Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
The Boda Tyohar festival, the largest annual celebration for the Hatti tribes in Himachal Pradesh, started recently with great enthusiasm. Hattis are a close-knit community known for selling home-grown crops, vegetables, meat, and wool at ‘haats’. They traditionally wear white headgear on ceremonial occasions. Hatti homeland spans the Himachal-Uttarakhand border, near the Giri and Tons rivers, tributaries of the Yamuna. There are two main Hatti clans, one in Trans-Giri, Himachal, and the other in Jaunsar Bawar, Uttarakhand.

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More than 30 dermatologists suggest renaming the fungus Trichophyton indotineae as its origin in India is unconfirmed despite reports from over 40 countries. Trichophyton indotineae is a fungal pathogen causing severe, treatment-resistant skin infections. It was named after India in 2020 based on isolates from India and Nepal. The fungus belongs to the dermatophyte group, causing dermatophytosis, which affects the skin, hair, and nails. It causes itchy, inflammatory infections on the groin, gluteal region, trunk, and face, affecting all ages and genders. It spreads via direct skin contact or contaminated objects and is resistant to terbinafine.

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IIT Roorkee researchers developed a method to degrade plasticizers like diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) using bacterial enzymes. DEHP is found in plastics and personal care products, posing health risks. Esterase enzyme from Sulfobacillus acidophilus breaks DEHP into mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP) and 2-ethyl hexanol. The enzyme was structurally studied using X-ray crystallography and remains active for about a month. Researchers used four additional enzymes from Comamonas testosteroni to complete the degradation process. Integrating enzymes into bacteria ensures prolonged activity and continuous degradation without needing fresh batches. Plasticizers enhance flexibility and shine in products but can be absorbed through the skin, posing health dangers.

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Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav launched the Swami Vivekanand Yuva Shakti Mission in Bhopal on National Youth Day. National Youth Day has been celebrated to honor Swami Vivekanand’s birth anniversary. Chief Minister inaugurated the world’s largest 3-D rangoli depicting Swami Vivekananda at Shaurya Smarak, Bhopal. The mission aligns with PM Modi’s GYAN principle, focusing on the poor, youth, farmers, and women. The Chief Minister also launched the Swami Vivekananda Yuva Shakti Mission Portal and theme song.

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Hyderabad is seeing an increase in scarlet fever cases among children aged 5 to 15, along with other viral fevers during winter. Scarlet fever, also known as scarlatina, is a bacterial infection that causes a red rash, sore throat, and fever. It’s caused by group A streptococcus bacteria, also known as strep throat bacteria. Symptoms include a bright red, sunburn-like rash, sore throat, high fever, and peeling skin on hands and feet. Antibiotics can fully treat scarlet fever, but patients must complete the entire course. If untreated, scarlet fever can cause serious complications like kidney damage, heart issues, and pneumonia.

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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 Parshuram Kund Mela has started in Arunachal Pradesh. Parshuram Kund is a Hindu pilgrimage site on the Brahmaputra plateau near the Lohit River. It is also known as the “Kumbh of the Northeast,” the festival attracts thousands of devotees from India and abroad.

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India ranks second after the US in the QS World Future Skills Index 2025 for job market preparedness in AI, digital, and green sectors. India scores highly in the “Future of Work” indicator, trailing the US by less than a point. The country excels in readiness for digital roles alongside Mexico. However, India faces challenges in its higher education system, industry collaboration, and equipping graduates with in-demand skills. Despite strong GDP growth and a youthful population, India lags in sustainability and innovation metrics. To unlock potential, India needs better integration between education and industry.

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Indichip Semiconductors and Japan’s Yitoa Micro Technology will establish India’s first private semiconductor manufacturing facility in Andhra Pradesh. The investment exceeds ₹14,000 crore and focuses on producing silicon carbide (SiC) chips. The facility will start with a capacity of 10,000 wafers/month, scaling up to 50,000 wafers/month in 2–3 years. The project aligns with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat vision, supporting electric vehicles and renewable energy solutions. Andhra Pradesh’s semiconductor policy aims to make the state a global manufacturing hub. The initiative will create thousands of jobs, spur innovation, and boost India’s semiconductor footprint.

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The Musi River Historic Buildings in Hyderabad and Bhuj Historic Water Systems in Gujarat are listed in the 2025 World Monuments Watch by the New York-based World Monuments Fund (WMF). These sites face risks from climate change and water crises, highlighting the need for advocacy and preservation. WMF emphasizes heritage as a pathway for rejuvenation, sustainability, and resilience amid Hyderabad’s environmental challenges and rapid change.