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International Health
WHO Pandemic Agreement — 78th WHA (May 2025)
194 WHO member states finalised the Pandemic Agreement draft after 3 years (INB established December 2021). For final approval at the 78th WHA, Geneva, May 19–27, 2025. Key provisions: PABS system, One Health approach, technology transfer, and a coordinating financial mechanism. Importantly, the agreement reaffirms national sovereignty — WHO cannot mandate lockdowns, travel bans, or vaccinations.
Technology & Governance
Maharashtra–IBM AI MoU — Three CoEs
Maharashtra signed an MoU with IBM India (MD: Sandip Patel) to set up three AI Centres of Excellence: Mumbai (Geospatial Analytics — GIS/satellite for urban planning and disaster management), Pune (Forensic Science Infrastructure — AI in criminal investigation), and Nagpur (MARVEL — Monitoring, Accountability, Regulation, Vigilance, Enforcement, and Legality — AI for law enforcement & governance transparency).
Energy & Nuclear
MAHAGENCO–ROSATOM — India’s First Thorium SMR
MAHAGENCO (Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited; est. 2005; formerly MSEB) signed an MoU with ROSATOM (Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation, Moscow) for a thorium-fuelled Small Modular Reactor (SMR) — India’s first. Execution by a joint working group of MAHAGENCO, ROSATOM, MITRA, and Global Technology Alliance, compliant with AERB and DAE standards.
International Affairs
Duro Macut — New PM of Serbia
Duro Macut (61, endocrinologist, no prior political experience) was appointed PM of Serbia on April 16, 2025 (153/250 votes), succeeding Milos Vucevic (SNS president), who resigned January 28, 2025 after SNS members assaulted a student protester in Novi Sad. Nominated by President Aleksandar Vucic (since 2017). Serbia: capital Belgrade; currency Serbian Dinar (RSD).
Polity & Bureaucracy
ACC Reshuffle — Key April 2025 Appointments
Key ACC appointments (April 2025): Arvind Shrivastava (IAS 1994, Karnataka) → Secretary, Department of Revenue (DoR), MoF (replacing Manoj Govil); Vumlunmang Vualnam (IAS 1992, Manipur) → Secretary, Department of Expenditure (DoE), MoF; Anuradha Thakur (IAS 1994, HP) → OSD in DEA, to become Secretary DEA after Ajay Seth’s superannuation (June 30, 2025).
International Finance
Ajay Bhushan Pandey — VP at AIIB; India 2nd Largest Shareholder
Ajay Bhushan Pandey (Maharashtra cadre IAS, retired Feb 2021; former Finance Secretary, Revenue Secretary, NFRA Chair, GSTN Chair) was appointed VP, Investment Solutions at AIIB (Beijing; est. 2016; 110 members; USD 100 bn capital). India is the 2nd largest AIIB shareholder after China. Pandey’s contributions include Aadhaar, UPI, GSTN, and the National Infrastructure Pipeline.
Sports
Mirabai Chanu — IWLF Athletes Commission Chair
Mirabai Chanu (Manipur) was elected Chairperson of the newly formed IWLF Athletes Commission (2025, 4-year term). She won Silver at Tokyo 2020 (49 kg, 210 kg total) — the 2nd Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal, after Karnam Malleswari. Also won CWG gold in 2018 and 2022, and World Championship gold (2017). Vice-Chairperson: Sathish Kumar Sivalingam.
Technology
Google Ironwood — 7th Gen AI Chip, 42.5 Exaflops
Google Ironwood (7th-gen AI chip) is designed for inference computing. Features: 192 GB HBM, 7.2 Tbps memory bandwidth (4.5× over Trillium). At 9,216 chips per pod: 42.5 exaflops — surpassing El Capitan (world’s fastest supercomputer, Nov 2024; 2.79 exaflops). Based on Google’s Tensor Processing Units (TPUs); available to Google engineers and via Google Cloud.
Sports
Wankhede Stadium — Stand Renamings (MCA, April 2025)
At MCA’s 86th AGM (April 16, 2025), Wankhede Stadium stands were renamed: Grand Stand Level 3 → Sharad Pawar Stand; Grand Stand Level 4 → Ajit Wadekar Stand; Vithal Divecha Pavilion Level 3 → Rohit Sharma Stand. MCA Office Lounge: dedicated in memory of Amol Kale. Rohit Sharma also appointed Brand Ambassador for T20 Mumbai League Season 3 (from May 26, 2025). MCA: est. 1930; President: Ajinkya Naik.
Environment
DPS Flamingo Lake — Maharashtra’s New Conservation Reserve
The 30-acre DPS Flamingo Lake, Navi Mumbai was declared a Conservation Reserve by Maharashtra SBWL (chaired by CM Devendra Fadnavis) — the first wetland linked to the Thane Creek Flamingo Sanctuary (TCFS) to receive this status. Critical for flamingos at high tide (rest and feeding). SBWL also approved expansion of Bor Wildlife Sanctuary (Wardha District) by adding 5 villages.
🎴 Revision Flashcards
Click each card to flip and test your recall
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At which WHA session will the WHO Pandemic Agreement receive final approval, and what does it NOT allow WHO to do?
78th WHA, Geneva, May 19–27, 2025; WHO cannot mandate lockdowns, travel bans, or vaccinations
INB established Dec 2021; 194 member states; key provisions: PABS system, One Health, technology transfer
Tap to Reveal
What does MARVEL stand for, and which Maharashtra city will host the MARVEL CoE?
Monitoring, Accountability, Regulation, Vigilance, Enforcement, and Legality; Nagpur
Maharashtra–IBM AI MoU; Mumbai CoE = Geospatial Analytics; Pune CoE = Forensic Science
Tap to Reveal
What does MAHAGENCO stand for, when was it established, and which Russian body did it partner with for a thorium SMR?
Maharashtra State Power Generation Company Limited; 2005; ROSATOM
Formerly MSEB; joint working group includes MITRA and Global Technology Alliance; compliant with AERB and DAE
Tap to Reveal
Who is the new PM of Serbia, what is his background, and why did his predecessor resign?
Duro Macut (endocrinologist); Milos Vucevic resigned after SNS members assaulted a student protester in Novi Sad
Appointed April 16, 2025; 153/250 votes; nominated by President Aleksandar Vucic; capital Belgrade
Tap to Reveal
What is India’s shareholding rank at AIIB, and who was appointed VP there in April 2025?
2nd largest shareholder (after China); Ajay Bhushan Pandey (VP, Investment Solutions)
AIIB: est. 2016, Beijing, 110 members, USD 100 bn capital; Pandey’s past roles: Finance Secretary, GSTN Chair, NFRA Chair
Tap to Reveal
Who was the first Indian weightlifter to win an Olympic medal, and what medal did Mirabai Chanu win at Tokyo 2020?
Karnam Malleswari; Silver (49 kg, 210 kg total lift)
Chanu now chairs IWLF Athletes Commission (2025, 4-year term); also CWG gold 2018 & 2022; World Champ gold 2017
Tap to Reveal
What computing power does Google Ironwood deliver at full pod scale, and how does it compare to El Capitan?
42.5 exaflops (at 9,216 chips); El Capitan = 2.79 exaflops
7th-gen AI chip; 192 GB HBM; 7.2 Tbps bandwidth (4.5× over Trillium); designed for inference computing
Tap to Reveal
Which Wankhede stand was named after Sharad Pawar, and what other stand was named after Rohit Sharma?
Grand Stand Level 3 (Sharad Pawar); Vithal Divecha Pavilion Level 3 (Rohit Sharma)
MCA’s 86th AGM, April 16, 2025; Grand Stand Level 4 = Ajit Wadekar Stand; MCA est. 1930
Think & Discuss
The WHO Pandemic Agreement: A New Era of Global Health Governance — or a Treaty Without Teeth?
Context from today’s quiz: After three years of negotiations, 194 WHO member states have finalised the draft Pandemic Agreement for approval at the 78th WHA in May 2025. The agreement includes the PABS system for pathogen access and benefit sharing, a One Health approach, technology transfer commitments, and a coordinating financial mechanism. Critically, it reaffirms national sovereignty — meaning WHO cannot mandate lockdowns, travel bans, or vaccinations.
🤔 Your Perspective Matters
The WHO Pandemic Agreement arrives at a moment of deep global anxiety about the next pandemic — and deep scepticism about multilateral institutions. COVID-19 exposed catastrophic failures in global coordination: delayed alerts, inequitable vaccine distribution, conflicting national responses, and a WHO that many felt lacked authority and resources. The new agreement attempts to address these failures, but critics argue that by reaffirming national sovereignty, it has been stripped of the enforcement powers needed to actually prevent the next pandemic from becoming a global catastrophe.
Does the WHO Pandemic Agreement represent a meaningful step toward equitable and effective global pandemic preparedness — or is it a political compromise that preserves national sovereignty at the cost of collective security?
Does the WHO Pandemic Agreement represent a meaningful step toward equitable and effective global pandemic preparedness — or is it a political compromise that preserves national sovereignty at the cost of collective security?
- The PABS (Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing) system requires countries that share pathogen samples to receive equitable access to vaccines and treatments in return. Is this a fair arrangement, and how can it be enforced when wealthy nations have historically bypassed multilateral commitments during health emergencies?
- The agreement explicitly states that WHO cannot mandate lockdowns, travel bans, or vaccinations. While this protects national sovereignty, does it effectively undermine the purpose of a pandemic treaty — which is to ensure coordinated global responses when individual national action is insufficient?
- The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that low- and middle-income countries were last in line for vaccines, PPE, and diagnostics. Does the Pandemic Agreement’s technology transfer and financial mechanism provisions go far enough to prevent this from happening again — or are they aspirational commitments without binding force?
We’d love to hear your thoughts! Share your perspective in the comments.
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