Current Affairs Quiz - March 2025

Notes:
The Israel-Hamas conflict has escalated, leading to a fragile ceasefire brokered by the US, Egypt, and Qatar. A key issue is Israel’s withdrawal from the Philadelphi Corridor, a strategic area along Gaza’s border with Egypt. The corridor is a 14 km long, 100-meter-wide strip, including the Rafah crossing and Kerem Shalom crossing. It was designated a demilitarized zone under the 1979 Camp David treaty. After Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, Egypt and the Palestinian Authority took control, but Hamas seized it in 2007.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways launched the One Nation-One Port Process (ONOP). ONOP aims to standardize port operations across India’s major ports. The initiative removes inconsistencies in documentation, reduces inefficiencies, lowers costs, and minimizes delays. The Ministry reduced container operation documents by 33%, from 143 to 96. Bulk cargo documents were cut by 29%, from 150 to 106.

Notes:
Exercise Desert Hunt 2025 was held at Air Force Station Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from 24 to 28 February 2025. It is a tri-service special forces exercise conducted by the Indian Air Force. Participants included the Indian Army’s Para (SF), Navy’s Marine Commandos, and Air Force’s Garud (SF). The exercise focused on interoperability, coordination, and synergy among special forces. It included airborne insertion, precision strikes, hostage rescue, counter-terrorism, combat free falls, and urban warfare.

Notes:
The high court issued notices to South Western Railway and Directorate of Survey and Land Records (DSLR) over a PIL challenging land acquisition at Bhagwan Mahavir Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located in the Western Ghats on Goa’s eastern border, the sanctuary covers 240 sq. km. Originally called Mollem Game Sanctuary, it was declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1969 and renamed Bhagwan Mahavir. The sanctuary includes Mollem National Park and is home to Dudhsagar waterfall, Devil’s Canyon, Tambdi Surla temple, and other historic sites.

Notes:
New Zealand’s High Court overturned the conviction of White Island’s owners after the 2019 volcanic eruption that killed 22 people. White Island (Whakaari) is an active composite stratovolcano in New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty, located 48 km off Whakatāne. It is New Zealand’s most active cone volcano, formed over 150,000 years. The 2019 eruption was its last major event, causing fatalities and injuries. The island, privately owned, was declared a private scenic reserve in 1953, attracting tourism and scientific research. It features hot springs, geysers, and fumaroles and was named by Captain James Cook in 1769.

Notes:
Digital transactions are growing fast, increasing cyber threats and making payment security crucial. QNA is launching the Payment Security Summit & Awards – India in Mumbai on 4th March 2025. The event aims to unite leaders from various sectors to shape secure digital commerce. QNA is a decade-old events organization known for its expertise in hosting business events.

Notes:
The elusive marbled cat was recently spotted through camera traps at Dehing Patkai National Park, Assam. The marbled cat (Pardofelis marmorata) is a small wild cat found in South and Southeast Asia. It is closely related to the clouded leopard and bay cat. In India, it is found in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, and Nagaland. It has a marbled fur pattern for camouflage and is an excellent climber.

Notes:
International Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness Day is observed annually on March 5. It was established by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2022 to promote awareness, especially among youth. The day highlights threats from weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) like nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The initiative began with a resolution proposal in 2021 and was officially recognized on December 7, 2022. The first observance took place on March 5, 2023, emphasizing global peace and security.

Notes:
Punjab has fully utilized ₹4,713 crore under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) scheme. It ranks number one in India for AIF implementation. The state has received an additional ₹2,337 crore allocation. AIF was launched in July 2020 to finance agriculture infrastructure projects. The scheme supports post-harvest infrastructure, including storage, processing, and supply chain improvements. It provides medium to long-term financing to farmers, FPOs, and agri-entrepreneurs. Punjab’s effective use of AIF aims to reduce post-harvest losses and enhance value addition in agriculture.

Notes:
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology launched the IndiaAI Mission’s compute portal and AIKosha platform. The compute portal offers access to over 18,000 GPUs, cloud storage, and AI services for students, startups, researchers, and government bodies. AIKosha is a dataset platform providing resources, tools, and expert guidance for turning ideas into industry solutions. The platform aims to offer high-quality non-personal datasets to foster AI innovation and help developers create India-specific AI models.