UPSC EPFO / APFC Current Affairs One-liners — All time

Mon, 17 Mar 2025

• The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and WhatsApp announced a partnership on 17 March 2025 to combat misuse of telecom resources for cyber frauds and to spread awareness through the 'Scam Se Bacho' campaign and Sanchar Saathi.
• The 9th India–Australia Defence Policy Talks were held in New Delhi on 17 March 2025, with the Indian delegation led by Joint Secretary Amitabh Prasad and the Australian side by Bernard Philip, First Assistant Secretary, International Policy Division, Department of Defence.

Sun, 16 Mar 2025

• India and New Zealand announced the launch of negotiations for a comprehensive and mutually beneficial Free Trade Agreement on 16 March 2025 in New Delhi, after a meeting between Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and New Zealand's Trade and Investment Minister Todd McClay.
• Britain's Jack Draper beat Holger Rune 6-2, 6-2 for his first Masters 1000 title and Russia's 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva beat world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the BNP Paribas Open (Indian Wells) finals in California on 16 March 2025.
• China's Shi Yuqi beat Chinese Taipei's Lee Chia-hao 21-17, 21-19 and South Korea's An Se-young beat China's Wang Zhiyi 13-21, 21-18, 21-18 in the singles finals of the All England Open Badminton Championships in Birmingham on 16 March 2025.
• The Reserve Bank of India was honoured with the Digital Transformation Award 2025 by Central Banking, London, for its in-house digital initiatives Pravaah and Sarthi, and was applauded by PM Narendra Modi on 16 March 2025.
• McLaren's Lando Norris converted pole position into victory at the season-opening 2025 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, Melbourne, on 16 March 2025, finishing 0.895 seconds ahead of Max Verstappen, with George Russell third.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi's podcast conversation with American podcaster Lex Fridman, covering topics from fasting and India's traditions to his life and leadership, was released on 16 March 2025.
• The Competition Commission of India (CCI) organised the 10th National Conference on Economics of Competition Law in New Delhi on 16 March 2025, with Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra as keynote speaker.

Sat, 15 Mar 2025

• US President Donald Trump ordered large-scale air strikes on Houthi-held areas of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, on 15 March 2025, vowing 'overwhelming lethal force' until the Iran-backed group stops attacking shipping.
• India's Special Olympics Bharat contingent finished the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, which closed on 15 March 2025, with 33 medals: 8 gold, 18 silver and 7 bronze.
• World Consumer Rights Day was observed on 15 March 2025 with the theme 'A Just Transition to Sustainable Lifestyles'; the Department of Consumer Affairs held a webinar addressed by Union Minister Pralhad Joshi.
• An Indian delegation led by Labour and Employment Secretary Sumita Dawra participated in the 353rd Governing Body meeting of the International Labour Organization in Geneva (10–20 March 2025), the Labour Ministry said on 15 March 2025.

Fri, 14 Mar 2025

• Mark Carney was sworn in as Canada's 24th Prime Minister on 14 March 2025 at Rideau Hall, Ottawa, by Governor General Mary Simon, along with the 30th Canadian Ministry.
• The G7 Foreign Ministers' Meeting hosted by Canada's Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly in Charlevoix, Quebec, from 12 to 14 March 2025, ended on 14 March with a joint statement.
• Spot gold crossed $3,000 an ounce for the first time on 14 March 2025, touching a record $3,004.86, as investors sought a safe haven amid US tariff uncertainty.
• NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission launched on 14 March 2025 at 7:03 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, carrying four crew members to the International Space Station.
• Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte appeared for the first time before the International Criminal Court's Pre-Trial Chamber I on 14 March 2025, by video link from the ICC Detention Centre.
• India's foreign exchange reserves rose by $15.267 billion to $653.966 billion in the week ended 7 March 2025, as per RBI data released on 14 March, the sharpest weekly rise in over two years.

Thu, 13 Mar 2025

• ISRO undocked the two SpaDeX satellites, SDX-01 (Chaser) and SDX-02 (Target), in its very first attempt at about 09:20 IST on 13 March 2025, in a 460 km circular orbit.
• The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports put the Draft National Code Against Age Fraud in Sports (NCAAFS) 2025 in the public domain on 13 March 2025, revising the framework after almost 15 years.
• The Agriculture Ministry said on 13 March 2025 that tur procurement at MSP under the Price Support Scheme of PM-AASHA had picked up, with 1.31 LMT bought from 89,219 farmers in five states by 11 March.
• The India–Bangladesh naval exercise Bongosagar 2025 and a Coordinated Patrol (CORPAT) were held in the Bay of Bengal in the week to 13 March 2025, with INS Ranvir and BNS Abu Ubaidah.
• World Kidney Day was observed on 13 March 2025 with the theme 'Are Your Kidneys OK? Detect Early, Protect Kidney Health'.
• Prasar Bharati announced on 13 March 2025 that PB-SHABD, its shared news feed launched in March 2024, will remain free for media organisations till March 2026.

Wed, 12 Mar 2025

• India and Mauritius elevated their relationship to an 'Enhanced Strategic Partnership' on 12 March 2025 in Port Louis, where PM Narendra Modi also unveiled Vision MAHASAGAR for the Global South.
• PM Narendra Modi attended Mauritius's 57th National Day celebrations in Port Louis on 12 March 2025 as Chief Guest and received the Grand Commander of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (GCSK), Mauritius's highest civilian award.
• India's CPI-based retail inflation fell to 3.61% in February 2025, 65 basis points below January and the lowest since July 2024, as per MoSPI data released on 12 March 2025.
• India and UN Women co-hosted a Ministerial Roundtable on digital and financial inclusion for women on the sidelines of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women at UN Headquarters, New York, on 12 March 2025.
• The Ministry of Defence signed a ₹2,906 crore contract with Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL), Ghaziabad, on 12 March 2025 for Low-Level Transportable Radars (LLTR) 'Ashwini' for the Indian Air Force.