Daily Current Affairs and GK | 5 February 2025

Topic: International News

1. China has imposed tariffs on US products after the decision of US to raise tariffs on Chinese products.

• A 15 per cent tax has been imposed on coal and liquefied natural gas imports from the US.
• 10 per cent tariff has been imposed on crude oil, agricultural machinery, pickup trucks and large-engine cars.
• China also made an announcement for the opening of an investigation into US technology company Google.
• U.S. tariff hikes on Canada and Mexico were delayed by one month by US President Donald Trump after the two countries agreed to strengthen border security efforts.
• The tariffs against China are scheduled to come into effect from 4 February 2025.
• Canada is implementing its 1.3 billion US dollar border plan. This includes more resources to stop the flow of the banned fentanyl drug.
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to deploy 10,000 soldiers on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Topic: Committees/ Commissions/ Taskforces

2. A five-member committee has been formed by Gujarat government to draft the Uniform Civil Code for the state.

• The committee is chaired by retired Supreme Court judge Ranjana Desai. It will give its report in 45 days.
• On the basis of committee's recommendations, a final decision will be taken by the government.
• The Uniform Civil Code standardizes personal laws across religions.
• It covers issues such as marriage, divorce, inheritance, and live-in relationships.
• Recently, Uttarakhand created history by becoming the first state to implement a Uniform Civil Code.

Topic: Environment and Ecology

3. India’s first white tiger breeding centre will be set up in Madhya Pradesh’s Rewa district.

• The Central Zoo Authority (CZA) has approved a proposal to set up a white tiger breeding centre in the Rewa District of Madhya Pradesh.
• Rewa district is believed to be the home of the last white tiger in the wild.
• This project got principle approval from the central government in 2011.
• The breeding centre will be set up in Govindgarh. It will boost wildlife tourism and create job opportunities for local people.
• This facility will ensure the safety of white tigers and an increase in their numbers.
• The white tiger breeding centre is part of a revised master plan for Maharaja Martand Singh Judeo White Tiger Safari and Zoo in Mukundpur.

Topic: Personality in News

4. German ex-president and IMF chief, Horst Koehler, passed away at the age of 81.

• Germany's former president Horst Koehler and former IMF chief Horst Koehler passed away at the age of 81.
• Horst Koehler was the president of Germany from 2004 to 2010.
• He was the head of the IMF from 2000 to 2004. He also held several other roles in the civil service and banking.
• He played a key role in Germany's monetary unification in 1990.
• He also helped in the introduction of the euro. He was born in 1943 in German-occupied Poland.

Topic: State News/Haryana

5. Amendment to Haryana Village Common Land (Regulation) Act, 1961 has been approved by the Haryana Cabinet.

• Under the amendment, land up to 500 square yards occupied by unauthorizedly constructed houses of Gram Panchayat can be sold at less than the market price.
• Haryana Wild Life (Protection) Rules, 2024 has also been approved by Haryana Cabinet.
• Under new rules, formats for granting permits regarding wildlife education, scientific research, or scientific management are provided.
• Rule also provide detailed procedures and formats for people to carry out surveys or investigations on land within sanctuaries.
• Haryana government will bear more than three crore rupees to compensate for loss of commission agents.

Topic: Biotechnology and Diseases

6. A drug delivery system with potential to transform the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has been developed.

• This system has ben developed by Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) Mohali researchers.
• The new system reacts in a direct way to biochemical signals in the inflamed synovial environment.
• In this system, specially designed microspheres are loaded with methotrexate.
• Methotrexate is a commonly used anti-rheumatic drug.
• In addition to arthritis, the technology may also be successful in managing other inflammatory diseases, such as synovitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
• It could also create a situation in whichsmart biomaterials in regenerative medicine and personalized treatments can happen.
• Rheumatoid Arthritis causes chronic inflammation, debilitating pain, and irreversible joint damage.

Topic: National News

7. India has become the world’s second-largest mobile manufacturer.

• India has moved from production of 2 units in 2014 to over 300 operational units nationwide.
• About 99.2 per cent of mobile phones sold in India are now made locally.
• The manufacturing value of mobiles have reached to Rs 4.22 lakh crore with exports crossing Rs 1.29 lakh crore in 2024.
• More than 325 to 330 million mobile phones are manufactured annually in India.
• The mobile manufacturing sector has generated approximately 12 lakh direct and indirect jobs over the decade.
• The ‘Make in India’ initiative has enabled the domestic production of critical components and sub-assemblies such as chargers, battery packs, mechanics of all types, etc.
• The India Semiconductor Mission and five major projects have been also launched.

Topic: International News

8. U.K. will be the first country to criminalize AI child abuse tools.

• The United Kingdom will be the first country to introduce laws against AI tools that are used to generate sexual abuse images of children.
• The UK government has decided to make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate sexualised images of children.
• Punishment for this type of offence will be up to five years in prison.
• It will also be illegal to possess AI “paedophile manuals” which teach people how to use AI to abuse children sexually. The punishment will be three years in prison.
• The new law would also ban “some of the AI models being used for child abuse”.
• The new law criminalizes “predators who run websites designed for other paedophiles to share vile child sexual abuse content or advice on how to groom children”. The punishment for this offence will be up to ten years in prison.

Topic: State News/ Rajasthan

9. Rajasthan Assembly tabled the Anti-conversion Bill.

• Rajasthan government presented a Bill to prevent religious conversions carried out by force, fraud or inducement.
• The Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Bill, 2025 has been tabled in the state Assembly.
• It has a provision for imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to ₹50,000 for various offences.
• Under this bill, the offences will be cognizable non-bailable, and triable by a court.
• Conversion by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by marriage has been made an offence under the provisions of the bill.
• Anyone who wants to convert their religion shall have to give a declaration in the prescribed form at least 60 days in advance to the District Magistrate.
• It would help in stopping the “increasing instances of ‘love jihad’” in certain areas of the State.
• Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvsar introduced the Bill.

Topic: National News 

10. India's first Cancer Genome Atlas has been launched by IIT Madras for early breast cancer detection.

• Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas has data on 960 whole exome sequencing completed by IIT Madras from tissue samples collected from 480 breast cancer patients.
• Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas will be a resource to identify cancer-specific biomarkers in India.
• In 2020, the cancer genome programme was launched by IIT Madras in India.
• For data analysis, it collaborated with Karkinos Healthcare, Mumbai, the Chennai Breast Clinic and Cancer Research and Relief Trust, Chennai.
• It is possible that Bharat Cancer Genome Atlas will help India's  biomedical research and healthcare system move towards a vision of “personalized medicine”.

Topic: International Appoitments

11. Bart De Wever took oath as new Prime Minister of Belgium.

• Bart De Wever belongs to the Flemish nationalist N-VA party.
• Bart De Wever will replace Alexander De Croo.
• Alexander De Croo was in office as a caretaker since the elections held in June 2024.
• Wever took the oath of allegiance in the presence of King Philip.
• After Belgium's elections in June, five major political parties formed a coalition.
• This is the first time a Flemish nationalist is leading the federal government.
• Belgium is located in in Northwestern Europe. Brussels is its capital. Its currency is Euro.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

12. Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 presented to Late Chaman Arora.

• Chaman Arora awarded the Sahitya Akademi Award 2024 for his book "Ik Hor Ashwthama" in Dogri.
• The book was selected on the basis of recommendations made by a three-member jury committee as per the prescribed rules and procedures.
• The Award will be presented in a casket containing an engraved copper plaque and a cash prize of Rs. 1,00,000/-.
• The Award will be presented to the family member/nominee of the awardee at a special ceremony to be held in New Delhi on 8 March 2025.
• The jury members who announced the Sahitya Akademi Awards 2024 in the Dogri language are Dr. Sushma Rani, Dr. Veena Gupta, and Dr. Jitendra Udhampuri.

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

13. Watershed Yatra launched by the Center to raise awareness about water and soil conservation.

• On 5 February, the Watershed Yatra, a nationwide initiative, launched by Union Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in hybrid mode.
• The Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development, Govt. of India is starting a mass outreach campaign, “Watershed Yatra,” to generate people’s participation.
• The theme of the initiative is “Jal Laaye Dhan-Dhaanya.”
• This campaign aims to create awareness about the Watershed Development activities carried out under the Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY 2.0) in project areas.
• Vans will be moved for around 60-90 days across 805 projects, covering 6,673-gram panchayats in 26 states and two Union Territories as part of the outreach.
• The campaign aims to highlight the role of sustainable natural resource management in enhancing agriculture, livelihoods, and environmental health.
• Public awareness will be raised about water conservation and soil erosion through the campaign.

(Source: PIB)