24 November 2025 Current Affairs for UPSC

Context:

Russia claims control of more than 75% of Pokrovsk, a major road-and-rail junction in eastern Ukraine’s Donetsk region. The move is part of Russia’s continued offensive to capture the remaining Ukrainian-held areas of Donbas, which includes Donetsk and Luhansk.

UPSC Relevance:

Location

UPSC PYQ:

Regions often mentioned in news — Reason for being in news

1. North Kivu and Ituri : War between Armenia and Azerbaijan
2. Nagorno-Karabakh: Insurgency in Mozambique
3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia: Dispute between Israel and Lebanon

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

About Location:

Bordering Countries of Ukraine:

Pokrovsk:

Region in news:

Context:

Addressing the India-Brazil-South Africa leaders’ summit in Johannesburg, Indian Prime Minister reiterated the necessity of UNSC reforms.

UPSC Relevance:

Important international groupings.

PYQ:

Q. In which one of the following groups are all the four countries members of G20? (2020)

(a) Argentina, Mexico, South Africa and Turkey 

(b) Australia, Canada, Malaysia and New Zealand 

(c) Brazil, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Vietnam 

(d) Indonesia, Japan, Singapore and South Korea

About IBSA Forum:

• The grouping was formalised and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the foreign ministers of India, Brazil and South Africa met in Brasilia on June 6, 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
• It promotes closer coordination on global issues between 3 large emerging multicultural, multiracial democracies, spread over 3 continents.  

Cooperation in IBSA is on three fronts:

• As a forum for consultation and coordination on global and regional political issues, such as, the reform of global institutions, WTO/Doha Development Agenda, climate change, etc.;
• Trilateral collaboration on concrete areas/projects, through fourteen working groups and six People-to-People Forums, for the common benefit of three countries; and
• Assisting other developing countries by taking up projects in the latter through IBSA Fund.

• IBSA does not have a headquarters or a permanent executive secretariat.
• At the highest level, it holds the Summits of Heads of State and Government.
• Additionally, the Foreign Ministers meet about once a year to preside over the Trilateral Ministerial Commission meetings of the Forum.

IBSA Fund:

• Recognition: The fund was honoured with the UN South-South Partnership Award in 2006 and UN’s MDG award in 2010 for utilising innovative approaches for eradicating poverty and hunger in the world.
• IBSA Fund was established in 2004 and became operational in 2006.
• It is a unique initiative to enhance South-South cooperation for the benefit of nations of the South.
• IBSA Fund-supported projects help partner countries in the Global South to achieve their national priorities, as well as all other internationally agreed development goals.
• Each country contributes US$ 1 million annually  to this fund.
• The United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation act as the secretariat and fund manager of the IBSA Fund.

Context:

Public frustration with severe air pollution in Delhi. A group of citizens gathered at India Gate to demand immediate government action regarding deteriorating air quality. The protest was met with police intervention, leading to the detention of five individuals.

UPSC Relevance:

Fundamental Right

UPSC PYQ:

Q. India is home to lakhs of persons with disabilities. What are the benefits available to them under the law? (2011)

1. Free schooling till the age of 18 years in government run schools. 
2. Preferential allotment of land for setting up business. 
3. Ramps in public buildings. 

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? 

(a) 1 only 
(b) 2 and 3 only 
(c) 1 and 3 only 
(d) 1, 2 and 3 

Article 21 in Constitution of India:

Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar (1991), established that the right to life includes the right to a pollution-free environment to live with dignity.

• The interpretation and scope of Article 21 have evolved through various landmark judgments of the Supreme Court, expanding its ambit to include protection against torture, custodial violence, and the right to a clean and healthy environment.

Landmark Judgments: