Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 23th April 2025

 1. 23 April – World Book and Copyright Day 

•  World Book and Copyright Day is observed every year on 23 April. 
•  This global event, organised by UNESCO, aims to promote the importance of reading, encourage lifelong learning, and highlight the value of literature. 
•  Established by UNESCO in 1995, the day honors authors, encourages literacy, and highlights the importance of books in fostering knowledge and creativity. What is copyright? 
•  Copyright is a legal term that grants exclusive rights to the original works of authors, including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works. 
• Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects the rights of creators of original works of authorship. It gives them exclusive rights to control how their work is used. 

2. 26 tourists died in the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

•   Unidentified gunmen opened fire on innocent civilians in Pahalgam’s Baisaran in Jammu and Kashmir. 
•  It has been reported that the terrorists came down from the mountain in Baisaran valley and started firing at the tourists. 
•  The place is often called as ‘mini Switzerland’ due to its long, lush green meadows. 
•  Jammu and Kashmir administration issued helpline numbers. 
•  38-day Amarnath pilgrimage is scheduled to begin on July 3. 

3. Union Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the ‘Save Earth Conclave’ on Earth Day.

•  He inaugurated the ‘Save Earth Conclave’ at the NASC Complex in New Delhi 
•  The conclave was inaugurated to explore the potential of bamboo to mitigate climate change and drive economic growth. 
•  The organisers also gave away the India Sustainability Awards 2025 to 15 pioneers, who have led transformative change in climate action and green innovation. 
•  The first Earth Day celebrations were held in 1970 after the day was suggested at the UNESCO summit in 1969. 

4. Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal flagged off Cruise Operations from India’s largest cruise terminal. 

• Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways (MoSPW), Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated Cruise Operations from the Mumbai International Cruise Terminal (MICT). 
•  MICT has been developed under the Cruise Bharat Mission as per latest global standards and will play a major role in developing cruise tourism in India. 
•  MICT is designed to handle 1 million passengers every year with an approx. 10,000 passengers per day. 
• This terminal adds to existing top-class international terminals at Visakhapatnam and Chennai.
•   He also inaugurated renovated Fire Memorial at Victoria Docks as well as renovated two heritage buildings — Fort House Ballard Estate and Evelyn House at Colaba. 
•  He also inaugurated the Sagar Upvan garden along with Shore to Ship Electric Supply under the Green Port Initiative. 

 Cruise Bharat Mission: 

• It was launched on September 30, 2024, from the Mumbai port. 
•  The mission aims to make India one of the top cruise destinations in the world. 
• The mission embraces three pillars—Ocean and Harbour Cruises, River and Inland Cruises, and Island and Lighthouse Cruises. 
• The goals under the mission include the development of 10 international sea cruise terminals, the creation of 100 river cruise terminals, the Launch of 5 marinas along our coast, Seamless integration of more than 5000 km of waterways. 

5. Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Child Development receives PM’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration for Poshan Tracker app. 

• The Secretary of the Ministry received the PM’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in the innovation category. 
•  The Poshan Tracker is a mobile-based application used by Anganwadi workers to provide real-time data on the delivery of nutrition and childcare services.
•   The app has been developed under the Saksham Anganwadi and Mission Poshan 2.0 of the Ministry of Women and Child Development. 
•  For the year 2024, the scheme for Prime Minister’s Awards for Excellence in Public 

Administration aims to recognize the contribution of civil servants under the following categories :-

•  Category 1 - Holistic Development of Districts 
• Category 2- Aspirational Blocks Programme 
•  Category 3 – Innovation 

6. Union Health Ministry observes Pan-India ‘Fire Safety Week’ from 21st to 25th April 

•  The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has launched the Fire Safety Week in collaboration with all States/UTs as well as relevant central Ministries/Departments from 21st to 25th April, 2025. 
•  Over 3,000 participants from public and private health facilities virtually joined the pledge ceremony and webinar on “Emergency evacuation and patient safety strategies” and “Fire prevention in high-risk areas of healthcare facilities”. 
•  Various activities have been planned throughout the country during the Fire Safety Week in order to raise awareness regarding importance of prevention and mitigation of fire hazards in all healthcare facilities across the country. 

7. Unexpected heavy snowfall and rain have damaged apricot orchards across Kargil district in Ladakh. 

• Local farmers are facing major financial losses. 
•  The sudden weather change destroyed much of their harvest. 
•  Apricot blossoms, once a sign of celebration, have become a reminder of loss. 
•  Erratic weather patterns are becoming more common in the region. 
•  The disaster shows the urgent need for climate-resilient farming. 
•  Ladakh’s farmers are increasingly vulnerable to climate change. 
•  Long-term support and sustainable solutions are urgently needed. 

8. Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein inaugurated the International Conclave in Namsai. 

• The theme of the conclave is ‘Buddha Dhamma and North-East India’s Cultural Heritage’. 
• The event is spread over two days. 
•  It is organized by the International Buddhist Confederation and the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. 
•  The conclave explores the spiritual and cultural influence of Buddhism in the North-East region. 
•  Bhutan’s Consul General Jigme Thinley Namgyal attended the inaugural session. 
•  On the first day, there were three panel discussions. 
•  These focused on history, art, and the cultural exchange of Buddha Dhamma. 
•  The second day will include Vipassana meditation sessions. 
•  Prayers for world peace will be held at the Golden Pagoda in Namsai. 

9. The Punjab Government has launched a ₹500 crore plan to tackle stubble burning. 

• The plan will provide farmers with subsidized Crop Residue Management machinery. 
• Farmers can receive a 50% subsidy on Crop Residue Management machinery equipment. 
•  Farmer groups, Cooperative Societies, and Gram Panchayats can get an 80% subsidy. 
•  The initiative is managed by the State Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department. 
• The goal of the initiative is to eliminate stubble burning in Punjab. 

10. The ocean absorbs nearly a quarter of the CO₂ emissions from human activities, especially fossil fuel use.

•  Project SeaCURE, launched in Weymouth, England, seeks to enhance the ocean’s ability to capture CO₂. 
• This pilot initiative aims to extract CO₂ directly from seawater, increasing the ocean’s carbon absorption. 
•  Funded by the UK government, SeaCURE explores whether this process could be a cost-effective and scalable method for reducing CO₂. 
•  Unlike conventional carbon capture methods, SeaCURE focuses on seawater, where CO₂ concentrations are much higher than in the atmosphere. 
• Seawater is pumped from the English Channel and made more acidic. 
•  The acidity encourages the CO₂ to turn into gas, which is then captured. 
•  The CO₂ is concentrated using sustainable materials, like charred coconut husks, and stored securely. 
• After carbon removal, the seawater is neutralized and returned to the ocean. 
•  This allows the seawater to continue absorbing CO₂. 
•  Currently, SeaCURE removes about 100 metric tonnes of CO₂ each year. 
• The project faces challenges, including the energy needed for carbon extraction. 
• This energy must come from renewable sources to avoid offsetting environmental benefits. 
•  There are concerns about the ecological impact of releasing altered water back into the ocean. 
•  It could affect marine life, such as mussels and phytoplankton. 
•  SeaCURE also highlights the problem of ocean acidification. 
•  Ocean acidification threatens marine life by lowering water alkalinity. 
•  SeaCURE is part of the UK’s £3 million carbon capture program. 
•  It is one of 15 pilot projects funded under this initiative. 

11. NEERI told to study impact of industrial units on Taj Mahal 

•  The Supreme Court on Tuesday tasked the National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (NEERI) with studying the impact of glass industries on the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 
• A Bench of Justices A.S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said in case of an adverse report from NEERI, then the court would not hesitate to pass a direction for the removal of the industrial units. The court asked NEERI to file an affidavit clarifying the time required to complete the assessment exercise.
•   It ordered the government and its agencies to extend the expert body their cooperation and assistance. “We want to know the extent of pollution caused by these industries. 
•  If we find that these industries are causing pollution, we won’t hesitate to order shifting them. Some examination has to be made about the extent of pollution,” the Bench said. The court also directed the U.P. Pollution Control Board to constitute a team to visit industrial units highlighted in an affidavit filed recently by the State and submit an interim report on the aspect of pollutants produced by them. 
•  The court had previously deplored the Taj Trapezium Zone authority on environment protection in and around the Taj Mahal asking it whether the preservation of the monument was a “tamasha”. 

12. Maharashtra launches Pink E Rickshaw Scheme with Kinetic Green 

•  The Maharashtra government has launched the Pink E-Rickshaw Scheme to empower women and make them financially independent. 
•  The Pink E Rickshaw Scheme was officially launched by the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Ajit Pawar, at a function in Pune, where electric three-wheelers were distributed to selected beneficiaries. 
• The Pink E Rickshaw Scheme is being administered by the state government’s Women & Child Development Department. 
• The Kinetic Green Energy company is a partner with the state government in this initiative. The Kinetic Green company will provide the electric three-wheeler to the beneficiaries. 
• Under the initiative, 10,000 e-rickshaws will be distributed in eight districts: Nagpur, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Kolhapur, Amravati, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Pune, and Nashik of Maharashtra. 

About Maharashtra 

• Capital – Mumbai 
•  Chief Minister – Devendra Fadnavis (3rd time) 
•  Deputy Chief Minister – Eknath Sindhe & Ajit Pawar 
•  Governor – C P Radhakrishnan 
•  Legislative Assembly Speaker – Rahul Narwekar

 13. Amaravati to be world’s first fully renewable-powered city 

• Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh’s planned capital city, aims to become the world’s first city powered entirely by renewable energy, targeting a 2,700 MW capacity through sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. 
•  The foundation stone for the capital city is expected to be laid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi this month, with the project covering 217 square kilometers, a part of the larger 8,352 sq km Andhra Pradesh Capital Region.
• Amaravati will serve as a global model for urban sustainability, showcasing India’s leadership in clean energy while setting a benchmark for future cities in the green urban planning domain. 

About Andhra Pradesh 

• Capital – Amaravati 
•  Chief Minister – N Chandrababu Naidu 
• Deputy CM – Pawan Kalyan
•  Governor – Abdul Nazeer 

14. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar launches ‘Mahila Samvad’ campaign targeting women empowerment 

•  Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has launched the Mahila Samvad campaign—an ambitious, statewide drive to connect women with welfare schemes and elevate their voices in governance. 
•  The campaign is a state-wide outreach programme that aims to engaging with over two crore women across 70,000 locations in Bihar. 
• A total of 600 ‘Mahila Samvad raths’ will eventually cover all the 38 disctricts and 48,000 villages of Bihar. 

About Bihar 

•  Capital – Patna 
•  Chief Minister – Nitish Kumar (9th time)
•  Deputy CM – Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha 
• Governor – Arif Mohammed Khan 

15. MSDE and Microsoft Launch ‘AI Careers for Women’ Initiative to Empower Women in Emerging Tech 

•  The Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and Microsoft have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to launch AI Careers for Women—a pioneering skilling initiative aimed at empowering women in higher education institutions to pursue careers in Artificial Intelligence (AI). 
•  This strategic collaboration seeks to bridge the gender gap in emerging tech by equipping women with industry-aligned AI skills, enabling them to participate meaningfully in the digital economy and become active contributors to India’s innovation-led growth. 
•  As part of this collaboration, Microsoft will provide 240-hours training curriculum under AI skilling and Innovation framework for women, aligned to the industry standards, and developed in consultation with the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET). 

16. Achyuta Samanta Conferred Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Award 2025 

• Achyuta Samanta, the visionary founder of KIIT and KISS, was honored with the prestigious Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Award 2025 in Kokrajhar, Assam. 
• The award, instituted by the Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma Trust, celebrates individuals who have made substantial contributions to society, especially in the fields of education and social empowerment. 
• This recognition comes on the occasion of the 166th birth anniversary of Gurudev Kalicharan Brahma, a revered social reformer and spiritual leader of the Bodo community. 
•  As part of the honour, Dr Samanta received a citation, a memento, and a cash award of Rs. 1 lakh. In a noble gesture, Dr Samanta donated the entire award money back to the Trust for its development. Recent Award 
• Breakthrough Prize 2025 for Contribution to ALICE Collaboration at CERN – Bose Institute’s High-Energy Physics Team 
•  Knighthood for his services to Cricket – James Andersons 
•  Key to the City of Lisbon – President Droupadi Murmu 
•  Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana (nation’s highest civilian honour for a foreign head of state) – PM Narendra Modi 
• Fred Darrington Sand Master Award – Sudarsan Pattnaik (for his outstanding contributions to sand art) 

17. Rohit, Kohli retain top BCCI annual contract as Iyer, Kishan return 

•  Indian team stalwarts Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have retained their A+ category contracts despite retiring from the T20I format, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the annual player retainership for the men’s team for the 2024–25 season. 
•  New additions to the central contracts list—all placed in Grade C—include Nitish Kumar Reddy, Dhruv Jurel, Abhishek Sharma, Sarfaraz Khan, Akash Deep, Varun Chakravarthy, and Harshit Rana. 
•  Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, KS Bharat, and Avesh Khan—who were part of the C category last season—have been excluded from the contract list altogether. 
•  A total of 34 players have been awarded annual retainerships for the 2024–25 season, covering the period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025. 
• Grade A+: Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah, Ravindra Jadeja 
• Grade A: Mohammed Siraj, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, Hardik Pandya, Mohammed Shami, Rishabh Pant 
• Grade B: Suryakumar Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shreyas Iyer 
•  Grade C: Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Ravi Bishnoi, Washington Sundar, Mukesh Kumar, Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Rajat Patidar, Dhruv Jurel, Sarfaraz Khan, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Akash Deep, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana. 
•  The BCCI pays the Grade A+ players an annual remuneration of Rs. 7 crore, while Grade A players receive 5 crore. Grade B cricketers get 3 crore, Grade C category get 1 cr. each. 

18. India finishes 2025 ISSF World Cup Lima Campaign with 7 medals 

•  Indian shooters concluded their campaign at the ISSF World Cup Lima 2025 with seven medals – two gold, four silver, and one bronze – to finish third behind China and the USA on the medal tally. 
• The ISSF World Cup/Rifle/Shotgun was held at the Peruvian capital city of Lima from 13-22 April 2022. It was the second World Cup of the 2025 ISSF calendar, with the first World Cup being held at Buenos Aires, Argentina from 1-10 April 2025. 
•  At the Buenos Aires event, the Indian shooting contingent won eight medals —four gold, two silver, and two bronze—to finish second behind China. 
•  Medal winners for India 
•  India won 7 medals – two gold, four silver, and one bronze medal at the Lima event. Gold medal winners 
•  Suruchi Singh in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She had also won the gold at the Buenos Aires event. 
• Saurabh Chaudhary &Suruchi Singh in the 10m air pistol mixed team event. Silver Medal winners 
•  Manu Bhaker in the women’s 10m air pistol event. She failed to win a medal at the Buenos Aires event. 
• Arjun Babuta in the men’s 10m air rifle event 
• Simranpreet Kaur Brar in the women’s 25m pistol event. It was Simranpreet’s first-ever medal at the World Cup. 
• Rudrannksh Patil & Arya Borse in the 10m air rifle mixed team event. Bronze medal winner 
•  Saurabh Chaudhary in the men’s 10m air pistol event. 

19. Neeraj Chopra Clinches Gold with 84.52 m at NWU Potch Invitational 

•  Neeraj Chopra, the two-time Olympic medallist, started his 2025 season by winning the gold medal at the NWU Potch Invitational in South Africa with an impressive throw of 84.52m. 
•  His throw of 84.52m secured the top spot, placing him ahead of South Africa’s Douw Smit (82.44m) and Duncan Robertson (71.22m).