Online Current Affairs Test - Current Affairs Test - Random (Last 12 months)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, Brazil’s highest civilian honour. This prestigious award, presented by Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, acknowledges Modi’s contributions to strengthening bilateral ties between India and Brazil and enhancing India’s presence on the global stage. It symbolises Brazil’s appreciation for India’s role in global diplomacy and Prime Minister Modi’s leadership in multilateral platforms such as BRICS and G20. This honour not only recognizes an individual achievement but also marks the growing strategic and diplomatic collaboration between the two democratic nations.

NTPC Ltd. won the Forward Faster Sustainability Award 2025 in the Water Resilience category from the UN Global Compact Network India (UN GCNI) on 13th February in Chennai. This award recognizes NTPC's efforts in water conservation, wastewater treatment, and sustainable water management practices, highlighting the company's leadership in these areas. Additionally, NTPC has set a target to achieve 60 GW of renewable energy by 2032, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability.

Mubadala, based in Abu Dhabi, emerged as the leading global sovereign investor in 2024, with investments totalling $29.2 billion across 52 deals. The fund's focus areas included digital technologies, renewable energy, healthcare, and infrastructure, with significant investments in regions like India. This achievement underscores the Gulf region's growing influence, as Gulf sovereign funds collectively invested a record $82 billion in the global market.

The iDEX scheme (Innovations for Defence Excellence) was launched by the Ministry of Defence to promote innovation and modernization in the Defence and Aerospace sectors. It encourages startups, MSMEs, and individual innovators to engage in research and development, providing them with funding and technical support through partnerships with leading incubators. Managed by the Defence Innovation Organization (DIO), the iDEX scheme aims to develop military-grade products and advanced technologies that meet the critical needs of the Indian Armed Forces. The Ministry is now seeking additional funds to continue the scheme beyond 2021-26.

India recently sent its first-ever sea shipment of premium Sangola and Bhagwa pomegranates to Australia, facilitated by APEDA. The shipment, weighing 5.7 MT from Maharashtra’s Solapur region, arrived in Sydney in January 2025. This marked a significant milestone in India's fruit export sector. The positive market response, coupled with India's ANARNET traceability system, helped enhance export credibility. The initiative also led to a 29% year-on-year increase in fresh fruit exports, underlining the growing demand for Indian produce in global markets.

The term 'Brain Rot' was chosen as the Oxford Word of the Year 2024, reflecting a 230% surge in its usage between 2023 and 2024. Defined as "mental deterioration caused by overconsumption of trivial or low-quality online content," the phrase highlights rising concerns about the intellectual impact of digital overindulgence. Its first recorded use dates back to 1854 in Thoreau's Walden, emphasizing its enduring relevance amidst evolving societal challenges.

Poson Poya is a significant Buddhist festival celebrated in Sri Lanka to honour the introduction of Buddhism to the island in the 3rd century BCE. It commemorates the moment when Arahat Mahinda, son of Indian Emperor Ashoka, delivered the first Buddhist sermon to King Devanampiyatissa at Mihintale. This event is regarded as the formal beginning of Theravāda Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Celebrations involve religious observances, illuminated streets, and pilgrimages to Mihintale and Anuradhapura. In 2025, the Sri Lankan government arranged special train services to facilitate pilgrim travel, and the Indian High Commission contributed with an exhibition on shared Buddhist heritage.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has committed to providing a ₹2,800 crore loan to support the development of Bengaluru's suburban railway. The announcement was made by EIB Vice President Nicola Beer and Karnataka Rail Director Awadhesh Maheta at the Urban Mobility India conference in Gandhinagar. The loan will be disbursed over five years, contributing to India's urban mobility and workforce inclusivity goals. Notably, India is the largest EIB transport financing recipient outside Europe, reflecting the country's focus on upgrading its transportation infrastructure. This investment aims to enhance Bengaluru's connectivity, reduce congestion, and promote sustainable urban growth.

The International Day for Interventional Cardiology is observed annually on September 16th to raise awareness about the critical field of interventional cardiology and its role in treating heart diseases. This specialized field employs minimally invasive procedures, such as catheter-based techniques and stent insertions, to diagnose and treat cardiovascular conditions. Recognizing the significance of interventional cardiology is crucial, as cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death globally. By observing this day, healthcare professionals and organizations aim to promote education, awareness, and advancements in cardiac care.

World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed from February 1 to 7 each year, as declared by the United Nations General Assembly. This week serves as a global initiative to promote mutual understanding, dialogue, and cooperation among different religious communities. The theme for 2025 is ‘Uniting for Peace,’ emphasizing the importance of interfaith collaboration to address global challenges. The observance was first introduced by King Abdullah II of Jordan and has been celebrated annually since 2011, becoming a significant event in fostering religious harmony and peaceful coexistence worldwide.

November 25 is marked annually as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. It was officially designated by the United Nations 25 years ago and aims to raise awareness about gender-based violence, a prevalent human rights violation. The date honours the Mirabal sisters, political activists from the Dominican Republic who were murdered on November 25, 1960, under Rafael Trujillo's regime. Observances include global campaigns such as the 16 Days of Activism, advocating for policy reforms and public engagement to combat violence against women.

The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FFD4) took place in Seville, Spain. At this global event, India’s Finance Minister stressed the importance of reforming sovereign credit rating systems and multilateral development banks (MDBs). The aim of these reforms is to create a more equitable and inclusive financial system that supports sustainable development for all nations. By highlighting these issues on an international platform, India is advocating for fairer evaluation standards that can help developing countries access funding and investment more easily, thereby reducing reliance on outdated and often biased financial metrics established by Western institutions.

According to a recent study, Australia and New Zealand have the highest breast cancer incidence rates in the world. The study examined data from 185 countries and found that the incidence rate in these countries is significantly higher compared to other regions, with an age-standardized incidence rate of 100.3 cases per 100,000 people. The study also highlighted global disparities in risk, with developed nations experiencing higher incidence rates, while lower HDI countries face disproportionate mortality rates.

India emerged as the leading source of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into Dubai in 2024, surpassing the United States, France, and the United Kingdom. India accounted for 21.5% of total FDI into Dubai, which reflects the growing business ties between the two countries. Dubai’s business-friendly environment, tax policies, and infrastructure attracted a significant increase in Indian investments, further cementing Dubai's position as the world's leading destination for Greenfield FDI. This surge in investments underscores the strong economic relationship between India and Dubai.

Murali Sreeshankar emerged as the winner of the Long Jump title at the Portugal Sports Meet, which is a part of the World Athletics Continental Tour – Bronze level. He achieved a leap of 7.75 metres in the second round to secure the top position. Sreeshankar, who is also known for winning a silver medal at the Asian Games, outperformed his competitors at this international event. Piotr Tarkowski from Poland and Chris Mitrevski from Australia followed him in second and third place, respectively, making Sreeshankar’s performance the highlight of the meet.

Syrian rebels, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, declared Damascus liberated, marking the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government and ending the 54-year Assad dynasty. This dynasty started in 1971 under Hafez al-Assad and continued with Bashar al-Assad's 24-year rule. The event signifies a major shift in Syria's political landscape, with Bashar al-Assad's whereabouts remaining uncertain amid changing geopolitical dynamics.

Harini Amarasuriya has made history by being sworn in as Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister, marking a significant milestone as the first woman to assume this role since Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 2000. Known for her activism and contributions to social justice and education, Amarasuriya's appointment reflects a commitment to progressive leadership and reform within the National People’s Power party. She is the third woman to serve in this capacity in Sri Lanka, and her responsibilities include key portfolios such as Justice, Education, and Health, underscoring her influential position in the government.

Maharashtra was allocated a record ₹23,778 crore for railway projects in the 2025-26 Budget, marking a significant investment in the state’s railway infrastructure. With ongoing railway projects valued at ₹1.7 lakh crore, Maharashtra is set to witness major developments, including 132 new railway stations under the Amrit Stations Scheme. The tripartite agreement between the state, Centre, and RBI further ensures smooth funding for these projects. Additionally, the state has seen extensive railway expansion, with 2,105 km of new tracks laid since 2014, enhancing connectivity and economic growth.

Gujarat has significantly expanded its Soil Health Card Yojana to help farmers with soil health assessments and fertilizer recommendations, aiming to increase agricultural productivity. The initiative has supported over 2.15 crore farmers since its inception in 2003-04. In 2024-25, the state plans to test 3.81 lakh soil samples with the help of labs and private centres. Furthermore, the establishment of 27 private soil testing laboratories at the rural level has helped strengthen the program’s impact, promoting sustainable farming practices across Gujarat.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) partnered with IIIT-Hyderabad to launch a global biometric challenge aimed at enhancing the accuracy of fingerprint authentication in children. The focus is on addressing age-related changes to ensure long-term reliability in Aadhaar authentication. This large-scale Biometric SDK Benchmarking Challenge targets 1:1 fingerprint matching algorithms for children aged 5-10 years and their biometric updates over time. The initiative encourages global participation, with opportunities for collaboration with UIDAI for top performers, highlighting IIIT-Hyderabad’s role in advancing biometric technology research.