Online Current Affairs Test - Current Affairs Test - Random (Last 20 months)

Supriya Sahu, serving as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu, received the prestigious UNEP Champions of the Earth 2025 Award for her groundbreaking climate leadership. Recognized in the Inspiration and Action category, she has led transformative initiatives across sustainable cooling, heat resilience, and ecosystem restoration. Her efforts have generated millions of green jobs, enhanced forest cover, and strengthened climate resilience for millions of people in Tamil Nadu. By integrating community participation with innovative environmental solutions, she has positioned the state as a global frontrunner in adaptation and climate governance. Her contributions illustrate the impact of bold, localized climate action on global sustainability.

John Ternus is set to become Apple’s CEO from September 1, 2026, succeeding Tim Cook after Cook’s 15-year tenure. Ternus joined Apple in 2001 and rose to become senior vice president of hardware engineering, overseeing teams responsible for major products including the iPhone. As CEO, he is expected to focus on hardware innovation, artificial intelligence, product development, and Apple’s geopolitical and manufacturing challenges. Tim Cook will remain with Apple as executive chairman of the board, focusing on engagement with policymakers worldwide while Ternus concentrates on engineering, technology, and product strategy.

Anup Kumar Saha was appointed as the new Managing Director (MD) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Kotak Mahindra Bank on October 1, 2026. His appointment will take effect from January 1, 2027, for a fixed term of three years. Saha has been serving as the Executive Director of Kotak Mahindra Bank since January 2026. He brings more than 32 years of professional experience, including 25 years in the financial services sector. Kotak Mahindra Bank is headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, and received its banking license from the Reserve Bank of India in 2003. It was founded by Uday Kotak.

BS Chandrasekhar, a legendary Indian leg-spinner, and Brian Lara, one of the greatest batsmen from the West Indies, received the prestigious Lifetime Achievement awards at the CEAT Cricket Rating Awards. This recognition highlights their immense contributions to the sport—Chandrasekhar for his match-winning spells in the 1960s and 1970s, and Lara for his record-breaking batting feats, including his 400* in Tests. The awards celebrate their lasting impact on international cricket and their roles as icons who inspired generations of players and fans alike.

The Hurun Global 1000 Report 2025 ranks the world’s 1,000 most valuable companies and reflects major shifts in global corporate leadership. In this edition, Nvidia secured the top position, surpassing long-time leaders such as Microsoft and Apple. Nvidia’s rise has been driven by its dominance in advanced semiconductor technology, particularly in graphics processing units and artificial intelligence applications. The growing global demand for AI-driven solutions, data centers, and high-performance computing significantly boosted the company’s valuation. This achievement highlights the increasing importance of technology and innovation in shaping the global economic landscape.

The World Bank's latest report highlights India's significant achievement in reducing extreme poverty from 27.1% in 2011-12 to just 5.3% in 2022-23, using an updated poverty line of $3 per day (adjusted for inflation and purchasing power parity). This decline reflects the success of economic growth, welfare schemes (like food subsidies), and targeted poverty alleviation programs. The report also notes that 171 million people were lifted out of poverty in this period, with rural-urban gaps narrowing substantially. Despite global economic challenges, India's progress sets a benchmark for poverty reduction efforts worldwide.

On May 9, 2025, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched two key initiatives—UP AGREES and AI Pragya—with support from the World Bank. UP AGREES is aimed at transforming agriculture in 28 districts through climate-resilient and technology-driven practices, addressing both productivity and sustainability. AI Pragya focuses on digital skilling by training 10 lakh youth in artificial intelligence and related technologies, helping to build capacities across critical sectors like education, healthcare, and governance. The involvement of the World Bank highlights the global collaboration behind these transformative efforts for economic and social development in the state.

Savitribai Phule, a pioneering social reformer and India’s first woman teacher, was born on January 3, 1831, in Naigaon, Maharashtra. Her birth anniversary is commemorated on January 3 and is observed as Women’s Education Day in Maharashtra to honour her immense contribution to female education. Along with her husband Jyotirao Phule, she co-founded the first girls’ school in Pune in 1848. Despite facing severe social discrimination, Savitribai Phule worked tirelessly for women’s rights, education, and social equality, leaving a lasting legacy in Indian history.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) of Israel to enhance bilateral cooperation in public sector auditing. The agreement focuses on exchanging professional knowledge, technical expertise, and best practices while promoting training opportunities and bilateral seminars. It also emphasises the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data analytics to improve auditing processes and performance oversight. The collaboration reflects the commitment of both countries to modernise public sector auditing through innovation, technology, and institutional cooperation.

Egypt announced a major natural gas discovery in the Badr-15 area of its Western Desert, tapping into the Lower Bahariya reservoir. The find is expected to add approximately 15 billion cubic feet to Egypt’s gas reserves, with an initial production rate of about 16 million cubic feet per day. This discovery strengthens Egypt’s strategy to boost domestic energy production, reduce reliance on imports, and position itself as a key energy hub in the region. The Western Desert continues to be an important frontier for hydrocarbon exploration, offering significant economic and strategic benefits through expanded reserves and increased energy security.

India hosted the 23rd Regional Meeting of National Authorities of States Parties in Asia under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), reaffirming its commitment to chemical disarmament and non-proliferation. India is not only an original signatory to the CWC but also implements it through its National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention (NACWC), as per the Chemical Weapons Convention Act of 2000. India’s leadership role is further reflected in the recognition of the Indian Chemical Council (ICC), which became the first industry body in the world to receive the prestigious OPCW-The Hague Award in 2024. This demonstrates India's proactive role in global chemical safety governance.

The Ministry of Ayush launched the “Yoga 365” campaign to encourage citizens to adopt Yoga as a daily practice rather than limiting it to an annual observance. The initiative was introduced during the Yoga Mahotsav–2026 event at Vigyan Bhawan, marking the 100-day countdown to the International Day of Yoga. Despite high awareness levels of Yoga in both rural and urban areas, regular practice remains limited. To address this gap, the campaign focuses on accessibility and engagement through institutional collaborations and digital platforms, aiming to integrate Yoga into everyday life for improved health and well-being.

The MoU between NIFT Patna and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited was primarily aimed at empowering Jeevika Didis, who are women associated with self-help groups (SHGs). The collaboration seeks to provide them with specialised training in garment manufacturing, quality control, and machinery operation. Beyond training, the initiative also ensures sustainable livelihood opportunities by linking these women with employment at ABFRL’s upcoming Begusarai unit. By focusing on empowering Jeevika Women, the project aspires to initially benefit around 3.5 lakh women, thereby creating a large-scale impact on women’s economic independence and skill development in Bihar.

The bridge that was recently renamed as Sindoor Bridge is the Carnac Bridge in Mumbai. This renaming was part of a larger effort to shed colonial-era names and honour Indian achievements. The new name commemorates Operation Sindoor, a military mission against terrorist camps, and symbolizes both national pride and historical correction. The original Carnac Bridge, named after British Governor James Rivett-Carnac, had become structurally unsafe and was demolished in 2022. After reconstruction, the 328-meter-long, four-lane bridge was inaugurated on July 10, 2025, by CM Devendra Fadnavis. It now stands as a symbol of modern Indian resilience and post-colonial identity.

The 2nd WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine is being held in New Delhi, marking an important step in advancing global collaboration on traditional healthcare systems. Co-hosted by the World Health Organization and the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, the three-day summit brings together policymakers, scientists, healthcare practitioners, and Indigenous knowledge holders from across the world. It builds upon the foundation laid by the first summit held in Gandhinagar in 2023. The New Delhi edition places stronger emphasis on policy implementation, scientific validation, and international cooperation, aligned with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 and the theme of holistic health and well-being.

Tuberculosis is the disease targeted by the JOSH (Joint Squad for Health) Teams initiative launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The programme aims to strengthen youth participation in India’s TB elimination efforts under the TB Mukt Bharat campaign. JOSH Teams will focus on creating awareness, identifying symptoms early, promoting timely diagnosis, encouraging completion of treatment and reducing stigma associated with TB. In its first phase, the initiative will cover 55 districts across 11 states. MY Bharat Volunteers and NCC Cadets will also participate in community mobilisation, helping spread information about TB prevention, testing and treatment at the grassroots level.

The Uttarakhand Cabinet approved the implementation of the Unified Pension Scheme for state employees, which will be operational from April 1, 2025. Additionally, a new Excise Policy 2025 was introduced, banning liquor sales near religious places and enforcing stricter controls on alcohol pricing. Furthermore, CM Dhami announced that financial assistance would be provided to 45 writers in the state this year. These initiatives reflect the government's focus on both employee welfare and regulation of the alcohol industry.

Tripura is set to witness significant development in the fisheries sector with the foundation stone laying of a ₹42.4 crore Integrated Aquapark in Kailashahar under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY). Alongside this, a Fish Festival will be hosted in Agartala. These initiatives aim to strengthen the fisheries infrastructure in the state, including hatcheries, feed mills, cold storage, processing, and marketing facilities. The event will also feature the distribution of certificates and Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to eligible fishers, demonstrating a focused effort to uplift the livelihoods of the fishing community in Tripura. Union Minister for Fisheries Rajeev Ranjan Singh emphasized that the fisheries sector now contributes 9% to India’s economy, making it a more dominant player compared to agriculture, which contributes around 4–5%.

Honeywell partnered with the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay to establish the IITB-Honeywell Centre of Excellence for Future Skills & Innovation at the institute’s Powai campus. The centre is fully funded by the Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation and focuses on advancing sustainability skills and innovation among students. The initiative aims to train more than 100,000 students by 2030 through specialised programs, research support, and advanced laboratory infrastructure. It will benefit undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students from across India. The centre will also offer certificate-based programs, hands-on projects, and research grants to address real-world sustainability challenges.

Google’s Project Suncatcher is an ambitious initiative aimed at building AI data centres in orbit, powered by solar energy. The project plans to deploy satellites equipped with TPUs, solar panels, and high-speed optical communication systems to form a distributed computing network around Earth. By operating in space, these AI data centres would have uninterrupted access to solar power, eliminate the need for water-based cooling, and reduce carbon emissions. While promising a sustainable and scalable alternative to traditional data centres, Project Suncatcher still faces major engineering challenges related to communication, station-keeping, and radiation resistance in space.