Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
The Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue 2025 inaugurated at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, to promote youth participation in nation-building. It is organized by the Department of Youth Affairs under Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya from January 10-12. It reimagines the National Youth Festival, providing a platform for youth to present ideas for a developed India and engage with policymakers and global icons. 3,000 participants were selected, including 1,500 from State Championships, 1,000 from cultural programs, and 500 for groundbreaking contributions.

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 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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Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sri Sri Radha Madanmohanji Temple of ISKCON in Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, on January 15, 2025. The temple is now the second-largest ISKCON temple in Asia. The design of the temple blends spirituality and knowledge, with various facilities reflecting ISKCON’s mission to serve society.

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The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) 2025 held in Riyadh with more than 85 countries discussing challenges in the mineral sector. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy joined ministers from 50 nations at the event held at King Abdulaziz International Conference Center. The forum focuses on enhancing mineral supply chains, green technologies, and sustainable practices. The forum focuses on enhancing mineral supply chains, green technologies, and sustainable practices.

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Indian and Argentine armies jointly summited Mt Aconcagua, the tallest peak in the Americas at 6,995 meters, on Army Day, January 15, 2025. The expedition began on January 3, 2025, and featured 23 participants, including an eight-member Indian team led by Lt Col Manoj Joshi and a 15-member Argentine contingent. Mt Aconcagua, located in the Andes of Argentina, is the highest peak in South America and outside Asia, standing at 6,962 meters. The mountain is of volcanic origin but is not currently active.

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The Prime Minister praised Indian space startup Digantara for the success of its Mission SCOT. SCOT (Space Camera for Object Tracking) is Digantara’s first mission for space surveillance and one of the world’s first commercial Space Situational Awareness (SSA) satellites. It was launched aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-12 mission and deployed in a sun-synchronous orbit. SCOT is designed to track Resident Space Objects (RSOs) as small as 5 cm in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with high accuracy and revisit rates. It addresses gaps in existing systems limited by fields of view, weather, and geography.

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Former US President Joe Biden highlighted the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) post the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. IMEC, announced at the 2023 G20 meeting, aims to boost trade between India, the Arabian Peninsula, the Mediterranean, and Europe. Countries involved include India, the EU, the US, UAE, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, and Italy. It features two corridors: eastern (India to Arabian Gulf) and northern (Gulf to Europe). A shipping route links Mumbai and Mundra to the UAE, and a rail network connects the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Haifa. Haifa connects by sea to Piraeus Port, Greece, linking to Europe.

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India is now the seventh-largest coffee producer globally, with exports reaching 1.29 billion in the last financial year, nearly double the 719 million in 2020-21, according to the Commerce and Industry Ministry. In the first half of this month, over 9,300 tonnes of coffee were exported, with top buyers being Italy, Belgium, and Russia. India primarily exports unroasted beans, but there is increasing demand for roasted and instant coffee. Karnataka leads coffee production, followed by Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Domestic consumption has risen from 84,000 tonnes in 2012 to 91,000 tonnes in 2023, driven by café culture and higher incomes.

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The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change addressed the 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Circularity, organized by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) in New Delhi. The theme focused on ‘Nature Positive Recycling,’ emphasizing the importance of aligning India’s growing automotive sector with environmental sustainability. Government policies supporting sustainability include the Vehicle Scrappage Policy, End-of-Life Vehicles Rules, and promotion of Electric Vehicles (EVs) through schemes like FAME and PLI. The Ministry called for circular economy practices, highlighted the automotive sector’s role in achieving SDGs, and encouraged the industry to lead the transition to sustainability.