Daily Current Affairs and GK | 19 August 2025

Topic: Miscellaneous

1. India’s first all-women operated clean street food hub has been inaugurated by Union Minister Piyush Goyal in Mumbai.

• Mauli is the very first all-women operated clean street food hub in Kandivani near Mumbai.
• It is completely managed by women from Self-Help Groups (SHGs).
• Union Minister Goyal said that these women have received training under the Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program.
• He said these women can now run clean, safe and hygeinic food businesses.
• He also said that this initiative has given women a dignified means of livelihood and also strengthened local entrepreneurship.
• Food Safety Training and Certification (FoSTaC) program was initiatied by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in July 2017.
• It is aimed at creating a pool of food safety supervisors (FSS), trained in good hygiene and manufacturing practices as per requirements in Schedule 4 of Food Safety and Standards Licensing and Registration Regulations, 2011.

Topic: Sports

2. Logo, mascot, and trophy of 12th Men’s Asia Cup Hockey Championship unveiled by Bihar CM Nitish Kumar in Patna.

• Bihar is hosting the championship for the first time.
• It will be held between 29th of August and 7th of September at Rajgir International Stadium in Rajgir.
• CM Nitish also flagged off the Trophy Pride Journey.
• During the Trophy Pride Journey, Asia Cup Hockey torch will travel through every district of Bihar.
• The name of mascot of the Asia Cup Hockey is Chand. The name is inspired by hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand.
• The mascot is inspired by the national animal, the tiger.
• The mascot symbolises the courage, agility, and skill of tiger.
• It is also inspired from the majestic tiger of Bihar’s Valmiki Tiger Reserve.
• Magician’s hat of mascot pays tribute to extraordinary talent of Major Dhyan Chand.
• The championship will begin from 29th August. This will be coincident with National Sports Day and the birth anniversary of the hockey legend.
• The championship will have teams from India, China, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Malaysia, South Korea, Oman, and Bangladesh.

Topic: Defence

3. The sea phase of the 12th edition of Sri Lanka-India Naval Exercise, SLINEX-25, is being conducted off Colombo.

• Two Indian Navy ships are participating in the exercise. The ships are fleet tanker INS Jyoti and a Guided Missile Destroyer INS Rana.
• SLNS Vijayabahu and SLNS Sayura of the Sri Lanka Navy are taking part in the exercise.
• Before the sea phase, a three-day harbour phase was organised at Colombo Port from August 14 to 16.
• During the harbour phase, operational teams carried out helicopter training with the Sri Lanka Air Force.
• The harbour phase also included sports competitions, and yoga sessions.
• SLINEX is a bilateral naval exercise conceptualised in 2005.
• The previous edition of SLINEX was carried out at Visakhapatnam, India from 17 to 20 Dec 24.
• It is aimed at enhancing interoperability, maritime cooperation and exchanging best practices.

Topic: Banking/Finance

4. Maharashtra is the number one state in UPI usage, according to SBI’s economic research department (ERD).

• Maharashtra is followed by Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu.
• As per ERD economists, Maharashtra is the consistent leader in digital payments with 9.8% volume share in July alone.
• It is followed by Karnataka (5.5%), UP (5.3%), Telangana (4.1%) and Tamil Nadu (4%).
• In terms of value share also, Maharashtra is at the top in digital payments with 9.2% share in July alone.
• It is followed by Karnataka (5.8%), UP (5.3%), Telangana (5.1%) and Tamil Nadu (4.7%).
• As per the SBI report, UPI transactions have grown significantly both in value and volume terms.
• In 2025 itself, the average daily value has increased from ₹75,743 crore in January to ₹90,446 crore in August (so far).
• As per the report, PhonePe is the number one UPI app. It is followed by Google Pay and Paytm in both volume and value.

Topic: Personality in News

5. Terence Stamp, the English actor, has passed away at the age of 87.

• He was best known for playing complex and often villainous roles.
• One of his most iconic performances was as General Zod in the early 'Superman' films.
• Stamp earned an Oscar nomination and appeared in a wide range of movies.
• Some of his notable films include The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Far From the Madding Crowd, and Valkyrie.
• Bob Simpson has passed away at 89. Bob was a former Australian captain and coach.
• He is renowned as an opening batter, fielder, spinner, and coach.

Topic: International News

6. Dubai International Airport has launched a new AI-powered corridor.

• It allows passengers to clear immigration in just a few seconds.
• Travelers do not need to show any documents.
• This innovation is part of the “Travel Without Borders” and “Unlimited Smart Travel” initiatives.
• The goal is to offer a smoother, more secure travel experience.
• Up to 10 people can use the corridor at the same time.
• They simply walk through while facial recognition technology scans their faces.
• The system uses pre-registered biometric data to confirm identities.
• The entire process can take as little as 14 seconds.
• There is no need for passport desks, smart gates, or manual checks.
• The technology is currently available in Terminal 3’s First and Business Class lounges.
• It builds on the smart tunnel system first introduced in 2020.
• Artificial intelligence checks passenger information before they reach the corridor.
• If anything suspicious is detected, it is flagged for expert review.
• Dubai International Airport has been the busiest hub for international flights for 11 years in a row.
• The new AI corridor is drawing global interest as a model for future air travel.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

7. The Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana (PMVBRY) portal is now live for one-time online registration.

• The scheme will offer up to ₹15,000 in two instalments as an incentive to newly employed youth.
• Employers will receive up to ₹3,000 per month for each new employee for creation of new job opportunities.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced PMVBRY during his Independence Day speech from the Red Fort this year.
• PMVBRY is part of the broader Employment Linked Incentive Scheme.
• The scheme targets the creation of over 3.5 crore new jobs in India over the next two years.
• It aims to promote employment generation, boost employability, and strengthen social security.
• All sectors are eligible for the scheme, with a special emphasis on the manufacturing industry.
• The scheme is effective from August 1 this year.

Topic: Reports and Indices

8. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has ranked Pakistan among the worst in South Asia for gender-based wage inequality.

• Women in Pakistan earn on average 34% less than men, according to the ILO’s Global Wage Report.
• The gender pay gap in Pakistan is significantly wider than the global average (20%) and worse than in India (25%), Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal.
• Unlike some neighbouring countries showing progress, Pakistan has made no improvement in reducing the wage gap.
• Persistent socio-economic, cultural, and institutional barriers continue to fuel wage disparities in Pakistan.
• Most women in Pakistan are employed in the low-paid informal sector, including agriculture, domestic work, and home-based manufacturing.
• These informal jobs often lack formal contracts, social protections, and employment benefits.
• The World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Report ranks Pakistan 151st out of 156 countries.
• Pakistan ranks near the bottom globally in terms of women’s economic participation and opportunity.

Topic: Indian Economy

9. India’s unemployment rate for people aged 15 and above dropped to 5.2% in July 2025.

• This is a decrease from 5.6% recorded in June.
• The unemployment rate for women in July was 5.1%. For men, it was slightly higher at 5.3%.
• Between April and June 2025, the overall unemployment rate for both men and women was 5.4%.
• Rural areas had a lower unemployment rate of 4.8% in the first quarter. Urban areas experienced a higher rate of 6.8%.
• The Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) rose to 54.9% in July.
• This was up from 54.2% in June for those aged 15 and above.
• In July, rural LFPR stood at 56.9%. Urban LFPR was 50.7% for the same age group.
• From April to June, the overall LFPR was 55%. Rural LFPR during this period was 57.1%. Urban LFPR was recorded at 50.6%.

Topic: Sports

10. The logo and mascot for the first Khelo India Water Sports Festival (KIWSF) were revealed in Srinagar.

• The mascot chosen is the Himalayan Kingfisher.
• The logo shows a Shikara boat moving across Dal Lake.
• It is surrounded by pine trees and snow-covered mountains.
• This design reflects the natural beauty of Kashmir.
• The festival will take place at Dal Lake from August 21 to 23.
• More than 400 athletes will participate in the event.
• They will come from 36 states and Union Territories.
• The sports included are rowing, canoeing, and kayaking.
• The J&K Sports Council is organizing the festival together with the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs.