Daily Current Affairs 2025  

13/10/2025

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CA-13/10/2025

 
About
The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is a small, nearly hairless rodent native to eastern Africa, particularly Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, and Djibouti. 
 
Key findings

• Naked mole rats live nearly 30 to 40 years, unusually long for their size, making them the longest-lived rodent species known.
• Researchers discovered four specific amino acid changes in the enzyme cGAS that in naked mole rats enhance DNA repair, which likely contributes to their longevity.
• This unique cGAS enzyme functionality in naked mole rats prevents the breakdown of DNA repair mechanisms, aiding genome stability and reducing aging and cancer risks.
• Studies showed removing cGAS in naked mole rat cells caused DNA damage to accumulate, confirming its key role in DNA repair.
• Experiments with genetically engineered fruit flies expressing naked mole rat cGAS mutations lived longer than those with normal human cGAS.
• Findings provide insights for potential human therapies to boost DNA repair and combat age-related diseases by mimicking naked mole rat biology.
• A first genetically engineered lung cancer model in naked mole rats revealed their cancer resistance and complexity of tumor development, reflecting human cancer dynamics.
• Understanding naked mole rat DNA repair and cancer resistance could lead to novel anti-aging and cancer treatments for humans.

 
 
   
Why in news?

• Maitri II Station is India's upcoming research station in Antarctica, approved recently by the government to replace the aging Maitri station.
• It is scheduled to be completed by January 2029 and will serve as India's fourth permanent research facility on the continent.

Key Features and Significance

• Size and Design: Maitri II will be larger than the original Maitri station, designed as a green, eco-friendly research base.
• Renewable Energy: It will utilize renewable energy sources such as solar power during the summer and wind energy harnessed from Antarctic winds.
• Advanced Technology: The station will be equipped with automated instruments to record and relay data to India, even when unmanned.
• Infrastructure: Upgraded living conditions, facilities, and improved sanitation are part of the new station's infrastructure plans.

Background and Context

• Existing Stations: India has been conducting research in Antarctica since 1981, with Maitri operational since 1989 and Bharati since 2012.
• Purpose: The station aims to strengthen India’s scientific presence, particularly in climate and environmental studies, with a focus on ice sheet research and ecological monitoring crucial for understanding sea-level rise.
• Location: Maitri II will be situated in eastern Antarctica, in a location that supports sustainable and continuous scientific research.

• The station will support India's long-term research initiatives, leveraging renewable energy technologies and automation to enhance resilience and operational efficiency.

India’s other research bases

• Antarctica: Dakshin Gangotri (first base in Antarctica), operated for a few years. Bharati which is operational since 2012.

• Arctic: Himadri Inaugurated in July 2008 is India's first permanent Arctic research station, located at Ny-Ålesund, Spitsbergen Island, Svalbard, Norway.

Maitri II represents a significant step forward in India's Antarctic research capabilities, emphasizing sustainable technology, advanced infrastructure, and strategic placement to further scientific exploration and climate studies in Antarctica.
 
 
   
About

• Chowna Buku Chulu is a newly discovered species of Begonia found in Basar in the Leparada district of Arunachal Pradesh.
• It is notable for its vibrant sparkling red leaves and has been named "Chowna Buku Chulu (Aryarakta)," which means "Noble Red."
• This name honors the Deputy Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh, Chowna Mein, for his contributions to horticulture development and research in the state.
• The species belongs to the Begoniaceae family and holds significant ornamental and commercial potential due to its striking red foliage.
• The discovery highlights Arunachal Pradesh's rich biodiversity and the importance of promoting indigenous plant species names alongside scientific classification.

 
 
   
Fomoflation is a term used to describe a type of inflation caused primarily by consumer behavior and market psychology, rather than traditional macroeconomic factors.
 
Key Features of Fomoflation

• It arises from behavioral psychology and social influences, often amplified by social media.
• It triggers a cycle of panic buying and artificial demand, prompting prices to surge faster than supply or underlying economic conditions would allow.
• Examples include sudden demand spikes for staples like pulses and cooking oil during festive seasons due to media reports about shortages or price hikes.
• An illustrative recent instance was when the U.S. increased the visa fee to $100,000, which led to panic-driven demand and price surges in ticketing.

Unlike regular inflation driven by macroeconomic factors like interest rates, currency exchange, or production costs, fomoflation is psychological and driven by herd behavior, perceptions, and fear, often intensified by social media and news reports.
 
 
   
Why in news?
Exercise AUSTRAHIND is an annual joint military exercise conducted between India and Australia. The fourth edition, AUSTRAHIND 2025, is taking place in Perth, Australia, from October 13 to October 26, 2025.
 
Key points about Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2025

• The Indian Army contingent consists of 120 personnel led by a Battalion of Gorkha Rifles, along with other arms and services.
• Exercise aims to improve interoperability and provide a platform for exchanging tactics, techniques, and procedures in sub-conventional warfare, especially in urban and semi-urban terrain.
• Focus areas include joint company-level operations in open and semi-desert terrain, joint planning, tactical drills, special arms skills, and use of emerging technologies.
• Activities include joint tactical drills, mock combat scenarios, urban warfare simulations, and sessions on joint planning and situational response.
• It helps hone operational capabilities, improve combat readiness, and foster camaraderie between Indian and Australian troops.

The exercise supports the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and aligns with regional security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
 

 
   
Why in news?
The project has reached significant construction milestones completed 10 lakh cubic meters of dam concreting out of the targeted 12 lakh cubic meters, marking a critical step towards completion.
 
Features

• The Kiru project is a 624 MW run-of-river hydroelectric power project on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir.
• It involves construction of a 135-meter-high concrete gravity dam near Kiru village.
• It is situated between the Kirthai II hydroelectric project upstream and the Kwar project downstream.
• Developed as a joint venture by Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited, comprising NHPC, Jammu & Kashmir State Power Development Corporation, and Power Trading Corporation.
• Estimated cost: approximately Rs 4,287 crore.

Significance:

• The project addresses the energy deficiency in Northern India, providing power to rural and remote areas.
• It helps reduce dependency on alternative energy sources and supports the power grid.

Part of broader efforts to boost renewable energy infrastructure and hydroelectric capacity in the Chenab basin and northern India.
 
 
   
Why in news?
The "Fare Se Fursat" scheme is a new fixed airfare initiative launched by the Government of India through its regional airline Alliance Air.
 
Key points of the Fare Se Fursat scheme:

• It's a pilot project running from October 13, 2025, to December 31, 2025, on selected routes.
• Passengers get the benefit of a fixed airfare, whether they book months in advance or just before the flight.
• The scheme aims to make air travel more affordable and accessible, especially for passengers from tier-2 and tier-3 cities.
• It aligns with the vision of the UDAN scheme, which promotes regional connectivity and affordable flying for all citizens.
• The scheme targets middle, lower-middle, and new middle-class passengers who often avoid air travel due to fluctuating prices.

The initiative was launched by the Ministry of Civil Aviation is intended to reduce the stress associated with airfare volatility, thereby encouraging more people to travel by air.
 
 
   
Why in news?
LEAPS 2025 is the Logistics Excellence, Advancement, and Performance Shield initiative launched by the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Union Ministry of Commerce and Industry. 
 
Key points about LEAPS 2025:

• Flagship initiative by DPIIT to benchmark and reward logistics excellence in India.
• Covers various logistics players including MSMEs and startups.
• Focus on sustainability, green logistics, and ESG practices.
• Encourages collaboration among government, industry, and academia.
• Aligns with PM GatiShakti and National Logistics Policy 2022.
• 13 award categories across core logistics, MSMEs, startups, institutions, and special categories.
• Deadline for applications: November 15, 2025.

LEAPS 2025 aligns with the National Logistics Policy and PM GatiShakti vision, aiming to strengthen India's global competitiveness and support Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat objectives.
 
 
   
About

• Launched by the Logistics Division, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry under the PM GatiShakti Programme.
• A digital platform for integrated planning and management of offshore development.
• Provides a unified geospatial interface consolidating critical datasets from multiple government ministries and departments.
• Supports projects like offshore wind farms, marine resource exploration, and coastal infrastructure development.
• Aims to strengthen India’s Blue Economy and promote green energy and sustainable coastal growth.
• Integrates data from key ministries such as New and Renewable Energy, Environment, Petroleum, Ports, Fisheries, Mines, Power, and Telecommunications.
• Enables multi-layered analysis, e.g., in planning subsea power transmission routes while avoiding environmentally sensitive areas.

Supports India’s vision for balanced Blue Economy growth and Viksit Bharat by 2047.
 
 
   
Why in news?

• The NHIS is a first-ever pan-India household income survey planned by Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) and scheduled to be launched in February 2026.
• It aims to collect comprehensive data on household incomes, sources of income, expenditure patterns, and living conditions across the country.
• This survey is designed to fill a significant data gap in India’s socio-economic statistics and enable detailed inter-personal income comparisons and analysis of income distribution and poverty.

Key details about NHIS 2026:

• It will cover incomes from salaried employment, casual labor, self-employment, pensions, remittances, stipends, gratuity, and income from assets.
• The survey data will support rebasing the Consumer Price Index (CPI), preparation of National Accounts, and poverty and hardship analysis.
• A pre-testing exercise was conducted in August 2025 across multiple regional offices for questionnaire clarity and acceptability.
• This initiative will address historical challenges including income-consumption mismatch and provide insights on the impact of technology on wages and informal sector earnings.

The NHIS marks a historic step toward evidence-based income analysis and better understanding of income inequality and economic welfare in India.
 

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