National News
Indian Peacekeepers Honoured for Dedicated Service by UNISFA
- Indian peacekeepers in the disputed Abyei region between Sudan and South Sudan were honored by UNISFA’s Acting Head of Mission, Maj Gen Robert Yaw Affram, recognizing their dedicated service.
- India remains the largest contributor to UN peacekeeping, with over 5,000 troops deployed worldwide and nearly 180 sacrifices made.
- This underscores India’s strong commitment to global peace, leadership, and gender parity in peace missions.
Cabinet Approves â‚ą24,634-Crore Railway Multitracking Projects Across Four States
- The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved four major railway multitracking projects worth â‚ą24,634 crore across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh, adding 894 route km to the Indian Railways network.
- These projects will increase freight capacity by 78 million tonnes annually, enhance passenger and goods connectivity, support industrial growth.
India Achieves Record Solar & Wind Generation in Early 2025
- India achieved record solar and wind power generation in H1 2025, cutting power sector emissions by 24 million tonnes, according to Ember. Solar output rose 25%, reaching 9.2% of total electricity, while wind power grew 29% to 5.1%.
- The surge was driven by slower electricity demand, falling renewable costs, and strong policy support—marking a major step in India’s clean energy transition.
India Launches 5 Species Projects During Wildlife Week 2025
- During Wildlife Week 2025, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav launched five major national species conservation projects in Dehradun under the theme “Human–Wildlife Coexistence.”
- These include Project Dolphin (Phase II), Project Sloth Bear, Project Gharial, a Centre of Excellence for Human–Wildlife Conflict Management, and the Tigers Outside Tiger Reserves Initiative.
- The event also saw the release of national population estimation programmes and a national hackathon showcasing AI tools for conflict mitigation.
- The initiatives emphasize community-driven, tech-enabled conservation and India’s commitment to biodiversity protection and coexistence.
State News
Manipur Celebrates Mera Hou Chongba Festival of Hill‑Valley Unity
- Manipur celebrates Mera Hou Chongba, a festival symbolizing Hill-Valley unity, with tribal village chiefs gathering at the Manipur Royal Palace in Imphal.
- Led by King Maharaja Sanajaoba Leishemba, the festival features a ritual march to Kangla, traditional ceremonies, exchange of gifts, cultural dances, and a grand feast.
- Held annually on the 15th lunar day of the Mera month, it is the only festival uniting all indigenous communities in Manipur, promoting communal harmony and brotherhood.
Eli Lilly to Invest $1 Billion in Telangana Pharma Hub
- US pharma giant Eli Lilly will invest $1 billion in Telangana to expand its manufacturing and global medicine supply capacity in Hyderabad.
- The investment follows the recent opening of Eli Lilly’s Global Capability Centre in the city and reflects the company’s confidence in Telangana’s favourable ecosystem, skilled workforce, infrastructure, and government support.
- The new facilities will focus on developing treatments for diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, cancer, and autoimmune diseases, enhancing Telangana’s role in the global pharma supply chain.
International News
Madagascar PM Shift: Army Named Amid Youth-Led Protests
- Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina has appointed army general Ruphin Fortunat Zafisambo as Prime Minister to restore order amid escalating youth-led protests over water shortages, corruption, and unemployment.
- The move, following the dismissal of the civilian cabinet, signals rising military influence, sparking fears of a coup.
- The Gen Z Mada protest movement has rejected the appointment and demanded Rajoelina’s resignation within 48 hours.
WHO Flags Teen Vaping Surge as Global Addiction Risk
- The WHO reports that 15 million teens aged 13-15 worldwide use e-cigarettes, with youths vaping nine times more than adults.
- This is part of over 100 million global vape users, including 86 million adults, mainly in high-income countries.
- While traditional tobacco use has declined, vaping is driving a new wave of nicotine addiction among youth, challenging governments to balance harm reduction with rising risks. Europe leads in tobacco prevalence, with nearly 20% of adults still using tobacco.
WTO Cuts 2026 Trade Forecast, Ups 2025 Outlook Amid Tariff Shifts
- The World Trade Organization (WTO) has sharply cut its global goods trade growth forecast for 2026 to 0.5% (from 1.8%) due to the delayed impact of U.S. tariffs and a slowing global economy.
- However, it has raised the 2025 forecast to 2.4% (from 0.9%) citing stronger macroeconomic conditions, including disinflation, supportive fiscal policies, and AI-related trade.
- Despite concerns, the WTO affirmed the resilience of the rules-based global trading system.
Banking News
NPCI Launches Biometric and Wearable Glass Authentication for UPI Payments
- In a landmark development for India’s digital finance ecosystem, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), in collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), has launched biometric and wearable glass-based authentication for UPI transactions, allowing users to verify payments using facial recognition, fingerprints, or voice commands instead of a PIN.
- This move enhances security, convenience, and financial inclusion, especially for senior citizens, rural users, and first-time digital users, while positioning UPI as a global leader in innovative, user-friendly, and secure digital payments.
PayPal Onboards India’s UPI as First Payments System Partner
- PayPal CEO Alex Chriss announced on October 7, 2025, that India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) is the first-ever payments system partner integrated into PayPal World, the company’s new global payments platform.
- The partnership significantly expands UPI’s global reach, enables seamless cross-border payments, and strengthens PayPal’s position in the world’s fastest-growing digital payments market, offering instant, secure, and low-cost transactions for users and wider market access for merchants.
Economy News
World Bank Ups India’s FY26 Growth Estimate to 6.5%
- The World Bank has raised India’s FY26 growth forecast to 6.5% (from 6.3%) due to strong domestic demand, rural recovery, and the impact of GST reforms, reaffirming India as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.
- However, it lowered the FY27 forecast to 6.3% citing the impact of U.S. tariffs.
- While South Asia’s growth is projected at 6.6% in 2025, it may slow to 5.8% in 2026 amid global uncertainties, socio-political risks, and AI-driven job disruptions.
Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson & Omar Yaghi Win Chemistry Nobel 2025 for MOFs
- The 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M. Yaghi for their pioneering work on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs).
- These advanced crystalline structures can capture gases, store chemicals, catalyze reactions, and harvest water. Kitagawa developed flexible MOFs, Robson created the first spacious molecular frameworks, and Yaghi designed stable, customizable MOFs, revolutionizing chemistry and offering solutions for environmental cleanup, carbon capture, and sustainable chemical processes.
Appointments News
Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla Appointed Brand Ambassador of Buildathon 2025
- Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reach the International Space Station (ISS), is the brand ambassador for Viksit Bharat Buildathon 2025, urging over one crore students from classes 6-12 across 1.5 lakh schools to participate.
- Organized by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog, the initiative encourages students to innovate around four themes: Atmanirbhar Bharat, Swadeshi, Vocal for Local, and Samriddhi.
- The Buildathon aims to foster creativity, skills development, and contribute to India’s vision for a self-reliant and prosperous future by 2047.
Khaled El-Enany Set to Become First Arab UNESCO Chief
- Dr. Khaled El-Enany, Egypt’s former Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, is poised to become the first Arab Director-General of UNESCO, following strong backing from the UNESCO Executive Board on October 6, 2025.
- If confirmed by the November 2025 General Conference, El-Enany will succeed Audrey Azoulay of France and lead UNESCO from early 2026 for a four-year term.
- A distinguished Egyptologist and cultural diplomat, he has overseen major projects like the restoration of the Pyramids Plateau and the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Defense News
DRDO Launches IRSA 1.0 for Military Radio Interoperability
- The DRDO, in collaboration with the Integrated Defence Staff and Tri-Services, has released Indian Radio Software Architecture (IRSA) 1.0, a national standard aimed at achieving interoperability in military communication through Software Defined Radios (SDRs).
- Launched on October 6, 2025, IRSA defines standardized interfaces, APIs, and waveform portability, supporting indigenous, interoperable, and future-ready communication systems.
- The release marks a major step towards defence self-reliance, enabling collaboration among industry, academia, and armed forces, with the goal of making IRSA a global benchmark for SDR technologies.
Summits & Conferences News
India to Launch First Red List at 2025 IUCN Congress
- India will unveil its first-ever Red List of Endangered Species at the upcoming IUCN World Conservation Congress 2025, to be held in Abu Dhabi from October 9-15. This marks a major milestone in India’s conservation efforts.
- Represented by Union Minister Kirti Vardhan Singh, India joins global leaders at this quadrennial event focused on biodiversity, climate, equity, and sustainable development.
- The Congress, hosted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), brings together experts, scientists, and policymakers to set global environmental priorities.
Science & Technology News
India-AI Impact Summit Logo Unveiled Blends Ethics, Heritage, and Innovation
- The India-AI Impact Summit 2026 logo, unveiled by the Government of India, blends ethics, heritage, and modern AI vision, featuring the Ashoka Chakra to symbolize ethical governance and constitutional values.
- Designed by Ajith P. Suresh and selected from 599 entries via the MyGov contest, the logo integrates neural network flares to reflect AI’s transformative power, with a vibrant gradient representing innovation, diversity, and inclusivity.
- This visual identity captures India’s global aspirations in responsible AI, ahead of the Summit hosted by MeitY on Feb 19–20, 2026 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Important Days News
Indian Air Force Day 2025 Celebrates Modern Strength, Legacy
- Indian Air Force Day 2025, celebrated on October 8, marks the IAF’s founding in 1932, honoring its legacy and personnel through air shows, parades, and modern aircraft displays.
- This year’s focus is on modernization and operational readiness. The IAF operates through 7 commands, and ranks range from Air Chief Marshal to Aircraftman.
- Aspiring candidates can join via NDA after 12th or AFCAT after graduation, showcasing India’s push to inspire youth and strengthen national defense.
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