Daily Current Affairs and GK | 8 August 2025

Topic: Government Schemes and Initiatives

1. ICMR has unveiled the ICMR-SHINE Initiative (Science & Health Innovation for the Nextgen Explorers), a national outreach campaign for students.

• The program has been conducted on 8th August 2025.
• It is designed specifically for students in Classes 9 to 12 across the country.
• The initiative strives to ignite a passion for science, encourage creative thinking, and motivate youth to pursue careers in health research.
• The program supports the Prime Minister’s “One Day as a Scientist” vision, shared during Mann ki Baat in February 2025.
• It showcases ICMR’s dedication to fostering emerging talent in scientific and medical fields.
• The event commemorates the birth anniversary of Prof. V. Ramalingaswami. Prof. V. Ramalingaswami was a pioneer in Indian medical research.

Topic: Sports

2. Annu Rani won the gold medal in the International Wiesław Maniak Memorial event.

• On 6 August, India’s Annu Rani won the gold medal in women’s javelin throw at the International Wiesław Maniak Memorial in Poland.
• A season-best throw of 62.59 meters in her second attempt helped her secure the top podium position.
• Türkiye's Eda Tugsuz won the silver medal with 58.36 meters, while Australia's Liana Davidson won the bronze medal with 58.24 meters.
• With this performance, Annu Rani has positioned herself among the world’s top 15 javelin throwers this season.
• She is now aiming to meet the 64 m qualification mark for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo next month.
• In the same meet, Pooja from India secured a bronze in the women’s 800m with a time of 2:02.95.
• Jisna Mathew finished sixth in the women’s 400m, clocking 54.12 seconds.

Topic: National News

3. India to be ‘Guest of Honour’ at 38th Bogota International Book Fair 2026.

• India has been invited to participate as the ‘Guest of Honour’ country at the 38th Bogota International Book Fair (FILBo) 2026, strengthening literary and cultural ties with Colombia.

• The 38th Bogota International Book Fair will be held in Bogotá, Colombia, from April 21 to May 4, 2026.
• A formal announcement was attended by Colombia’s Cultural Minister, Director of FILBo, President of Corferias, and other top officials from the Colombian Book Chamber.
• Indian Ambassador to Colombia Vanlalhuma conveyed gratitude and emphasized that this literary exchange will serve as a bridge for deeper people-to-people connections.
• Since 1988, the Colombian Book Chamber and Corferias have jointly organized the Bogota International Book Fair, now seen as one of the most important events in the Spanish-speaking world.
• For 35 years, it has brought together all the players in the book chain – authors, publishers, editors, proofreaders, translators, distributors, agents and booksellers – who, together with their readers, create this book ecosystem that grows and strengthens every year.
• India’s National Book Trust had previously participated in the 37th edition of FILBo in 2025 by showcasing a collective exhibit of Indian publications.

Topic: State News/Bihar

4. A temple dedicated to Goddess Sita will be built in Punaura Dham of Bihar.

• On 8 August, the construction of a grand temple dedicated to Goddess Sita at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
• The Bhoomi Pujan and foundation stone laying ceremony were held in the presence of saints, scholars, and purohits from Banaras and Mithila.
• The temple project, estimated to cost ₹883 crore, will be constructed over 50 acres of land acquired by the Bihar government.
• The design of the temple will be inspired by the architecture of the Lord Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
• For the management and development of the temple, a dedicated trust named Shri Janaki Janmabhoomi Punaura Dham Mandir Nyas Samiti has been constituted.
• The Sitamarhi–New Delhi Amrit Bharat Express train was flagged off virtually by Amit Shah, establishing direct rail connectivity between Sitamarhi and the national capital.

Topic: International News

5. The United States imposed the highest tariffs in 90 years on 70 countries.

• The United States has announced a sweeping range of tariffs, from 10% to 50%, on imports from nearly 70 countries, marking the highest level since 1934.
• According to Yale University’s nonpartisan Budget Lab, this tariff hike is expected to increase the average cost of imported goods by 18.3%, burdening American consumers.
• President Donald Trump has stated that the move aims to correct global trade practices deemed unfair to American industries.
• U.S. allies like Japan, South Korea, and the European Union will now face a base import duty of 15%.
• Selected Brazilian goods have been subjected to the maximum 50% tariff rate under the new policy.
• A 100% tariff has been announced on imported semiconductors, although exemptions will be provided for domestically produced chips.
• The imposition of future tariffs on China is being considered, based on its continued purchase of Russian oil.

Topic: Summits/Conferences/Meetings

6. Digital initiatives to transform India’s maritime governance unveiled by Sonowal at the IT Conclave 2025.

• On 7 August, several digital initiatives aimed at modernizing India’s maritime governance system were unveiled by Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal at the IT Conclave 2025.
• The conclave was organized by the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) in collaboration with the Company of Master Mariners of India (CMMI).
• The key initiatives undertaken include the launch of a revamped DG Shipping website in line with GIGW 3.0 standards and the first phase of the cloud-native e-Samudra platform.
• The e-Samudra platform will integrate over 60 maritime services such as vessel approvals, shipbuilding subsidies, digital transport registration, and automated visitor management.
• A vision document outlining the maritime sector’s complete digital transformation by 2030 was also introduced at the event.
• The conclave featured the rollout of a pilot AI-powered exam system at MMD Noida and a publication titled Leveraging Technology in Maritime.
• The roadmap aims to integrate AI, blockchain, IoT, and geospatial technology for autonomous operations and advanced maritime services.

Topic: MoUs/Agreements

7. NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) has partnered with the Digital India Bhashini Division (DIBD) to promote innovation in regional languages.

• The goal is to encourage linguistic inclusivity across India’s entrepreneurial landscape.
• The Statement of Intent was signed in New Delhi.
• It was formalized by AIM Mission Director Deepak Bagla and DIBD CEO Amitabh Nag.
• The collaboration will integrate language technology into AIM’s national programs.
• In the first phase, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) Academy content will be translated into multiple Indian languages.
• This will be done using Bhashini’s language tools.
• The move builds on a previous Joint Letter of Intent between AIM and WIPO.
• Plans are in place to gamify learning materials using Bhashini’s platforms.
• This will make educational content more interactive and accessible.
• Startups and innovators in the AIM network will gain access to tools for multilingual product development.
• They will also have access to sandbox environments for testing.
• The partnership will support grassroots innovation across the country.
• It will do so through Atal Incubation Centres (AICs) and Atal Community Innovation Centres (ACICs).
• New Language Inclusive Program for Innovation (LIPI) centres will also be launched.
• These centres will focus on training and skill-building in regional languages.

Topic: State News/ Uttar Pradesh

8. The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet has approved the “Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee-Chevening Uttar Pradesh State Government Scholarship Scheme.”

• This initiative will allow exceptional students from Uttar Pradesh to pursue higher education in the United Kingdom.
• Every year, five top students from the state will be awarded scholarships for a one-year master's program at a prestigious UK university.
• The scheme will be a collaborative effort between the Uttar Pradesh government and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO).
• The scholarship package will cover tuition fees, research and exam costs, a monthly living stipend, and round-trip airfare.
• The selection process will be conducted transparently, in line with the MoU between the state and the FCDO.
• The scheme will begin in the 2025-26 academic year and will continue for three years, through 2027-28.
• Any extension of the program beyond this period will require re-approval by March 30, 2028.
• The Uttar Pradesh government will contribute approximately 23 lakh rupees per student, with the UK’s FCDO covering the remaining costs.

Topic: Sports

9. A 17-member Indian team will compete in the World Games 2025 in China.

• The games will take place from 7 August until August 17 in Chengdu, China.

• The World Games are held every four years, starting from 1981.
• These games feature sports that are not included in the Olympic program.
• This year, there will be 253 medal events across 34 sports and 60 disciplines.
• India has participated in every edition of the World Games since 1981.
• The country has won five medals so far, including one gold, one silver, and three bronze.
• India's only gold medal came in 2013, when Aditya Mehta won in billiards.
• The Indian team will compete in five sports: Archery, Billiards, Roller Skating, Wushu, and Racquetball.
• The Indian team is focused on improving its medal count and making a strong impact in this year’s games.
• World Games:
  • The International World Games Association governs the World Games.
  • The inaugural World Games took place in Santa Clara, California, USA, in 1981.
  • The most recent, the eleventh edition, was hosted in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, from July 7 to 17, 2022.
  • Originally scheduled for 2021, this edition was postponed by a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Topic: Space and IT

10. China recently conducted its first test of a lunar lander, with plans to send its first astronauts to the moon before 2030.

• The test involved verifying the lander's ascent and descent systems at a site in Hebei province designed to mimic the moon's surface.
• The test site featured a special coating to replicate the reflectivity of lunar soil, along with rocks and craters.
• The complex test, which lasted for an extended period, was a significant step forward in China's manned lunar exploration efforts.
• The lander, named Lanyue, meaning "embrace the moon," will ferry astronauts between lunar orbit and the moon's surface.
• It will also function as a living space, power source, and data hub for astronauts once they land on the moon.
• NASA’s Artemis mission is scheduled to send astronauts around the moon in 2026 and land them by 2027.
• China's uncrewed lunar missions in the last five years have made it the only nation to return samples from both sides of the moon.
• These missions have garnered interest from organizations like NASA, the European Space Agency, and space agencies in countries such as Pakistan and Thailand.
• If successful, China’s manned lunar landing before 2030 will bolster its goal to establish a "basic model" of the International Lunar Research Station by 2035.
• The station, led by China and Russia, is expected to include a nuclear reactor on the moon's surface to generate power.