Current Affairs Quiz - January, 2025

Notes:
Zimbabwe abolished the death penalty, sparing around 60 prisoners on death row. The country last executed someone in 2005 due to a lack of willing executioners. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, once sentenced to death during the independence war, approved the law after Parliament’s bill. Mnangagwa has consistently opposed capital punishment and commuted death sentences to life in prison through amnesties. Amnesty International praised Zimbabwe’s move as a positive step for abolition in the region. Globally, 113 countries, including 24 in Africa, have abolished the death penalty. In 2023, Amnesty recorded 1,153 executions, with most in Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Notes:
A four-day faunal survey at Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary enriched its biodiversity records. Shendurney Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kollam, Kerala, in the southern Western Ghats. It covers 172 sq. km and is part of the Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve. The terrain is mostly hilly with ravines, featuring rich biodiversity. The sanctuary’s rivers, Shendurney, Kazhuthuruthy, and Kulathupuzha, merge to form the Kallada River. The sanctuary plays a key role in conserving the unique flora and fauna of the Western Ghats.

Notes:
On 15 January 2025, the Indian Navy will commission three major combatants: INS Nilgiri, INS Surat, and INS Vagsheer. INS Surat is the fourth and final ship of the Project-15B Vishakhapatnam Class stealth destroyer. It is designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and built by Mazagaon Dock Limited. It has 72% indigenous content and is India’s first AI-enabled warship. The ship has a displacement of 7,400 tons, is 163 meters long, and can reach speeds up to 60 km/h. It has a range of 15,000 km and is equipped with BrahMos missiles, Barak-8 missiles, and advanced anti-submarine weapons.

Notes:
Scrub typhus cases have been reported in several districts including Chennai, Tiruvallur, and Vellore, with 5,000 cases in 2024. The disease is caused by the bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi and transmitted through infected mites. Symptoms include fever, headache, body ache, and sometimes a rash. Severe cases can lead to respiratory distress, organ failure, and death. Factors like vector abundance, climate, farming, and sanitation impact its spread. The Elisa test is used for detection. Control measures include cold fogging, clearing bushes, and reducing rodent populations.

Notes:
The Tobacco Board has initiated several strategic activities to ensure the sustainability and growth of the tobacco industry. The Tobacco Board of India was established on January 1, 1976, under the Tobacco Board Act, 1975. It is headed by a chairperson and works towards the development of the tobacco industry. Its main functions include promoting tobacco exports, regulating FCV tobacco production and distribution, and supporting domestic and international tobacco trade. India is the second-largest producer of tobacco globally, after China. India is also the second-largest exporter of unmanufactured tobacco, after Brazil.

Notes:
Maharashtra launched a 15-day campaign from January 1 to promote reading among students. Higher and Technical Education Minister Chandrakant Patil announced the initiative. Students are encouraged to read books beyond their textbooks. Colleges and universities will organize events like group reading, storytelling, book discussions, workshops, and competitions. A government resolution outlines campaign details and mandates its annual observance in January. Committees at various levels will ensure effective implementation statewide. Final winners of activities will be honored at a special event.

Notes:
Romania and Bulgaria became full members of the EU’s Schengen area on January 1, 2025. Previously, both countries held partial membership in the Schengen area. The Schengen area operates as a single jurisdiction with a common visa policy for international travel.

Notes:
More than 100 people, including child rights activists from Nepal and India, launched the ‘Child Marriage Free Nepal’ campaign in Kathmandu. The campaign, supported by Indian organization Just Right for Children and Nepal’s Backward Society Education, aims to end child marriage by 2030. Nepal has the second-highest prevalence of child marriage in South Asia, with the legal marriage age set at 20. Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli pledged support for the campaign.

Notes:
Prativa Satpathy, renowned Odia poet, was awarded the Gangadhar National Award for Poetry 2023 by Sambalpur University. Satpathy gained prominence in the 1960s with her acclaimed work ‘Sesha Janha’. Her poems have been translated into several languages, gaining international recognition. The Gangadhar National Award, established in 1989, includes a citation, a shawl, and a cash prize of Rs 1,00,000. Previous awardees include Gulzar, K Sachidanandan, and Jayanta Mohapatra.

Notes:
The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions issued guidelines for the 28th National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) 2025. The NAeG is one of the most prestigious awards for digital governance in India. The National Awards for e-Governance (NAeG) scheme aims to promote excellence in e-Governance initiatives. The awards include a Trophy, Certificate, and cash incentives—Rs 10 lakh for Gold Awardees and Rs 5 lakh for Silver Awardees. 16 awards will be given this year, with 10 Gold and 6 Silver. The Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions is the nodal ministry.