Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 and 20 October 2025

Topic: Sports

1. India qualified first time for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026.

• They defeated Uzbekistan 2-1 in Bishkek. India won both their matches in the group.
• They finished at the top of Group G. This confirmed their place in the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026.
• The AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2026 will be held in China.
• This is India’s first qualification through the competitive route.
• India last played in the tournament in 2005. At that time, there was no qualification phase. Teams got direct entry.
• This is a big moment for Indian women’s football.
• Now, all three teams — U-17, U-20, and senior — have qualified.
• Each team has made it to their respective AFC Asian Cups for the first time.
• AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup is is a biennial women's football tournament. It is organised by the Asian Football Confederation.

Topic: International Appointments

2. An army colonel sworn in as president of Madagascar following a military coup.

• An army colonel has been sworn in as the new President of Madagascar just days after a military coup that forced President Andry Rajoelina into exile.
• The appointment of Colonel Michael Randrianirina was formalised by the High Constitutional Court in a ceremony held on 17 October.
• The oath-taking ceremony was conducted after President Rajoelina was impeached for desertion of duty, marking a turbulent political week in the island nation.
• The military intervention followed weeks of violent demonstrations triggered by severe power and water shortages.
• According to the United Nations, at least 22 people were killed and over 100 injured during the unrest, which was condemned as an unconstitutional change of government.
• Following the coup, Madagascar has been suspended from the African Union for violating democratic principles.
• The swearing-in ceremony was attended by military leaders, politicians, and representatives of Gen Z youth movements, along with delegations from the US, EU, Russia, and France.
• The 51-year-old CAPSAT unit commander has pledged to hold national elections within 18 to 24 months and begin consultations to appoint a consensus Prime Minister.
• Since gaining independence in 1960, Madagascar has witnessed multiple coups, including one in 2009 that brought Rajoelina to power as a transitional leader.
• The island nation located in the Indian Ocean off Africa’s east coast is home to around 30 million people and is famous for its vanilla exports and lemurs.

Topic: Sports

3. Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana awarded ICC Player of the Month for September 2025.

• Abhishek Sharma and Smriti Mandhana have been named ICC Men’s and Women’s Players of the Month for September 2025 due to exceptional performances in international cricket.
• Abhishek Sharma excelled in the Asia Cup T20I, scoring 314 runs in seven matches with an average of 44.85 and a strike rate of 200.
• His consistent performance led him to be named Player of the Tournament and to reach 931 points in the ICC Men’s T20I Batting Rankings, the highest ever recorded at the end of the Super Fours.
• Sharma outperformed competitors Kuldeep Yadav and Brian Bennett to secure the Men’s Player of the Month award.
• On the other hand, Smriti Mandhana delivered outstanding performances in India’s home ODI series against Australia, scoring 58, 117, and 125 in three consecutive matches.
• Mandhana accumulated 308 runs in four ODIs with an average of 77 and a strike rate of 135.68, showcasing her dominance with the bat.
• She set a new Indian record by scoring 100 runs in just 50 balls during the third ODI, demonstrating remarkable pace and skill.
• Mandhana surpassed contenders Tazmin Brits and Sidra Amin to win the Women’s Player of the Month award.
• ICC had introduced the ICC Player of the Month awards in January 2021.
• It recognizes the best performances of both male and female cricketers across all forms of international cricket.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

4. ‘We Rise’ Initiative launched by NITI Aayog and DP World to empower women entrepreneurs.

• On 17 October, NITI Aayog’s Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and DP World have launched a joint initiative called ‘We Rise - Women Entrepreneurs Reimagining Inclusive and Sustainable Enterprises’.
• The programme has been announced under WEP’s Award to Reward (ATR) initiative, focusing on mentorship, trade facilitation, and strategic partnerships for women entrepreneurs.
• The Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed by Ms. Anna Roy, Mission Director of WEP, in the presence of Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam, CEO of NITI Aayog, formalizing the collaboration.
• Under ATR, women-led Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) will be identified and mentored to enhance export readiness and strengthen business capacity for global trade.
• DP World will collaborate with WEP to create interventions that will enhance the export readiness of 100 women entrepreneurs, enabling them to meet global trade requirements and strengthen their business capabilities.
• Selected entrepreneurs will also have the opportunity to showcase their products at India Mart in Dubai – a global B2B and B2C marketplace within the Jebel Ali Free Zone (Jafza).
• This marketplace provides Indian businesses access to international buyers.
• With over 90,000 women entrepreneurs engaged on the WEP platform, the partnership represents a significant public-private collaboration to expand trade access and unlock growth opportunities for women-led businesses.
• WEP, which was incubated as an aggregator platform at NITI Aayog in 2018, transitioned to a public-private partnership in 2022.
• It serves as the national aggregator to strengthen India's women entrepreneurship ecosystem and make women-led growth a reality.
• Launched in 2023, the Award to Reward (ATR) initiative institutionalizes WEP's partnership framework by bringing together ecosystem stakeholders to address the specific needs of women entrepreneurs and celebrate their success stories

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

5. The Centre launched a Rs 600 crore ‘Kapas Kranti Mission’ to promote high-yield cotton cultivation.

• The ₹600 crore ‘Kapas Kranti Mission’ has been launched by the Centre to promote high-yield, long-staple cotton cultivation through research, technological innovation, and extension services
• Farmers in Maharashtra, particularly in Akola, have successfully adopted High-Density Plantation (HDP) methods, resulting in significant yield increases.
• The practices are planned to be replicated in Telangana, with farmers being taken to Maharashtra for first-hand observation, provided with appropriate seeds, and encouraged to adopt HDP techniques.
• A post-harvest exposure visit to Akola will also be organized for Telangana farmers to observe successful HDP practices.
• Currently, about 24 lakh farmers in Telangana are engaged in cotton cultivation, making the State India’s top cotton producer.
• 122 procurement centres are scheduled to open post-Diwali, with committees led by District Collectors to address grievances and prevent exploitation.
• A dedicated mobile application, “Kapas Kisan App,” will also be launched to enable farmers to book slots for selling cotton, avoid middlemen, and ensure transparency and fair pricing.
• A total of 345 ginning centres have been notified in Telangana, with agreements finalized with the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to streamline procurement.

Topic: Sports

6. Jyothi Surekha Vennam became the first Indian woman to win an Archery World Cup Final medal.

• On October 18, 2025, Indian archer Jyothi Surekha Vennam became the first Indian woman compound archer to win a medal at the Archery World Cup Final 2025 in Nanjing, the People’s Republic of China, by winning a bronze medal.
• The 29-year-old Asian Games champion defeated world No. 2 Ella Gibson of Great Britain, shooting 15 perfect arrows to secure a 150-145 victory.
• Jyothi began the quarterfinals with a 143-140 win over Alexis Ruiz of the U.S., showing strong performance in the eight-archer season finale.
• In the semifinals, she narrowly lost 143-145 to world No. 1 Andrea Becerra of Mexico, despite briefly leading by one point after the third end.
• Jyothi rebounded in the bronze medal match, scoring 15 consecutive 10s across five ends to outclass Gibson and finish on a high note.
• This medal marks her maiden podium finish at the World Cup Final after earlier appearances in Tlaxcala (2022) and Hermosillo (2023), where she exited in the first round.

Topic: Sports

7. Zoravar Singh Sandhu earned a landmark bronze medal in men’s trap event that was part of the 2025 ISSF World Championship Shotgun.

• It was held in Athens, Greece. Zoravar secured third place in the final.
• Croatia’s Josip Glasnovic won the gold medal. Spain’s Andres Garcia claimed the silver.
• Zoravar finished behind them to take the bronze. He hit 31 out of 50 targets.
• Kalikesh Singh Deo, President of the National Rifle Association of India, credited coach Peter Wilson and the support staff for their role.
• It is only the third time India has reached the men’s trap podium at the Shotgun World Championships.
• Manavjeet Singh Sandhu won gold in Zagreb in 2006. Karni Singh took silver in Cairo in 1962. Zoravar now joins this elite list of Indian shooters.

Topic: International News

8. The Slovenian town of Bled has been honored as one of the Best Tourism Villages 2025.

• UN Tourism agency has honored it for its sustainable and community-centered tourism model.
• It is known for its stunning lake, island church, and hilltop castle.
• Bled was recognized for preserving both natural beauty and cultural traditions while encouraging responsible travel.
• Bled became the fourth village in Slovenia to receive this distinction.
• Solcava, Radovljica, and Bohinj are also in the prestigious list.
• The award announcement took place in Huzhou, China, where 52 villages were chosen from a pool of over 270 candidates representing 65 countries.
• This UN initiative seeks to combat rural population decline by leveraging tourism to stimulate local economies and protect cultural identity.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

9. Uttar Pradesh set a Guinness World Record by lighting over 26.17 lakh earthen lamps.

• These lamps were lit across 56 ghats in Ayodhya during the 9th Deepotsav.
• The grand lighting ceremony took place at Ram Ki Paidi. It marked Ayodhya’s celebration of light and devotion.
• A new milestone was achieved as 2,128 Vedic scholars performed a massive Maha Aarti. They chanted sacred hymns along the Saryu River.
• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the glowing diyas symbolize the triumph of faith after centuries of darkness.
• Across Uttar Pradesh, more than 1.51 crore diyas illuminated the state.
• An innovative laser and drone show depicted the story of the Ramayana.
• Around 1,100 indigenous drones painted beautiful scenes in the night sky.

Topic: International News

10. Uruguay became the first country in Latin America to legalise euthanasia.

• The decision made it one of only a dozen nations worldwide to permit assisted dying.
• Uruguay has a tradition of progressive reforms, having earlier legalised abortion, same-sex marriage, and marijuana.
• The Senate approved the “Dignified Death” bill with 20 votes in favour out of 31 legislators present.
• This vote followed a similar approval by the Chamber of Representatives in August.
• Lawmakers debated the bill for nearly ten hours, calling it one of the toughest moral issues.
• In other Latin American countries, only Colombia and Ecuador have decriminalised euthanasia through court rulings, not legislation.
• Cuba permits terminally ill patients to refuse artificial life support but not assisted suicide.
• The new law allows mentally sound adults who are terminally ill and suffering from incurable diseases to request assisted death.