Daily Current Affairs for UPSC IAS: 18th August 2025

Tonga : Earthquake

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.2 jolted the Tonga Islands Region.

• Tonga is a sovereign country in Polynesia, composed of an archipelago of 169 islands located in the South Pacific Ocean.
• Neighbouring countries include Fiji to the west, Cook Islands to the east and Samoa north.
• These islands are divided into three main groups: Tongatapu in the south, Ha‘apai in the center, and Vava‘u in the north.
• The western islands (making up the Tongan Volcanic Arch) are all of volcanic origin; the eastern islands are nonvolcanic and are composed of coral limestone and sand
• It features flat terrain with limestone and coral formations.
• Mostly flat islands with limestone bedrock formed from uplifted coral formation; others have limestone overlying volcanic rock.
• Highest Point: The highest point in this region is Kao Island in the Haʻapai group.
• Tonga is a member of the Commonwealth Clean Ocean Allianceand Marine Protected Areas Action Groups.
• The capital city of Tonga is Nukuʻalofa, situated on the northern shore of Tongatapu Island.

Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal:

On the eve of the 79th Independence Day, the President of India awarded seven Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medals (SYSM) to the leaders of Operation Sindoor.

• It was instituted on 26 Jun 1980 to recognize the distinguished service of the most exceptional order during war/conflict/hostilities.
• Features of Sarvottam Yudh Seva Medal
  • Circular in shape, 35 mm in diameter and fitted to a plain horizontal bar with standard fittings. The medal shall be of gold gilt.
  • The medal shall have on its obverse the State Emblem and the inscriptions “SARVOTTAM YUDH SEVA MEDAL” (in English). On its reverse, it shall have a five pointed star.
  • Ribbon:Golden colour with one red vertical stripe in the centre dividing it into two equal parts.
  • Bar:If a recipient of the medal is subsequently awarded the medal again, every such further award shall be recognised by a Bar to be attached to the riband by which the medal is suspended.
  • For every such Bar, a miniature insignia of a pattern approved by the Government shall be added to the riband when worn alone.
• Personnel Eligible: All ranks of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force including those of Territorial Army Units, Auxiliary and Reserve Forces and other lawfully constituted Armed Forces when embodied.
• And also Nursing officers and other members of the Nursing Services in the Armed Forces.
• The medal may be awarded posthumously.

Phoenix roxburghii: New Palm Species

Researchers have identified a new palm species and named it as Phoenix roxburghii.

• Phoenix roxburghii is a new palm species named after William Roxburgh, considered the father of Indian Botany.
• It grows 12 to 16 metres tall.
• Phoenix roxburghii shares morphological similarities with Phoenix sylvestris,but differs by its taller solitary trunk, larger leaves and leaflets, musty-scented staminate flowers and larger, obovoid orange-yellow fruits,
• It is found on India’s eastern coast and Bangladesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Pakistan
• Palm is a member of the Arecaceae, or Palmae, a single family of monocotyledonous flowering plants of the order Arecales.
• It is an evergreen plant which can grow in the form of shrubs, trees, or long, woody vines called lianas.
• It is distributed in America and in Asia, from India to Japan and south to Australia and the islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans, with Africa and Madagascar as a third but much less important palm region.
• The palms with the greatest importance in world commerce are the coconut and the African oil palm (Elaeis guineensis); both are prime sources of vegetable oil and fat.

Escherichia coli : New Study

Researchers have shown in a new study that genetically engineered Escherichia coli bacteria can be turned into self-powered chemical sensors that interface directly with electronics.

• It is commonly known as E. coli, is a type of bacteria that can be found in the intestines of humans and animals.
• It is a rod-shaped bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family.
• While most strains of E. coli are harmless and even beneficial, some strains can cause illness and infections.
• Some kinds of E. coli can cause diarrhea, while others cause urinary tract infections, respiratory illness and pneumonia, and other illnesses.
• It can be transmitted to humans through contaminated food, water, or contact with fecal matter from infected individuals or animals.
• The most familiar strains of E. coli that make you sick do so by producing a toxin called Shiga.
• This toxin damages the lining of your small intestine and causes diarrhea.
• These strains of E. coli are also called Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC).
• The most common symptoms of E.coli infection include fever, persistent diarrhoea, bloody diarrhoea, and vomiting.
• Most E. coli infections are self-limiting and resolve on their own without treatment. However, it’s essential to stay hydrated during the course of the illness.

Green Ammonia:

Larsen & Toubro’s (L&T), green molecules arm L&T Energy Greentech, recently bagged the tender for building India’s biggest green hydrogen plant at Indian Oil Corporation Ltd’s (IOCL) Panipat refinery.

• Ammonia (NH3) is a nitrogen and hydrogen based chemical compound widely used in the production of fertilisers and industrial chemicals.
• Ammonia is currently produced from natural gas and, in its production process, emits 2 tonnes of CO₂ for every tonne of ammonia.
• For this reason, conventional ammonia is referred to as grey ammonia.
• Green ammonia, on the other hand, does not emit CO₂ in its production process.
• To produce green ammonia, green hydrogen must first be obtained through a process of water electrolysis.
• That is, water is decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen, using electrical energy generated from renewable sources.
• The hydrogen is then combined with atmospheric nitrogen through a process known as Haber-Bosch synthesis, which allows hydrogen and nitrogen to react at high pressure and temperature in the presence of a catalyst to form ammonia.
• The end result is the production of green ammonia using green hydrogen and atmospheric nitrogen.
• Green ammonia production is where the process of making ammonia is 100% renewable and carbon-free.
• It is widely used in the production of agricultural fertilisers as ammonia is an essential source of nitrogen for plant growth.
• It is also used as a raw material in the production of a variety of chemical products, such as nitric acid, synthetic fibres, explosives, dyes, and pharmaceuticals.]
• It can be used in fuel for engines such as locomotives and shipping, replacing diesel and marine fuel oil.
• It can be used as a fuel source for electricity power generation.

Sulawesi Island : Earthquake

An earthquake of magnitude 5.7 struck Sulawesi in Indonesia recently.

• Sulawesi, formerly known as Celebes, is a large island in Southeast Asia, in the Indonesian archipelago.
• It is part of the island chain known as the Greater Sunda Islands.
• It is the 11th largest island in the world. It covers an area of 180,680.7 sq. km.
• The island consists almost entirely of four interconnecting peninsulas.
• The island is surrounded on all sides by other big islands: Borneo to the west, Philippines to the north, the Maluku Islands to the east, and Flores and Timor to the south.
• The island is highly mountainous, with some active volcanoes.
• Sulawesi is known for its rainforests, which once covered the entire island until human activity led to mass deforestation.
• The highest peak on the island of Sulawesi is Ratenkombola, which is also known simply as Mario. It reaches a height of 3,455 meters.
• The island contains thirteen freshwater lakes including the deepest lake, Matano, in Southeast Asia.
• Seven major ethnic groups inhabit Sulawesi: the Toala, Toraja, Buginese, Makassarese, Minahasan, Mori, and Gorontalese.
• Makassar is the largest city on the island.

Happy Krishna Janmashtami 2025:

Krishna Janmashtami 2025, the festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is being observed on Saturday, August 16, 2025. Falling on the eighth day (Ashtami) of Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada, this year marks the 5252nd birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. Known by many names—Janmashtami, Krishnashtami, Gokulashtami, Ashtami Rohini, Srikrishna Jayanti, and Sree Jayanthi—the festival unites millions of devotees across India and the world in prayer, fasting, music, and joy.

Seventh Death Anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee:

On 16 August 2025, India marks the seventh death anniversary of Atal Bihari Vajpayee, one of the most admired leaders in Indian politics. A poet, writer, orator, and statesman, Vajpayee served as the Prime Minister of India three times and was the first non-Congress leader to complete a full term in office. Beyond politics, he is remembered for his humility, poetic heart, and vision of a strong yet inclusive India.Atal Bihari Vajpayee was born on 25 December 1924 in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh into a middle-class Brahmin family. His father was a school teacher, and young Vajpayee excelled in academics, earning a master’s degree in Political Science from DAV College, Kanpur. Even during his student days, he was deeply interested in literature, poetry, and debates, which later shaped his political journey as a charismatic orator.

Real Madrid Named World’s Most Valuable Football Club in 2025:

Real Madrid, already celebrated for its unmatched success on the pitch, has added another feather to its cap being crowned the world’s most valuable football club in the Brand Finance Football 50–2025 report. With a brand value of €1.921 billion and a near-perfect brand strength score of 94.9, the Spanish football powerhouse continues its dominance in both sporting excellence and commercial strength.

ICICI Bank Reduces Minimum Balance Requirement After Public Outrage:

ICICI Bank, India’s second-largest private lender, has revised its minimum average balance (MAB) requirement for new savings account holders after facing widespread criticism. The bank had recently raised the MAB from ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 for new customers in urban areas, but public backlash forced a rollback. As of now, the new MAB for urban customers has been reduced to ₹15,000.The initial hike to ₹50,000 was announced just days earlier, drawing negative reactions from customers and financial experts alike. Critics argued that the increase was excessive, especially when compared to other banks that have either lowered MAB thresholds or eliminated them altogether.