Where was the statue of esteemed Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar unveiled in 2025?

Philippines

• Indian Ambassador to the Philippines, Harsh Kumar Jain, unveiled a statue of renowned Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar at Gullas College of Medicine (GCM) in Cebu on February 17, 2025.
• The statue was commissioned by Dr. David Pillai, Chief Executive Adviser of GCM.

Which country recently announced its decision to join OPEC+, the alliance of OPEC member states and other oil-producing nations?

Brazil

• OPEC+ consists of a coalition of 12 members of oil-exporting countries. It includes 12 members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and 10 non-OPEC countries.
• The organisation was created in 2016 with the goal of stabilising the oil market by coordinating production levels
• Brazil is now going to join OPEC+ organisation as an observer country.

Which country has topped in Global Digital Well-Being Index 2025?

India

• India leads the global index in digital well-being with a score of 67 out of 100.
• 58% of Indians are satisfied with their digital experiences, the highest among major countries.

** Which film won the Best Film award at the BAFTA Film Awards 2025?

Conclave

• The 78th British Academy Film Awards (BAFTAs) took place on February 16, 2025, at the Royal Festival Hall in London, England. 
• The Brutalist and Conclave each won 4 awards, making them the top winners.
• The Brutalist won four BAFTAs: Director for Brady Corbet, Leading Actor for Adrien Brody, Cinematography and Original Score.

** Who is the female astronaut who did the longest spacewalk in space?

Sunita Williams

• Sunita Williams returned to Earth on March 19, 2025 at 3:27 am Indian time. She returned after spending about 9 months in the International Space Station (ISS).
• she was accompanied by his colleague Butch Wilmore and two other astronauts, Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov.
• Sunita Williams has set a new record by a female astronaut by spending a total of 62 hours and 6 minutes of spacewalking in space, breaking Peggy Whitson’s record of 60 hours and 21 minutes.

Recently, which state has launched the first AI-based program named Nayanamritham 2.0, which aims to check eye diseases like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy?

Kerala

• The Government of Kerala, in collaboration with Remidio, an AI-driven ophthalmic screening solutions, has launched Nayanamritham 2.0.
• This program, in partnership with health-tech company Remidio, marks the world’s first government-led AI-assisted screening program for conditions like glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Who will be appointed as the new Chancellor of Germany?

Friedrich Merz

• The 69-year-old will be the oldest chancellor since Konrad Adenauer, the first chancellor of the new Federal Republic of Germany, who took office in 1949 at the age of 73.
• Compared with former Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was seen as a calm and calculating tactician, Merz is viewed as a very different kind of politician, much more willing to take political risks.