NATIONAL NEWS

ISLRTC Signed MoU with National Book Trust

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPwD), Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and the National Book Trust (NBT) at the World Book Fair 2025.

This partnership is aimed at improving accessibility and inclusivity in education for Deaf children, ensuring they have access to quality reading materials in their preferred mode of communication.

Both the Director of ISLRTC and NBT reaffirmed their dedication to enhancing education for Deaf children across India, ensuring they are provided with books in Indian Sign Language.

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

1st BIMSTEC Youth Summit 2025

The first BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) Youth Summit was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat from 7-11 February 2025.

Earlier, a two-day BIMSTEC Digital Conclave was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka on 7th and 8th February 2025.

India hosted the second meeting of the BIMSTEC Expert Group on Cyber Security Cooperation in New Delhi on 21 January 2025.

The 1st BIMSTEC Youth Summit was organised jointly by the Ministry of External Affairs and the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs.

The Young Indians of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) was the knowledge partner of the Youth Summit.

The theme of the 1st BIMSTEC Youth Summit was ‘Youth as a bridge for intra-BIMSTEC exchange’.

More than 70 youth delegates from the seven BIMSTEC member countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand) participated in the Youth Summit.

The delegation comprised Ministers, Members of Parliament, Mayors, entrepreneurs, technology developers, cultural personalities, social media influencers, and other civil society leaders of the member countries.

 

BANKING

Kerala to Borrow Rs 2424.28 Crore from World Bank

The Kerala government approved the Kerala Health System Improvement Programmeby availing a loan of Rs 2,424.28 crore from the World Bank.

The state Cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, granted approval and decided to implement the project under the Programme for Results (P for R)

The main objective of the programme is to ensure an excellent standard of livingand life expectancy while helping the people of the state build a life free from preventable diseases, accidents, and premature deaths.

All interventions under the programme will focus on ensuring the welfare of the poor.

The project aims to establish resilient healthcare systemsthat provide value-based healthcare while addressing the state's evolving demographic and epidemiological challenges.

The government stated that the project will also enhance coordination between various state departmentsto effectively respond to emerging threats, including climate change, and improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery systems in Kerala.

Key objectives include developing a comprehensive ecosystemto prevent non-communicable diseases, strengthening healthcare infrastructure, adopting better approaches to tackle climate-related health risks, and effectively responding to emerging health threats.

 

BUSINESS

Indian Fintech Company, Infibeam’s Rediff.Com Secures NPCI License

Indian fintech company, Infibeam Avenues has achieved a significant milestone through its subsidiary, com, which has secured a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) license from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for its digital payment platform, RediffPay.

This move enables RediffPay to offer Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services, marking Infibeam's strategic entry into the consumer-facing digital payments sector.

A Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) is a company that offers applications or platforms enabling users to initiate and receive payments via Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

TPAP acts as an intermediary between the user, their bank, and the UPI network, ensuring seamless transactions.

TPAPs must obtain a license from the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which regulates the UPI system in India.

NPCI’s approval was confirmed, with Axis Bank as the Payment System Provider (PSP).

In August 2024, Infibeam Avenues acquired a 54% stake in Rediff.com, positioning the platform to serve as a digital financial services aggregator.

The platform aims to offer a range of financial services, including credit and wealth management products, to address the diverse needs of Indian consumers.

General Insurance Corporation of India Strengthens Global Presence with United Kingdom Subsidiary Initiative

General Insurance Corporation of India (GIC Re)'s board of directors has approved the incorporation of a wholly owned subsidiary—GIC Re, India Service Company—in the United Kingdom.

This move is part of the company's ongoing expansion strategy.

The approval was granted during the board meeting held on 3 February 2025.

The subsidiary will have a minimal capital requirement, with the unit potentially being set up with a capital of GBP 1 (approximately $1.24).

The UK-based subsidiary will focus on insurance-related activities and services.

GIC Re will seek approval from the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for the formation of the subsidiary.

 

DEFENCE

Indian Army and IAF Conducts Joint Military Exercise ‘Winged Raider’

The Indian Army and the Indian Air Force jointly conducted a comprehensive training exercise named EX Winged Raiders in the Eastern Theater.

The exercise which was focused on special airborne operations was aimed to enhance inter-service synergy.

The joint military exercise is part of the government of India's effort to push for interoperability leading to the setting up of an integrated theatre command in the country.

The ‘Winged Raiders’ was conducted to test the interoperability of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force.

In the military, Theatre refers to a specific geographical area. These specific geographical areas could be either on land, sea, or air. The military expects these identified areas could potentially become areas of conflict or war in the future.

The exercise focused on special airborne operations and was conducted in the Eastern Theater of the Indian Army.

During the exercise, the personnel of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force rehearsed various airborne insertion techniques from both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. During the exercise, the Chinook helicopter of the Indian Air Force was also used to conduct special airborne operations.

 

SPORTS

2025 Chennai Open Tennis Single Title

Kyrian Jacquet of France won the 2025 Chennai Open Tennis men’s single title by defeating Elias Ymer of Sweden in the final.

The final was played at the SDAT Tennis Stadium in Nungambakkam, Tamil Nadu.

 The 2025 Chennai Open Tennis tournament was an ATP 100 Challenger event. It was held from 3-9 February 2025 at Nungambakkam, Tamil Nadu.

It was the first ATP title for the 23 year old Kyrian Jacquet of France. In the 2025 Chennai Open final, World No. 273 ranked Kyrian Jacquet defeated World No.332 Elias Ymer of Sweden 7(7)-6(1), 6-4 in the final to win his first ATP title.

The doubles title of the 2025 Chennai Open Tennis was won by the Japanese pair of Shintaro Mochizuki and Kaito Uesugi. In the final the Japanese pair defeated the Indian pair of Ramkumar Ramanathan and Saketh Myneni 6-4, 6-4.

The ATP tour is the highest ranked men’s tennis tournament and Challenger Tour is considered to be the second highest tour for the professional players.

Mumbai Open 2025 Tennis Tournament

Jil Teichmann of Switzerland defeated Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand to win the singles title of the 2025 Mumbai Open tennis tournament.

The Mumbai Open is a WTA (Women Tennis Association)125 event and it was held in the Cricket Club of India, Mumbai from 3-9 February 2025. It is the only WTA tournament to be organised in India.

The 2025 Mumbai Open singles title was the 2nd WTA 125 title for Jil Teichmann. In 2024 she won her first WTA 125 tournament in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

In the Mumbai Open, World No.117 Teichmann defeated World No. 122 Mananchaya Sawangkaew 6-3, 6-4 in the final.

Jill Teichmann got a valuable 125 points and a winner’s cheque of USD 15,000.

In the doubles, the Russian pair of Elena Pridankina and Amina Anshba defeated India’s Prarthana Thombare and her Dutch partner Arianne Hartono 6(4)-7(7), 6-2, 10-7 in the final.

International Cricket Council Unveils Champions Trophy 2025 Anthem

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has officially launched the theme song for the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, titled ‘Jeeto Baazi Khel Ke’, performed by renowned Pakistani singer Atif Aslam.

The anthem aims to build excitement for the tournament, which is just 12 days away from kickoff.

The official anthem of the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 embodies the passion, energy, and global love for cricket.

The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 will be held from February 19 to March 9, 2025, across Pakistan and the UAE.

The top eight cricketing nations will compete in a 15-match tournament for ultimate glory.

Singer: Atif Aslam

Producer: Abdullah Siddiqui

Lyricists: Adnan Dhool and Asfandyar Asad

Music Video: A tribute to Pakistan’s cultural heritage, featuring street markets, stadiums, and fan celebrations.

 

IMPORTANT DAYS

World Pulses Day

World Pulses Day 2025 is observed on the 10th of February.

By definition, pulses only include dried seeds from leguminous plants grown for food and do not include green vegetable crops that were harvested.

Their seeds are significant and healthy superfoods because they are packed with vital elements including fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Building on the success and momentum of the I.Y.P., and recognizing the potential of pulses to further achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Burkina Faso, a landlocked West African nation, proposed the global observance of World Pulses Day.

On December 20, 2018, the General Assembly of the United Nations proclaimed February 10 as World Pulses Day through resolution (A/RES/73/251), and the day has been celebrated as a global event since 2019 and supported by many member nations.

According to the U.N., pulses remain influential in mitigating the global challenges of poverty, food security and nutrition, human health, and soil health.

International Epilepsy Day

International Epilepsy Day 2025 is observed on the 10th of February

International Epilepsy Day is the brainchild of the International Bureau for Epilepsy and the International League Against Epilepsy.

The two organizations have put together various events on the day since their inception.

Epilepsy is one of the world’s oldest-known medical conditions, with records dating back to the beginning of recorded history.

Of course, back then, it was treated as a spiritual condition.

In 2000 B.C., an ancient Mesopotamian text described a person who underwent an exorcism under the influence of a moon god.

Ancient Babylonians attributed seizures to possession by evil spirits.

The ancient Greeks also considered epilepsy to be spiritual possession, but they associated it with genius and divine interventions.

National Deworming Day

National Deworming Day 2025 is observed on the 10th of February

Worms can create long-term health issues in children and interfere with their health, education, and overall well-being, even if their effects might not be visible immediately.

Without knowing, children can carry worms for a long time and the only visible symptoms might be their hindered physical and mental health.

It was therefore deemed necessary to treat all children despite not appearing sick and the observation of national deworming day came into being.

According to a report by the World Health Organisation, around 241 million children in India, all between the ages of 1 and 14 years are at risk of parasitic intestinal worms.

The Presence of these parasitic worms also known as Soil- Transmitted Helminths (STH)

National Deworming Day was launched first on 10th February 2015.