Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
The National River Traffic and Navigation System (NRT&NS) was launched on January 11, 2025, by the Union Minister of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways. National River Traffic and Navigation System aims to ensure safe and efficient operation of inland vessels. The launch took place during the 2nd meeting of the Inland Waterways Development Council (IWDC). IWDC, established in 2023, serves as an apex platform for policy discussions to promote inland waterways in India.

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:
Ukraine’s Security Service and Navy used a Neptune missile to strike an ammunition depot in Russia’s Rostov region. The R-360 Neptune is a Ukrainian-made subsonic cruise missile, originally designed for anti-ship use and later adapted for land attacks. It is based on the Russian Kh-35 missile, known as AS-20 Kayak by NATO. The missile entered service with the Ukrainian Navy in March 2021. It weighs 870 kg, is 5.05 meters long, and has a 400 km range. It travels at 900 km/h, with altitudes from 10 to 300 meters, dropping to 3 meters in the final phase.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Indian Railways organized a “Paint My City” campaign in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh to beautify the city’s railway stations for the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela. The campaign aimed to showcase the city’s rich cultural and spiritual heritage to pilgrims and tourists. The campaign transformed Prayagraj railway station into art and culture centers. The campaign featured murals depicting Hindu mythology, Indian traditions, and women’s empowerment.

Notes:
Experts link the severity of wildfires in the USA to hydroclimate whiplash, intensified by climate change. Hydroclimate whiplash is a rare condition where a wet season is followed by an extremely dry one. This leads to increased hazards like flash floods, wildfires, landslides, and disease outbreaks. It can harm water quality due to harmful algal blooms and excess organic or mineral content. It also affects food security by reducing plant productivity, causing crop failures, and leading to livestock mortality.

Notes:
Bahadur Singh Sagoo was elected as the new president of the Athletics Federation of India (AFI), succeeding Adille Sumariwalla. Sumariwalla served as AFI president for over a decade, from 2012 to 2024. Sagoo, an Asian Games gold medallist (2002) and two-time Olympian, brings vast experience to the role. Sandeep Mehta was elected as the new secretary of the federation. India will host its first World Athletics Continental Tour event, the “Indian Open,” on August 10, 2025, in Bhubaneswar.

Notes:
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.

Notes:
The Union Cabinet approved a Third Launch Pad (TLP) at Satish Dhawan Space Centre, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. TLP will support ISRO’s Next Generation Launch Vehicles (NGLV) and human spaceflight missions. It will serve as a backup for the Second Launch Pad (SLP) and support LVM3 vehicles with advanced stages. The project costs ₹3984.86 crore and is expected to be completed in four years. TLP will boost launch frequencies, enabling India’s space goals, including the Bharatiya Antariksha Station by 2035 and crewed lunar landing by 2040. It enhances India’s capacity for heavier and advanced launch vehicles.