Daily Current Affairs Quiz: May 13, 2025

Notes:
The Raika tribe, also known as Rabaris, is an indigenous pastoralist community living in the arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan, especially near Kumbhalgarh in Rajsamand district. They are known for their deep cultural and spiritual connection with camels, especially the Marwari breed, valued for its strength and desert survival. For the Raikas, camel herding is not just a source of income but a way of life rooted in rituals, stories, and seasonal migration. Their traditional knowledge of pasture cycles, animal care, and biodiversity has long helped sustain Rajasthan’s fragile dryland ecosystems. In recent news, their expertise is being recognized for preserving the health of arid lands through age-old grazing routes and natural veterinary practices.

Notes:
Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, a fully intact Chinese-made PL-15 long-range air-to-air missile has been recently recovered in Punjab’s Hoshiarpur district. The PL-15, also called “Thunderbolt-15,” is a long-range beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) developed by China’s 607 Institute. It is manufactured by the China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation (CASIC). The missile is designed to strike enemy aircraft at very long distances, even before visual contact is made. This incident has raised serious security concerns, especially regarding regional military activity and foreign weapon systems near the border.

Notes:
On April 2, 2025, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) reported that asteroid 2024 YR4 has a 3.8% chance of hitting the Moon on December 22, 2032. YR4 is a Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) discovered in December 2024 using the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope in Chile. It is classified as a Near-Earth Object (NEO) because its orbit brings it close to Earth—within 1.3 times the Earth-Sun distance. In February 2025, YR4 triggered NASA’s highest-ever asteroid impact alert. Infrared data from the James Webb Space Telescope estimates its size at around 65 metres, similar to a 10-storey building. Since it is below 140 metres in size, it is not labeled a “Potentially Hazardous Asteroid.” Earlier, it had a 1% chance of hitting Earth, but updated analysis now shows almost no threat to our planet.

Notes:
The 8th United Nations (UN) Global Road Safety Week is observed from 12 to 18 May 2025, with the theme MakeWalkingSafe and MakeCyclingSafe. UN Global Road Safety Week (UNGRSW) is a biennial global road safety campaign hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners to highlight the urgent need for safer roads, especially for pedestrians and cyclists. This global campaign promotes safe infrastructure and transport policies that support walking and cycling in cities. It aims to raise awareness about the growing dangers faced by non-motorized road users due to poor road conditions and unsafe driver behavior. It also encourages governments to adopt strong laws and reforms to reduce road traffic injuries and deaths.

Notes:
India reportedly opened multiple gates at the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project Dam on the Chenab River in Ramban, Jammu and Kashmir, amid rising water levels. The Chenab River, meaning “Moon River,” is a major tributary of the Indus River. It originates from the confluence of Chandra and Bhaga streams at Tandi in the Lahaul and Spiti districts of Himachal Pradesh. In its upper stretches, it is also known as Chandrabhaga. It flows through Jammu and Kashmir, passing between the Siwalik Range and Lesser Himalayas. It then turns southwest into Pakistan, joining the Jhelum River near Trimmu and later merging with the Sutlej River.