Jan 29, 2025 | Current Affairs for UPSC, State PCS & other Govt. Exams

The Telangana government is set to launch four major welfare schemes: Rythu Bharosa, providing financial assistance to farmers; Indiramma Atmeeya Bharosa, supporting landless agricultural workers; Indiramma Indlu, ensuring housing for the needy; and the issuance of new ration cards to enhance food security.

The Odisha Warriors, led by Janneke Schopman, clinched the inaugural Women's Hockey India League (HIL) title with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Soorma Hockey Club in the final. The thrilling match was held at the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Stadium in Ranchi.

Captain Alyssa Healy was presented with the trophy in Melbourne as Australia received the ICC Women's Championship 2022/23–2025 trophy after winning the prestigious 10-team competition. Australia has now won all three editions of the championship, which was first introduced in 2014.

The ICC Women's Champions Trophy is a quadrennial international cricket tournament organized by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and contested by national women's teams.

India and Oman have agreed to amend the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement (DTAA) to align it with international standards on cross-border taxation. This amendment aims to simplify procedures and promote greater cooperation in tax matters, according to an official statement released on January 28, 2025.

A protocol to amend the DTAA was signed during the visit of Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal to Muscat. The original treaty was implemented in 1997.

Additionally, the two countries have agreed to expedite discussions for an early signing of the proposed Free Trade Agreement (FTA), currently under negotiation. These negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) officially began in November 2023.

In such agreements, two trading partners significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on most goods traded between them. They also ease norms to promote trade in services and attract investments.

Oman is the third-largest export destination among the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries for India. India already has a similar agreement with another GCC member, the UAE, which came into effect in May 2022.

The first phase of the Khelo India Winter Games (KIWG) 2025 concluded with Ladakh emerging as the top performer. Held in Leh, the capital of Ladakh, the event showcased thrilling competitions, including a fiercely contested men’s ice hockey final, where the Indian Army successfully defended its title.

PM Modi inaugurated the 38th National Games in Dehradun on January 28, 2025. Around 10,000 athletes are set to compete across 32 disciplines in the event, which will run until February 14. Competitions will take place in seven cities across the hill state, with Dehradun serving as the main venue.

India and Indonesia signed five Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s official visit to New Delhi from January 23 to 26, 2025. These agreements cover a wide range of collaborative efforts, including:

- Health Cooperation

- Maritime Safety and Security

- Traditional Medicine Quality Assurance

- Digital Development

- Cultural Exchange Program (2025

-2028)

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha was conferred with the prestigious Maharaja Hari Singh Award at a grand ceremony held at Satyam Resort, Jammu.

PM Modi inaugurated the "Utkarsh Odisha – Make in Odisha Conclave 2025" on January 28, 2025, at Janata Maidan in Bhubaneswar. The two-day conclave aims to promote investment, boost industrial growth, and establish Odisha as a key economic hub in Eastern India.

Recently, scientists revealed that the Magnetic North Pole is shifting at an accelerated pace, moving closer to Siberia and continuing its drift toward Russia. This phenomenon, tracked using the World Magnetic Model (WMM), highlights the dynamic nature of Earth’s geomagnetic field.

Earth's magnetic poles are not fixed; they are dynamic features generated by the movement of molten iron and nickel in the planet's outer core. Unlike the geographic North Pole, which remains fixed, the magnetic poles are in constant motion due to changes in Earth's core.

In 1831, the Magnetic North Pole was first identified in Canada. However, it has been drifting continuously toward Russia since then and has traveled over 400 km in the past century.

Historically, Earth's magnetic field has undergone reversals approximately every 200,000 to 300,000 years.