CURRENT AFFAIRS
18 February, 2025
1. 38TH NATIONAL GAMES –
• The Union Home Minister addressed the closing ceremony of the 38th National Games in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, highlighting the development in India’s sports infrastructure. The 39th National Games will be held in Meghalaya.
• About 38th National Games: It was held from 28th January to 14th February 2025 in Uttarakhand.
• Mascot: The mascot of the games was Mouli, inspired by Uttarakhand’s state bird, the Monal.
• Top Performers: Services Sports Control Board (1st), Maharashtra (2nd), and Haryana (3rd).
• The National Games of India is an Olympic-style multi-sport event where athletes from states and Union Territories compete for medals.
• India’s sports budget grew from Rs 800 crore in 2014 to Rs 3,800 crore by 2025-26.
• India aims to host the Olympic Games in 2036, with athletes already preparing for success through the TOPS (Target Olympic Podium Scheme).
2. EARTHQUAKE IN DELHI-NCR –
• According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), a shallow earthquake of 4.0 magnitude struck Delhi-NCR, with a focal depth of 5 km.
• Another 4.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded in Bihar at 8:02 AM, with a depth of 10 km.
• An earthquake is the shaking of the Earth’s crust caused by a sudden release of energy. This release of energy occurs along a fault, which is a break in the Earth’s crustal rocks.
• Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates.
• When two tectonic plates slide past each other, the jagged edges can get caught, and when they release, the energy is released as vibrations.
• Earthquakes can also be caused by the injection or withdrawal of magma, or explosions of chemical or nuclear devices.
3. GYANESH KUMAR APPOINTED AS INDIA’S NEW CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER –
• On February 17, 2025, the Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, was officially appointed as the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) by the Law Ministry.
• This appointment marks a significant milestone, as he is the first CEC to be appointed under the new law governing the selection of Election Commission (EC) members.
• His tenure will last until January 26, 2029, positioning him at the helm of the Election Commission of India (ECI) during crucial electoral events, including the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
4. INDIA’S SMARTPHONE EXPORTS REACH ₹1.5 TRILLION, BOOSTED BY PLI SCHEME –
• India’s smartphone exports have reached an all-time high of Rs 1.55 trillion in the April 2024 to January 2025 period, reflecting a 56% surge from Rs 991.2 billion in the same period last year.
• This growth has been primarily fueled by the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme, which has strengthened India’s smartphone manufacturing ecosystem and boosted exports. The rise in shipments is being driven by global giants like Apple and Samsung, with Apple leading the way by contributing nearly 70% of the total exports.
• The government’s push for local production has played a crucial role in transforming India into a major hub for smartphone manufacturing and exports.
5. URBAN UNEMPLOYMENT RATE STEADY AT 6.4% IN Q3 FY25 –
• The urban unemployment rate in India stood unchanged at 6.4% in the October-December quarter of FY25, according to the latest Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) on February 18, 2025. This follows a slight decline from 6.6% in Q1 FY25 to 6.4% in Q2 FY25, indicating a stable employment scenario in urban areas.
• Male Unemployment: The unemployment rate among men in urban areas increased slightly to 5.8% in Q3 FY25, up from 5.7% in the previous quarter.
• Female Unemployment: The unemployment rate among women improved, dropping to 8.1% in Q3 FY25 from 8.4% in Q2 FY25, suggesting improved job opportunities for women in urban areas.
MCQ QUIZ
Q1. Which country is the host of BRICS summit 2025 ?
a) Russia
b) Brazil
c) China
d) India
Q2. Which two countries launched the TRUST initiative to boost cooperation in critical minerals in February 2025 ?
a) India and Russia
b) India and United States
c) Russia and China
d) India and Japan
Q3. What is the rank of India in the World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI) ?
a) 25th
b) 29th
c) 36th
d) 38th
Q4. Which of the following can be best economic impact of reciprocal tariffs on global trade ?
a) Encourages tariff-free trade between nations
b) Reduces price volatility in global commodity markets
c) Enhances multilateral trade agreements and WTO-led negotiations
d) Leads to increased protectionism and potential trade wars
Explanation-
Reciprocal tariffs often lead to protectionism, where countries retaliate by imposing counter-tariffs, escalating trade tensions.
This results in trade wars, as seen in the U.S.-China trade war (2018-2020), which disrupted global trade. These measures can weaken multilateral trade agreements and WTO-led negotiations while creating market uncertainty rather than reducing price volatility.
Q5. Consider the following statements:
1. President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur.
2. Under President’s Rule, the elected Council of Ministers and Chief Minister are allowed to continue functioning until new elections are held.
3. The imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur is the 10 th time it has been imposed in the state, the highest among all Indian states.
How many of the statements given above are correct ?
a) Only 1
b) Only 2
c) All three
d) None of the above
Explanation-
Statement 1 is correct. President’s Rule was imposed in Manipur after Chief Minister N. Biren Singh resigned on February 9, 2025, and the state failed to form a new government.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Under President’s Rule, the elected Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister are dismissed, and the Governor assumes the administration of the state.
Statement 3 is incorrect. Manipur has the record for the most frequent imposition of President’s Rule, having been imposed 11 times.
Answer Key
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
B | B | D | D | A |