Current Affairs 13 August 2025

Mumbai Hosts Record-Breaking 18th International Astronomy Olympiad.

• 18th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) inaugurated in Mumbai.
• Hosted by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR).
• Participation: 288 high school students from a record 64 countries.
• 12 countries participating for the first time.

Cabinet Clears ₹4,600 Cr Semiconductor Units in Odisha, Punjab & AP.

• Union Cabinet, chaired by PM Narendra Modi, approved four new semiconductor projects under the India Semiconductor Mission (ISM).
• The projects will be set up in Odisha, Punjab, and Andhra Pradesh.
• Approved companies: SiCSem, Continental Device India Pvt Ltd (CDIL), 3D Glass Solutions Inc., and Advanced System in Package (ASIP) Technologies.
• Cumulative investment: around ₹4,600 crore.

Union Health Secretary Launches SHRESTH Initiative for Drug Safety.

• Union Health Secretary launched the State Health Regulatory Excellence Index (SHRESTH) initiative in New Delhi.
• The initiative aims to drive improvements in the performance of state drug regulatory authorities across India.
• SHRESTH is the first national initiative to benchmark and strengthen state drug regulatory systems using a transparent and data-driven framework.

UIDAI, ISI Sign 5-Year Pact to Boost Aadhaar Security & Reliability.

• UIDAI signed an agreement with the Indian Statistical Institute (ISI) for joint research and development.
• The aim is to enhance the robustness, security, and reliability of Aadhaar operations.
• The agreement will be effective for five years.
• Focus areas include fraud and anomaly detection.
• It also covers biometric liveness detection tools and improved biometric matching algorithms.

BSF Launches "Operation Alert" on Rajasthan Border.

• Border Security Force (BSF) has launched Operation Alert along the Rajasthan border.
• Aim: Strengthen security measures ahead of Independence Day.
• Activities include intensified patrols, drills, and review of standard operating procedures (SOPs).
• Focus on strict border management and preparation for upcoming challenges.
• All SOPs, instructions, and drills are being reviewed and improved.