Brief Summary
This YouTube video by SSC Wallah provides a comprehensive current affairs update, wishing students luck for their exams and emphasizing the importance of understanding questions thoroughly and managing time effectively. The session covers a range of topics, including the Rift Valley Fever outbreak in West Africa, Ethiopia hosting COP 32, India's involvement in the Tropical Forest Forever Facility, Prime Minister Modi's visit to Bhutan, the Booker Prize 2025, a new law in Assam banning polygamy, the Asia Master Athletic Championship 2025, and ISRO's Mangalyaan 2 mission. The video also includes a revision segment with quick questions on various topics.
- Rift Valley Fever outbreak in West Africa
- Ethiopia hosting COP 32 in 2027
- Modi's visit to Bhutan and India-Bhutan relations
- Booker Prize 2025 awarded to David Szalay
- Assam's new law banning polygamy
Greetings and Exam Wishes
The instructor greets the audience and extends best wishes to students commencing their exams. Emphasis is placed on the importance of understanding the questions thoroughly and managing time effectively to ensure successful completion of the paper. The instructor encourages students to maintain the speed learned in current affairs classes to avoid leaving the paper incomplete.
Rift Valley Fever Outbreak
A new outbreak of Rift Valley Fever in West Africa is discussed, with recent confirmation from the WHO. The disease, primarily affecting animals, is zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted to humans. The first case was discovered in 1930 in Kenya's Rift Valley. The disease is caused by the Phlebovirus, transmitted by mosquitoes. Recent cases have been found in Mauritania and Senegal, both West African countries. The capital of Senegal is Dakar, and the capital of Mauritania is Nouakchott. In India, Rift Valley can be seen on the Narmada and Tapi rivers.
COP 32 to Be Hosted by Ethiopia
Ethiopia will host COP 32, marking the first East African country to do so. Ethiopia is located in Africa, on the eastern side, and its capital is Addis Ababa, which hosts the headquarters of the African Union. Ras Dashen is the highest peak, and Lake Tana is a notable lake from which the Blue Nile River originates. COP 32 will be organized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with its headquarters in Bonn, also known as the Bonn Convention. The first COP meeting was held in Berlin in 1995. COP 30 will be held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10-21, headed by Lula de Silva. COP 31 location is yet to be decided, with Australia and Turkey as potential hosts. COP 33 may be hosted by India. The Kyoto Protocol, which addresses climate change and was implemented in 1997, is a key focus. COP 32 is scheduled for 2027.
Tropical Forest Forever Facility
The Tropical Forest Forever Facility is a global fund aimed at preserving tropical forests like the Amazon. India has become an observer member of this facility, which includes a total of 53 countries. COP 29 took place in Baku, Azerbaijan, COP 28 in the UAE, and COP 27 in Egypt. Ethiopia is part of the Horn of Africa, which includes Somalia, Eritrea, and Djibouti, remembered using the acronym "SEED".
Matching Exercise: COP Locations
A matching exercise reviews the locations of past COP meetings: COP 26 in Glasgow, COP 27 in Egypt, COP 28 in the UAE, and COP 29 in Azerbaijan.
Prime Minister Modi's Visit to Bhutan
Prime Minister Modi visited Thimphu, Bhutan, for the birthday celebration of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Bhutan is a neutral and carbon-free country, with Thimphu as its capital and Tshering Tobgay as its Prime Minister. The visit is a two-day journey that started on November 11. India and Bhutan have a deep relationship, marked by a friendship treaty signed in 1949. India is involved in several construction projects in Bhutan, including the Chukha and Mangdechu projects. A route is also being developed from Gelephu to Assam and West Bengal. The UPI system is functional in Bhutan, and both countries jointly launched a space satellite in 2022. The national language of Bhutan is Dzongkha, and its currency is Ngultrum. The next King of Bhutan in 2025 will be Namgyel Wangchuck. The national animal is Takin, the national flower is Blue Poppy, and the national bird is Raven. The highest mountain in Bhutan is Gangkhar Puensum.
Booker Prize 2025
The Booker Prize, formerly known as the Man Booker Prize, is awarded in the field of literature. The 2025 Booker Prize was awarded to David Szalay for his book "All That Man Is". The award, started in 1969, is given for books written in the English language and published in the UK or Ireland. Szalay is the first Hungarian writer to receive this award. V.S. Naipaul was the first Indian to receive the award in 1971 for his book "In a Free State". Kiran Desai received the Booker Prize in 2006 for "The Inheritance of Loss". The prize money is £50,000. The International Booker Prize was awarded to Geetanjali Shree for her book "Tomb of Sand," translated by Daisy Rockwell.
Recent Awards
- Young Scientist Award: Awarded to Sai Gautam in the name of Manohar Parrikar.
- World Leader for Peace Award 2025: Awarded to Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
- Inclusion in Gastronomy List: Ladakh included in the list of gastronomy cities, with Hyderabad being the first.
- Top Agri Food Pioneer Award: Awarded to Chef Sanjeev Kapoor by the Food Prize Foundation.
UNESCO and South Sudan Initiative
UNESCO, India, and South Sudan have launched a new initiative to provide Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET). UNESCO's headquarters are in Paris. South Sudan, located in Africa, separated from Sudan and its capital is Juba. It is the newest member of the UNO. India is providing vocational training and education to South Sudan, where 73% of the population is young. South Sudan gained independence in 2011, its currency is the Sudanese Pound, and its official language is English. Salva Kiir Mayardit is the president. The national animal is the African Fish Eagle. The black color in their national flag represents the people of South Africa. The White Nile River passes through South Sudan, and it combines with the Blue Nile to form the Nile River.
ISRO's Mangalyaan 2 Mission
ISRO has announced that it will launch its Mangalyaan 2 mission to Mars by 2030. Mars is known as the Red Planet due to the presence of iron oxide. India's first mission to Mars, Mangalyaan, was launched using PSLV C25 on November 5, 2013, and reached Mars orbit in September 2014. The signal from this mission was lost in 2022 due to fuel depletion. India was the first country in Asia to achieve this feat. Other countries that have achieved this include the USA, China, and the USSR (Russia). The Mangalyaan 2 mission aims to study the Martian atmosphere and soil. This announcement was made by S. Somanath, the chairperson of ISRO.
Mangalyaan Mission Statements
A quiz question asks which statements about the Mangalyaan mission are correct: it was launched by ISRO in 2013, it was India's first interplanetary mission, and it was launched from Sriharikota using the PSLV C25 rocket. All three statements are correct.
BIMSTEC and India Maritime Conference
The BIMSTEC and India Maritime Research Network Conference was organized in Kochi for the Blue Economy. BIMSTEC focuses on the Bay of Bengal and includes seven countries. Its secretariat is in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and it is also known as the Bangkok Declaration. The member countries are Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The BIMSTEC meeting in 2022 took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka. India announced it would organize a marine conference of BIMSTEC to launch projects for the Bay of Bengal. The Maritime Conference was built in 2024, and its first edition was conducted in 2025 in Kochi, Kerala. The Ministry of External Affairs participated in this event. The recent BIMSTEC meeting was held in Thailand.
Upcoming International Events
- SCO: To be held in China, and in Pakistan in 2027.
- BRICS: To be held in Brazil.
- G7: Recently held in Canada.
- G20: To be organized in South Africa.
World Pneumonia Day
World Pneumonia Day is celebrated on November 12. Pneumonia primarily affects small children, causing the alveoli in the lungs to fill with pus, leading to difficulty in breathing. It can be caused by viruses or bacteria, such as Streptococcus. The slogan for this year is "Every breath matters."
Assam's New Law Banning Polygamy
Assam is set to present a bill banning polygamy, which will be tabled on November 25, 2025. The bill states that individuals cannot marry more than once unless they legally divorce or separate from their first spouse. Violators could face up to seven years in jail. This law will not be implemented in areas under the Sixth Schedule or on populations belonging to the ST category without prior approval from the autonomous council. The announcement was made by Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Asia Master Athletic Championship 2025
The 23rd Asia Master Athletic Championship 2025 was organized in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, with around 3000 athletes from 32 countries participating. India topped the medal tally with 270 gold, 260 silver, and 284 bronze medals. Sri Lanka was second, and Thailand was third. Only Asian countries participated in this event.
UN Tourism's First Woman AI
UN Tourism has appointed its first woman AI, named Sheikha Naseera, who will start her four-year tenure in January 2026. She will provide information about tourism.
Quiz Questions and Review
- BIMSTEC: A regional organization of South Asia and South East Asia, headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Not all BIMSTEC members are also members of SAARC.
- Mangalyaan Mission: The main objective was to study the atmosphere of Mars, and the total cost was the lowest. The mission did not fail before reaching Mars' orbit.
Rapid Fire Revision
- SBI recently crossed the 100 billion market cap benchmark.
- Gas discovery was recently seen inside Egypt.
- The 158th birth anniversary of Birsa Munda will be the next Tribal Pride Year 2025.
- Mumbai will be the next Happiest City in Asia.
- The next Namdapha Butterfly Festival will be held inside Arunachal Pradesh.
- INS Savitri and INS Sahyadri are participating in the Malabar exercise in Mauritius.
- National Education Day is celebrated on November 11.
- The Hunter Drum Wangala Festival was organized inside Meghalaya.
- Akash Kumar set a record by hitting eight sixes in first-class cricket for Meghalaya.
- The World of the Year 2025 according to Collin's Dictionary is "AI".
