23 May 2025 - Daily Current Affairs Updates

📘 GS Paper 1 – History & Indian Personalities

News: Former Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Dr. M R Srinivasan passed away at 95.
Contributions:
- Pivotal in India’s PHWR program, key to energy self-reliance.
- Co-founded NPCIL, strengthened civilian nuclear power.
- Built Apsara, India’s first nuclear reactor.
UPSC Add-on:
- GS1 + Essay: Indian scientific leadership post-Independence.
- Quote his book “From Fission to Fusion” in essays on energy or self-reliance.
- Add to role of science in nation building examples.

News: Telangana tops CEIR dashboard for mobile recovery.
What’s CEIR:
- Centralized IMEI tracking system under DoT.
- Blocks stolen/lost phones even with new SIM.
- Categorizes devices: Whitelist, Greylist, Blacklist.
Why It Matters:
- Combats illegal device markets, improves citizen safety.
UPSC Value:
- e-Governance + Internal Security: Excellent example of tech-driven public service.
- Link with Digital India + Cybercrime mitigation.

News: New scheme launched for FY 2025–26.
Key Features:
- Boosts organic, GI-tagged, value-added spice exports.
- Supports spice incubators, MSMEs, and post-harvest tech.
- Geo-tagging for transparency.
UPSC Linkage:
- GS2 Governance + GS3 Agriculture & Exports: Great example of sectoral sustainability + FPO empowerment.
- Mention in Doubling Farmers’ Income, Agri-value chain, MSME boost.

News: India chairs APO 2025–26 session.
APO:
- Founded in 1961, HQ in Tokyo.
- 21 member economies work to improve regional productivity.
UPSC Utility:
- GS2 IR + Economy: Mention in India’s role in multilateral economic cooperation.
- Reflects India’s leadership in Asia-Pacific development architecture.

Theme 2025: "Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development"
Significance:
- Aligns SDGs + Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework.
- Traces origin to 1992 CBD text adoption in Nairobi.
UPSC Add-on:
- GS3 Environment + Ethics: Use in questions on conservation ethics, SDGs, or climate-biodiversity interlinkages.

News: Artificial insemination success boosts Kākāpō population.
Why Unique:
- World’s largest flightless, nocturnal parrot, only in NZ.
- Critically Endangered (IUCN).
- Lek-breeder with irregular cycles.
Value:
- GS3 + Ethics: Conservation success through tech-biology fusion.
- Good case in species-specific revival programs.

News: Trump unveils $175 billion missile defense shield.
Highlights:
- Protects against ICBMs, hypersonic + space missiles.
- Builds on Reagan’s “Star Wars” Strategic Defense Initiative.
- Integrates Patriot, THAAD, Aegis, GMD.
Contrast with Israel’s Iron Dome:
- Golden Dome = nationwide shield (macro).
- Iron Dome = regional defense (micro).
UPSC Relevance:
- GS3 Security: Mention in space militarization debates or missile defense systems.
- Essay: “Technology and National Security: Boon or Bane?”

News: DoT launches FRI to rate phone numbers based on cyber fraud risks.
How It Works:
- Integrates NCRP, Chakshu, DIP, bank intel.
- Tags numbers as Medium / High / Very High Risk.
Why It Matters:
- India lost ₹3,207 Cr to cyber fraud (2020–24).
UPSC Linkage:
- GS3 Cybersecurity: Add to digital risk mitigation strategies.
- Great in answers on public digital infrastructure + trust.

News: NASA-Virginia Tech use SWOT to track river flood waves.
Highlights:
- Tracks speed, height of flood waves using KaRIn radar.
- Can monitor 55% of global flood zones.
UPSC Angle:
- GS3 Disaster Management + Tech: Case study for remote sensing + flood early warning systems.
- Mention in answers on climate resilience infrastructure.