Jan 26, 2025 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

Jannik Sinner of Italy defeated Alexander Zverev of Germany to claim his second consecutive Australian Open championship on January 26, 2025.

In the women's singles, Madison Keys of the United States triumphed over Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus on January 25, 2025, to win the Australian Open 2025 title.

The Finance Ministry, on January 24, 2025, notified the Unified Pension Scheme (UPS) as an option for workers covered under the National Pension System (NPS), to be implemented from April 1, 2025.

The NPS, initially known as the New Pension Scheme, did not provide an assured pension for government employees who joined service on or after January 1, 2004. It had replaced the earlier system that guaranteed pensions equal to 50% of the last drawn salary, which was deemed fiscally unsustainable.

The UPS, approved by the Union Cabinet on August 24 last year, reinstates the assurance of a pension equivalent to 50% of the last drawn salary for Union government employees, along with periodic dearness relief adjustments in line with inflation trends.

Additionally, it offers a family pension amounting to 60% of a government employee's pension in the event of their demise, along with a lump sum superannuation payout and gratuity benefits at the time of retirement. Moreover, a minimum pension of ₹10,000 per month has been assured for those who complete at least 10 years of Union government service.

The UPS was proposed as an alternative scheme to address concerns raised by government employees about the NPS. This recommendation was made by a high-level panel led by former Finance Secretary and current Cabinet Secretary T.V. Somanathan.

For NPS members who may have already retired before April 1, 2025, the notification stated that the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA) will establish a system to address their cases.

Thailand legalized same-sex marriage on January 23, 2025, becoming the first country in Southeast Asia to recognize marriage equality. With this milestone, Thailand joins Taiwan and Nepal as the third nation in Asia to pass such legislation.

India celebrated its 76th Republic Day on January 26 with a grand parade in New Delhi. This year, Prabowo Subianto, the current President of Indonesia, was invited as the Chief Guest.

President Droupadi Murmu honored 93 brave personnel with the Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra, Sena Medal, Nao Sena Medal, and Vayu Sena Medal for their extraordinary valor and selfless service to the nation.

Ireland's Micheal Martin was elected Prime Minister for the second time on Thursday, January 23, 2025, through a coalition formed by the country's two major center-right parties and independent members of parliament.

Arshdeep Singh has been named the ICC Men's T20I Cricketer of the Year 2024 by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The pacer took an impressive 36 wickets in 18 matches during 2024.

ICC Men’s T20I Team of the Year: Rohit Sharma (c), Travis Head, Phil Salt, Babar Azam, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Sikandar Raza, Hardik Pandya, Rashid Khan, Wanindu Hasaranga, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh.

An international conference titled "Sun, Space Weather, and Solar-Stellar Connections" was held in Bengaluru from January 20 to 24, 2025, to mark the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KSO).

Organized by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, the event brought together over 200 solar physicists from India and abroad to deliberate on advancements in solar magnetism, solar-stellar connections, and space weather.

On January 24, 2025, NITI Aayog unveiled the inaugural "Fiscal Health Index (FHI) 2025" in New Delhi, a comprehensive report evaluating the fiscal health of 18 major Indian states to guide policy reforms for sustainable and resilient economic growth.

Odisha emerged as the top performer with a cumulative score of 67.8, followed by Chhattisgarh (55.2) and Goa (53.6).

Jharkhand showcased notable progress in fiscal prudence and debt sustainability, while Karnataka faced challenges due to weaker performance in expenditure quality and debt management.

National Tourism Day is celebrated annually on January 25. The theme for this year’s National Tourism Day is "Tourism for Inclusive Growth."

Ahead of Republic Day, the Border Security Force (BSF) has heightened its vigilance along the India-Pakistan border at Jaisalmer to prevent potential infiltration attempts. The BSF launched a special operation named "Operation Sard Hawa" on January 22, focusing on thwarting infiltration efforts by exploiting the reduced visibility caused by dense winter fog.