Daily GK Update- 16th Aug, 2025

 

NATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. Rapido Launches ‘Ownly’ App, Enters Food Delivery with Zero-Commission Model: Rapido has launched ‘Ownly’, a standalone mobile app for food delivery, initially servicing Koramangala, HSR, and BTM Layout, to compete with Swiggy, Zomato, and Magicpin.The launch follows Rapido’s discussions with the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI), representing over 50,000 eateries, to finalise terms for onboarding restaurant partners.Ownly will operate on a zero-commission model, with restaurant partners paying the delivery fee for orders within a standard radius of four kilometers or less.

 

2. IGNCA & BSIP Sign Historic MoU to Unite Science and Culture on a Single Platform: The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi, and the Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeosciences (BSIP), Lucknow, signed an MoU at IGNCA, marking India’s first initiative to integrate science and culture on a unified platform.The collaboration aims to showcase India’s scientific and cultural achievements to domestic and global audiences, preserve and interpret heritage, and foster awareness through innovative programmes.The MoU was signed by Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi and Mahesh G. Thakkar, with Dr. Achal Pandya (IGNCA) and Dr. Shilpa Pandey (BSIP) designated as nodal officers for interdisciplinary research, joint events, and shared expertise.

 

3. Arintra Raises $21M Series A Led by Peak XV to Expand AI-Powered Medical Coding Platform: Arintra, a GenAI-powered medical coding platform, has raised $21 million in Series A funding led by Peak XV Partners, with participation from Endeavor Health Ventures, Y Combinator, and others, to boost nationwide adoption, product development, team expansion, and establish a Bay Area HQ.The platform ensures accurate and efficient reimbursement for healthcare providers through a proactive, outcomes-driven approach, enhancing revenue assurance.Arintra has processed over $1 billion in healthcare charges, with Mercyhealth reporting a 5.1% revenue increase, 43% fewer denials, and 32% reduced costs using the platf

 

4. Former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud’s first book, Why the Constitution Matters: The cover of “Why the Constitution Matters”, the first book by former Chief Justice of India Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, has been unveiled; it will be published by Penguin Random House by the end of August.Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, who retired in November 2024 as the 50th Chief Justice of India, was succeeded by Justice Sanjay Khanna (51st CJI) and later by Justice Bhushan Ramakrishna Gavai (52nd CJI).The book highlights constitutional values through Chandrachud’s landmark judgments on right to privacy, decriminalization of homosexuality, and gender equality in the armed forces.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL UPDATES:

 

1. US-Russia Talks Impact India’s Russian Oil Imports: The 2025 US-Russia summit in Alaska ended without a ceasefire agreement for Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin emerged politically stronger while US President Donald Trump showed no immediate follow-up on sanctions or concrete outcomes. The talks drew global attention, especially from India, which closely watched the implications for its trade and energy security amid ongoing US sanctions related to Russian oil imports. The Russia-Ukraine war that began in 2022 has shaped global geopolitics. The US imposed sanctions on Russia and its allies to pressure Moscow to cease hostilities. Trump’s administration threatened tougher sanctions but hesitated to act decisively. Putin used such summits to improve Russia’s global image without making major concessions. Since 2022, India has increased its imports of Russian crude oil. Initially less than 2% of India’s oil came from Russia. Discounts offered by Russia amid Western sanctions made it the largest crude supplier to India by 2025, accounting for 35-40% of India’s oil imports. This shift helped India secure energy at competitive prices.

 

2. Indian Phoenix Palms: Recent botanical research has uncovered a new species of palm in India and reclassified existing ones within the genus Phoenix. These findings stem from revisiting the 17th-century work Hortus Malabaricus by Hendrik van Rheede. The study resolves longstanding confusion about palms found across the Indian subcontinent and neighbouring regions. The palm named Katou-Indel appears in Hortus Malabaricus, a monumental 17th-century botanical treatise on Malabar flora. Compiled by Hendrik van Rheede with help from physician Itty Achudan, the work documents medicinal plants of Kerala’s coast. The palm was later named Phoenix sylvestris by William Roxburgh in the 19th century. A team from Jawaharlal Nehru Tropical Botanic Garden and Research Institute (JNTBGRI) and Botanical Survey of India (BSI) re-examined Katou-Indel. They confirmed that the palms in Kerala and Sri Lanka belong to Phoenix sylvestris. They also reclassified three previously distinct species—P. pusilla, P. farinifera, and P. zeylanica—as Phoenix sylvestris.

 

3. India Achieves Historic Deep Ocean Dives in Atlantic: India reached a new milestone in ocean exploration in August 2025. Two Indian aquanauts descended to depths of 4,025 and 5,002 metres in the Atlantic Ocean. This achievement places India among fewer than six nations to explore such extreme ocean depths. The expedition was part of an Indo-French collaboration using the French submersible Nautile. It sets the stage for India’s upcoming Samudrayan Mission, which aims to reach 6,000 metres using the indigenous submersible MATSYA-6000 by 2027. The dives mark India’s first ventures beyond 4,000 metres depth. They demonstrate India’s growing scientific and technological capabilities in deep ocean research. The missions contribute to the understanding of deep-sea environments and resource potential. The success boosts India’s global standing in marine exploration and supports its goal of becoming a leading economy. The expedition was conducted with IFREMER, the French marine research institute. Indian aquanauts boarded the Nautile submersible from the research ship L’Atalante near Portugal. This collaboration provided valuable experience in deep-sea operations. It helped Indian scientists gain expertise in piloting, sample collection, and managing submersible systems. Such partnerships enhance knowledge transfer and encourage international scientific cooperation.

 

4. US Supreme Court Upholds Mississippi Social Media Age Law: The Supreme Court recently declined to block a Mississippi law that requires age verification and parental consent for social media use by minors. This ruling marks moment in ongoing legal battles over regulating online platforms to protect children. The law aims to address concerns about social media’s impact on youth mental health and safety. The law mandates that social media companies verify users’ ages and obtain parental consent for minors under 18. It also obliges platforms to make reasonable efforts to prevent minors from accessing harmful content. Violations can result in fines up to $10,000. The law targets safety issues like sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation. Tech companies led by NetChoice, representing giants like Google, Meta, and Snap Inc., challenged the law. They argued it violates the First Amendment by restricting free speech and threatens user privacy. A federal judge initially blocked the law, citing constitutional concerns. However, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals allowed enforcement while the case proceeds. The Supreme Court’s recent refusal to stay the law means it remains active during litigation.

 

OTHER UPDATES:

DEFENCE

 

1. India’s Demographic Mission: India in 2025 faces a renewed focus on illegal immigration and its impact on national security and social stability. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a high-powered Demography Mission to address these concerns. The government is intensifying identity verification and cracking down on suspected foreign nationals, particularly from Bangladesh. This mission aims to prevent demographic shifts that could destabilise border regions and undermine national security. Demographic shifts in border areas are viewed as a direct threat to India’s security. Infiltration and illegal settlement can lead to conflict and social unrest. The government asserts that no nation should surrender to such challenges. The mission is designed to prevent infiltration and protect the sovereignty and unity of the country. It emphasises the need for vigilance and strict enforcement of immigration laws. Illegal immigration is said to disproportionately affect tribal and backward communities. Migrants allegedly mislead adivasis and encroach upon their lands. This has socio-economic consequences including loss of livelihood and cultural erosion. The government’s mission seeks to protect these communities by preserving their land rights and ensuring social harmony.

 

 

 

 

 

SPORTS

 

1. German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer wins Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025: German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer clinched the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 title with one round to spare, becoming the first sole champion in the event’s history.With this victory, Keymer entered the world’s Top 10 live rankings for the first time in his career.In the Challengers section, GM Pranesh M leads with 6.5 points, followed by GM Abhimanyu Puranik and GM Leon Luke Mendonca, who are just half a point behind.

 

SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

 

1. AI-Powered ‘SabhaSaar’ to Revolutionize Panchayat Meetings with Automated Summarisation: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh will launch ‘SabhaSaar’, an AI-powered meeting summarisation tool by the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, designed to automatically generate Minutes of Meeting (MoM) from Gram Sabha and Panchayat meetings’ audio/video recordings.SabhaSaar, powered by AI & NLP technologies, will transcribe discussions, capture key decisions/action points, and provide structured minutes. Integrated with Bhashini, it currently supports 13 Indian languages.The initiative aims to strengthen participatory democracy and improve efficiency in local governance by reducing manual documentation, ensuring transparency and accountability, and allowing Panchayat officials to focus more on service delivery.

 

2. Jellyfish Swarms Disrupt Nuclear Power Plants Worldwide: Recent incidents have brought into light the growing challenge posed by jellyfish swarms to nuclear power plants. Recently, France’s Gravelines Nuclear Power Station temporarily shut down multiple reactors after jellyfish clogged its cooling system. This event is part of a rising trend where marine life disrupts critical infrastructure. Understanding the causes and impacts of these disruptions is essential for energy security and environmental management. Nuclear plants rely on large volumes of seawater to cool reactors. Intake pipes draw water through grated screens designed to keep out debris and aquatic life. When millions of jellyfish are drawn in during blooms, they clog these screens rapidly. This blocks water flow, risking overheating of turbines, condensers, and boilers. To avoid damage, plants must shut down reactors until the blockage is cleared. Removing jellyfish is difficult and hazardous, sometimes taking up to two days.

 

BANKING AND FINANCE

 

1. SEBI Allows IAs and RAs to Use Liquid & Overnight Mutual Funds for Mandatory Deposit Compliance: SEBI has allowed Investment Advisers (IAs) and Research Analysts (RAs) to use liquid and overnight mutual funds for fulfilling their mandatory deposit requirements, offering an alternative to deposits with scheduled banks.Overnight mutual funds are a type of debt mutual fund investing in overnight securities, i.e., debt instruments with a maturity of just one day.Currently, IAs and RAs are required to maintain a specified deposit with a scheduled bank, marked as a lien in favour of IAASB or RAASB as applicable.The move follows representations from industry participants and public consultation feedback, with SEBI’s board approving the proposal in June 2025 and notifying amendments to the relevant norms on August 6–7, 2025.

 

2. NPCI to Halt P2P UPI ‘Collect Requests’ from October 1 to Curb Frauds: NPCI has instructed banks and payment apps to stop all peer-to-peer (P2P) UPI “collect requests” from October 1, 2025, in a move aimed at curbing frauds, while the peer-to-merchant (P2M) collect feature will remain unaffected.The UPI “collect” feature lets a user send a payment request to another UPI user, who must approve it for the payment to be processed; currently, the per-transaction limit is ₹2,000 and the daily successful P2P credit transaction cap is 50.Fraud cases involving “collect requests” were common in UPI’s early days but have declined sharply after NPCI capped the transaction value to ₹2,000.UPI usage hit a record 19.47 billion transactions worth ₹25.08 lakh crore in July 2025, up 35% and 22% y-o-y respectively, with an average of 628 million transactions daily.

 

3. Generative AI to Boost Banking Efficiency in India by 46%, Says RBI Report: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) reported that Generative AI could enhance banking operations in India by up to 46%, improving efficiency, customer understanding, and personalised services.The generative AI segment in India is projected to exceed ₹1.02 lakh crore (~USD 12 billion) by 2033, with an annual growth rate of 28–34%.RBI highlighted that AI adoption across the financial services sector is expected to directly boost revenue growth in the coming years.In India, where millions lack formal banking access, AI can assess creditworthiness using non-traditional data sources, expanding financial inclusion.