Daily Current Affairs – 23-06-2025

SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY

Scientists have uncovered 24-million-year-old fossilized leaves in the coal beds of Assam’s Makum Coalfield. They are identified as the world’s oldest known record of the Nothopegia plant genus. The fossil leaves dated back to the late Oligocene epoch (24–23 million years ago) and bear a striking resemblance to modern Nothopegia species found today in the Western Ghats.

AVIATION NEWS

AVIATION NEWS

India’s IndiGo Airlines has been ranked third among the world’s top very low-cost carriers in 2025 according to Skytrax World Airline Awards. Regionally, it ranked top for the Best Airline and Best Low-Cost Airline in South Asia for 2025.

AVIATION NEWS

Qatar Airways has been named the World’s Best Airline 2025, claiming the title for the ninth time. The Skytrax World Airline Awards are widely regarded as the ‘Oscars of the aviation industry’.

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCE

INTERNATIONAL OBSERVANCE

International Domestic Workers’ Day 2025 observed on June 16. It marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Domestic Workers Convention, 2011 (No. 189). Around the world, over 75 million domestic workers support the very fabric of our homes, families, and communities. The theme for 2025 is ‘Recognizing Care, Advancing Dignity and Rights for the Domestic Workers’.

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

World Crocodile Day 2025 observed on June 17. It aims to raise awareness about the conservation of crocodiles and alligators. This event in 2025 also commemorated the 50th anniversary of India’s Crocodile conservation project. The 3 main species of crocodiles found in India are Saltwater crocodile, Mugger crocodile, and Gharial. Odisha is the only State to host the wild populations of all three native species.

MEDICAL RESEARCH

MEDICAL RESEARCH

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has introduced its first very high-performance computing facility at its National Institute of Virology (NIV) facility in Pune. It is named as NAKSHATRA. It enables enhanced storage and optimizes the pipeline for genomic research. It will ensure better viral genomic surveillance capacity and high national preparedness for any future pandemic.

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

TECHNOLOGY NEWS

The National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) celebrated its 20th foundation day recently. It was set up in 2003 under the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). It currently operates 77 Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) across the country, helping domestic traffic stay within India’s borders — reducing latency, increasing speed, and enhancing security.

HEALTH AWARENESS

HEALTH AWARENESS

ASEAN Dengue Day 2025 observed on June 15. The 10th ASEAN Health Ministers Meeting in 2010 designated this Day. This year’s theme is ‘ASEAN United: Zero dengue deaths a future we build together’. Dengue virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes.

IMPORTANT DAYS

United Nations Public Service Day 2025 - June 23

On 20 December 2002, the General Assembly designated this day. UN established the UN Public Service Awards (UNPSA) programme in 2003. It honours the vital contributions of the public servants and the public sector in driving development and improving the quality of life for citizens across the globe. The 2025 United Nations Public Service Forum was held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. The theme of the event was ‘Five Years to 2030: Accelerating Public Service Delivery for a Sustainable Future’.

Tamil Nadu

e-Zero FIR Initiative Launched in Delhi

® The Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre (I4C) has launched the e-Zero FIR initiative as a pilot project in Delhi. ® Aimed at tackling financial cyber frauds above ₹ 10 lakh, the system automatically converts complaints received via 1930 helpline or cybercrime.gov.in into Zero FIRs. ® These FIRs are instantly routed to the relevant territorial Cybercrime Police Stations. ® Complainants must visit the police station within 3 days to convert the Zero FIR into a regular FIR. ® Delhi’s e-Crime Police Station has been designated for registering these e-FIRs.

Best Documentary Award at Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2025

® The documentary ‘Saving the Bhimanama: Ayushi Jain and a Giant Turtle’, directed by Bahar Dutt and Vijay Bedi, won Best Documentary at the 15th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival 2025. ® The film highlights conservation efforts for a giant turtle species in India.

Banu Mushtaq’s ‘Heart Lamp’ Wins International Booker Prize

® Kannada author Banu Mushtaq won the International Booker Prize 2025 for Heart Lamp . ® The book was translated into English by Deepa Bhasthi. ® This is the first International Booker Prize win for the Kannada language. ® It is also the first time a collection of short stories has won the prize. ® The shortlist included works in French, Italian, Danish, and Japanese. ® This is the second time a Kannada author has been recognized by Booker institutions after U R Ananthamurthy (2013). ® Deepa Bhasthi became the first Indian translator to win the International Booker Prize. ® Bhasthi had earlier won the English PEN’s ‘PEN Translates’ award for the same work in 2024. ® The last Indian winner was Geetanjali Shree (2022) for Tomb of Sand , translated from Hindi. ® Arundhati Roy became the first Indian and first Indian woman to win the Man Booker Prize in 1997 for her novel The God of Small Things .

World Day for Cultural Diversity Observed on May 21

® May 21 is observed annually as the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. ® The day highlights the importance of cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue in promoting peace and sustainable development worldwide