Daily Current Affairs Quiz: February 1, 2025

Notes:
The first Raisina Middle East Conference was held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on 28-29 January 2025. External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar was the Chief Guest. Dr. Jaishankar visited the UAE from 27-29 January 2025. This was his third visit to the UAE since his reappointment in June 2024. The Raisina Dialogue is India’s top conference on geopolitics and geoeconomics. The event was organised by the Observer Research Foundation, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and India’s Ministry of External Affairs. The conference brought together policymakers, academics, media, and business leaders to discuss regional and global integration.

Notes:
The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) released findings from the second Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES). The survey collects data on household spending on goods and services. It helps assess economic well-being, update the Consumer Price Index, and measure poverty and inequality. The Monthly Per Capita Consumption Expenditure (MPCE) is the main indicator for analysis. Urban-rural consumption differences declined in 2023-24 across major states. MPCE increased for all household types in both rural and urban areas. Kerala has the lowest urban-rural MPCE gap, followed by Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Bihar. Consumption inequality declined across almost all major states. The Gini coefficient fell to 0.237 (rural) and 0.284 (urban) in 2023-24.

Notes:
Indian Air Force officer and ISRO astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla was named the pilot for Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4). Ax-4 is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission is organized by Axiom Space in collaboration with NASA. The crew will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They will spend up to 14 days on the ISS conducting scientific research and technology demonstrations.

Notes:
Two young Indian Navy officers aboard INSV Tarini recently crossed Point Nemo in the southern Pacific during Navika Sagar Parikrama-II. Point Nemo is the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility, the farthest point from any landmass on Earth. It is located in the South Pacific Ocean and is named after Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. It lies about 2,688 km from the nearest land. The closest human presence is often astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The region has minimal marine life and is used for space junk disposal due to its remoteness.

Notes:
India Gate was illuminated in purple and orange on 30th January 2025 for World Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) Day. World NTDs Day has been observed annually on 30th January since 2022. The day aims to raise awareness about NTDs and the need for global action. Iconic landmarks worldwide are lit up to highlight the cause. NTDs are infectious diseases that mainly affect poor communities in tropical regions. These diseases receive less attention compared to other major health issues.