Current Affairs | National | International | SSC | UPSC 8th November 2025

1. The Khangchendzonga National Park rated “Good” by IUCN.

• Khangchendzonga National Park has been rated as "good" in the latest global review of natural World Heritage sites by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
• It is the only Indian World Heritage Site with this positive rating.
• While other important areas like the Western Ghats and Sundarbans are facing serious concerns.
• Khangchendzonga, officially known as the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, is India’s first “mixed” UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• It was recognised in 2016 for its combination of natural beauty and cultural importance.
• Spread over 1,784 square kilometres, the mountain ranges range from misty subtropical forests at lower elevations to the snow-capped peak of 8,586-metre-high Mount Kanchenjunga, the world's third-highest peak.
• The park hosts 280 glaciers and over 70 glacial lakes.
• A rich diversity of wildlife, including snow leopards, clouded leopards, red pandas, blue sheep, Himalayan tahr, and over 550 bird species, such as the Impeyan pheasant and satyr tragopan.
• The park holds deep cultural significance for local communities.
• It is considered a sacred landscape by the Lepcha people and Tibetan Buddhists, where spiritual traditions continue alongside conservation.
• The vast Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, expanded in 2018, connects the main protected areas with buffer zones where villagers practice sustainable farming and harvesting.

2. President Draupadi Murmu will go on a state visit to Angola and Botswana.

• A six-day official visit to Angola and Botswana will be undertaken by President Droupadi Murmu from 8 November.
• This will be the first visit by an Indian Head of State to both countries.
• The visit was announced by the Ministry of External Affairs during a media briefing in New Delhi.
• Secretary (Economic Relations) Sudhakar Dalela informed that the visit reflects India’s growing engagement with the African continent.
• In the first leg, President Murmu will be in Angola from 8 to 11 November, where she will hold bilateral discussions with the President of Angola.
• She will also attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of Angola’s Independence on 11th November and address the Angolan Parliament.
• This year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between India and Angola.
• India has a vibrant energy partnership with Angola, and the President of Angola is currently the Chairperson of the African Union, adding further significance to the interaction.
• In the second leg, President Murmu will visit Botswana from 11 to 13 November to hold talks with the President of Botswana.
• She will address the National Assembly and visit locations of historical and cultural significance, while discussions will focus on enhancing bilateral cooperation across diverse sectors.
• India’s engagement with Africa has expanded in recent years through political dialogue, trade, development partnerships and people-to-people ties.
• India has opened 17 new diplomatic missions in Africa, and trade with the region has reached nearly $100 billion, aligning with India’s broader priority of strengthening relations with the Global South.

3. Four new Vande Bharat Express trains flagged off by the Prime Minister.

• On 8 November, four new Vande Bharat Express trains were flagged off by PM Narendra Modi from Varanasi, further expanding India’s semi-high-speed rail network.
• The new Vande Bharat services were introduced to enhance connectivity between important cultural, commercial and regional centres.
• The newly launched routes include Banaras–Khajuraho, Lucknow Junction–Saharanpur, Firozpur Cantt–Delhi, and Bengaluru–Ernakulam, connecting key cities in North and South India.
• The Banaras–Khajuraho route will provide a direct link between two major cultural destinations and is expected to benefit pilgrims and tourists, while also reducing travel time by nearly 2 hours and 40 minutes.
• The Lucknow–Saharanpur Vande Bharat will cut journey duration to about 7 hours and 45 minutes, improving accessibility for passengers across central and western Uttar Pradesh and offering a better connection to Haridwar via Roorkee.
• The Firozpur–Delhi Vande Bharat will become the fastest service on that route, strengthening trade, tourism and economic activity in Punjab, including regions like Bathinda and Patiala.
• In the South, the Bengaluru–Ernakulam service will shorten travel time by over 2 hours, providing a faster and more comfortable option for professionals, students and tourists connecting major IT, educational and commercial hubs.

4. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra highlighted the strength of India's banking system.

• India’s banking system was highlighted as stronger and more stable by RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra during the 12th SBI Banking and Economics Conclave in Mumbai.
• It was stated that financial stability remains the cornerstone of the Reserve Bank of India’s policies.
• He emphasised that improvements in capital adequacy, asset quality, and profitability have reinforced the overall health of the banking sector.
• The capital-to-risk weighted assets ratio increased from 13.5% in 2015 to 17.5%, indicating enhanced financial resilience in banks.
• Gross non-performing assets (NPAs) declined sharply from over 11% in 2018 to 2.3%.
• India has recorded robust capital inflows, with net inflows of 30.4 billion USD between April and July this year.
• He noted that Indian banks today are far more mature and professionally managed in comparison to a decade ago.
• The Governor highlighted SBI’s transformation from a loss-making entity in 2018 to becoming a 100-billion-dollar company at present.
• The RBI Governor highlighted key regulatory measures like the 2015 Asset Quality Review (AQR), the Prompt Corrective Action (PCA) framework, consolidation of 27 PSBs, massive recapitalisation, and the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC).
• These initiatives have fundamentally transformed India’s credit culture.

5. James Watson, Nobel laureate and co-discoverer of DNA, has passed away at the age of 97.

• Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson, along with Francis Crick, discovered the double-helix structure of DNA in 1953.
• This groundbreaking discovery, which earned Watson, Crick, and Maurice Wilkins the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, revolutionized the field of molecular biology.
• Watson was born in Chicago in 1928 and pursued advanced studies and research at the University of Chicago and later at Cambridge.
• His collaboration with Francis Crick, supported by Rosalind Franklin’s X-ray diffraction images, led to one of the most significant biological discoveries of the 20th century.
• Watson taught at Harvard University and later served as director of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, helping develop it into a major research center.
• In 2014, Watson sold his Nobel Prize medal for $4.8 million, citing ostracism from the scientific community.

6. The first BIMSTEC-India Ocean Research Network Conference held in Kochi to strengthen blue economy cooperation.

• The first biennial BIMSTEC-India Marine Research Network (BIMReN) conference was held in Kochi, marking a major step in advancing blue economy collaboration among BIMSTEC member nations.
• The conference was conducted from 4 to 6 November with participation from scientists, researchers, and policymakers across the Bay of Bengal region.
• The purpose of the event was to review progress and discuss collective approaches to sustainable marine research and ocean governance.
• BIMReN was launched in 2024 by the Ministry of External Affairs to link top Indian research institutions with marine research centers across BIMSTEC countries.
• The initiative was originally announced by PM Narendra Modi at the Colombo BIMSTEC Summit in 2022.
• In its pilot phase, BIMReN has already connected more than 25 research institutions and over 50 scientists for collaborative studies.
• Key research areas include ocean health, marine ecosystem resilience, sustainable fisheries, and coastal resource management.
• The Bay of Bengal region accounts for nearly 6% of the world’s total fish catch and supports one-third of the global fishing fleet, making regional cooperation essential.
• The conference also focused on strengthening institutional coordination under the Neighbourhood First, Act East, Indo-Pacific, and MAHASAGAR strategic frameworks.

7. The Confederation of Indian Industry will organize a two-day Global Media and Entertainment Investor Meet in Mumbai.

• Global Media and Entertainment Investor Meet will begin on December 1.
• Global Media and Entertainment Investor Meet is being held in partnership with WAVES Bazaar. It is part of the 12th CII BIG Picture Summit.
• Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is supporting Global Media and Entertainment Investor Meet.
• The main goal of meet is to attract investment and boost growth in India’s media and entertainment sector.
• "The AI Era: Bridging Creativity and Commerce" is the theme of summit.
• Government officials, industry leaders, and investors will participate to design a roadmap for the future of Media and Entertainment sector.
• The discussions will cover film, digital streaming, gaming, animation, VFX, and live entertainment.
• The CII BIG Picture Summit is India’s top platform for policy dialogue, promoting innovation exchange and investment opportunities in media and entertainment.

8. Social media for under‑15s will be banned by Denmark.

• Plans to ban social media access for children under 15 has been announced by Denmark.
• Teens aged 13 and 14 will be allowed to use social platforms only with their parents’ approval.
• The goal of this move is to protect mental health of young people and to reduce excessive time spent online.
• Digitalisation Minister Caroline Stage Olsen said social media harms children’s well-being and affects how they manage their time.
• Studies show Danish children spend nearly two hours and forty minutes a day on platforms like Snapchat, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
• The proposal similar to Australia’s earlier decision to limit social media use for those under 16.
• Australia banned social media use for children under 16 years of age last year.

9. Raahul VS has become India’s 91st Grandmaster.

• He secured the title after winning the 6th ASEAN Individual Chess Championship.
• In November 2021, Raahul earned the International Master title.
• He secured his fourth and fifth International Master (IM) norms at that time. He also crossed a live rating of 2400 to qualify.
• A week earlier, Chennai’s Illamparthi AR became India’s 90th Grandmaster.
• He achieved his final norm at the Bijeljina Open 2025 in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
• S Rohith Krishna became India’s 89th Grandmaster in August.
• He scored six points out of nine at the Almaty Masters Qonaev Cup in Kazakhstan and crossed the 2500 Elo rating mark.
• The Grandmaster title is awarded by FIDE. It is the highest honour in chess.
• The title ranks above International Master, FIDE Master (FM), and Candidate Master (CM).

10. India’s total foreign exchange reserves fell by 5.6 billion USD.

• India’s total foreign exchange reserves reached at 690 billion USD for the week ending October 31.
• The decline in India’s total foreign exchange reserves was chiefly due to a large decline in gold reserves.
• Gold reserves contracted by 3.8 billion USD and stood at 101.7 billion USD.
• Foreign currency assets form the largest component of the reserves.
• Foreign currency assets declined by nearly 2 billion USD to around 564.5 billion USD during the week.
• This decline was partly caused by currency value changes involving the euro, pound, and yen.
• Special Drawing Rights saw a small decline of 19 million USD, and reached 18.64 billion USD.
• India’s IMF reserve position increased slightly by 164 million USD to 4.77 billion USD during the same week.

11. HAL inks $1-billion deal with GE Aerospace for 113 fighter jet engines

• Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Friday sealed a $1-billion deal with American defence major GE Aerospace to procure 113 jet engines for its Tejas light combat aircraft programme.
• The firming up of the deal came notwithstanding a downturn in India-U.S. relations after the Trump administration slapped a 50% tariff on In-dian goods.
• Under the deal, the delivery of the F404-GE-IN20 engines will begin from 2027 and the supplies will have to be completed by 2032, officials said.
• The size of the deal is learnt to be close to $1 billion (approximately 8,870 crore).
• HAL said it has entered into an agreement with General Electric Company to acquire the engines and support package for execution of 97 Light Combat Aircraft Mk1A programmes.
• The Defence Ministry in September had finalised a *62,370-crore deal with the state owned aerospace major to procure 97 Tejas MK-1A light combat aircraft for the Indian Air Force.