Mar 04, 2025 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

NASA's IM-2 mission, launched on February 26, 2025, is a 10-day lunar exploration mission targeting Mons Mouton near the Moon's south pole. The mission aims to investigate the potential for mining water ice and rare minerals, which are critical for sustaining future lunar bases.

A key highlight of the mission is the deployment of the first-ever 4G/LTE cellular network on the Moon, developed by Nokia in collaboration with NASA and Intuitive Machines. This network is expected to enable high-speed, real-time communication for future lunar operations.

The IM-2 mission utilizes Intuitive Machines' Athena lander, which was launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Intuitive Machines, a Texas-based aerospace company, made history in February 2024 by becoming the first private company to successfully land on the Moon.

A new study published in The Lancet predicts a significant rise in obesity in India, estimating that nearly 44.9 crore people (21.8 crore men and 23.1 crore women) will be overweight or obese by 2050.

This would account for almost one-third of India's projected population. The study also highlights a global crisis, forecasting that by 2050, over half of all adults and a third of children worldwide will be overweight or obese.

Notably, in 2021, India had the highest number of overweight or obese young adults, surpassing both China and the United States.

India's first World Peace Center has been established in Gurugram, Haryana, by Ahimsa Vishwa Bharti under the guidance of Jain Acharya Lokesh. The center aims to promote non-violence, spiritual awareness, human values, and universal brotherhood, serving as a hub for fostering global peace and harmony.

The Forbes India Leadership Awards (FILA) 2025 concluded with a grand ceremony at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, celebrating excellence in entrepreneurship and leadership.

BugWorks Research received the Emerging Innovator Award for its groundbreaking advancements in biotechnology.

BrowserStack was honored with the Outstanding Startup Award for revolutionizing software testing solutions, with founders Ritesh Arora and Nakul Aggarwal.

The Icons of Excellence award was presented to Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, and actress-entrepreneur Katrina Kaif, co-founder of Kay Beauty.

A special highlight of the evening was a fireside chat between Katrina Kaif and Naini Thaker of Forbes India, where Kaif shared insights on her transition from Bollywood to the boardroom.

Other notable winners included Supam Maheshwari (FirstCry) as Entrepreneur of the Year and Rajesh Jejurikar (Mahindra & Mahindra) as CEO of the Year.

On March 3, 2025, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav announced that farmers across the state would soon receive permanent power connections for a nominal fee of just ₹5.

Additionally, he unveiled an ambitious plan to promote solar energy-based irrigation, aiming to distribute 30 lakh solar irrigation pumps to farmers over the next three years. This initiative is expected to enhance agricultural productivity while promoting sustainable energy solutions in the state.

In the 2025 Bengaluru Open ATP 125 Challenger, Brandon Holt of the United States claimed the singles title at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium, Bengaluru, on March 2, 2025.

The tournament, part of the ATP Challenger Tour, featured a prize pool of $200,000 and was played on hard courts. This ATP Challenger 125 event was the fourth and final ATP Challenger tournament held in India in 2025, following the Chennai Open, Delhi Open, and Maharashtra Open.

Each of these tournaments played a crucial role in shaping players' ATP rankings and fostering high-level competition in Indian tennis.

The ATP Tour is the sole worldwide top-tier tennis tour for men organized by the Association of Tennis Professionals founded in 1990 that replaced the earlier dual Grand Prix Circuit and WCT Circuit.

Yamandú Orsi was sworn in as Uruguay's President on March 1, 2025, marking the return of the leftist Broad Front coalition after a five-year conservative rule.

The famous ski resort of Gulmarg, located in Jammu and Kashmir, is all set to host the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 from March 9 to 12. The much-awaited event was originally scheduled for February 22 to 25 but had to be postponed due to insufficient snowfall.

Vidarbha was crowned Ranji Trophy champion for the third time in seven seasons after a dominant performance in the 2024-25 edition final against Kerala in Nagpur, led by Akshay Wadkar.

Observed annually on March 3, World Hearing Day aims to raise awareness about hearing loss. The theme for 2025 is "Changing Mindsets: Empower Yourself to Make Ear and Hearing Care a Reality for All!"