01^st November 2025

1. Guinness World Records: Recently, marking a landmark global milestone, the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare earned three GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS

• Key Highlights: India achieved three titles under the nationwide “Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan” (SNSPA) campaign by the Union Health Ministry.
• The records achieved: Most people registered for a healthcare platform in one month – 3,21,49,711 (3.21 crore)
• Most people signed up for breast cancer screening online in one week – 9,94,349 (9.94 lakh)
• Most people signed up for vital signs screening online in one week (state level) – 1,25,406 (1.25 lakh)
• The campaign aligned with Poshan Maah, and focused on women’s health, nutrition, and early detection.
• The campaign reached every district in India, organizing 7 lakh health camps with over 11 crore footfall.
• Participation spanned 20+ Ministries, Central and private institutions, and medical colleges, making it a Whole-of-Government initiative.
• The Guinness recognition symbolizes India’s integrated approach — combining government effort, digital innovation, and citizen participation — to achieve “Healthy Woman, Empowered Family, and Viksit Bharat.”

2. Digitised National Marine Fisheries Census: Recently, the Union Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying launched the first-ever fully digitised National Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025.

• Key Highlights: The 45-day nationwide exercise will be conducted from November 3 to December 18, 2025, covering: 2 million fisher households, 4,000 marine fishing villages and Nine coastal states and four union territories
• The Census is coordinated by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), with CMFRI as the nodal agency and Fishery Survey of India (FSI) as the operational partner.
• Objective: Create a digitised, data-driven fisheries governance system to enhance planning, welfare, and sustainability in the marine sector.
• Real-time monitoring demonstrated using two CMFRI-developed mobile applications:
• VyAS Bharat and VyAS Sutra — enabling real-time data collection, geo-referencing, and instant verification.
• These tools ensure accuracy, transparency, and quick data processing.
• The initiative follows the motto “Smart Census, Smarter Fisheries”, reflecting the government’s push toward digital marine resource management.

3. Three Major International Naval Events: Recently, India announced it will host three major international naval events simultaneously: the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026, Exercise MILAN 2026, and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs, all scheduled to take place in Visakhapatnam.

• Key Highlights: The convergence will operationalize MAHASAGAR vision — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth across Regions.
• Focuses on sustainability, resilience, and collective responsibility for the maritime commons.
• Demonstrates India’s growing role as a “Preferred Security Partner” and its commitment to free, open, and inclusive seas.
• Event aligned with India’s Act East Policy, Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and IONS
• Showcasing India’s indigenous naval strength including: INS Vikrant – India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, Visakhapatnam-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class stealth frigates and Arnala-class anti-submarine warfare corvettes

4. Aabhar: Recently, Indian Railways announced its support for the newly launched ‘Aabhar’ online store, designed to promote local artisans and indigenous craftsmanship.

• About Aabhar: The ‘Aabhar’ online store will showcase exquisite gift items made by: Indigenous tribes, Handloom weavers and Artisans producing ODOP (One District One Product) and GI (Geographical Indication)
• The store is hosted by the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) and sources products exclusively from: Central Cottage Industries Emporium (CCIE), Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), Various Central and State Handicraft and Handloom Emporiums.
• The initiative aligns with the ‘Vocal for Local’ campaign, promoting India’s traditional crafts and sustainable livelihoods.
• Purpose and objectives: Promote social inclusion and economic empowerment of local artisans.
• Encourage government departments and PSUs to procure locally made items for official events, ceremonies, and functions.
• Showcase India’s rich heritage of handlooms, handicrafts, and artisanal goods.
• The initiative aims to create additional income opportunities for marginalised communities, preserving traditional skills while promoting India’s cultural heritage.

5. India and the United States: Recently, India and the United States signed a landmark 10-year defence framework agreement to strengthen collaboration across the full spectrum of defence and security engagements.

• Key Highlights: The agreement was signed on the side-lines of the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus).
• The framework aims to strengthen strategic collaboration and cooperation across the entire defence spectrum over the next decade.
• The development comes despite strained trade relations, following Washington’s 50% tariffs on Indian goods.
• Both sides appreciated the ongoing momentum in bilateral defence ties and reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cooperation across key domains.
• Discussions covered: Defence industry and technology collaboration
• Joint military engagements
• Emerging security challenges
• Strategic coordination mechanisms with regional and global partners

6. Climate Distress: Recently, a new scientific report warned that Earth is exhibiting alarming signs of climate distress, with 22 out of 34 key planetary health indicators reaching record highs.

• The study tracks 34 vital signs of Earth’s health, including global temperature, greenhouse gas levels, ice loss, and sea-level rise, following the 2020 World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency backed by nearly 15,800 scientists worldwide.
• Key findings: Global surface temperature in 2024 was the highest in at least 125,000 years, marking 2015–2024 as the hottest decade on record.
• By mid-2025, Earth’s surface temperature anomaly was 54°C above the historical average, confirming an intensifying long-term warming trend.
• Atmospheric CO₂ concentration exceeded 430 ppm at Mauna Loa Observatory in May 2025 — levels unseen in millions of years.
• Methane and nitrous oxide concentrations also hit new highs in 2025.
• Ocean heat content reached a record high in 2024, triggering the largest global coral bleaching event — affecting 84% of reefs between Jan 2023 and May 2025.
• Global fire-linked tree cover loss reached an all-time high, with tropical primary forest fires up 370% over 2023, worsening carbon emissions and biodiversity loss.

7. State of the Climate Report: Recently, the 2025 State of the Climate Report: A Planet on the Brink revealed that global tree cover loss due to fires reached an all-time high in 2024.

• Key Findings: Tropical primary forests experienced a 370% increase in fire-related tree loss — rising from 69 million hectares in 2023 to 3.2 million hectares in 2024.
• Total global tree cover loss in 2024 stood at 6 million hectares, the second highest on record, and 4.7% higher than in 2023.
• The surge in fires was driven by climate change and El Niño conditions, exacerbating already dry and hot environments.
• Fires in 2024 released approximately 3.1 gigatonnes of CO₂ equivalent, accounting for around 8% of total global human-induced emissions that year.
• Biodiversity and ecosystem losses from tropical forest fires were severe, further stressing already fragile habitats.
• Report describes a “dangerous climate feedback loop” — fires emit vast carbon quantities, accelerating global warming, which in turn increases fire frequency and intensity.
• Public health risks from wildfire smoke include increased morbidity and mortality, especially in vulnerable populations.

8. Kunming Biodiversity Fund: Recently, the Kunming Biodiversity Fund granted $5.8 million to seven countries to advance sustainable and nature-friendly agricultural practices.

• About Kunming Biodiversity Fund: A Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) established in 2021 during Part I of COP 15 of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
• Objective: To support the effective implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) at the regional, national, subnational, and local levels.
• Initial contribution: 5 billion yuan (approx. $200 million) by China.
• Led by: The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) of China and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the CBD (SCBD) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
• Focus: Assists developing countries in accelerating and scaling up actions related to their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).
• Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF): Adopted during the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 2022.
• Aims to advance global sustainable development goals (SDGs) and build upon earlier biodiversity strategies.
• Envisions achieving “living in harmony with nature” by 2050.
• Includes 23 targets for 2030 and 4 long-term global goals for 2050 to ensure the protection and restoration of biodiversity for present and future generations.

9. RAD52: Recently, scientists discovered an unexpected structure of the DNA repair protein RAD52, opening new possibilities for the development of anti-cancer drugs.

• Significance of RAD52: RAD52 is crucial for DNA repair in cancer cells that have defective DNA repair mechanisms (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations).
• Healthy human cells can survive without RAD52, but cancer cells with DNA repair deficiencies depend on it for survival.
• This makes RAD52 a selective and safe target for new cancer therapies.
• Potential therapeutic value: RAD52 inhibitors can selectively kill cancer cells and reduce toxicity compared to conventional treatments.
• Could complement or enhance current PARP inhibitor therapies (e.g., olaparib), especially for cancers showing drug resistance.
• Experimental approach: Researchers created a DNA substrate mimicking a stalled replication fork, allowing them to visualize the RAD52-DNA complex in high detail.
• Discovery significance: First-ever observation of two RAD52 rings together bound to DNA performing a unique protective function. Identifies specific structural regions on RAD52 that could serve as targets for drug inhibition.