Diwali firecrackers caused Delhi’s air quality to plunge to “severe” and even “hazardous” levels in 2025, with the city’s AQI jumping from under 220 before the festival to over 450 the morning after, making it the worst post-Diwali air in five years and proving that festive fireworks are a principal cause of Delhi-NCR’s deadly air pollution spike around Diwali, even when stubble burning and industrial sources were lower.
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At an industry event in New Delhi, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal criticised the trade agreements signed during the Congress-led UPA era with Japan (2011) and South Korea (2010), stating that India’s exports to both countries have barely grown while imports have surged significantly. In 2024-25, India’s exports to South Korea were valued at about 5.8 billion USD compared to imports of 21 billion USD, and with Japan, exports stood at 6.4 billion USD against imports of 18.9 billion USD — highlighting persistent trade imbalances despite over a decade of CEPA implementation.
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Over 1,000 journalists from 23 media bodies, led by the Press Club of India (PCI) and the Indian Women’s Press Corps (IWPC), have submitted 35 questions to the Ministry of Electronics and IT demanding exemptions for the press under the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023. They warned that classifying journalists as “data fiduciaries” under Sections 28 and 36 could compromise source confidentiality, make investigative reporting legally risky, and impose fines up to ₹250 crore—creating a chilling effect on press freedom and weakening the Right to Information framework.
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On October 19, 2025, the Louvre Museum in Paris was the target of a daring heist where thieves disguised as construction workers stole eight priceless pieces of Napoleonic-era jewelry from the Galerie d'Apollon. Valued at approximately €88 million (over $100 million), these royal jewels included tiaras, necklaces, and earrings from the collections of Queen Maria Amalia, Empress Marie Louise, and Empress Eugénie. The thieves likely plan to break apart and melt down the gold settings and diamonds, which retain value as precious metals and gems, making recovery difficult. One crown was dropped and recovered damaged during the escape. This audacious daylight robbery highlights ongoing challenges in protecting cultural heritage against sophisticated criminal networks involved in global art and jewelry theft.
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Sanae Takaichi made history in 2025 by becoming Japan’s first female Prime Minister after winning the parliamentary vote, marking a major milestone in a country long known for low female representation in politics.
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In 2025, OpenAI announced a massive project offering 10 gigawatts of computing capacity, triggering a global investment frenzy and boosting SoftBank’s stock by 11% after its partnership announcement.
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The Deloitte AI controversy in Australia highlighted the risks of overusing generative AI in professional work. Deloitte admitted to using AI-generated content in a paid government report, prompting Canberra’s Department of Employment and Workplace Relations to review its policies. Though the study’s core findings remained valid, the incident raised alarms about accuracy, accountability, and trust in AI-generated outputs. It underscored that AI should assist, not replace, human judgment—especially when influencing public policy and welfare decisions.
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India’s Right to Information (RTI) Act, enacted in October 2005, marks its 20th anniversary in 2025. It remains a key transparency law empowering citizens to hold the government accountable, though its effectiveness has weakened due to poor enforcement and bureaucratic delays.
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The correct name for the type of snapping shrimp that shoots extremely fast bubbles from its claw is the "pistol shrimp." This shrimp is also known as a snapping shrimp and belongs to the family Alpheidae. The larger claw of the pistol shrimp snaps shut at incredible speed, creating a cavitation bubble that generates a loud snapping sound and a powerful shockwave capable of stunning or killing prey. The claw mechanism is often described as "pistol-like," which is the origin of the name "pistol shrimp" for these creatures. (KBC, October 22, 2025)
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Neeraj Chopra, the celebrated Indian javelin thrower and two-time Olympic medallist, was conferred the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Indian Army on October 22, 2025. The conferment ceremony took place in New Delhi and was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Chief of Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi.
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