What is World Immunization Week?

World Immunization Week is a global public health campaign organized by the World Health Organization (WHO), observed annually in the last week of April (April 24–30), to raise awareness about the importance of vaccines in preventing diseases and saving lives.

Daily Current Affairs 25th April 2025, Important News Headlines (Daily GK Update) |

National News

Pakistan Suspends Simla Agreement and Closes Border, Airspace, Trade with India

In a major diplomatic fallout after the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan has suspended the 1972 Simla Agreement, closed the Wagah border, banned Indian airlines from its airspace, and halted all trade with India, citing alleged Indian involvement in terrorism.
This follows India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, downgrade of diplomatic ties, visa cancellations, and closure of the Attari post.
With all bilateral agreements now effectively frozen, tensions between the nuclear neighbors have sharply escalated, with Pakistan warning that any diversion of Indus water would be an “Act of War.”

State News

Similipal Officially Accorded As National Park’s Status

Similipal Officially Accorded As National Park's Status

Similipal, a rich ecological region in Odisha, was officially declared the 107th National Park of India and second in Odisha on April 24, 2025, covering 845.70 sq km across 11 forest ranges.
Known for its biodiversity—including 55 mammals, 361 bird species, and being a major tiger reserve—this move marks a milestone in conservation. Proposed in 1980, the park’s core area was cleared of human habitation, except for Bakua village, which was excluded.
The new status ensures stronger protection laws, more funding, and aligns with the vision of “Viksit Odisha” and “Viksit Bharat”, as noted by CM Mohan Charan Majhi.

Banking News

SEBI Revises Cut-Off Timing for Overnight Mutual Funds

SEBI has revised the cut-off timings for redemption in overnight and liquid mutual fund schemes, effective June 1, 2025, under its Upstreaming Framework (Dec 2023) to enhance client fund safety.
For offline mode, the cut-off is 3:00 PM, while for online mode (overnight funds only), it’s extended to 7:00 PM for same-day NAV.
This move, backed by AMFI and SEBI’s Mutual Funds Advisory Committee, ensures smoother collateral use and tighter fund security, directly impacting returns based on redemption timing.

RBI Cancels Licence of Ajantha Urban Co-op Bank Maryadit

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) cancelled the license of Ajantha Urban Co-operative Bank Maryadit, Aurangabad, effective April 22, 2025, due to inadequate capital, poor earnings, and its inability to safeguard depositors’ interests.
The Registrar of Cooperative Societies has been directed to initiate liquidation, with depositor protection ensured under the DICGC scheme, offering up to ₹5 lakh per depositor, covering 91.55% of the bank’s depositors.

RBI’s Directive To Banks on Migration to ‘.bank.in’ Domain

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has mandated all banks to migrate their web domains to the new ‘.bank.in’ domain by October 31, 2025, to enhance cybersecurity and reduce fraud in digital banking.
The migration aims to address threats like phishing attacks and increase trust in digital banking services.
The Institute for Development and Research in Banking Technology (IDRBT) will serve as the exclusive registrar for the new domain, while the National Internet Exchange of India (NIXI) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will support the initiative.

Business News

Campbell Wilson to Step Down as Air India Express Chairman

Campbell Wilson is stepping down as Chairman of Air India Express as part of a broader Tata Group airline restructuring to boost operational and commercial synergy.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) of Air India, will take over as Chairman, aligning both airlines’ strategies. Captain Basil Kwauk is set to replace Wilson on the board, pending approval.
The move follows Tata’s January 2022 acquisition of Air India and Air India Express and aims to optimize fleet, routes, and loyalty programs across the group.

Appointments News

Stacie Sire Appointed as Vice President and Managing Director of Boeing (BIETC)

Stacie Sire has been appointed as the new Vice President and Managing Director of the Boeing India Engineering & Technology Center (BIETC) and Chief Engineer for Boeing India.
With 28 years of experience at Boeing, she succeeds Ahmed Elsherbini and brings expertise from her roles in the 787, 767, and 777 aircraft programs.
Sire’s new responsibilities include overseeing engineering strategy, operations, and innovation for Boeing in India, aiming to support the company’s long-term growth.

Kriti Sanon Becomes the First Indian Brand Ambassador for Dreame Technology

Dreame Technology, a leading Chinese smart home appliance brand, has appointed Bollywood actress Kriti Sanon as its first-ever Indian brand ambassador, marking a key step in expanding its Indian market presence.
Founded in 2017, Dreame is known for innovative products like robotic vacuum cleaners, cordless stick vacuums, and hair styling tools, emphasizing AI-driven smart living and user convenience.

Awards News

Kumar Mangalam Birla to Receive Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2024

Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chairman of the Aditya Birla Group and Padma Bhushan awardee, will receive the prestigious Lata Deenanath Mangeshkar Award 2024 on April 24 in Mumbai, recognizing his visionary leadership and contributions to India’s economic growth.
The award, presented by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat, coincides with the 83rd Memorial Day of Pandit Deenanath Mangeshkar, organized by the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Smruti Pratishthan.
The event also honors Shraddha Kapoor, Sunil Shetty, Sachin Pilgaonkar, Sonali Kulkarni, and violinist Dr. N Rajam for their excellence in Indian cinema, theatre, and classical music.

Defense News

Exercise ‘Aakraman’ Indian Air Force Drills with Rafales and Su-30s

The Indian Air Force (IAF) conducted Exercise ‘Aakraman’, a major military drill involving Rafale and Su-30MKI fighter jets to simulate attacks on mountainous and ground targets, test electronic warfare, and conduct live fire operations.
With cutting-edge systems like the Meteor and Rampage missiles, and the S-400 air defense system, the exercise aimed to enhance combat readiness amid rising India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Supervised by elite “Top Gun” pilots, the drill highlights India’s strategic air power and deterrence capabilities in complex warfare scenarios.

Schemes News

Why Is Yeshasvini Health Scheme In News?

The Yeshasvini Health Insurance Scheme in Karnataka is set for a major overhaul, with an expert committee recommending a 15%–25% increase in medical procedure rates and a 50% hike for complex treatments like paediatric heart surgeries and oncology.
The scheme, relaunched in 2022–23 to boost rural health access, may also see the addition of 69 new procedures and removal of 6 outdated ones.
With 45.6 lakh members and only 782 empanelled hospitals, the updates aim to attract more hospitals, enhance financial sustainability, and improve universal health coverage, with an estimated cost of ₹127.5 crore and a proposed budget boost of ₹40 crore.

Sports News

Rohit Sharma Becomes Second Indian to Reach 12,000 Runs in T20s

Rohit Sharma has become the second Indian after Virat Kohli and the eighth player overall to score 12,000 runs in T20 cricket, achieving the milestone during an IPL 2025 match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
His consistent performances, especially for Mumbai Indians (MI) and earlier Deccan Chargers, have been crucial in his team’s success.
Rohit joins an elite group including Chris Gayle, Shoaib Malik, Kieron Pollard, David Warner, Alex Hales, and Jos Buttler, marking a major milestone in his T20 career.

Important Days News

World Malaria Day 2025 Date, Theme, Significance

World Malaria Day, observed on April 25 every year, raises awareness about malaria, a deadly yet preventable disease. In 2023, there were 263 million cases and nearly 600,000 deaths globally, primarily in tropical and low-income regions.
The theme for 2025, “Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite,” calls for renewed efforts in prevention, treatment, and innovation.
Established by the WHO in 2007, the day honors those fighting malaria and encourages policy action and investment.

International Delegate’s Day 2025, Date, History

International Delegate’s Day, observed annually on April 25, celebrates the pivotal role of delegates in fostering global cooperation, peace, and diplomacy.
It commemorates the 1945 San Francisco conference, where 50 countries’ delegates met to draft the UN Charter, marking the foundation of the United Nations.
The day highlights the importance of multilateral diplomacy in addressing global challenges like climate change, poverty, and conflict.

World Immunization Week 2025, History, Theme, Importance

World Immunization Week 2025 (April 24–30), led by WHO, promotes the theme “Immunization for All is Humanly Possible”, stressing universal access to vaccines for all ages.
Since 1974, immunization has saved 154 million lives, including 6 lives every minute, with the measles vaccine alone accounting for 60% of these.
Despite progress, challenges remain—22 million children missed measles shots in 2023, and vaccine misinformation threatens global health gains.
The campaign urges renewed global commitment to equity in vaccination, especially for the underserved and vulnerable.

Obituaries News

Former ISRO Chairman K. Kasturirangan Passes Away at the Age of 84

Dr. K. Kasturirangan, former ISRO Chairman, passed away at 84 on April 25, 2025, in Bengaluru. A visionary scientist, he led ISRO from 1994 to 2003, overseeing key achievements like the operationalisation of PSLV, development of GSLV, and launch of IRS-1A.
He also directed India’s first earth observation satellites, BHASKARA-I & II.
His four-decade association with ISRO left a lasting impact on India’s space and remote sensing programs.