Daily Current Affairs 2025  

18/10/2025

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CA-18/10/2025

 
Why in news?

• The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the cut-off date for entry under the CAA to December 31, 2024, from the original December 31, 2014 cutoff.
• This new exemption order, issued under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025,
• It provides relief mostly targeting communities such as the Matua community in Bengal, addressing their long-standing demand for citizenship recognition

Key facts about CAA

• Passed on December 11, 2019, amended the Citizenship Act, 1955.
• Accelerated citizenship pathway for non-Muslim refugees (Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi, Christian) from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan who arrived by 2014.
• Reduced naturalization residency requirement from 12 to 6 years for these groups.
• Excludes Muslims and Sri Lankan Tamil refugees.
• Does not apply in certain northeastern tribal and inner line permit areas.
• Implementation began in 2024 with guidelines for documentation and language proficiency.
• Criticized for religious discrimination and inconsistency with India’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.

 
 
   
Why in news?

• Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki in Indonesia erupted on October 15, 2025, sending volcanic ash approximately 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) into the atmosphere.
• The eruption lasted about nine minutes and was preceded by another eruption a few hours earlier. 

About

• Mount Lewotobi is a twin volcano located on the island of Flores in Indonesia,
• It consisting of two stratovolcano peaks: Lewotobi Laki-laki (Male Lewotobi) and Lewotobi Perempuan (Female Lewotobi) with just 2 kilometers apart
• The volcanoes are formed by the subduction of the Indo-Australian Plate beneath the Eurasian Plate, situated in the Pacific "Ring of Fire".

• Cultural significance: Viewed as a symbolic pair (husband and wife).
• The volcano is part of the Lesser Sunda Islands volcanic arc.

Lewotobi is known for its eruptive activity, with the more active Lewotobi Laki-laki having recorded at least 19 historic eruptions between 1675 and 1991, and recent eruptions as well. 
 

 
   
Why in news?
A recent study in highlights significant reductions in rotavirus-related gastroenteritis hospitalizations after the introduction of an indigenous rotavirus vaccine across the country, indicating progress in controlling viral gastroenteritis.

Causes of gastroenteritis

• Viral infection, with norovirus and rotavirus being prevalent agents.
• Bacteria such as Campylobacter and Escherichia coli, parasites, and chemical irritants can also cause gastroenteritis.
• It spreads via contaminated food or water, close contact with infected people.

Symptoms

• Inflammation of the stomach and intestines

• Diarrhea , vomiting, stomach cramps, and nausea.
• Fever, chills, muscle aches, headache.
• In children and vulnerable people, severe dehydration is a risk due to fluid loss.

Treatment and Prevention

• Most cases resolve without medical treatment; using oral rehydration solutions to prevent dehydration.
• Prevention focuses on hygiene measures such as frequent handwashing, avoiding contaminated food and water, and vaccination (rotavirus vaccine for children).
• Antibiotics are usually not needed except in specific bacterial infections with severe symptoms.

 
 
   
Why in news?
The State Mining Readiness Index (SMRI) was launched by the Ministry of Mines in 2025 as part of the Union Budget 2025-26 to benchmark Indian states on their efficiency and sustainability in managing non-coal mineral resources. 
 
Key Features of the State Mining Readiness Index

• Focuses on non-coal minerals including critical minerals important for industrial and green energy needs.
• Evaluates states on four performance indicators: auction transparency and efficiency, speed of starting mining operations, exploration investment, and sustainability in mining.
• Encourages healthy competition among states to improve mining governance.
• Tailors assessments to states’ mineral endowment to ensure fairness.

Significance

• Enhances transparency and accountability in mineral resource management.
• Serves as a reform benchmarking tool motivating states to improve mining policies.
• Facilitates sustainable mining practices supporting environmental and social responsibilities.
• Supports India’s strategic goals in mineral security and economic development.

State Categorization and Rankings

• Category A (Mineral-rich states): Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat topped this group.
• Category B (Moderate mineral resources): Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Assam led here.
• Category C (Limited mineral resources): Punjab, Uttarakhand, Tripura were top performers.

The top performers in 2025 include Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat in Category A; Goa, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam in Category B; and Punjab, Uttarakhand, and Tripura in Category C. 
 
 

   
Why in news?

• Recently, Bamboo Plantation Project launched in Mullagutta 2 village, Adilabad district, Telangana as part of the nationwide Green India Challenge (GIC)
• The project aims to support the Kolam tribe, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG), by restoring their traditional livelihoods centered around bamboo crafts.  

Features and significance of project

• The bamboo shortage in local forests has negatively impacted the Kolam's bamboo-based craft economy, forcing them to travel long distances to gather limited bamboo supplies.
• The project covers five acres of land donated by a Kolam community philanthropist, Tekam Rao Ji Patel, and aims to cultivate fast-growing bamboo species suited to the local environment.
• This will ensure a steady supply of bamboo, facilitating the revival of traditional crafts and providing sustainable employment opportunities for over 6,000 Kolam families.
• The initiative integrates ecological restoration with socio-economic empowerment, promoting carbon sequestration, soil stabilization, and biodiversity enhancement, while fostering tribal self-reliance and cultural preservation.
• It also includes training for bamboo production and product development, demonstrations for community agroforestry, and environmental awareness programs for local schools.

About Kolam tribe

• The Kolam tribe is primarily found in Madhya Pradesh, with significant populations also in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Classified as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG).
• Historically, the Kolam served as priests for the Gond tribe around the 12th century.
• They speak the Kolami language, which belongs to the Dravidian language family, and also commonly speak Marathi, Telugu, or Gondi.
• Their traditional occupation includes farming, shifting cultivation, forest work, hunting, and gathering forest produce.
• Kolam society is patrilineal and divided into clans, with clan exogamy (no marriage within the same clan).
• The Kolam have rich rituals and ceremonies like Matya, Bai-Baki, and Jaitur Pooja.

 
 
 
   
Why in news?
Recent data shows the SAA is expanding and intensifying, with the magnetic field weakening further, raising concerns about potential impacts on technological systems and natural phenomena.

About South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA)

• The SAA is a region over the South Atlantic Ocean and parts of South America where the Earth's magnetic field is significantly weaker than normal.?
• It occurs because the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to the surface here, at about 200 kilometers altitude, causing an increased flux of energetic charged particles in this area.?
• This weak magnetic field zone leads to higher exposure of satellites and spacecraft in low-Earth orbit to ionizing radiation, which can cause technical malfunctions and requires extra shielding (e.g., on the International Space Station).?
• The anomaly has been growing and intensifying, with the magnetic field weakening about 9% over the last 200 years and continuing to change its shape and location slowly.?
• The SAA is important scientifically as it provides clues about Earth's core processes and may be related to the long-term geomagnetic pole reversal where the north and south magnetic poles swap positions.?

The anomaly arises from complex geodynamic processes in Earth’s outer core, including the tilt of the magnetic axis and molten metal flow, causing a dip and distortion in the magnetic field.?
 
 
 
   
Why in news?

• The 8th Session of the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs (CCSCH) successfully concluded in Guwahati, Assam, India in October 2025.
• At this session, the committee finalized Codex standards for three spices: vanilla, large cardamom, and coriander.

Key points about the Codex Committee on Spices and Culinary Herbs

• CCSCH is a subsidiary committee under the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), which is a joint body of the FAO and WHO for food standards.

• It was established in July 2013 at the 36th CAC meeting in Rome, largely due to India's initiative and proposal.
• India hosts the committee and the Spices Board of India acts as its secretariat.
• The committee's mandate is to develop worldwide science-based standards for spices and culinary herbs in dried and dehydrated forms.
• The standards aim to protect consumer health, ensure fair trade practices, and facilitate international trade by harmonizing spice quality requirements globally.
• CCSCH has finalized standards for 19 spices so far, including pepper, turmeric, cumin, nutmeg, cardamom, saffron, vanilla, large cardamom, and coriander.

CCSCH promotes quality, safety, fair trade, and scientific rigor in spices and culinary herbs trade worldwide.
 
 

   
Why in news?

• Reserve Bank of India (RBI) launched a retail sandbox in October 2025 to allow fintech firms to develop and test CBDC solutions.
• The digital rupee is already in use, with about 7 million users as part of ongoing pilots that began in December 2022.
• The digital rupee works like digital cash, stored in secure wallets provided by banks.
• Currently, 15 banks including SBI, ICICI, and HDFC offer e? wallets downloadable from app stores.

Key Features and Benefits

• CBDCs are designed to be a digital legal tender, backed by the government, unlike private cryptocurrencies which are decentralized and not government-backed.
• Benefits include faster payments, reduced costs, improved transparency, and financial inclusion by providing a public digital money option.?

Privacy and Security Considerations

• While CBDCs can enhance control over personal data and security, there are concerns about potential privacy risks if data is concentrated centrally, making it a target for cyberattacks.?
• Central banks are actively working on balancing privacy with regulatory needs like preventing money laundering and fraud.

Global Context

• Globally, 114 countries are exploring CBDCs, with 81 central banks actively engaged in development or pilot phases.
• Only a few countries like the Bahamas, Nigeria, Jamaica, and Zimbabwe have fully launched their retail CBDCs by 2025.

 

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