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Current Affairs 14th October 2025
1. Rajeev Juneja appointed as President of PHDCCI
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Current Professional Role: Rajeev Juneja is the Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Mankind Pharma Ltd., bringing substantial experience from the pharmaceutical sector to the industry chamber.
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Succeeds: He has taken charge, succeeding Hemant Jain, who now serves as the immediate former President of the PHDCCI.
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Visionary Focus: His stated focus for his tenure includes building stronger industry linkages, promoting innovation, and fostering collaborative growth.
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National Contribution Goal: He aims to contribute significantly to the government's long-term goal of 'Viksit Bharat @2047' (Developed India by 2047) through self-reliance and the Chamber's initiatives.
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New Leadership Team: The appointment is part of a broader leadership change, with Anil Gupta (KEI Industries Ltd.) taking over as Senior Vice President and Sanjay Singhania (Epack Prefab Technologies Ltd.) as Vice President.
2. Labour Minister Unveils “Vishwas” Scheme
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Objective: To reduce the high volume of legal disputes and litigation (over 6,000 cases pending across various forums) arising from the imposition of penal damages for delayed remittance of Provident Fund (PF) dues.
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Rationalised Penal Damages: The scheme significantly reduces the rate of penal damages levied on employers for delayed PF payments.
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Litigation Abatement: All pending cases covered under the scheme will be considered abated (ceased/cancelled) upon successful compliance and payment of the reduced penal damages.
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Duration and Benefit: The scheme is operational for a period of six months (with a potential extension of another six months) and promotes timely compliance.
3. Global Finance Recognizes DBS Bank as Asia’s Safest Bank for 17th Consecutive Year
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Consecutive, Long-Term Achievement: DBS Bank has earned the "Safest Bank in Asia" title from Global Finance for 17 consecutive years (from 2009 to 2025), highlighting a sustained track record of stability and financial resilience over nearly two decades.
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Global Ranking and Peer Group: The bank maintained a strong global standing, securing the 2nd position in the 'World's 50 Safest Commercial Banks' list, demonstrating its strength among its international, non-government-backed peers.
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Core Evaluation Criteria: The ranking methodology relies on an evaluation of the long-term foreign currency ratings awarded by the three major credit rating agencies: Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch for the world's 500 largest banks.
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High Credit Ratings: DBS holds among the highest credit ratings globally, specifically an "AA-" and "Aa1" from its credit rating agencies, which are foundational to the "Safest Bank" recognition.
4. South Africa Clinch Win Over Bangladesh in Women’s ODI World Cup Clash
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Thrilling Finish & South Africa's Comeback: South Africa won a tight contest by 3 wickets, chasing Bangladesh's target of 233 with only three balls to spare. They recovered from a precarious position of 78/5 to secure the victory.
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Middle-Order Rescue: Veteran all-rounders Chloe Tryon (62) and Marizanne Kapp (56) put together a crucial 85-run partnership for the sixth wicket to rebuild the innings and swing the momentum back towards South Africa.
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Nadine de Klerk's Finishing Act: All-rounder Nadine de Klerk provided the match-winning final flourish, scoring an unbeaten 37 off 29 balls and hitting the winning runs (a six) in the final over.
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Bangladesh's Competitive Total: Bangladesh posted a competitive total of 232/6, anchored by half-centuries from Sharmin Akter (50) and a quickfire, tournament-fastest 50 by 18-year-old Shorna Akter (51*) off just 34 balls.
5. Rajputana Royals Won Inaugural Archery Premier League 2025
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Champions of the Inaugural Season: Rajputana Royals won the very first season of the Archery Premier League (APL), which was held in October 2025.
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Dramatic Shoot-off Victory: They secured the title by defeating the Prithviraaj Yodhas in a thrilling final that was decided by a sudden-death shoot-off after the teams were tied 4-4 in sets.
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Key Archers: The victory in the shoot-off was clinched by the Royals' star compound archers, Ojas Deotale and Ella Gibson, who both hit the target (yellow dot) flawlessly, while the Yodhas missed.
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Star-Studded Squad: The championship team included a formidable quartet of international and national archers, notably Olympic champion recurver Mete Gazoz and Indian Olympian Ankita Bhakat, alongside the shoot-off heroes Deotale and Gibson.
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Dominant Season Performance: Rajputana Royals displayed consistent dominance throughout the tournament, losing only one match in the league stage on their way to lifting the trophy.
6. Tata Sons extends Chairman N Chandrasekaran’s tenure
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Extended Executive Tenure: The Tata Trusts, which control Tata Sons, approved a third executive term for N. Chandrasekaran, extending his chairmanship.
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Break from Tradition: This decision marks a significant and historic departure from the Tata Group's traditional retirement policy, which requires executive heads to step down at the age of 65.
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New End Date: The extension allows Chandrasekaran to remain in the executive role until he turns 70 years old (or until 2032), a first for a top executive in the conglomerate. His current term was set to end in February 2027.
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Reason for Continuity: The primary reason cited for the extension is the need for leadership continuity to successfully see through critical and ambitious new projects, such as the group's major ventures in semiconductors, Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, and the turnaround of Air India.
7. Dan Katz appointed as IMF First Deputy Managing Director
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Position and Timing: Dan Katz was appointed as the First Deputy Managing Director (FDMD) of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), assuming office on October 6, 2025. This position is widely regarded as the IMF's number two leadership role, succeeding Gita Gopinath.
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Previous Role: Prior to this appointment, Katz served as the Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, advising on a wide range of domestic and international economic matters.
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Traditional US Nomination: His appointment follows the convention where the United States, as the IMF's largest shareholder, traditionally nominates the candidate for the FDMD position.
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Key Experience: He brings a background in both the public and private sectors, including a long association with the U.S. Treasury Department (including roles in financial intelligence and as a senior advisor) and private sector experience as an investment banker at Goldman Sachs.
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Strategic Rationale: IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva cited his "outstanding experience in economic policy and international relations" and "incisive thinking" as crucial for the IMF.
8. Dr. Sonali Ghosh Becomes First Indian to Receive WCPA-Kenton Miller Award
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First Indian Recipient: Dr. Sonali Ghosh is the first Indian to receive the prestigious WCPA-Kenton Miller Award for innovation in National Parks and Protected Area Sustainability.
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Current Position: She is the Field Director of Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve in Assam, India, and was also the first woman to hold this position.
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The Award: The award is presented by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) and honors individuals who make innovative contributions to the long-term sustainability and management of protected areas worldwide.
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Key Innovation: She was recognized for championing a community-based conservation model. Her approach successfully integrates local community engagement, public awareness, and the blend of traditional ecological knowledge with modern scientific expertise.
9. Masaki Kashiwara Wins 2025 Abel Prize
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High Honor: Masaki Kashiwara was awarded the 2025 Abel Prize, which is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in mathematics, often called the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics."
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First Japanese Recipient: He became the first Japanese mathematician to be awarded the Abel Prize since its establishment in 2002.
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Field of Contribution: He received the prize for his "fundamental contributions to algebraic analysis and representation theory".
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Key Innovations: His two most significant and cited contributions are the development of the theory of D-modules (an algebraic framework for studying systems of linear differential equations) and the discovery of crystal bases (a combinatorial tool used in representation theory).
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Impact: Kashiwara's work is considered a visionary achievement that has built bridges between previously disparate fields of mathematics.
10. On 14 October, World Standards Day honors experts behind international standards
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Date and Purpose: World Standards Day is celebrated every year on October 14 to raise global awareness about the crucial role of standardization in the world economy and in meeting the needs of consumers, industry, and government.
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Historical Origin: The date commemorates the first meeting in London in 1946, when delegates from 25 countries agreed to create an international organization dedicated to fostering global standardization, which led to the formation of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1947.
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Honors Experts: The day honors the thousands of volunteer experts worldwide who collaborate to develop the voluntary technical agreements published as International Standards by organizations like the ISO, International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
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2025 Theme: The international theme for World Standards Day 2025 is "A Shared Vision for a Better World: Spotlight on SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals," emphasizing how standards facilitate collaboration to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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