Daily Current Affairs Quiz: March 6, 2025

Notes:
Sweden has chosen the Taurus KEPD-350 cruise missile to enhance its Gripen fighter jets’ long-range strike capabilities. The Taurus KEPD-350 is an air-launched, precision-guided missile designed for deep penetration and high-accuracy attacks. The Taurus KEPD-350 missile is developed by a joint venture between Germany and Sweden, specifically by “Taurus Systems GmbH”, which is a partnership between MBDA Deutschland GmbH (Germany) and Saab Bofors Dynamics (Sweden). The missile can bypass dense air defense systems and destroy heavily fortified ground targets. It has been in operational service since 2005 and is used by the air forces of Germany, Spain, and South Korea.

Notes:
A rare civet cat, usually found in the Seshachalam forests near Tirumala, was recently spotted in Tadepalli, Guntur district, Andhra Pradesh. Civets belong to the Viverridae family, which includes genets, oyans, and linsangs. There are about 15-20 species of civets found across Africa, southern Europe, and Asia. India has eight wild civet species, with Common Palm civets and Small Indian civets seen nationwide. The Malabar large-spotted civet, endemic to the Western Ghats, is the rarest and classified as ‘Critically Endangered’ under the IUCN Red List.

Notes:
The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan (PM-SYM) Yojana offers a monthly pension for unorganized sector workers after 60 years of age. It ensures a minimum ₹3,000 monthly pension for workers earning up to ₹15,000. The scheme is aimed at the unorganized workers contributing around 50% of India’s GDP, including street vendors, domestic workers, and agricultural workers. Over 30.51 crore unorganized workers are registered on the e-Shram portal as of December 2024. It was launched in the Interim Budget 2019. PM-SYM is administered by the Ministry of Labour and Employment with with Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and Common Service Centres e-Governance Services India Limited (CSC SPV) for implementation.

Notes:
International Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness Day is observed annually on March 5. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2022 to promote awareness, especially among youth. The day highlights threats from weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) like nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The initiative began with a resolution proposal in 2021 and was officially recognized on December 7, 2022. The first observance took place on March 5, 2023, emphasizing global peace and security.

Notes:
Beneath Antarctica’s Mount Erebus, volcanic ice caves harbor thriving microbial life, offering insight into potential life on alien worlds. Mount Erebus is the southernmost active volcano, located on Ross Island in Antarctica. It was discovered in 1841 by Sir James Clark Ross and named after his ship, Erebus. Its summit stands at 12,448 feet (3,794 meters), making it the second tallest volcano in Antarctica. The volcano has an active lava lake, continuously active since 1972, with small Strombolian eruptions.