The Framework Agreement on the establishment of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA) has officially come into force, as announced by the Environment Ministry. The IBCA and its Secretariat have become a treaty-based, inter-governmental international organization and legal entity as of January 23. Five countries – Nicaragua, Eswatini, India, Somalia, and Liberia – have deposited…
The 13th edition of the joint military exercise ‘Ekuverin’ between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force began on February 2, 2025, in the Maldives. This bilateral annual exercise, named ‘Ekuverin’ which means ‘Friends’ in the Dhivehi language, is conducted alternately in India and the Maldives. The 2023 edition took place in Chaubatia,…
Bart De Wever has been sworn in as Belgium’s new prime minister on February 3, 2025, in an oath-taking ceremony before King Philippe at the Royal Palace. De Wever’s coalition government consists of five parties, with seven francophone ministers and seven Flemish ministers. The new government’s agenda focuses on budget reform, stricter migration policies, and…
Q.: Who won the Tata Steel Masters 2025 title on 2 Feb 2025 at Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands? A) D. GukeshB) Viswanathan AnandC) R. PraggnanandhaaD) Vincent Keymer Q.: How many consecutive budgets has Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented as of 2025? A) SixB) SevenC) EightD) Nine Q.: Up to what amount is no income tax…
Trisha Gongadi put out a sparkling all-round performance as a dominant India retained their U19 Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup title with a nine-wicket win over South Africa in the summit clash at the Bayuemas Oval on 2 Feb 2025. A stellar bowling performance, with the spinners taking nine wickets – three of which went…
On February 1, 2025, President Donald Trump imposed significant tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada, and China. The tariffs include a 25% increase on imports from Mexico and Canada, and a 10% increase on imports from China, citing issues such as illegal immigration and the smuggling of fentanyl as reasons for the decision. This move…
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2025 in Parliament on February 1, 2025. This was her eighth consecutive budget presentation, making her the first Finance Minister to achieve this milestone. Here are the main highlights of Budget 2025: Income Tax Reforms: No income tax payable up to ₹12 lakh under the new tax…
Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa clinched the prestigious Tata Steel Masters 2025 title by defeating World Champion D. Gukesh in a thrilling tiebreaker on 2 Feb 2025 at Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. This victory makes him the first Indian since Viswanathan Anand in 2006 to claim the prestigious title. The event ended dramatically, with both Gukesh…
Q.: Who was honoured with the BCCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Board’s annual gala in Mumbai on 1 February 2025? A) Ravi ShastriB) Farokh EngineerC) Sachin TendulkarD) Col. C.K. Nayudu Q.: Which state now has the maximum number of Ramsar sites in India as on February 2025? A) KeralaB) PunjabC) Tamil NaduD) Gujarat Q.:…
The Economic Survey, presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 31 Jan 2025, estimates India’s real GDP to grow by 6.4 percent in the financial year 2025, with growth likely ranging between 6.3 and 6.8 percent in FY 2026. The survey highlights that the fundamentals of the domestic economy remain robust, with steady growth…
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidelines recommending the switch from regular table salt to potassium-enriched salt substitutes as part of efforts to combat hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases. The WHO’s mission to lower sodium intake stems from extensive research highlighting the health risks posed by excess sodium consumption. Excess sodium can lead…
The Centre has announced the addition of four new Ramsar sites in India, taking the total to 89. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change shared this news ahead of World Wetlands Day, stating that the new sites include Sakkarakottai Bird Sanctuary and Therthangal Bird Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Khecheopalri Wetland in Sikkim, and…
Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been honoured with the BCCI’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Board’s annual gala in Mumbai on 1 February 2025. Tendulkar, now 51, becomes the 31st recipient of this prestigious award, which was first introduced in 1994 to honor India’s inaugural cricket captain, Col. C.K. Nayudu. Throughout his illustrious career, Tendulkar…
Q.: When did the Budget session of Parliament begin in 2025? A) January 1, 2025B) January 31, 2025C) February 1, 2025D) February 10, 2025 Q.: Who addressed the joint sitting of both Houses at the beginning of the Budget session in 2025? A) Prime Minister Narendra ModiB) President Droupadi MurmuC) Finance Minister Nirmala SitharamanD) Speaker…
US President Donald Trump has announced plans to build a 30,000-bed migrant detention facility at the US Navy base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, separate from the existing high-security prison. The facility, managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), will house migrants, including those intercepted at sea, whom Trump referred to as the “worst criminal illegal…
The New Delhi World Book Fair 2025 will begin on February 1 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The theme of this year’s fair is “We the People of India,” marking 75 years of the Republic of India. The nine-day event will be inaugurated by President Droupadi Murmu. Yuvraj Malik, Director of the National Book…
The Budget session of Parliament began on January 31, 2025, with President Droupadi Murmu addressing a joint sitting of both Houses. Following this, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the Economic Survey when both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha meet briefly. On February 1, 2025, she will present the Union Budget for 2025-26. The…
Q.: On which occasion did over seven crore devotees take a holy dip in the Sangam at Prayagraj on January 29, 2025? A. Makar SankrantiB. Mauni AmavasyaC. Basant PanchamiD. Kartik Purnima Q.: What is the purpose of the Beating Retreat ceremony held at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on January 29, 2025? A. To celebrate…
Uttar Pradesh’s tableau titled ‘Mahakumbh 2025 – Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas’ won the best tableau award at the Republic Day Parade on January 26 at Kartavya Path, New Delhi. Tripura’s tableau themed ‘Eternal Reverence: The worship of 14 Deities in Tripura – Kharchi Puja’ secured the second place. Andhra Pradesh’s tableau depicting ‘Etikoppaka Bommalu…
The Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on January 29, 2025, marked the conclusion of the Republic Day celebrations. Held at sunset, the ceremony featured captivating performances by the bands of the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Delhi Police, and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF). The event was attended by dignitaries including…
On January 29, 2025, over seven crore devotees took a holy dip in the Sangam at Prayagraj during Mauni Amavasya. Following their dip in the Triveni Sangam, devotees performed rituals and offered prayers. The Maha Kumbh Mela, which began on January 13, has seen more than 26 crore devotees take a holy dip so far….
Q.: What is the theme of the 38th National Games inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in in Dehradun on January 28, 2025? A. Unity in DiversityB. Digital IndiaC. Green GamesD. Sports for All Q. Who has been conferred with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024? (A) Virat…
On January 29, 2025, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) successfully launched the NVS-02 satellite from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota. This mission, conducted using the GSLV-F15 rocket, marks ISRO’s 100th launch from Sriharikota. The NVS-02 satellite is part of the Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC) system, aimed at enhancing India’s space-based navigation…
Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah has been honored with the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year 2024, recognizing his exceptional performance across all cricket formats. Bumrah becomes the first Indian pacer to win this award, joining an elite list of Indian cricketers that includes Rahul Dravid (2004), Sachin Tendulkar (2010), Ravichandran…
Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 38th National Games in Dehradun on January 28, 2025. The event, held at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium, marks the 25th anniversary of Uttarakhand’s formation and features over 10,000 athletes from across India. The theme for this year’s games is “Green Games,” emphasizing sustainability with eco-friendly medals and…
Q.: Who has been crowned the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year for performance in 2024? A) Laura WolvaardtB) Tammy BeaumontC) Smriti MandhanaD) Hayley Matthews Q.: Who was honoured with the Padma Shri in 2025 for transforming apple cultivation in India? A) Hariman SharmaB) M.S. SwaminathanC) Subhash PalekarD) Rajendra Singh Q.: Who was named…
On January 27, 2025, the RBI announced a plan to inject Rs 1.1 lakh crore into the banking system via open market purchases of securities, a variable rate repo auction, and a $5 billion dollar-rupee swap auction. The RBI will purchase Rs 60,000 crore in government securities in three tranches (Jan 30, Feb 13, Feb…
Jasprit Bumrah has been awarded the ICC Men’s Test Cricketer of the Year 2024 for his outstanding performance. He took an astonishing 71 wickets while bowling 357 overs in 13 matches, at an average of 14.92 in 2024. Renowned for his yorkers and consistency, Bumrah was instrumental in India’s success across formats, including the ODI…
Hariman Sharma, a farmer from Himachal Pradesh, received the Padma Shri for his revolutionary contribution to Indian agriculture. He developed HRMN-99, a self-pollinating, low-chilling apple variety, enabling apple cultivation in tropical and sub-tropical regions with temperatures up to 40-45°C. The innovation expanded apple farming across 29 Indian states and Union Territories, improving accessibility and affordability….
India’s opener and vice-captain, Smriti Mandhana, has been named the ICC Women’s ODI Cricketer of the Year 2024 for her exceptional performance. She scored a career-best 747 runs in 13 innings, leading the Women’s ODI run charts, surpassing players Laura Wolvaardt (697), Tammy Beaumont (554), and Hayley Matthews (469). This is her third ICC recognition,…