Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
A new study highlights gaps in understanding the Clouded Leopard’s habitat, fragmentation, and connectivity, offering a conservation roadmap. The Clouded Leopard is a wild cat found in dense forests of the Himalayas, Southeast Asia, and South China. There are two species: the mainland Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) and the Sunda Clouded Leopard (Neofelis diardi). They are ancient cats but neither true great nor small cats, as they cannot roar or purr. Clouded Leopards prefer tropical rainforests but can also be found in woodlands and mangrove swamps. They are found in India’s northeastern states and are the state animal of Meghalaya. Both species are classified as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN Red List.

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The Gaan Ngai festival is celebrated by the Zeliarong community in Manipur after the harvest season. It marks gratitude for a good harvest, prayers for prosperity, and the beginning of the new year. The festival includes music, dance, and spiritual rituals, promoting unity and joy. The Zeliarong community, comprising the Rongmei, Liangmei, and Zeme tribes, is one of Manipur’s prominent tribal groups. Gaan Ngai lasts for five days and is typically celebrated in December or January, with the date varying each year.

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A Falcated Duck was recently spotted at Sultanpur National Park, Gurugram, Haryana. It is also known as falcated teal. The duck is a gadwall-sized dabbling species, found from eastern Siberia to northern Japan, wintering in Southeast Asia and eastern India. They inhabit freshwater lakes, ponds, and marshes, usually surrounded by forests. Falcated ducks are mainly herbivorous, feeding on plants, seeds, and occasionally small invertebrates. They are listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN.

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The Sada region in the Konkan area of Maharashtra is experiencing land-use changes, with croplands being converted into orchards and residential areas. It is a flat area formed by centuries of erosion, similar to plateaux found in the Satara district, Maharashtra. The region is rocky and barren most of the year but transforms during the monsoons, harboring unique endemic flora. It has highly weathered lateritic soil that helps recharge groundwater. The region boasts 459 plant species, 31 reptile species, 13 amphibians, 169 birds, and 41 mammals. It also features geoglyphs, believed to be around 10,000 years old.

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The Twipra Student Federation (TSF) protested in Agartala, demanding the Roman script for the Kokborok language. Kokborok is the language of the Borok people, officially recognized in Tripura on January 19, 1979. It is a Sino-Tibetan language with roots traced back to the 1st century AD. Historical records of Tripuri kings in Raj Ratnakar were written in Kokborok. The term “Kokborok” combines Kok (verbal) and Borok (people). As of the 2011 Census, 8,80,537 people in Tripura speak Kokborok, comprising 23.97% of the state’s population.

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Siachen Glacier now has 4G and 5G services provided by an Indian telecom firm. It is a piedmont glacier in the Karakoram Range, part of the “Third Pole,” containing vast freshwater reserves. It is the world’s second-longest nonpolar glacier after Fedchenko Glacier in Tajikistan. Known as the highest battleground, India gained control in 1984 under Operation Meghdoot.

Notes:
New research reveals that genetic mutations in Huntington’s Disease (HD) can have delayed effects, impacting disease progression over time. Huntington’s Disease (HD) is a genetic condition causing gradual loss of brain cell function, leading to their death. It affects brain regions regulating voluntary movement, memory, and decision-making, primarily the basal ganglia and brain cortex. HD is caused by a mutation in the HTT gene, which produces huntingtin protein crucial for neuron function. Mutated huntingtin proteins have abnormal shapes, damaging and killing neurons. HD is inherited; each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of developing the disease. It affects 3 to 7 out of 100,000 people, primarily of European ancestry.

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Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India discovered two goby fish species, Hemigobius hoevenii and Mugilogobius tigrinus, in the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary, Andhra Pradesh. Goby fish are typically found in estuarine and mangrove areas, playing a vital role in the ecosystem by occupying multiple levels in the food chain and serving as environmental health indicators.

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The Startup India mission’s success owes much to funding mechanisms like the Fund of Funds for Startups (FFS). FFS was launched in 2016 with a Rs 10,000 crore corpus, aligned with the 14th and 15th Finance Commissions. Its goal is to boost the Indian startup ecosystem and provide access to domestic capital. FFS does not invest directly in startups but funds SEBI-registered Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs), which invest in startups via equity and equity-linked instruments. The scheme is operated by the Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI).

Notes:
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs participated in the 20th Raising Day ceremony of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh. NDRF was established in 2006 under Section 44 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, for specialized disaster response. It is a multi-skilled force equipped to handle natural and man-made disasters, including floods, cyclones, earthquakes, and accidents. NDRF operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs and is led by a Director General.