Daily Current Affairs 2025  

24/10/2025

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CA-24/10/2025

Why in news?

• Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary in Chhattisgarh has successfully revived its blackbuck population after being locally extinct for about 50 years.
• Under a five-year reintroduction program launched in 2018 and continuing through 2026, the Chhattisgarh Forest Department translocated 77 blackbucks from zoos to the sanctuary. 

Key points

• Barnawapara Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, India. 
• Blackbuck went locally extinct by the 1970s due to poaching and habitat loss.
• The revival plan (2021-2026) included soft release and close monitoring.
• Current population is around 190 blackbucks.
• The sanctuary hosts other fauna like tigers, leopards, Indian bison, and around 150 bird species.
• It covers approx. 245 sq. km in the Raipur/Mahasamund region with deciduous forest cover.
• The blackbuck is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• The sanctuary lies near the tributaries of the Mahanadi River, with the Balamdehi River forming its western boundary and the Jonk River the northeastern boundary.

  Why in news?

• The Hyunmoo-5 is a powerful ballistic missile developed by South Korea, ready to be deployed by the end of 2025. It is a large "monster missile," weighing about 36 tonnes and measuring approximately 16 meters in length.
• It is central to South Korea's Korean Massive Punishment and Retaliation (KMPR) strategy, which aims to deter North Korean aggression through credible conventional deterrence without using nuclear weapons. 

Key Features and Specifications:

• Type: Ballistic missile (surface-to-surface)?
• Weight: Approximately 36 tonnes (about the weight of a heavy truck)?
• Length: Roughly 16 meters (about 52.5 feet)?
• Warhead: Capable of carrying an 8-tonne bunker-buster warhead designed to penetrate underground fortifications?
• Range: Varies from 600 km to over 5,000 km depending on payload, with some estimates suggesting up to 3,500 km or more?
• Speed: The missile can reach speeds close to Mach 10 during its descent phase?
• Purpose: Designed for deep penetration strikes on underground targets, including fortified bunkers and underground command centers

Countering North Korea: 

• The Hyunmoo-5 is a non-nuclear weapon designed to provide Seoul with a powerful conventional deterrent against North Korea's nuclear threats and to target its underground facilities.

Strategic significance: 

• Its deployment marks a major upgrade in South Korea's conventional arsenal and demonstrates a shift toward greater military autonomy.

  Why in news?
The Indian Railways has implemented an AI-enabled Intrusion Detection System (IDS) to prevent train-elephant collisions.
 
Key points

• It uses Distributed Acoustic Sensors (DAS) based on fiber optic technology to detect elephant movements within a radius of about 30 meters from the tracks.
• Upon detection, real-time alerts are sent instantly to loco pilots, station masters, and control rooms for preventive action.
• The system can cover track stretches up to 60 km in length and provides precise geo-location of wildlife presence.
• Besides elephant detection, the IDS helps in early detection of rail fractures, trespassing, unauthorized digging, and landslides.
• The system is operational on about 141 km in the Northeast Frontier Railway and is being expanded to cover over 1100 km across East Coast, South Eastern, and other railways.
• The project has an investment of around Rs 208 crore and reflects Indian Railways' commitment to wildlife protection and safety.

The IDS has successfully reduced elephant casualties and earned accolades for its effective application.




  Why in news?

• The Sevilla Forum on Debt is a new global platform launched on October 22, 2025, at the 16th United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD16) in Geneva. 
• It is a Spanish-led initiative supported by UNCTAD and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

Key Points of Sevilla Forum on Debt

• Objective: Create an open, inclusive platform for dialogue and coordinated action on sovereign debt reform, involving governments, creditors, international financial institutions, civil society, academics, and experts.
• Support to Sevilla Commitment: The forum supports the Sevilla Commitment from the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) which provides a roadmap to strengthen development financing and promote responsible borrowing and lending.
• Debt Architecture Reform: Pushes for reforms in the global debt architecture to make debt restructuring fairer, more predictable, and development-focused.
• Political and Technical Focus: Sustains political attention on debt issues while developing technical solutions for responsible borrowing, lending, and fair debt governance.
• Debt Burden of Developing Countries: Highlights that developing countries spend a large part of their revenue servicing debt, often more than on health or education, thus limiting sustainable development.
• Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Acts as a bridge between borrowers and creditors and promotes candid discussions, monitoring implementation of agreed initiatives, and fostering innovative solutions including debt-climate swaps.
• Global Financial Stability: Aims to prevent destabilizing effects of unsustainable debt on regions, trade, investment, and climate action.

The forum represents one of the initial tangible outcomes of FfD4 to translate political commitments into institutional mechanisms for fairer debt governance and financial justice for developing nations.?




 
Why in news?
More than 60 people, primarily children, were hospitalized in Bhopal following severe injuries sustained from the use of makeshift “calcium carbide guns” during Diwali celebrations.

About Calcium Carbide

• Calcium carbide (CaC2) is a chemical compound primarily used industrially for producing acetylene gas (C2H2) and calcium cyanamide.
• It appears as gray or brown lumps or crystalline powder with a garlic-like odor.
• Pure calcium carbide itself is colorless and crystalline.
• It is produced industrially by heating a mixture of coke (carbon) and lime (calcium oxide) in an electric furnace at high temperatures around 2200 °C.
• Manufacture of acetylene gas for welding and cutting metals.
• Steelmaking and metal desulfurization.
• Production of chemicals including calcium cyanamide used as fertilizer.
• Fruit ripening agent (though with health concerns).
• Catalyst in organic synthesis and waste rubber degradation.

Key properties:

• Chemical formula: CaC2
• Molar mass: 64.1 g/mol
• Melting point: About 2160 °C
• Boiling point: About 2300 °C
• Density: ~2.22 g/cm³

Calcium Carbide Health Impacts

• Causes stomach irritation leading to abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Erodes stomach mucosa and disrupts intestinal function.
• Inhalation of acetylene gas irritates the respiratory system, causing coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath.
• High exposure may result in pulmonary edema (fluid in lungs).
• Prolonged hypoxia from acetylene gas causes headaches, dizziness, confusion, and memory loss.
• Severe cases can lead to cerebral edema and seizures.
• Direct contact causes skin irritation, rashes, burns, and eye damage.
• Arsenic in calcium carbide increases risk of skin, lung, liver, and bladder cancers.
• Long-term exposure damages the liver and kidneys.
• Chronic exposure leads to neurological disorders and cognitive impairment.
• Continuous inhalation can result in chronic bronchitis and permanent lung damage.

 
Why in news?
The fibromyalgia research and treatment in 2025 reveal significant progress in understanding and managing this chronic pain condition.
Fibromyalgia condition is often misunderstood, but it is real and is believed to affect 2 to 3% of the population globally.
About

• Fibromyalgia is a long-term condition characterized by widespread body pain accompanied by fatigue, sleep problems, and difficulties with memory and mood.
• It likely results from the brain and spinal cord processing pain signals abnormally, increasing sensitivity to pain.

Symptoms

• Widespread pain affecting both sides of the body and above and below the waist
• Fatigue and unrefreshing sleep, often disrupted by other sleep disorders
• Cognitive difficulties termed "fibro fog" (issues with concentration and memory)
• Associated issues like headaches, TMJ disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression

Causes

• Abnormal central nervous system processing of pain signals (central sensitization)
• Combination of genetic predisposition and triggers such as injury, infection, emotional stress
• Not caused by soft tissue damage or typical inflammation

Treatment

• No cure exists; management focuses on symptom relief
• Medications like duloxetine, milnacipran, pregabalin, and amitriptyline can help some
• Non-drug therapies include regular aerobic and strengthening exercises, cognitive behavioral therapy, stress management, and improving sleep quality
• NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and opioids are generally not effective for fibromyalgia pain

A new FDA-approved drug called Tonmya (sublingual cyclobenzaprine) was authorized in August 2025 for adults with fibromyalgia. It has shown good tolerance and significant reduction in daily pain in clinical trials, with fewer side effects compared to previous treatments.? Why in news?
Kashmir has recently opened Asia's largest chrysanthemum garden called Bagh-e-Gul-e-Dawood, located in the Nehru Memorial Botanical Garden in Srinagar. 
 
About

• Chrysanthemum, often called "mums" or "chrysanths," is a genus of perennial herbaceous flowering plants in the Asteraceae family.
• They bloom in autumn and are native mainly to East Asia and northeastern Europe, with the highest diversity found in China.
• It is widely cultivated for ornamental purposes, known for its beautiful blooms in various colors such as white, yellow, cream, pink, lavender, purple, and red.?
• The plant typically grows 2 to 3 feet tall and blooms in late summer and fall, triggered by shorter day lengths, making it a short-day plant.?
• It can be grown both indoors and outdoors, requiring full sunlight, well-drained fertile soil, and good air circulation for optimal growth.?
• Chrysanthemums have important economic uses as ornamental plants, medicinal applications (treating hypertension, fever, headaches, and inflammation), and insecticidal properties.?
• Some common varieties include Ruby Mound (early bloom, maroon-red flowers), Patriot (mid to late season, ivory white pom pom flowers), and Tripoli (late bloom, pink daisy-like flowers).?

Chrysanthemums symbolize different meanings in various cultures—yellow for friendship and joy, red for deep love, pink for royalty and longevity, violet for recovery, and white for loyalty or funerals depending on the culture.
 
 
 

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