The 13th edition of the joint military exercise ‘Ekuverin’ between the Indian Army and the Maldives National Defence Force is being held in the Maldives from February 2 to 15, 2025.

• The exercise focuses on enhancing interoperability between the two forces in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism operations, as well as conducting joint humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions.
• ‘Ekuverin’, meaning ‘Friends’ in the Dhivehi language, is an annual bilateral exercise initiated in 2009, conducted alternately in India and the Maldives.
• The 12th edition of ‘Ekuverin’ was held in Chaubatia, Uttarakhand, India, from June 11 to 24, 2023.

The Union Budget allocated ₹600 crore to the Deep Ocean Mission, which includes the Samudrayaan project.

• The National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, is leading the project.
• It is India’s first manned ocean mission for deep-sea exploration and mining of rare minerals like polymetallic manganese nodules, gas hydrates, hydrothermal sulfides, and cobalt crusts.
• India has been allocated a site of 75,000sq km in the Central Indian Ocean Basin by the International Sea Bed Authority (ISA) for the exploration of polymetallic nodules from the seabed in a 15-year contract.
• Matsya 6000 is the indigenously developed manned submersible under the mission, designed to carry three persons to a depth of 6,000 meters.
• It is an indigenously developed by ISRO in collaboration with NIOT.

• The Indian U19 women’s cricket team scripted history by securing a dominant nine-wicket victory over South Africain ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2025 final at the Bayuemas Oval in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
• India U19 women’s cricket team clinched their second consecutive ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup title.
• Gongadi Trisha was the undisputed star of the tournament, earning the Player of the Tournament

DRDO conducted three consecutive flight trials of the Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) on February 1, 2025, from Chandipur, Odisha.

• The system successfully intercepted and destroyed low-altitude aerial threats, including drones with reduced thermal signatures.
• It is a man-portable air defence system (MANPADS) designed and developed by DRDO’s Research Centre Imarat in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories.
• VSHORADS is intended for deployment by the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force to counter airborne threats.

• The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt has reopened for medical evacuations after being closed since May 2024.
  It serves as the southernmost exit from the Gaza Strip.
• It shares its border with Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula and is the only crossing that does not lead into Israeli territory.
• The crossing is crucial for the movement of people and goods, especially during times of crisis.
• The other two crossings, Erez and Kerem Shalom, are controlled by Israel and are currently closed, making Rafah the sole exit for humanitarian needs.

World Interfaith Harmony Week is observed from 1^st  to 7^th  February every year.

• The 2025 theme is “Uniting for Peace.”
• Observed By: United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)
• Objective: Promote interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation among different religious communities.

New Zealand granted Mount Taranaki legal personhood, recognizing it as having the same rights and responsibilities as a human.

• This move follows previous cases in New Zealand, including the Whanganui River (2017)and Te Urewera forest (2014), which were also granted legal personhood.
• Mount Taranaki, also known as Taranaki Maunga, is a dormant stratovolcano in New Zealand’s North Island.
• It stands at 2,518 meters (8,261 feet), making it the second-highest peak in the North Island after Mount Ruapehu.
• It is located within Egmont National Parkand is known for its symmetrical cone shape.
• It has a secondary peak, Fanthams Peak (1,966 meters or 6,450 feet), located on its southern side.

The Union Budget 2025-26 of India, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, focuses on stimulating balanced growth across all sectors

• The Union Budget 2025-26focuses on four key engines of development: agriculture, MSMEs, investment, and exports.
• The theme of the budget is “Sabka Vikas,” aiming to promote inclusive growth across all sectors.
• It proposes measures to support the poor (Garib), youth, farmers (Annadata), and women (Nari).
• A Makhana Board will be established in Bihar to enhance production, processing, and value addition of Makhana.
• A National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship, and Management will be set up in Bihar to promote food processing, skilling, and entrepreneurship.
• A new urea plant with a capacity of 12.7 lakh metric tons will be established in Assam to boost agricultural productivity.
• The Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana will cover 100 low agricultural productivity districts, benefiting 1.7 crore farmers by improving irrigation and storage facilities.
• The budget proposes no income tax for annual incomes up to ₹12 lakh, with an extension to ₹75 lakh for salaried taxpayers with deductions.
• The Kisan Credit Card (KCC)limit is raised from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh to benefit 7.7 crore farmers.
• Greenfield airports will be developed in Bihar, with expansions at Patna and Bihta (Patna) airports.
• The Economic Survey for 2024-25 projects a real GDP growth for FY26 between 6.3% to 6.8%.

Recently, the Karnataka Health Department issued an order to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling, allowing terminally ill patients to die with dignity.

• Karnataka is the second state, after Kerala, to implement this directive.
• Euthanasia, or the intentional act of ending a person’s life to relieve suffering from a painful, incurable disease, is a sensitive and complex issue.

Legal Recognition in India:

• In 2018, the Supreme Court of India legalized passive euthanasia, recognizing the right to die with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• In 2023, the Supreme Court further clarified that passive euthanasia could be carried out using Advance Medical Directives—instructions to withdraw life-supporting treatment when patients are in a state where they cannot communicate their wishes.

Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Niger the first African nation to eliminate onchocerciasis as a public health threat.

• As of now, WHO has verified five countries as onchocerciasis-free: Colombia (2013), Ecuador (2014), Mexico (2015), Guatemala (2016), and Niger (2025).
• Onchocerciasis, commonly known as river blindness, is a neglected tropical disease caused by the parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus.
• It is transmitted through the bite of infected black flies (Simulium species).
• Symptoms include severe itching, rashes, and skin discoloration.
• The disease is prevalent in Africa and Yemen, with more than 99% of infected people living in these regions.
• The Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP), launched in 1974, utilized larvicide spraying and, from 1988 onwards, the use of ivermectin to treat infected people as a core treatment therapy.
• Ivermectin is currently the only known effective and safe drug used for mass treatments against onchocerciasis.