Gogabeel Lake
News-Gogabeel Lake in Bihar Declared Newest Ramsar Site.
- Location – Katihar district, Bihar.
- Type – Ox-bow lake.
- Rivers nearby – Ganga (South), Mahananda (North-East).
- Declared as – Bihar’s first Community Reserve.
- Fauna – ssSmooth Coated Otter, Wallago attu.
- Ramsar Status – Declared in 2025.
- Cultural ties – Celebrations of Sirva, Adra, and Chhath.
- About Ramsar Site:
- Definition – Wetlands of international importance protected under the Ramsar Convention (1971).
- Adopted at – Ramsar, Iran (1971).
- Came into force – 1975.
- Main Aim – Conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
- India joined – 1982.
- Total Ramsar sites in India (2025) – 82 sites.
World’s First Generational Smoking Ban
News-Maldives Enacts World’s First Generational Smoking Ban.
- News – Maldives becomes the only country to fully ban tobacco use for anyone born after January 1, 2007.
- Effective Date – The law came into force on November 1, 2025.
- Scope – Applies to both citizens and tourists; covers all forms of tobacco.
- Main Provision – Anyone born on or after January 1, 2007, is permanently barred from buying, using, or being sold tobacco products.
- Retailer Rules – Vendors must verify age before sale; violation incurs a fine of 50,000 Maldivian rufiyaa (~$3,200).
- Vaping & E-Cigarettes – Completely banned for all ages; possession or use fined 5,000 rufiyaa (~$320).
- Objective – To build a smoke-free generation and promote youth health.
- Global Comparison –
- New Zealand – First to propose such a ban in 2022, repealed in 2023.
- United Kingdom – Similar law under parliamentary review.
- Australia & Canada – Focused on packaging warnings and public bans, not generational restrictions.
- Significance – Maldives is the first and only country with an active generational tobacco ban, setting a global public health precedent.
Vishvajit Sahay
News-Vishvajit Sahay Appointed as Controller General of Defence Accounts.
- Name – Shri Vishvajit Sahay.
- Position – Controller General of Defence Accounts (CGDA).
- Appointment Date –1 November 2025.
- Service – 1990-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS).
City of Gastronomy
News-Lucknow Recognised as UNESCO ‘City of Gastronomy’ for Its Rich Awadhi Culinary Heritage.
- News – Lucknow recognised by UNESCO as a City of Gastronomy under the Creative Cities Network (UCCN) 2025.
- Reason – For its rich Awadhi culinary heritage and cultural legacy based on Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb.
- Announcement Venue – Made at the 43rd UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- India’s Other UNESCO Creative Cities –
- Jaipur – Crafts & Folk Art (2015)
- Varanasi – Music (2015)
- Chennai – Music (2017)
- Mumbai – Film (2019)
- Hyderabad – Gastronomy (2019)
- Srinagar – Crafts & Folk Art (2021)
- Gwalior – Music (2023)
- Kozhikode – Literature (2023)
- Lucknow – Gastronomy (2025)
- About UCCN (UNESCO Creative Cities Network) –
- Established – 2004
- Purpose – Promote creativity & culture for sustainable urban development.
- Fields Covered – Music, Film, Literature, Design, Gastronomy, Crafts & Folk Art, Media Arts.
- Members – Over 350 cities from 100+ countries.
- India’s Standing – Lucknow is India’s second City of Gastronomy after Hyderabad, reinforcing the nation’s global culinary identity.
MCQs
Q1. Gogabeel Lake, recently declared a Ramsar site, is located in which state?
a) Assam
b) Bihar
c) Odisha
d) West Bengal
Q2. Which country enacted the world’s first generational smoking ban?
a) New Zealand
b) Maldives
c) United Kingdom
d) Australia
Q3 .Vishvajit Sahay was appointed as—
a) Defence Secretary
b) Controller General of Defence Accounts
c) Chief of Defence Staff
d) Finance Secretary
Q4.Lucknow was recognised as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in—
a) 2023
b) 2024
c) 2025
d) 2022