Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
The 23rd Divya Kala Mela was inaugurated at Akota Stadium, Vadodara, Gujarat, by the Union Minister of State for Social Justice and Empowerment. The event celebrates the talents and entrepreneurship of Divyangjans (persons with disabilities). The event is organized by the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment. It runs from January 9 to 19, 2025. More than 20 states and Union Territories are participating with artisans and entrepreneurs showcasing their work.

Notes:
Zoran Milanovic was re-elected as President of Croatia for a five-year term, securing 74% of the run-off vote. The first round of the presidential election on 29 December 2024 saw Milanovic win 49.1% of votes, necessitating a second round on 12 January 2025. Milanovic, backed by the opposition Social Democratic Party, is a critic of the EU and NATO but condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine while criticizing Western military support for Ukraine. The Croatian Democratic Union, the ruling party since 1991, had its candidate, Dragan Primorac, secure 19.2% of votes. The President in Croatia is the Head of State with limited executive powers, while the Prime Minister holds real executive authority. Croatia is located on the Balkan Peninsula along the Adriatic Sea.

Notes:
The INROAD (Indian Natural Rubber Operations for Assisted Development) project, backed by ₹100 crore, enhances natural rubber quality in Northeast India and parts of West Bengal. It aims to develop skills among rubber growers and establish model infrastructure. Supported by major tyre companies – Apollo, Ceat, JK, and MRF – it showcases agriculture-industry collaboration. The project is overseen by the Rubber Board of India, it involves direct engagement from tyre manufacturers. In four years, 1,25,272 hectares of rubber plantations have been established across 94 districts. The project uses digital platforms to train farmers in effective rubber tapping and processing for quality improvement.

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Fifteen Tamil Nadu fishermen were reportedly detained near Diego Garcia in the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT) for crossing the maritime boundary. Diego Garcia is a coral atoll, the largest and southernmost island in the Chagos Archipelago, central Indian Ocean. It covers 44 sq. km with a V-shaped cay and an open lagoon. The UK leased Diego Garcia to the US in 1966 for a military base, displacing its inhabitants.

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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.

Notes:
Researchers at the Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, China, developed Electrokinetic Mining (EKM) for eco-friendly extraction of rare earth elements (REEs). EKM uses an electric field to concentrate REEs, simplifying their separation. REEs are 17 metallic elements with critical properties for modern technologies, including magnetic, electronic, and chemical applications. EKM relies on electrokinetics, which involves the movement of particles or fluids under an electric field to extract REEs from ore.

Notes:
The World Economic Forum released the Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2025 report in collaboration with Accenture. It highlights how geopolitical tensions, emerging technologies, and cybercrime sophistication are reshaping cybersecurity. Geopolitical conflicts, like the Ukraine war, increase vulnerabilities in critical sectors such as energy and nuclear power. Two-thirds of organizations expect AI to impact cybersecurity, but only one-third have tools to manage AI-related risks. The cybersecurity workforce faces a 4.8 million professional gap, with only 14% of organizations having skilled teams. Supply chain complexities and third-party vulnerabilities hinder cyber resilience for over 50% of organizations. Generative AI is being used for advanced phishing and social engineering, with 42% of organizations facing such attacks in 2024.

Notes:
National Startup Day is celebrated on January 16 to honor the entrepreneurial spirit of startup founders in India. India is the third-largest startup hub with over 99,000 registered firms and a $500 billion ecosystem. The Startup India Scheme, launched in 2016, fostered a supportive environment for startups with financial incentives and simplified procedures. In 2022, PM Modi declared January 16 as National Startup Day.

Notes:
Google-backed Pixxel launched India’s first private satellite constellation, marking a milestone for the country’s private space sector. The satellites use hyperspectral imaging technology to capture detailed data across light bands for agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defense. This technology can help improve crop yields, track resources, monitor oil spills, and provide better details than existing technology. Three more satellites are expected to be deployed by mid-2025. The global satellite imagery market is projected to reach $19 billion by 2029.

Notes:
The Kumani Bank mud volcano erupted in 2023, creating a temporary “Ghost Island.” Kumani Bank mud volcano is located 25 km off Azerbaijan’s eastern coast in the Caspian Sea. The island, about 400 meters across, formed in 2023 and eroded back into the sea by late 2024. Ghost Islands are temporary land masses created by volcanic activity that disappear over time. The island provides geological insights into tectonic processes and subsurface pressure dynamics. It offers clues about similar features on Mars for planetary exploration. The area is linked to methane and gas emissions and highlights Azerbaijan’s unique geological landscape with over 300 mud volcanoes.