godse.
➤ The President, the Vice President, the Prime Minister and the Defense Minister on 30 January get together at the Rajghat to the Samadhi of the Mahatma Gandhi to pay honour by putting a garland of flowers to the statue of the Bapu.
टिप्पणियाँ
एक टिप्पणी भेजें