Daily Current Affairs and GK | 7 and 8 September 2025

Topic: Personality in News

1. Renowned Italian fashion icon and billionaire entrepreneur Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91.

• He was widely celebrated for redefining elegance in the fashion world.
• Armani revolutionized modern tailoring for both men and women.
• In 2006, he became the first designer to ban excessively thin models from his runway shows.
• This decision followed the death of model Ana Carolina Reston from anorexia.
• Armani originally began his professional life studying medicine.
• He later shifted to a career in fashion during the 1960s.
• Throughout his life, he received numerous prestigious honors.
• These included France’s Legion of Honour and Italy’s Order of Merit for Labour.
• He was recognized globally for his lasting influence on fashion.

Topic: International Appointments

2. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has appointed David Lammy as the new deputy prime minister.

• This move comes as part of a major cabinet reshuffle.

• Lammy will also take on the role of justice secretary.
• Yvette Cooper has been shifted from her position as home secretary.
• She will now lead the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
• Shabana Mahmood has been promoted from the Ministry of Justice.
• She will serve as the new home secretary.
• Angela Rayner resigned from her roles as deputy prime minister and housing secretary.
• Her resignation followed a controversy over unpaid stamp duty.
• Rayner admitted to underpaying tax on a newly purchased home in southern England.
• She had declared the property as her primary residence, lowering her tax liability.
• However, a family home held in trust for her son triggered a higher tax rate.
• An independent ethics investigation was conducted quickly.
• The inquiry found that Rayner breached the ministerial code.
• It concluded she failed to seek professional tax advice.
• As a result, she owed an estimated £40,000 in additional stamp duty.
• Rayner expressed deep regret over not consulting a tax expert.
• She is a senior Labour Party member and MP for Ashton-under-Lyne.

Topic: Agriculture and Allied Sectors

3. NITI Aayog has released a detailed plan to boost India’s pulses production.

• The goal is to double output by 2047 and become fully self-sufficient by 2030.
• Under current conditions, production is expected to reach 30.59 million tonnes by 2030.
• By 2047, it could rise to 45.79 million tonnes without further intervention.
• With targeted policies and strategies, output could grow to 48.44 million tonnes by 2030.
• It may reach as high as 63.64 million tonnes by 2047 with these measures.
• India is currently the largest producer and consumer of pulses globally.
• The pulses sector supports the livelihoods of over 5 crore farmers.
• Around 80% of pulses in India are grown in rainfed areas.
• The roadmap is detailed in a report titled “Strategies and Pathways for Accelerating Growth in Pulses towards the Goal of Atmanirbharta.”
• India’s production rose from 16.35 million tonnes in 2015–16 to 26.06 million tonnes in 2022–23.
• This marks a 59.4% increase in output over seven years.
• As a result, import dependency fell from 29% to 10.4%.
• India’s diverse climate supports 12 types of pulses.
• However, production is concentrated in a few states.
• Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan together contribute 55% of total output.
• The Union Budget 2025–26 launched a six-year mission focused on self-reliance in pulses.
• It prioritizes crops like pigeonpea, black gram, and lentils.
• The plan includes horizontal expansion using rice fallow lands and intercropping.
• Vertical expansion aims to improve yields through modern technology and scientific practices.
• A district-wise approach targets 111 high-potential districts.
• These districts account for 75% of India’s total pulse production.
• Key proposals include crop-specific clusters and better seed distribution.
• It also suggests creating “One Block-One Seed Village” hubs led by farmer producer organizations.
• The roadmap recommends climate adaptation strategies for farmers.
• It stresses the importance of data-driven systems for monitoring and decision-making.
• Self-sufficiency in pulses is framed as a national priority.
• The plan aims to reduce imports, enhance nutritional security, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Topic: Space and IT

4. India has reached a key milestone as its first telecom system using locally made semiconductor chips secured TEC certification.

• This marks a significant step in the nation’s quest for technological independence under the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

• The certification was issued by the Telecommunication Engineering Center, under the Department of Telecommunications.
• It confirms the system meets high-quality and performance standards required for telecom infrastructure.
• This achievement highlights India's expanding capability in designing and producing semiconductors.
• It also positions the country as an emerging force in the global telecom and electronics supply chain.
• Though India has yet to build advanced semiconductor fabrication plants, it is strategically investing in mature-node chip production.
• India is targeting the 28nm to 65nm technology nodes, which are in high demand across telecom, automotive, and industrial sectors.

Topic: National Appointments

5. The Reserve Bank of India has approved the reappointment of R Gandhi as part-time Chairman of Yes Bank.

• He will serve in this role from September 20, 2025, to May 13, 2027.
• During this period, he will act as the non-executive chairman of the bank.
• The RBI communicated its approval through a letter dated September 1, 2025.
• R Gandhi previously served as Deputy Governor of the RBI from 2014 to 2017.
• He has 37 years of experience in central banking.
• He also completed a three-year deputation at SEBI.
• In addition, he served as Director of the Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) in Hyderabad.

Topic: National Appointments

6. On 4 September, IAS officer Piyush Goyal assumed charge as the new Mines Secretary.

• Piyush Goyal is a 1994-batch IAS officer belonging to the Nagaland cadre.

• Before this appointment, he served as the Chief Executive Officer of NATGRID under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
• Goyal succeeds V. L. Kantha Rao, who currently holds the position of Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Rejuvenation.
• His appointment comes at a crucial time as India’s mining sector is facing both challenges and opportunities.
• The growing demand for critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements is expected to shape his tenure.
• These minerals are essential for global energy transition, powering electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, and advanced manufacturing.
• Securing a stable supply of critical minerals will be key to achieving India’s self-reliance and net-zero objectives.
• His new role as Mines Secretary is expected to involve policy formulation and implementation for sustainable mining and mineral resource management in India.

Topic: National Appointments

7. Justice Shree Chandrashekhar Appointed as Chief Justice of Bombay High Court.

• On September 4, 2025, Justice Shree Chandrashekhar was appointed as Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court by the Central government.

• The announcement was made by Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.
• The appointment was carried out in exercise of powers conferred by the Constitution of India and in consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
• Justice Chandrashekhar was a sitting judge of the Bombay High Court before being elevated to Chief Justice.
• The Supreme Court Collegium had recommended his name for the post on August 24, 2025.
• He began his law career at the Delhi State Bar Council in 1993 and practiced in various courts in the National Capital for nearly two decades.
• Justice Chandrashekhar was appointed as an additional judge of the Jharkhand High Court in 2013 and made permanent in June 2014.
• He assumed the office of acting Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court on December 29, 2023, and was transferred to the Rajasthan High Court in July 2024.
• He joined the Bombay High Court in July 2025 prior to his elevation as Chief Justice.

Topic: International Appointments

8. Anutin Charnvirakul elected as new Prime Minister of Thailand amid political crisis.

• On September 5, 2025, Anutin Charnvirakul was elected as Thailand’s new Prime Minister by the country’s parliament.
• He becomes Thailand’s third prime minister since 2023, amid ongoing political instability.
• The 58-year-old leader secured 273 votes in the lower house, surpassing the 247 votes required to win.
• His main rival, Chaikasem Nitisiri of the Shinawatra family-led bloc, received 132 votes.
• Anutin was able to clinch the prime ministerial post after gaining support from the pro-democracy People’s Party.
• The backing from the People’s Party came with the condition that fresh elections be held within the coming months.
• Anutin Charnvirakul succeeds Paetongtarn Shinawatra, the youngest daughter of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
• Paetongtarn Shinawatra was removed from office after the Constitutional Court found her guilty of ethical violations.

Topic: Awards and Prizes

9. Indian filmmaker Anuparna Roy won the Best Director award in the Orizzonti section at the 82nd Venice Film Festival.

• Her film “Songs of Forgotten Trees,” the only Indian entry in this category, narrates the story of two migrant women in Mumbai.
• Julia Ducournau, president of the Orizzonti jury, announced the award.
• The Orizzonti section is known for showcasing new and independent films from across the globe.
• Veteran U.S. filmmaker Jim Jarmusch received the festival’s top honor, the Golden Lion for Best Film, for “Father Mother Sister Brother.”
• The Silver Lion runner-up award was given to “The Voice of Hind Rajab,” directed by Tunisia’s Kaouther Ben Hania.
• Toni Servillo was named Best Actor for portraying a weary president in Paolo Sorrentino’s Italian Film “La Grazia.”
• Chinese actress Xin Zhilei won the Best Actress award for her role in “The Sun Rises On Us All.”
• Benny Safdie bagged Best Director in the main competition for “The Smashing Machine”.
• A special jury prize was presented to Italian filmmaker Gianfranco Rosi for his black-and-white documentary “Below the Clouds”.

(Source: News on AIR)

Topic: Sports

10. Carlos Alcaraz claimed his second US Open title and the world No. 1 ranking.

• On 7 September, Carlos Alcaraz defeated Jannik Sinner 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4 to claim his second U.S. Open title.
• With this victory, the 22-year-old Spaniard regained the world number one ranking.
• Alcaraz’s win took his Grand Slam tally to six, making him the second youngest player in the professional era to achieve this after Bjorn Borg.
• U.S. Open 2025 winners list: