Stay updated with the top headlines from 17th May 2025. This GK update covers national, international, economy, appointments, books, defense, science, and sports — curated for aspirants preparing for UPSC, SSC, Banking, and other competitive exams.
National News
1. Why did President Murmu invoke Article 143?
Answer: To seek the Supreme Court’s opinion on whether judicial orders can impose timelines for the President and Governors to assent or withhold assent to State Bills under Articles 200 and 201.
2. What is the upgraded Multi Agency Centre (MAC)?
Answer: A ₹500 crore counter-terrorism hub under the Intelligence Bureau, integrating 28 agencies with AI, ML, and GIS for seamless threat prediction and data sharing.
3. Which Supreme Court judge retired on 16 May 2025?
Answer: Justice Bela M. Trivedi, known for landmark rulings on EWS quota, POCSO interpretation, and reservation sub-classification.
State News
4. Where is Pushkar Kumbh 2025 being held?
Answer: At Keshav Prayag in Mana village, Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, after a 12-year gap, coinciding with Jupiter’s entry into Gemini.
International News
5. What happened to Nepal’s Yala Glacier?
Answer: Declared “dead” due to climate change-induced melting, mourned through Buddhist ceremonies and memorials.
6. What diplomatic move did Honduras make with India?
Answer: Opened its embassy in New Delhi to strengthen trade, climate, and tech ties with India.
7. What agreement was reached in Russia–Ukraine talks?
Answer: A prisoner swap of 1,000 individuals each, marking the first direct talks in three years, mediated by Turkey.
Economy News
8. How did India’s exports perform in April 2025?
Answer: Grew by 9%, led by engineering and electronics, with a 27% surge in exports to the US amid tariff uncertainty.
9. What monetary policy stance did RBI adopt for FY26?
Answer: Reduced repo rate to 6% and adopted an accommodative stance, projecting inflation to align with target levels.
Books & Authors
10. What Coffee Table Book was released in Nagaland?
Answer: “Transforming Lives,” showcasing PMAY-U’s impact on urban housing and community empowerment.
Sports News
11. What honor was given to Rohit Sharma at Wankhede Stadium?
Answer: A stand was named after him, commemorating his retirement and leadership in India’s T20 World Cup and Champions Trophy wins.
12. What milestone did Neeraj Chopra achieve in Doha?
Answer: Threw 90.23m in javelin, becoming the first Indian to cross the 90m mark, finishing second behind Julian Weber.
13. What title did Praggnanandhaa win in chess?
Answer: His first Grand Chess Tour title at the Superbet Classic 2025, defeating Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in tiebreaks.
Science & Technology News
14. What is Samudrayaan mission?
Answer: India’s first manned deep-sea mission to explore 6,000m ocean depths, launching by 2026 under the Deep Ocean Mission.
15. What is LUPEX mission by India and Japan?
Answer: A lunar mission to detect water at the Moon’s south pole, entering design phase, launching in 2027–28.
16. What is India’s BioE3 space experiment?
Answer: Biological sustainability research aboard the ISS using microalgae and cyanobacteria, part of the AXIOM-4 mission.