Current Affairs - February 22, 2025 Current Affairs

Uttarakhand's Cabinet approved the Bhoo Kanoon (Land Law Amendment Bill), which aims to regulate land transactions involving non-residents. The law is designed to protect the state's cultural heritage, natural resources, and citizens' rights, and maintain Uttarakhand’s identity. The legislation imposes a blanket ban on agricultural land purchases by non-residents in 11 hill districts and restricts residential land transactions. It also introduces a digital land transaction system to ensure transparency. These measures were introduced to limit external influence on land ownership and safeguard the state’s future.

The 27th Western Zonal Council meeting, chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, is being held in Pune, Maharashtra, on February 22. This council includes representatives from Gujarat, Goa, Maharashtra, and the UTs of Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu. The meeting is attended by Chief Ministers, administrators, and senior officials from the region. Zonal Councils, established in 1957, facilitate inter-state cooperation, and each council has a Standing Committee headed by Chief Secretaries to ensure effective governance and collaboration between states.

The 9th edition of the Asia Economic Dialogue (AED) 2025 commenced in Pune, co-hosted by the Ministry of External Affairs and Pune International Centre. AED serves as a key 'Track 1.5 Dialogue' on geo-economics, bringing together global leaders to discuss economic challenges and resilience. This year's theme focuses on "Economic Resilience and Resurgence in an Era of Fragmentation," addressing critical issues in the evolving global economic landscape. Pune was chosen as the venue for this important dialogue to foster international discussions and collaboration.

The international art exhibition titled "Topographies of Tents, Terracotta, and Time" will be hosted in Hyderabad. The event, a collaboration between Srishti Art Gallery and Goethe-Zentrum Hyderabad, will showcase the works of renowned international and national artists, focusing on themes such as identity, displacement, and transformation. This exhibition offers an immersive experience, with pieces from artists like Arnaldo Dres Gonzalez, Sudhakar Chippa, and Swen Kahlert, who bring their unique perspectives on migration, urbanization, and nature.

The first SOUL Leadership Conclave 2025 was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. This conclave is a key initiative aimed at developing future leaders for Viksit Bharat (Developed India). The event focuses on equipping individuals with leadership skills across various sectors such as governance, business, technology, sports, and social sectors. Additionally, a dedicated SOUL campus will be set up near GIFT City in Gujarat to further support leadership training and development. New Delhi was chosen as the venue for this significant leadership development event.

The new bat coronavirus, HKU5-CoV-2, was discovered by researchers in China, specifically at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. This virus, which uses the same ACE2 receptor as SARS-CoV-2 to infect human cells, raises concerns about potential zoonotic transmission. Although its binding efficiency to human cells is lower, the virus's presence of a furin cleavage site adds to its potential risk. This discovery highlights the need for ongoing surveillance and research on bat-borne viruses to prevent future outbreaks.

The State Bank of India (SBI) has revised India's GDP growth forecast for FY25 to 6.3%, down from earlier estimates. This adjustment reflects a slowdown in key economic sectors such as lending, manufacturing, and aggregate demand. While private consumption remains strong at 7.3%, the weakening growth in investment and the manufacturing sector contributed to this lowered projection. This revision places India's growth slightly below the National Statistical Office's forecast of 6.4%, signalling concerns about sustaining economic momentum.

India and Saudi Arabia are enhancing their media ties ahead of WAVES 2025. An Indian delegation, including I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju and Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi, visited Saudi Arabia for strategic meetings. They focused on strengthening media collaboration during discussions at Riyadh's "Future of Media" Exhibition and Saudi Media Forum. Key topics included advancements in broadcasting technology, digital marketing, and content exchange, aimed at fostering stronger media partnerships between the two countries.

India’s first zoo-based wildlife biobank has been established at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park (PNHZP) in Darjeeling, West Bengal. This biobank is a significant step in wildlife conservation, as it preserves genetic materials from endangered species using cryogenic storage. Launched in July 2024 in collaboration with the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), the biobank plays a crucial role in preserving genetic resources, aiding breeding programs, and supporting scientific research for species revival and protection.

The Software Technology Parks of India (STPI), under MeitY, launched a new advanced IT incubation centre in Salt Lake, Kolkata. This facility is designed to foster entrepreneurship and boost IT exports in West Bengal. The centre was inaugurated by Minister Jitin Prasada and aims to strengthen sectors such as IT, ITeS, and ESDM through innovation-driven growth. STPI has played a significant role in India’s technological growth, expanding from just a few centres to 67 across the country. This new facility in Kolkata will contribute further to the region’s technological and entrepreneurial landscape.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Mauritius next month to participate in the country's National Day celebrations as the Guest of Honour. Mauritius celebrates its National Day on March 12, marking its independence from British rule in 1968. The visit underscores the strong bilateral ties between India and Mauritius, with Modi's presence reinforcing the long-standing friendship and cooperation between the two nations. Mauritius values India's support in development initiatives, infrastructure, and strategic partnerships, making this visit a testament to their deep and historic relationship.

India’s National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG) and Sri Lanka’s Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA) finalized a plan to train 1,500 Sri Lankan civil service officers over a period of five years. The training program, which includes eight annual training modules, is a result of the MoU between the two countries, aiming to enhance the skills of Sri Lankan civil officers.

Kash Patel made history by becoming the first Indian American to be sworn in as the FBI Director. He was confirmed by a 51-49 Senate vote. Patel, who has a background as a former public defender and top defence official, vowed to restore trust in the FBI while ensuring transparency and accountability. His leadership focuses on refocusing the agency on national security and fair law enforcement, marking a significant step in diversifying leadership within prominent U.S. government institutions.

India officially assumed the Chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Programme Inter-Governmental Organisation (BOBP-IGO) from Bangladesh during the 13th Governing Council Meeting in Malé, Maldives. Leading India’s delegation, Dr Abhilaksh Likhi, Secretary of the Department of Fisheries, emphasized India’s commitment to sustainable fisheries and regional cooperation. Under India’s leadership, the organization will focus on marine resource management, capacity building, research, and addressing issues like Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, in line with India’s broader vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'.

John McFall, a former British Paralympian with a prosthetic leg, has been medically approved by the European Space Agency (ESA) for long-duration space missions to the International Space Station (ISS). This marks a historic milestone in making space exploration more inclusive. McFall’s selection in 2022 for ESA’s “Fly! Feasibility” study, which evaluated the viability of astronauts with disabilities in space, represents significant progress in broadening access to space and challenges traditional views on the physical requirements for astronauts.