Current Affairs [Top Questions]

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India’s largest hydroelectric project, the 2000 Megawatt (MW) Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, has entered its commissioning phase. It is a run-of-the-river hydro project built on the Subansiri River, a tributary of the Brahmaputra. The project is located at Gerukamukh on the Arunachal Pradesh–Assam border. Once completed, it will become India’s single largest hydroelectric plant. The project is being developed by the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC). The funding structure includes 70% equity and 30% debt, with the Central Government providing budgetary support for the equity share.

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Recently, Japan launched the world’s first yen-pegged stablecoin, named JPYC, marking a major step in digital finance. It is issued by the startup JPYC and is fully backed by Japanese Government Bonds (JGBs) and domestic savings. The coin is fully convertible to the yen and aims for widespread international use. JPYC plans to issue 10 trillion yen ($66 billion) worth of coins in three years. The aim is to promote innovation and reduce transaction costs for startups. Blockchain-based stablecoins enable faster, cheaper, and secure transactions. Dollar-pegged stablecoins currently dominate 99% of global supply, but Japan seeks diversification

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Hurricane Melissa has made a catastrophic landfall in Jamaica, causing heavy rainfall, storm surge, and severe structural damage. Hurricanes are the most intense storms on Earth, also known as typhoons or cyclones, depending on their location. Scientifically, they are called tropical cyclones, which form over warm ocean waters through the same process worldwide. The term “hurricane” is used for storms forming in the Atlantic Ocean or eastern Pacific Ocean. These storms are named from a six-year rotating list maintained by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

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A photographer in Spain recently spotted the world’s first-ever white Iberian lynx, a rare sighting. The Iberian lynx is a carnivorous species endemic to Europe. It is one of the world’s most endangered wild cats, recognized by its pointy ears, long legs, and spotted fur. It is nocturnal, mainly hunting rabbits, its primary prey. It is found only in southwest Spain on the Iberian Peninsula, west of the Pyrenees.

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In November 2025, Rekha Gupta, Chief Minister of Delhi, launched the ‘Pink Saheli Smart Card’ initiative. The scheme offers free and convenient travel for women and transgender commuters on Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) and cluster buses. It promotes safer, inclusive, and accessible public transport in Delhi. The smart card replaces the pink-paper ticket system and operates under the National Common Mobility Card (NCMC) framework.

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Odisha will host the Global Energy Leaders’ Summit (GELS) 2025 in Puri from December 5 to 7, 2025. The summit supports Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi’s vision of sustainability, cooperative federalism, and Net Zero 2070. Energy ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Bhutan will join global experts and think-tanks. The event is organised with the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) and Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur (IIT-K). The theme is “Powering India: Sufficiency, Balance, Innovation.”

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The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) set up the Earth System Sciences Council (ESSC) to improve coordination across its institutes. ESSC integrates five autonomous institutes under one governance framework. It is chaired by the Union Minister for Earth Sciences for a whole-of-government approach. Institutes keep their original mandates but follow shared committees, a unified annual report and common administrative oversight. ESSC strengthens climate services, disaster preparedness, ocean research, atmospheric studies and public outreach.

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National Philosophy Day is observed every year on the third Thursday of November. In 2025, it falls on November 20. The day honours philosophical reflections worldwide. It encourages individual dialogues, public debates, discussion of new ideas, and intellectual curiosity. It focuses on addressing social and global challenges through philosophy. National Philosophy Day highlights the value of teaching philosophy to promote open-mindedness, tolerance, critical thinking, and respectful engagement. The 2025 theme is “Philosophy and Global Dialogue in the Digital Era”

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At the 2025 G-20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa secured the adoption of the G-20 Leaders’ Declaration by consensus despite the U.S. boycott.This was the first G-20 Summit ever held in Africa, marking a milestone for the Global South and African development in global governance. The Declaration was unusually adopted at the beginning of the Summit rather than at the end, which had never happened before. The text was already negotiated and finalised by Sherpas, allowing early approval. South Africa called the adoption an “affirmation of multilateralism” and stated that the G-20 cannot be blocked by the absence of any single country, including the U.S.

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The Finn’s Weaver is silently disappearing from the marshy lowlands of the Terai region in India. Its scientific name is Ploceus megarhynchus and it is also called Finn’s baya or yellow weaver. It is named after Frank Finn, a British officer and bird expert. It is native to the Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys in India and Nepal. It lives near dams, reservoirs, marshy soil, tall grass, semal and shisham trees. It builds nests on tall grass and trees and feeds mainly on seeds and insects. Its status is Vulnerable as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.