Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
Rajasthan received an additional 5,000 MW allocation under the PM-KUSUM (Component A) scheme. The scheme targets commissioning projects by December 31, 2025, before sunsetting in March 2026. The scheme was launched in 2019. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme aims to reduce diesel usage in farming and boost farmers’ income. It supports India’s goal of achieving 40% installed power capacity from non-fossil sources by 2030. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy oversees implementation, requiring progress updates via the PM-KUSUM portal.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The online ‘central suspect registry’ has prevented six lakh fraudulent transactions, saving ₹1,800 crore. It strengthens fraud risk management with a registry of cybercriminal identifiers. It was created using the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP). It includes data on 1.4 million cybercriminals. It hs been developed by the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) with input from banks and financial institutions. Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) , under the Ministry of Home Affairs, coordinates efforts against cybercrime. It also prevents cyberspace misuse by extremist and terrorist groups.

Notes:
Nagarahole Tiger Reserve in Karnataka is renowned for its rich biodiversity and thriving spotted deer population, with around 28 spotted deer per square kilometer. Formerly called Rajiv Gandhi National Park, it is named after the ‘Nagarahole’ river, meaning ‘Serpent River’. It is located in Karnataka. It is part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, one of the largest and oldest conservation areas in India, backed by the Brahmagiri Mountains. The reserve connects tigers and elephants to other Western Ghats areas through Brahmagiri Wildlife Sanctuary and to the Eastern Ghats via Bandipur Tiger Reserve. Nagarahole is a key site for conservation under Project Tiger and Project Elephant.

Notes:
Cabo Verde, an archipelago off West Africa, needs to invest $842 million from 2024-2030 ($140 million per year) to tackle climate and development challenges. The World Bank’s report, Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) 2025, launched on January 15, 2025, outlines these needs for enhancing climate resilience and sustainable development. World Bank released the Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) 2025. The CCDRs aim to integrate climate change considerations into development planning. These reports utilize extensive data and research to identify key climate vulnerabilities and potential pathways for action.

Notes:
Tungabhadra River water turned green near villages in Mundargi taluk, Gadag district, Karnataka, causing panic. It is a major tributary of the Krishna River, sacred to Hindus, and mentioned as “Pampa” in the Ramayana. The river originates from the Tunga (147 km) and Bhadra (178 km) streams in the Western Ghats and runs 531 km to meet the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh. It passes through Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and forms an interstate boundary.

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.

Notes:
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) report “Prospects for Children in 2025” warns of escalating crises affecting children globally. More than 473 million children, or 19%, lived in conflict zones in 2023, facing risks like displacement, starvation, and trauma. Nearly 400 million children are in countries burdened by debt, limiting education, healthcare, and social services. In low-income nations, debt servicing outpaces social spending, deepening poverty for 1.8 billion children. Climate change impacts children, with only 2.4% of climate finance directed to child-responsive initiatives. Digital inequality affects access to essential services, especially for youth in low-income countries and adolescent girls. UNICEF calls for increased financing to protect children’s health, education, and well-being.

Notes:
International Labour Organisation (ILO) has released the World Employment and Social Outlook Report for 2025. The report highlights ongoing global labor market struggles due to geopolitical tensions, climate change costs, and unresolved debt issues. The global jobs gap in 2024 was 402 million, including 186 million unemployed, 137 million temporarily unavailable, and 79 million discouraged workers. The global unemployment rate stood at 5%, with youth unemployment at 12.6%. Low-income countries face challenges creating decent jobs, with informal work returning to pre-pandemic levels. Labour force participation declined in low-income nations but increased among older workers and women in high-income countries, though gender gaps persist.

Notes:
Kokborok Day is celebrated on January 19 annually. It holds great importance for the indigenous Tripuri people, especially in Tripura, India. The day honors the cultural heritage, history, and linguistic contributions of the Kokborok language. Kokborok is the mother tongue of the Tripuri community. The celebration promotes the language, traditions, and unity of the Tripuri people. It also raises awareness about preserving and promoting Kokborok.